[SPARCbook] Re: CAn't boot

[Miles Nordin]

> netbsd 1.5 beta 2 (which worked before) and every installer
> gives me the same error.  It can't seem to find the cd drive after it
> boots from the cd and starts the installer.  

unh-huh.  come on, you know better.  Tell us the exact error, please---on 
at least one operating system, preferably all three.  Also tell us which 
Sparcbook you own.  This _is_ a sparcbook, isn't it?

You might also post your dmesg output from NetBSD.  The NetBSD boot images 
include a shell prompt that, unlike the inferior install environments of 
certain other SPARC-aspiring BSD's SYSV's and mutants, functions as a 
fairly complete ``rescue disc''.  You might be able to capture the dmesg to 
a temporary file on the ramdisk, and then copy it over the Ethernet using 
ifconfig le0 inet 192.168.... netmask 0xffffff00, then ftp, or pax | rsh.

Does it ``see'' the internal SCSI hard disk?  Have you considered doing an 
FTP install, and FTP'ing from another box which can ``find'' its CD-ROM?  
Have you checked termination?  What is the output of probe-scsi?  Have you 
used the CD-ROM on another box's SCSI chain?

to recap:
 describe environment.  
 present error message properly.  
 answer follow-up questions.

In the words of the Great Nabokov (paraphrased):  ``There is no checking 
termination.  There is only rechecking termination.''