Quoting Simon van der Linden <ifmy@geekbox.be>:

> Hello,
>
> I'm new to NetBSD, because I want to use an old Iris Indigo again.
> It has PROM version 4.0 Rev A HP1 (1991), but no CDROM drive at all. So
> I decided to try a netboot;
>
> I read some docs on the internet, and set up dhcp (ISC-DHCP), tftp
> (tftp-hpa) and nfs (nfs-kernel-server) on my Linux laptop.
> I also used those options:
>
> # echo 1 > /proc/sys/net/ipv4/ip_no_pmtu_disc
> # echo "2048 32767" > /proc/sys/net/ipv4/ip_local_port_range
>
> Then, on the Indigo, I did and get:
>
>          Running power-on diagnostics
>
> System Maintenance Menu
>
> 5) Enter Command Monitor
>
> Option? 5
> Command Monitor. Type "exit" to return to the menu.
>>> resetenv
>>> bootp():/netbsd-sigmipd
> Setting $netaddr to 192.168.1.2 (from server  )
> Obtaining  from server
> 2971440+337444+209408 entry: 0x80002000
>
> And there is traffic on the network (for +-60sec), the file is retrieved
> (I don't get any error on server side) but nothing more...
>
> The kernel on my tftp server is netbsd.ecoff-GENERIC32_IP12.gz (from
> NetBSD-3.1, gunzipped, of course)
>
> What's wrong? Is it an error (it seems not human readable ;-)) Why are
> the server IP and filename not shown? What should I get, normally?

It looks like it has pulled down the file happily and should have  
loaded it and jumped to the entry point. Do you have a drive in that  
system? If the kernel is booting but not displaying anything to you,  
you should see some minor activity on the disk when it gets probed.

I don't know why the server IP and filenames aren't being displayed,  
though. Could you try running 'boot -f bootp():/yadayada', instead? I  
imagine it is, but I'm not absolutely sure that it's equivalent to  
running 'bootp():/yadayada' on its own.

I'm guessing that you are, but could you confirm that you're using a  
serial console? What is the 'console' variable set to (try 'printenv'  
in the PROM)? You could alternatively try booting with a monitor  
attached and see what happens.

Perhaps somebody else who has used an IP12 system lately could provide  
you with a known working kernel to play with, just to be sure the 3.1  
kernel isn't broken. In the meanwhile, you could try, alternatively,  
to boot a -current kernel. Perhaps something from:

ftp.NetBSD.org/pub/NetBSD-daily/HEAD/200611160000Z/sgimips/binary/kernel

I hope this helps,
Steve