Re: boot image sizes for 9.x

[Ulrich Teichert <krypton%ulrich-teichert.org@localhost>]

Hi,

> On Thu, Jun 10, 2021 at 01:18:49AM -0600, T wrote:
> > The install boot image (sysinst.fs) is, as of 9.0, too large to boot on the
> > 43p 7248. This has also carried over to NetBSD 9.2, which causes the ISO to
> > no longer boot, since that image is used in building the bootable section of
> > the ISO. As mentioned in some prior posts here, there seems to be a 2MiB
> > limitation on the boot image size.
> 
> Can someone explain the limitting issue?

Actually, it's somewhere below 2MB. The firmware of the 43p can only cope
with files smaller than that, as I found out.

> > Sysinst does not currently produce a working PReP partition, because it uses
> > the GENERIC kernel, which is too large.
> 
> For what value of too large? Which limit are we running against here?

I haven't been able to find out if it's a memory layout/size issue or
a firmware limitation, sorry. But this limit applies to files loaded
from disk and from the network.

> Unfortunately my only prep machine died quite some time ago (though I still
> have it, need to check if it is only the PSU that is broken and maybe I can
> fix it).

There was a cheap RS/6000 43p 150 on ebay (~50€), but it's sold now :-(

CU,
Uli
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