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

[Sven Luther]

On Tue, Oct 04, 2005 at 09:49:01AM +0200, Harald Görl wrote:
> 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.

Cool.

> 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!

Mmm, what about

  ... including IBM 64bit POWER based boxes (everything after POWER3), except
  pre-POWER5 iSeries ...

Or something such.

> 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 

Ah, interesting. What driver is used ? Normally it should work, since i have
also a ps/2 keyboard on my pegasos and motorola PReP powerstack II machine.
`
> 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?

Not sure. The modules should be loaded by the installer before coming to the
language menu, we need to find out if :

  1) is it the right module (serio, i8042, atkbd, ...). Is it possible that
  the B50 uses a non i8042 ps/2 driver (doubtfull), can you do a serial
  install and investigate ?

  2) is the above mentioned modules actually loaded ?

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

Yes, please, ...

> 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!!!

Indeed, now we only need to solve the userland issue, eitheusing the biarch or
some sort of multiarch solution.

Friendly,

Sven Luther