Re: dhcp/tftp boot cd?

[Andy Ruhl <acruhl%gmail.com@localhost>]

On Mon, Apr 13, 2009 at 1:17 AM, Martin Husemann <martin%duskware.de@localhost> 
wrote:
> Nothing realy, besides lazyness on my part and not having a CD available ;-)
> It doesn't fit my setup exactly, I'd prefer to power on the machine
> and have it "just boot" to NFS root with console on serial.
>
> I inherited the machine with a dcload-ip cd in it, but building it's host
> tool on NetBSD-5 ends with an incompatible one that isn't able to upload
> a NetBSD kernel.
>
> Anyone happen to know a way to create a serial cable nowadays? The geo link
> cables are not exactly on stock anywhere anymore ;-) I have no problem doing
> hardware, but need at least a source for the connector.

The reason why "we" (really Josh at the time) came up with the IP
upload slave/kernel loader setup was because it was getting tedious to
keep burning new kernels onto CD. You can configure a kernel that will
boot from an nfs root via dhcp/nfs, but I'm not currently aware of any
bootloader you can put on a CD which will initiate this process from
the dreamcast. If you want to write something to do this or you know
of something, that would be wonderful :)

So it is possible to just burn a kernel with an nfs root, this is no
problem. If you want to change the kernel though, that's where you
have a problem. The Dreamcast won't load data from a CD-RW as far as I
know, either.

There was a place that sold cables for the dreamcast and I think
"everyone" that wanted a cable got it there. I just used a TV because
it was there. You can get a TV to VGA adapter as well if you want to
watch it on a monitor.

I keep meaning to boot a newer kernel on the dreamcast but I haven't
got around to it for a while now.

Andy