[9fans] New to Plan 9

[9fans] New to Plan 9

[James Fox]

Hello,

I am totally new to Plan 9, but I decided to try it out, just because I like 
to try out new operating systems and the like. I recently used the CD iso to 
install Plan 9 (I'm not sure if Plan 9 supports by Ethernet Adapter),  and 
after a few attempts, I got to the boot installation stage.

After failing to get the installation to create a boot floppy (It tried to 
use the cd drive: perhaps it was confused by the floppy image that, if i 
recall correctly, is inside every bootable cd-rom), I decided to use the 
'plan9' option, which seemed to work until I tried to reboot.

Basically,  whether I let Plan 9 install it's bootloader in the MBR, or I 
try to chainload (using the Solaris or FreeBSD multi-booters), the booting 
fails immedialy, with either the message 'MBR...Error!' if I use the Plan 9 
bootloader, or just '...Error!' if I use another bootloader.

Does anyone know what causes this, and how it could be fixed?

James Fox

Re: [9fans] New to Plan 9

[Bob Hartley]

James,

If you have another machine with MSN, ssh, email or something on it, I 
will try to schedule some time to help walk you through it.

I have installed Plan 9 on a number of machines at home and work, but I 
must warn you I am a newby myself.

You can email me offlist to arrange this,

regards,

Bob



On Dec 21, 2004, at 5:52 PM, James Fox wrote:

> Hello,
>
> I am totally new to Plan 9, but I decided to try it out, just because 
> I like to try out new operating systems and the like. I recently used 
> the CD iso to install Plan 9 (I'm not sure if Plan 9 supports by 
> Ethernet Adapter),  and after a few attempts, I got to the boot 
> installation stage.
>
> After failing to get the installation to create a boot floppy (It 
> tried to use the cd drive: perhaps it was confused by the floppy image 
> that, if i recall correctly, is inside every bootable cd-rom), I 
> decided to use the 'plan9' option, which seemed to work until I tried 
> to reboot.
>
> Basically,  whether I let Plan 9 install it's bootloader in the MBR, 
> or I try to chainload (using the Solaris or FreeBSD multi-booters), 
> the booting fails immedialy, with either the message 'MBR...Error!' if 
> I use the Plan 9 bootloader, or just '...Error!' if I use another 
> bootloader.
>
> Does anyone know what causes this, and how it could be fixed?
>
> James Fox
>
>

Re: [9fans] New to Plan 9

[Sergey Reva]

Hello James,

Wednesday, December 22, 2004, 12:52:22 AM, you wrote:

JF> I am totally new to Plan 9, but I decided to try it out, just because I like
JF> to try out new operating systems and the like. I recently used the CD iso to
JF> install Plan 9 (I'm not sure if Plan 9 supports by Ethernet Adapter),  and
JF> after a few attempts, I got to the boot installation stage.
Plan 9 can be installed through net/ppp/local, when you get
installation menu you see there.

JF> Does anyone know what causes this, and how it could be fixed?

When you install Plan 9 from local CD-ROM firstly check this:
CD-ROM should be secondary master, because plan9.ini:
plan9.ini>>bootfile=sdD0!cdboot!9pccd.gz
sdD0 read like this
sd - storage device
??C - IDE primary
??D - IDE secondary
???0 - master
???1 - slave

cdboot - partition

JF>multi-booters
Use VMWare (video driver for this VM included to Plan 9), it's more
safely way. In plan9 page you can get preinstalled images for
VMWare (VMWare have 30-days trial).


P.S.
Sorry for my english.
-- 
http://rs-rlab.narod.ru                            mailto:rs_rlab@mail.ru

Re: [9fans] New to Plan 9

[Jack Johnson]

On Tue, 21 Dec 2004 22:52:22 +0000, James Fox <grey_fox_j@hotmail.com> wrote:
> Basically,  whether I let Plan 9 install it's bootloader in the MBR, or I
> try to chainload (using the Solaris or FreeBSD multi-booters), the booting
> fails immedialy, with either the message 'MBR...Error!' if I use the Plan 9
> bootloader, or just '...Error!' if I use another bootloader.

I seem to recall having issues with various bootloaders (though not
necessarily Plan 9's) when clobbering one OS with another.  As
standard practice I tend to nuke the MBR each time now with an old
Win98 floppy and 'fdisk /mbr' (I think) just to make sure it's clean. 
2K/XP has a 'fixmbr' that does a similar trick (possibly leaving
behind some carnage) which seems to be easily clobbered by any other
bootloader.

At least a couple of us here have gravitated toward Smart Bootmanager:

http://btmgr.sourceforge.net/about.html

It tends to be friendly toward just about any OS and is insanely
useful for booting any ancient machines off CD-ROM in a pinch (or for
an install).

Good luck!

-Jack

Re: [9fans] New to Plan 9

[arisawa]

Hello 9fans,

> At least a couple of us here have gravitated toward Smart Bootmanager:
>
> http://btmgr.sourceforge.net/about.html
>
> It tends to be friendly toward just about any OS and is insanely
> useful for booting any ancient machines off CD-ROM in a pinch (or for
> an install).
>

You have alternative. I love MBM (Multiple Boot Manager)
	http://elm-chan.org/fsw/mbm/mbm_e.html

Kenji Arisawa