SunBlade150 is a 64 bit workstation on UltraSPARC IIe architecture. Since, I was more inclined towards using Debian GNU/Linux on it I have installed Debian Etch (Testing) on it.
Debian's installer is broken so the only way out is to use net-install image. I used Google and found many images, but all of them had one or the other issue. Some were not able to
identify USB keyboard while some were unable to mount the IDE disk. At last I found a working image that you can download from
here.
Ok, so what do I need in order to run the installer? Apart from a good internet connection, you need another *nix machine (I'll call it Box A) on the same network with rarpd and tftpd installed. Here is
the step-by-step guide:
Download the net-install image from here.
On Box A:
# mkdir /tftpboot
and copy this image to /tftpboot directory.
Note down the ethernet MAC address for your Sun box (I'll call it Box B). You can find it in last line next to the Sun logo at the time of boot up. Mine is 00:03:BA:CD:BA:C0
Edit /etc/ethers. Say, you want to assign the IP address 192.168.1.2 to Box B then your /etc/ethers should have following entry on a new-line like:
00:03:BA:CD:BA:C0 192.168.1.2
Now, restart rarpd.
Convert the IP address for Box B into hex:
# printf "%2x %2x %2x %2x\n" 192 168 1 2
# c0 a8 1 2
On Box A:
# cd /tftpboot
# ln -s boot.img C0A80102
Box A is setup. Start Box B and press STOP-A. When you get OK prompt, type:
boot net "framebuffer=true vga=771"
Box should reboot now automatically and on restart you should see it making request for RARP and after 3 requests a countup in hexadecimal will start. In a while, you'll be greeted
with the familiar black screen with Tux on the top left corner of screen and kernel booting up.
When the Debian installer takes over, it's a known territory for most of the Debian geeks.For keyboard type, select US (USB) and don't select Sun4/5 keyboard or your keyboard will
stop responding. Also, don't select or fiddle with the keymap. Just cancel it. The default keymap works fine even after the installation.
Most of the time you simply need to press ENTER and accept the default settings. You will be required to configure networking also according to your network. If it's DHCP, then
it will be automatic.
Partitioning is another important arena. I made a boot partition of 90M first in the initial sectors. Also, don't choose the filesystem type as reiserfs as the
bootloader doesn't support it. ext3 is the optimal choice. Here is my partition table:
Disk /dev/hda (Sun disk label): 255 heads, 63 sectors, 9729 cylinders
Units = cylinders of 16065 * 512 bytes
Device Flag Start End Blocks Id System
/dev/hda1 0 12 96390 1 Boot
/dev/hda2 12 1836 14651280 83 Linux native
/dev/hda3 0 9729 78148192+ 5 Whole disk
/dev/hda4 1836 1929 747022+ 82 Linux swap
/dev/hda5 1929 9729 62653500 83 Linux native
Floppy drive is not supported on SunBlade150, so it's useless to make a boot disk. Simply, let the installer install bootloader and reboot.
On reboot, you'll get SILO prompt. SILO is LILO to Sun hardware. Simply press enter or wait for autoboot. Now, the installer will
ask your preferences for package selection.
X configuration is a bit tricky. Keyboard type should be select as Xfree86. On starting X-server, you'll get out of synch error and monitor will go blank. You need to add following lines to /etc/X11/XF86Config-4:
Section "Device"
Identifier "Generic Video Card"
Driver "ati"
Option "UseFBDev" "true"
Option "reference_clock" "29.5 Mhz"
EndSection
Here are a few config files and outputs of certain commands:
Known issues:
- Floppy drive doesn't work.
- Soundcard doesn't work with stock kernel. It is ALi Corporation M5451 card and module for it is neither provided with the kernel nor it's compiled into it. Recompilation of kernel
is needed to enable the support.
- System tends to lose time. My machine has lost more than 50 minutes in 2 months since installation and first boot. Also, if you try to run date command, it hangs!
For feedback or comments, contact: nishantsharma [dot] in [at] gmail [dot] com
