[cobalt-developers] Installing Red Hat 9.0 on a Qube...

[Rui Carmo <rui.carmo@xxxxxxxxx>]

Hello,

Following a post found on this list  
(http://list.cobalt.com/pipermail/cobalt-developers/2003-April/039215.html), 
I am attempting to install RedHat 9.0 on a Cobalt Qube and making a 
documented process out of it. The results (so far) are over at 
http://the.taoofmac.com/space/Sandbox and I would appreciate some help.

The main problem at this point is building a bootstrap kernel that can  
be placed on the NFS server's /nfsroot-x86 directory and allow the  
install to proceed. The ROM kernel can mount the NFS share and start the 
RedHat installation program, but it apparently lacks the "loop" device 
(which is necessary for some installation modes to mount disk images).

I cannot seem to be able to build a kernel out of my 9.0 box that will 
run on the Cobalt _and_ carry on with the installation. (despite 
following the instructions above and a couple of others). Beats me why.

I am experimenting with the RAQ550 OS Restore CD kernel (which should  
work, given that it has built-in NFS support), but that apparently 
doesn't work either (It panics for some reason when merged with the 
contents of the RedHat install image, something I'm still investigating).

My goal is to have a standard, documented process to run Red Hat 9.0 on 
a Qube, RaQ or other gen_III hardware. I picked RedHat out of habit 
(it's been my distribution of choice for years now), but am open to try 
other distros - provided they are at least as easy to install - or even 
NetBSD (on which I can find nearly no documentation at all, save for 
older MIPS boxes).

All those interested please drop me a line - but please, DON'T ask me  
when it will be done - I'm still trying to get it to work.

(I had already posted to the list without subscribing, but apparently no 
moderator was available to validate my message - I will _not_ be 
subscribing to the list for more than a few days, so please contact me 
directly. Also, feel free to post this to cobalt-users if you find it 
relevant.)

Regards,

Rui Carmo
http://the.taoofmac.com

P.S.: These may be interesting for the remaining crowd:
Upgrade RAQ3/4 -> 550   :  
http://the.taoofmac.com/space/HOWTO/Upgrade%20a%20RAQ3%20to%20RAQ550
Upgrade PHP on a 550    :  
http://the.taoofmac.com/space/HOWTO/Install%20PHP%204.3.x%20on%20a%20RAQ550
More Packages and Notes : http://the.taoofmac.com/space/RAQ550/Packages