[Debian-ppc64-devel] problems with debian ppc64 on openpower710

[Harald Görl]

Sven Luther wrote:
>>Hi again,
>>it doesn't fail, it just doen't print out the "boot.msg" and doesn't use 
>>the correct cd-device. So it is exactly working for me as Matthew 
>>already described. The ISO-filesystem is correctly created of course. 
>>Sorry for the confusion!
> 
> 
> Cool, please try tomorrows it should be fixed.

Hi Sven, *.
I've tested the actual Debian cd image:

http://cdimage.debian.org/pub/cdimage-testing/daily/powerpc/20051002/debian-testing-powerpc-netinst.iso 


and that one (kernel "install64") is starting perfectly on a IBM 
OpenPower 720 within a virtual machine. I hope leaving out the "cd=" 
section doesn't break other machines. I also tried a 32 bit IBM B50 (i 
think it's a PowerPC 603e) not virtualized and that machine also is 
starting.

But (please don't kill me now) there are two things to mention:

1. The text in the "boot.msg" file is "[...] which include the IBM
Power3, Power4, Power5, ... boxes, [...]". I'm not absolutely sure but i 
think the IBM name for POWER5 will be written in capital letters as they 
do it in the manuals and on the homepages? Not very important!

2. Booting the "install" kernel on the 32 bit IBM B50 takes me to the 
"choosing language" menu but at that time i can not use the keyboard 
(which is connected with PS/2), perhaps the corresponding driver is 
missing at this time? So there is no chance to continue the installation 
on that machine. I have no chance to test this on the OpenPower 720 
(where i can only start virtual machines with hvc terminal) but i would 
suggest that the driver is also missing there?

If an error report would be helpful for this i will create one of 
course. But perhaps that behaviour is "well-known"?


All in all it is great news to see that standard debian cd images are 
bootable within IBM Hardware (32 and 64 bit) from now on!!!

Harald