Attachment 28915 Details for Bug 37231 – more fixors

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sparcfaq.xml (text/plain), 16.00 KB, created by Colin Morey (RETIRED) on 2004-04-08 15:08:53 UTC

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><?xml version='1.0' encoding="UTF-8"?>
><!DOCTYPE guide SYSTEM "/dtd/guide.dtd">
><guide link="sparcfaq.xml">
><title>Gentoo Linux/SPARC Frequently Asked Questions</title>
>
><author title="SPARC Developer">
>    <mail link="weeve@gentoo.org">Jason Wever</mail>
></author>
>
><abstract>
>This FAQ is designed to help answer the most commonly asked
>questions about Gentoo Linux/SPARC and Linux on SPARC architecture.
>Feel free to send revisions and corrections to the sparc team or the
>doc team.
></abstract>
>
>
><license/>
><version>1.0</version>
><date>23 Mar 2004</date>
>
><chapter>
>	<title>Documentation Notes</title>
><section>
><body>
><p>
>These are some notes to elaborate on acronyms and terms used in this document.
></p>
><p>
>When mentioning "SPARC and SPARC64", this refers to the type of sun4x system.
>SPARC represents the 32 bit systems using the sun4c, sun4d and sun4m
>architectures (i.e. SPARCstations).  SPARC64 represents the sun4u architecture
>seen in the UltraSPARC series of systems (Ultras, Blades, SunFires, etc).
></p>
>
><note>
>Acronyms:  OBP = OpenBoot PROM, SS  = SPARCstation
></note>
>
><p>
>The most frequently asked question we get is "Hey, foo is broken, who can I
>blame?"  After much discussion on how to handle this, we arrived at an answer.
>Blame Seemant!  Why blame Seemant you ask?  Just look at
><uri>http://www.blameseemant.tk</uri> and it should make it clear :)
></p>
></body>
></section>
></chapter>
>
><chapter>
><title>Installation</title>
><section>
>
><title>
>    How do I install/use my SPARC over a serial console?
></title>
>
><body>
>
><p>
>First, make sure you do not have a keyboard and monitor plugged in.  OBP will
>use the monitor for output by default if either are plugged in.  You will need
>a null modem cable or a regular serial cable with a null modem adapter to be
>able to view output.
></p>
>
><p>
>Standard serial port settings
></p>
>
><p>
><ul>
><li>9600 baud</li>
><li>8 data bits</li>
><li>None for parity</li>
><li>1 stop bits</li>
></ul>
></p>
>
><p>
>Below is a list of commonly used programs for viewing a serial console.  Check
>to see if your serial console application has the ability to send a break, as
>it can be very useful on a SPARC.  The break signal on a serial console is the equivalent to issuing the Stop+A command on the keyboard.
></p>
>
><p>
><table>
><tr><th>Linux</th><th>Windows</th></tr>
><tr><ti>Minicom</ti><ti>Hyperterm</ti></tr>
><tr><ti>Kermit</ti><ti>TeraTerm Pro</ti></tr>
><tr><ti>Console</ti></tr>
><tr><ti>Seyon</ti></tr>
></table>
></p>
>
></body>
></section>
>
><section>
><title>How do I network boot my SPARC system for installation?</title>
><body>
><p>
>Currently, Gentoo has experimental network boot/tftpboot images available
>on a local Gentoo mirror in experimental/sparc/tftpboot.  Get the appropriate
>image for your SPARC computer and then proceed to the Netboot HOWTO for
>further instructions.
></p>
></body>
></section>
>
><section>
><title>I have a CRT/LCD monitor attached to my SPARC that selects a resolution 
>my monitor can't handle when the kernel boots.  How do I get a visible and/or
>non-distorted display on my monitor?</title>
><body>
><p>
>This problem is a result of the framebuffer support the Linux kernel loads
>at boot time, and the modelines available on SPARC systems.
>
>Here we will assume your monitor and video card will agree on a resolution of
>1024 by 768 at a refresh rate of 60 Hz.
>
>In OBP, you can set the resolution by adjusting the setting for output-device.
>To view the current setting, use the command:
></p>
><p>
>ok <i>printenv output-device</i>
></p>
><p>
>The output this command should return will look similar to
></p>
><p>
><c>output-device         screen                         screen</c>
></p>
>
><p>
>Now, to set this so it will start the display using the above mentioned
>resolution, we will use the setenv command as follows;
></p>
>
><p>
>ok <i>setenv output-device screen:r1024x768x60</i>
></p>
>
><p>
>The command should output the following, indicating it has changed the
>output-device parameter;
></p>
>
><p>
><c>output-device =       screen:r1024x768x60</c>
></p>
>
><p>
>In order for this to take effect,  you will need to reset the machine;
></p>
>
><p>
>ok <c>reset</c>
></p>
>
><p>
>Additionally, for users using the onboard video card based on the ATI Mach64
>chipset (Ultra 5/10 and Blade 100/150),  you will want to append the following
>to your kernel boot option;
></p>
>
><p>
><c>video=atyfb:1024x768@60</c>
></p>
>
><p>
>If you are booting from SILO, you can append the above string onto the end
>of a given boot image.  The following example would be if you were booting
>from the LiveCD.
></p>
>
><p>
>boot: <c>gentoo video=atyfb:1024x768@60</c>
></p>
>
><p>
>If you were booting from the network, you would append the string onto the
>end of the boot net command in OBP as illustrated below;
></p>
>
><p>ok <c>boot net video=atyfb:1024x768@60</c></p>
></body>
></section>
>
><section>
><title>I'm new to SPARC and am not sure what kernel options to use, 
>HELP!</title>
><body>
><p>
>Most of the time, the default kernel options will be acceptable for hardware
>support.  You will need to make sure that devfs and virtual memory filesystem
>support is enabled in the kernel as instructed in the Installation Handbook.
></p>
>
><p>
>Additionally, Gentoo/SPARC developer Ciaran McCreesh maintains a collection
>of kernel configuration files for various SPARC systems at
><uri>http://dev.gentoo.org/~ciaranm/configs/kernel/</uri>.  Feel free to submit kernel configuration files for any SPARC systems and/or kernel versions not currently avaiable to <mail link="ciaranm@gentoo.org">ciaranm@gentoo.org</mail>
></p>
></body>
></section>
>
><section>
><title>How do I dual boot Gentoo Linux/SPARC with Solaris?</title>
>
><body>
>
><p>
>Dual booting Gentoo Linux/SPARC and Solaris can be done one of two ways.  The
>two ways are having both Gentoo Linux/SPARC and Solaris on the same drive, or
>having them on seperate drives.
>
>Below are example SILO configurations for each scenario.  In the example
>configs, the following things are assumed;
></p>
>
><p>
>Single Drive Setup
><ul>
><li>Boot drive is SCSI ID 0</li>
><li>Gentoo boots from partition 1</li>
><li>Solaris boots from parition 5</li>
></ul>
></p>
>
><p>
>Seperate Drive Setup
><ul>
><li>Second drive is SCSI ID 1</li>
><li>Gentoo is on SCSI ID 0</li>
><li>Solaris is on SCSI ID 1</li>
><li>boot-device in OBP is SCSI ID 0</li>
></ul>
></p>
>
><pre caption="Sample silo.conf for a single drive installation">
><c># Generic config options
>partition = 1
>timeout = 50
>
># Gentoo Linux/SPARC options
>image = /boot/vmlinux
>      label = linux
>      root=/dev/sda4
>
># Solaris options
>other=5
>    label = Solaris
></c>
></pre>
>
><pre caption="Sample silo.conf for separate disk installation">
><c>
># Generic config options
>parition = 1
>timeout = 50
>
># Gentoo Linux/SPARC options
>image = /boot/vmlinux
>      label = linux
>      root=/dev/sda4
>
># Solaris options
>other = /sbus/espdma/esp/sd@1,0;1
>	label = solaris
></c>
></pre>
></body>
></section>
>
><section>
><title>I just booted my SPARCstation after installing Gentoo but it won't boot.
>Why isn't it booting?</title>
>
><body>
>
><p>
>One possibility has to do with the way the that the SCSI IDs are assigned.
>Gentoo/SPARC developer Keith Wesolowski provides us with the following;
></p>
>
><p>
>Linux, normally, orders devices by SCSI ID.  The lowest-numbered disk
>is sda, the next-lowest is sdb, and so on.  Note that devfs allows you
>to specify devices by SCSI ID, so that adding a new device doesn't
>cause your existing devices to be renamed, unless of course you use
>the compatibility names.  There are additional ways to solve this.
></p>
>
><p>
>The OBP in most or all sun4c and sun4m systems aliases "disk" to the
>device with SCSI ID 3, and "disk0" through "disk3" to the device with
>= the corresponding SCSI ID, if it happens to be a disk rather than a
>tape, CDROM, etc.
></p>
>
><p>
>In the desktop systems of this era that support two SCA disks (the
>Aurora chassis systems), the lower slot is assigned SCSI ID 3, and the
>upper slot is assigned SCSI ID 1.
></p>
>
><p>
>If you like, you can change the PROM alias "disk" to match that of
>"disk1" so that the "boot disk" command causes the system to boot from
>the same device Linux calls sda.  This feels more consistent and
>normal, especially for users with a PC background.  Alternately, you
>can simply place the filesystem containing /boot (which could be the
>root filesystem or a separate boot filesystem) on device ID 3 (Linux
>sdb) and boot from it, using a root filesystem on either sda or sdb,
>or in fact any other disk attached to the system.
></p>
>
></body>
></section>
></chapter>
>
><chapter>
><title>Hardware</title>
>
><section>
><title>Will Gentoo run on my SPARC?</title>
>
><body>
><p>
>It depends on the type of SPARC, but chances are yes.  One exception seems to
>be the SPARC based laptops from Tadpole, particularly the newer models.  If
>you have a working Tadpole on Gentoo/SPARC, please contact us and let us know
>the details on the model and anything special needed to get it to work.
></p>
><p>
>Gentoo/SPARC Developer Todd Sunderlin keeps a partial list of the status of
>SPARC64 systems under Gentoo at <uri>http://dev.gentoo.org/~todd/sparc64.html</uri>.  Email him with any additions or possible changes to <mail link="todd@gentoo.org">todd@gentoo.org</mail>.
></p>
>
><p>
>To add details on your model SPARC64 to the list, email todd@gentoo.org with
>the pertinant information.  In general, support for the SPARC64 systems is
>good enough to allow some users to run it successfully in production
>environments. 
></p>
>
><p>
>32-bit SPARC systems vary.  Systems with the sun4m architecture have been
>reported to work fine (SS4 - SS20) including SMP configurations with the later
>2.4 series kernels.  sun4m systems using HyperSPARC or Ross processors in a
>SMP configuration will have a lot of kernel related trouble.  Additionally
>the author hasn't heard of any user reports in regards to the Java-stations so
>its status is unknown.  sun4d based systems currently do not work in the 2.4
>kernel series, and sun4c has been unstable as well.
></p>
>
><p>
>Often, the problems encountered in trying to run Gentoo on a 32-bit SPARC
>system stem from the kernel.  Rob Radez (no relation to Gentoo) maintains a
>webpage <uri>http://osinvestor.com/sparc/</uri> with the status of SPARC system support
>for various versions of the Linux kernel.  This can help indicate how usable
>your SPARC system would be under SPARC/Linux.
></p>
></body>
></section>
>
><section>
><title>What additional hardware is supported under Gentoo/SPARC?</title>
>
><body>
><p>
>For a list of additionally supported Sun hardware, consult the following list
>from the UltraLinux homepage - <uri>http://www.ultralinux.org/faq.html#q_2_2.</uri>
></p>
>
><p>
>A partial list of Sun devices which do NOT currently have support under
>Gentoo/SPARC or SPARC/Linux in general are:
></p>
>
><p>SunPCI cards
>SBUS or PCI PCMCIA controllers
>Smart card readers on some Sun Blade workstations
>Floppy drive on some Sun Blade workstations
></p>
>
><p>Also, Gentoo/SPARC developer Sven Blumenstein keeps a list of PC hardware
>that has been tested with the PCI based SPARC64 systems at
><uri>http://dev.gentoo.org/~bazik/hw.php</uri>.  Feel free to add your results at testing PC or non-Sun hardware to the list by emailing <mail link="bazik@gentoo.org">bazik@gentoo.org</mail> with the information on the hardware as displayed in the existing hardware list.
></p>
>
></body>
></section>
>
><section>
><title>So you keep talking about sun4c/sun4d/sun4m/sun4u.  How do I know which one I have?</title>
><body>
>
><p>The UltraLinux FAQ has the answer at <uri>http://www.ultralinux.org/faq.html#q_2_1</uri>
></p>
></body>
></section>
></chapter>
>
><chapter>
><title>Applications</title>
>
><section>
><title>
>How do I get XFree86 to find a usable modeline on my Ultra 5/10 or Blade
>100/150?
></title>
><body>
><p>
>The ATI Framebuffer normally expects a PC's BIOS to set the Reference Clock
>speed for the video card.  However, on non-x86 architectures, this doesn't
>happen.  So what needs to be done is to set the Reference Clock speed in the
>XF86Config file.  
></p>
>
><p>
>In the "Device" section of your XF86Config file, you will want to add a line
>similar to the following;
></p>
><c>Option      "reference_clock"   "28.636 MHz"</c>
>
><p>
>The following URLs contain more information on how to set the reference clock;
></p>
><uri>http://www.xfree86.org/~dawes/4.3.0/ati5.html#26</uri>
></body>
></section>
><section>
><title>How come package foo is masked on Sparc?</title>
>
><body>
><p>Chances are, this is due to the fact that none of the Gentoo/SPARC developers
>have gotten around to testing this yet, and/or the package is currently
>marked with the ~sparc keyword (meaning it's in a testing phase).
></p>
><p>
>If you still want to install the package, you can follow the instructions from
>the Portage Masked Package FAQ at
></p>
><uri>http://forums.gentoo.org/viewtopic.php?t=33534</uri>
><p>
><note>
>The FAQ mentions the sparc64 keyword, which is invalid.
></note>
></p>
></body>
></section>
>
><section>
><title>How can I help get package foo marked stable?</title>
><body>
><p>
>If you want to help ensure a package gets marked stable in a timely fashion,
>particularly if it's an application with a small userbase (i.e.
>net-im/bitlbee), install the package and test to make sure it works.  If it
>appears to be working well, feel free to file a bug at <uri>http://bugs.gentoo.org</uri> and assign it to the Gentoo/SPARC team.</p>
></body>
></section>
>
><section>
><title>I tried to emerge a package, but emerge failed complaining that a dependency
>is masked.  How can I fix this?</title>
><body>
><p>
>This is a bug.  Please file a bug report at <uri>http://bugs.gentoo.org</uri> for the Gentoo/SPARC team indicating what package you tried to emerge, the error message emerge gave you, and the output of emerge info.</p>
></body>
></section>
></chapter>
>
><chapter>
><title>Misc</title>
>
><section>
><title>I'm interested in becoming more involved with Gentoo/SPARC. How do I go about
>doing that?</title>
>
><body>
>
><p>
>The best way is to join the #gentoo-sparc IRC channel on Freenode IRC network
>irc.freenode.net.  This is where all of the developers hang out and talk
>SPARC (amongst other things).  Short of email, this is the best way to get
>our attention, and blame seemant! :)
></p>
><p>
>Also, many users and developers make use of the <uri link="http://forums.gentoo.org/viewforum.php?f=27">Gentoo/SPARC forum</uri>.  This is a good place to ask questions and see what problems have come up before, as well as talk shop
>about Gentoo/SPARC.
></p>
><p>
>Additionally, you can view the bugs for Gentoo/SPARC via the <uri link="http://bugs.gentoo.org">Gentoo Bugzilla</uri>.  The bugs will be assigned or CC'd to sparc@gentoo.org.
></p>
></body>
></section>
>
><section>
><title>Are there any currently known bugs/issues with software packages on
>Gentoo/SPARC?</title>
><body>
><p>
>A list of problematic packages can be found at
><uri>http://dev.gentoo.org/~weeve/problems.html</uri>
></p>
></body>
></section>
></chapter>
>
>
><chapter>
>
><title>Additional Resources</title>
><section><body>
><p>Here is some info on the Gentoo/SPARC project itself.
></p>
><p>
><uri link="http://sparc.gentoo.org">Gentoo/SPARC Project Page</uri>
></p>
><p>#gentoo-sparc	          - Official IRC channel on irc.freenode.net
></p>
><p>
><uri link="http://forums.gentoo.org/viewforum.php?f=27">Gentoo/SPARC Forum</uri>
></p>
><p>
><mail>sparc@gentoo.org</mail>	  - Gentoo/SPARC team email address
></p>
><p>Here are links to additional information about SPARC/Linux or SPARCs in general
></p>
><p>
><uri link="http://www.ultralinux.org">UltraLinux Homepage</uri> - Homepage of the SPARC/Linux port
></p>
><p>
><uri link="http://sunsolve.sun.com">Sunsolve</uri> - Great resource for Sun hardware documentation
></p>
><p>
><uri>http://docs.sun.com</uri> - Additional hardware and software information for SPARC systems, including instructions for flashing OBP
></p>
><p><uri link="http://www.obsolyte.com">Obsolyte</uri> - Information on older SPARC systems and links to a lot of other great SPARC related sites.
></p>
><p>
><uri link="http://040.digital-bless.com/texts/Unofficial_Sun_Blade_100_FAQ.htm">Unofficial Sun Blade 100 FAQ</uri> - Answers a lot of hardware related questions on the Blade 100
></p>
><p>
><uri link="http://docs.sun.com/db/coll/216.2">OBP Reference Guide</uri> - Sun's guide to the OpenBoot PROM.
></p>
>
></body>
></section>
></chapter>
></guide>

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Attachments on bug 37231: 23159 | 23160 | 28773 | 28774 | 28914 | 28915