Re: Would a USB NetBSD/macppc install image be feasible

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

On Sun, 22 Mar 2020 at 17:54, Sevan Janiyan <venture37%geeklan.co.uk@localhost> wrote:
>
> On 22/03/2020 17:34, David Brownlee wrote:
> > It sounds like its possible to boot from USB on a number of macppc
> > models - even if its only a subset it would make it substantially
> > easier for many people.
> >
> > http://ben-collins.blogspot.com/2010/08/booting-your-ibook-g4-from-usb-stick.html?m=1
>
> On older machines you can issue 'probe-usb' command to enumerate the
> attached USB devices. Thing is that on some machines doing that kills
> the keyboard so you can't type anything newer. I tried to cheat by
> attaching a USB keyboard aswell but that didn't work.
> I have a FW-800 PowerBook G4 which lacks the IDE ribbon for the HDD and
> I was lucky that 'probe-usb' works without issue and so I run that from
> the USB flash drive.
> My titanium powerbook do not like it.

Do you need to enumerate the attached USB devices to boot from them,
ot just to work out what to enter to boot?

If its just to work out the names, you could do it once, reboot, then
type in the name to boot (I assume thats not the case though)

Would an OF fragment to probe-usb then immediately boot from the disk
work? (relying on NetBSD autoconfig to reinit the keyboard)

David