Re: re-transmission: Re: Prepping to install

[David Brownlee <abs%absd.org@localhost>]

On 11 June 2015 at 13:00, William A. Mahaffey III <wam%hiwaay.net@localhost> wrote:
> On 06/11/15 06:14, David Brownlee wrote:
>>>
>>> >OK, I'm up to the (try to) install, & hit a minor snag. I prepped my
>>> > various
>>> >filesystems closely following the attached notes, posted earlier in this
>>> >thread & now cleaned up to reflect what I actually did in the last part
>>> > of
>>> >the install (as well as I can from memory). In particular, I prepped the
>>> >root filesystem to be bootable. I then rebooted the box & removed the
>>> > USB
>>> >key, hopefully to reboot into an install environment upon reboot.
>>> > Instead, I
>>> >get an endless string of messages:
>>> >
>>> >init: can't exec getty (/usr/libexec/getty) for port /dev/console: no
>>> > such
>>> >file or directory.
>>> >
>>> >
>>> >I rebooted again (hit the reset button) & inserted the USB install er
>>> > back
>>> >into the USB drive. It was acknowleged during boot, & I have the BIOS
>>> > set to
>>> >try to boot from the USB device 1st, then try hard drives next.
>>> > Nonetheless,
>>> >it still apparently tries to boot from the HDD's, & returns to that
>>> > endless
>>> >string of init messages. More pilot, error, I assume, but how do I get
>>> >around this ? Any clues appreciated. TIA & have a good one.
>>
>> Do you have a RAID1 set to autoconfigure as root? If so, it will
>> 'steal' root even when you boot off a USB key or other.
>
>
> *Aaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhh*, that explains much !!!!
>
>>
>> If you drop to the boot prompt and 'boot netbsd -a' you should be
>> asked for a root device (among other items:)
>
>
> That's where I seem to be stuck, I don't recall an opportunity to do that,
> when & where do I (try to) drop to the boot prompt ? TIA & thanks for the
> reply :-) ....

Should be at the very first NetBSD boot loader prompt - when it counts down