Howto to install Gentoo 2.6.16 on a Raq550 ------------------------------------------ Install Linux Gentoo 2.6.16 to your Raq550 box (PIII). Also possible to install to the Raq4s, but verify that you can have access to the console. Pre installation : ------------------ 1) Pressing before boot and up to the moment you see CONSOLE ON/OFF on the LCD, - Set on/off Console on Raq550, the left arrow key - Set on/off Console on Raq4s, 3s..., the password reset button 2) ROM : Installation of the BIOS compatible with EXT3 File System format. Rom 2.10.x (I installed the 2.10.3 Flat 2 Mb for Raq550) Upload the files on your root directory (you need to be root to use them). chmod 777 them, backup your ROM first !, and then flash your server ROM. For more precise informations see the 00_readme file. Use the following command to back up your ROM: ./flashtool -v -r > backup.rom Use the following command to reflash your ROM: ./flashtool -v -w 2.9.36-paged.rom 3) From a PC, boot under Gentoo evironment and execute dhcpd and nfs. If these tools are not available you can create them going to the source-compiling directory. emerge dhcpd.... and emerge nfs Download and Install the precompiled package for networking install, wget http://www.zolder.org/cobalt/nfsroot-x86-2005.1.tar.bz2 wget http://www.zolder.org/cobalt/nfsroot-x86-2005.1.tar.bz2.md5sum Verify if the file hasn't been corrupted: md5sum -c nfsroot-x86-2005.1.tar.bz2.md5sum Unpack the stage to your root filesystem, this will get you a /nfsroot-x86 directory. tar -jxvpf nfsroot-x86-2005.1.tar.bz2 -C / Install the files : dhcpd.conf and exports -> dhcpd.conf to directory /etc/dhcp/ -> exports to directory /etc/ In my side I had been obliged to recompile the nfs packages with emerge. You could do also the dhcp. You can use my files dhcpcd.conf and exports directly if needed. Data that has to be inside is : -- /etc/dhcp/dhcpd.conf subnet 192.168.100.1 netmask 255.255.255.0 { range 192.168.100.66 192.168.100.126 opeiotns routeres 192.168.100.1; next-server 192.168.100.4; option root-path = "/nfsroot-x86"; } -- and -- /etc/exports /nfsroot-x86 192.168.100.0/255.255.255.0(rw,no_root_squash,sync) -- The NFS server in the case above will have the IP address 192.168.100.4. Control that your exports and dhcpd.conf are on the same subnet, 192.168.100.x (can be different, but all need to be on the same subnet). Copy the install.sh and local.start files, to prepare all to the installation. (you need to modify your install.sh to copy the right vmlinux file, remove the # and add it to the other line) install was modified to unpack automatically also the stage 4 file that you can download and insert on a precreated directory /nfsroot-x86/files/ wget http://www.zolder.org/cobalt/stage4-x86-2005.1.tar.gz wget http://www.zolder.org/cobalt/stage4-x86-2005.1.tar.gz.md5sum Verify if the file hasn't been corrupted: md5sum -c stage4-x86-2005.1.tar.gz.md5sum Unpack the stage: tar -zxvpf stage4-x86-2005.1.tar.gz -C /mnt/gentoo The install.sh has already all inside (copy of files from that tar, as well as the mount/unmouts, swap etc... as well as formatting of partitions and creation. All automatic. The local.start autoruns the install.sh file installation. INSTALLATION : -------------- All automatic... ;o))) Boot your PC with Gentoo with network install drive, on your network (so he gets an IP address from your DHCP-router). Remove the Ethernet cable from your network and replace it with a red cable (cross) from the Pc to the Raq550. Then type the two commands below. /etc/init.d/dhcpd start /etc/init.d/nfs start You are then ready to startup your Raq550 and pressing S from the boot, then select from the LCD menu the Boot from Net option. - See for an example of a console log the file InstallGentooRaq550.log. Possible Errors: ---------------- - Unmout root fs error : You have to set on the console boot menu the boot and root dev to HDA1. (by default on the Raq the root dev is MD1, I think) FIRST BOOT : ------------ Boot your raq, on your real network (remove the red cross cable and insert your network cable). Your Raq will get an IP address automatically from your network DHCP. The install is a minimal one so you will not have apache, not ftp or telnet. Only SSH. You can then compile the packages and get these other services working. - See for an example of a console log the file BootGentooRaq550.log. Possible Errors: ---------------- - Kernel halt (Kernel panic on LCD) error with many numbers appearing, you have a wrong wmlinux.bz2... try to use the compiled ones I have. For the Raq550 hardware, copy vmlinux.bz2.550 to /boot/vmlinux.bz2. For the Raq4s/3s hardware, copy vmlinux.bz2.k6 to /boot/vmlinux.bz2. All should install in automatic on your Raq550 HDD... Don't forget to shutdown your server the usual linux way, or use the LCD menu and select the HALT option. That's all folks ! P.S.: username to login is "root" and password is "cobalt".