Subject: Alpha bootable CDs - summary
To: None <port-alpha@netbsd.org>
From: Robert Elz <kre@munnari.OZ.AU>
List: port-alpha
Date: 06/21/2000 02:08:07
I have been asked to send a summary of the procedure to
make an alpha bootable CD.
1. Prepare the (normal filesystem) image of the CD contents
2. Copy an alpha kernel that will boot from a CD (the important
issue is how its root filesytem works) to what will be the
root directory of the CD (instkernel/netbsd.gz is a reasonable
choice - and the obvious one for making installation CDs).
3. Copy (alpha) /usr/mdec/boot to what will be the root of the CD
(it needs to be called "/boot" on the CD).
4. Use mkisofs (or mkhybrid) to build the ISO format image
5. /usr/mdec/installboot image-file.iso /usr/mdec/bootxx_cd9660
6. cdrecord (or equivalent)
7. Boot...
mkisofs can also include i386 boot blocks. To make it also be sun
bootable, run mksunbootcd between steps 4 & 5, and use the -s arg to
the alpha's installboot.
It is possible to compile the alpha installboot on other systems, but
I am by no means convinced that it has no endianness portability problems
(but nor do I know that it does - I just looked at it, and then decided to
run it on an alpha...)
kre