>Date: Wed, 20 Jul 1994 01:35:57 -0700 (PDT)
>From: Mark Steven de Sagun-Tamola <buckwild@u.washington.edu>

>1.  In one thing I read, it says to get a current system from scratch, 
>you must first get a "mini-NetBSD" system running using just the three 
>install floppies from NetBSD-0.9, and then get the latest binary snapshot 
>onto the computer.  Question is:  HOW DO I GET THE DAMN FILES (WHICH ARE 
>HUGE!!) ONTO MY COMPUTER, EXACTLY, WHAT WAY??  Everyone assumes that one 

If I remember correctly, both 'mread' (part of mtools) and 'kermit'
(command-line interface only) are stashed in that mini-NetBSD system
somewhere.  On further thought, mread HAS to be there, or the load_fd
shell function would never work.  Look at the install scripts to see
where these binaries are.

Why can't you move your modem to COM1 or COM2 for the install process?

>2.  What is the EXACT route to getting current installed once the 
>binaries for the current snapshot are in place on the system?  Which ones 
>do I unpack first and how do I do it?  How do I write the new bootblocks 
>and all that?

I can't give you "EXACT" directions, since it's been 10 months since I
installed 0.9; but try the following:

1) Create a directory under /usr, e.g. /usr/new.  Unpack (tar zxf) the
snapshot files under there.
2) Use 'shutdown' to enter single-user mode.
3) Copy /bin/sh, /bin/mv, /sbin/sync, /sbin/umount, and /sbin/reboot
(possibly /bin/cp and others, too, I dunno) to /tmp.
4) exec /tmp/sh.
5) /tmp/mv /netbsd /onetbsd;/tmp/mv /usr/new/netbsd-* /netbsd
6) /tmp/mv /usr/new/bin/* /bin;/tmp/mv /usr/new/sbin/* /sbin;
&c. (move them ALL to their proper location, but NOT /etc)
7) /tmp/sync;/tmp/umount /usr;/tmp/reboot
8) tell bootblock to boot single-user with -s
9) cross fingers, hold breath, etc.
A) update /etc file-by-file
B) reboot multi-user.

...or something like that.

Supposedly -current can run with 0.9 bootblocks, so don't bother with
them until you get your system up and running.

This is the procedure I plan to try if I ever go through this process.
I'm sure someone will let me know if it's grossly wrong.

>I would like to thank anyone who can spare the time to read this LONG 
>message, and will personally give them a kiss on the cheek for my 
>heartfelt thanks.

I can do without the kiss, thanks anyway.

[egotistical .sig deleted]
-- 
Mike Long                                         Mike.Long@Analog.com
VLSI Design Engineer                    (PGP 2.6 public key available)
Analog Devices, CPD Division
Norwood, MA 02062 USA                assert(*this!=opinionof(Analog));

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