[Debian-ppc64-devel] Dmesg of OpenPower 720 Express with kernel 2.6.12-1-powerpc64

[Sven Luther]

On Thu, Sep 15, 2005 at 08:49:33AM +0200, Harald Görl wrote:
> Sven Luther wrote:
> >>I hope this is helpful... (While i know there is no other way to boot 
> >>vmlinux/initrd.gz on an OpenPower other than with cdrom! There is *no* 
> >>chance to boot it with bootp/tftp!)
> >
> >
> >Huh ? Why does netbooting not work ? 
> 
> This is the information i have (and what i can confirm by testing):
> 
> For netbooting the machine with OpenFirmware/SMS you need *ONE* file to 
> boot from. It is not possible to boot a kernel with parameters (i.e. 
> "initrd=...") and give a initrd.gz as a second file!

Which is the case on all chrp or even all powerpc i know of, and which is why
you boot yaboot. Does yaboot not work on these boxes ? 

> So booting your daily builds would mean to create a combined 
> "zImage.initrd" out of the two vmlinux and initrd.gz files.

Indeed, i belive there is a piggyback-kind of tool in the arch/ppc64/boot
directory to do just that, if the yaboot method fails.

> I think that's the reason for the kernel makefile target "zImage.initrd" 
> for ppc64? Booting zImage.initrd with SMS's bootp/tftp work perfectly.

As far as the ppc64 guys are concerned, that is probably only pre-yaboot
cruft, but i do like it myself too. Also grub2 is supposed to boot just fine
too on those boxes, try it out.

Friendly,

Sven Luther