===============================================================================
The NetBSD Foundation, Inc.
NetBSD/cobalt Installation CD/USB [__REL__] [Host OS: NetBSD __HREL__]
===============================================================================

Welcome to the NetBSD/cobalt installation.

This file is brought to you by 'less', press <space> to read more.

Please also refer "NetBSD/cobalt Restore CD HOWTO" page for updated info.
http://www.NetBSD.org/ports/cobalt/restorecd-howto.html

===========================
Minimum System Requirements
===========================

The target system should be a MIPS-based Cobalt server appliance.

To assist in the installation, you need an Intel-Compatible PC Desktop
or Laptop with

 - IDE (ATAPI) or SCSI CD-ROM (for Restore CD)
 - USB interface (for Restore USB)
 - At least one network card

This computer MUST be CD-ROM or USB bootable.  The hard drive of the PC
will not be disturbed, but the machine will need to be rebooted from
the CD-ROM as part of the installation.

========================
Installation Limitations
========================

Please note that this restore CD/USB is targetted at Cobalt MIPS-based
appliances and clones (e.g. Gateway Microserver).
Intel-based server appliances cannot be installed using this CD-ROM/USB.

=====================
Installation Overview
=====================

The installation instructions below will in order perform the
following steps:

 o Boot the assisting PC from the Restore CD/USB.  This will enable a dhcp
   server on the PC and other services which the server appliance will
   need during installation.
 o (re)boot the Cobalt server appliance in a state where it is
   prepared to retreive the restore CD/USB contents
 o Re-initialize the Cobalt server appliance from the assisting PC's
   restore CD/USB

=========================
Installation Instructions
=========================

Warning: THIS INSTALLATION WILL DESTROY THE EXISTING CONTENTS OF THE SERVER
APPLIANCE'S HARD DRIVE.  Ensure you have sufficient backups before starting
the installation.

Note: restorecd/usb don't use harddisk on the i386 server at all.

1.	Connect this computer to the server appliance using either a crossover
	cable or hub/switch.

2.      Check your i386 server's manuals to see how to boot from
        its CDROM drive or USB, then boot it from the Restore CD/USB.

        If you are reading this message on your i386 server during boot,
        it has aready done of cource.

3.	Turn on the server appliance while simultaneously pressing and holding
	down both the left (<) and right (>) arrow buttons on the LCD console.

4.	Continue holding down both the left (<) and right (>) arrow buttons
	until "Net Booting" appears on the LCD display, then release the
	buttons.

5.	Wait until the box boots up.  If it's ready, "restorecd ready" message
	and IP address assigned by the i386 server appears on the LCD screen.

	If you need remote login access for recovery without restoring,
	you can login to your cobalt at this point.

6.	To start restorecd operation, push and hold the "Select" button
        for two seconds, select "Restore" menu by the Select button,
        select [Y] (which is default) by the arrow buttons, and then
        push the "Execute" button to start installation.

Warning: again, whole disk contents on the cobalt appliance will be destroyed
         once installation is started.

	The installation process will be shown on the LCD.

Warning: Please note that the installation process may take a while.
         Do not interrupt it until it is finished.

7.	Once all parts of the installation are complete, the cobalt box
        will be rebooted automatically. Wait until the box reboots again.
	Finally, the box host name and IP address should appear
	on the LCD screen.  This indicates installation success.

8.	BE AWARE that a newly installed box is left in a highly insecure state.

	All ttys are open by default and allow root access over the network.
	Also, telnet and rlogin ports are open.  This is done to allow you
	to login into the fresh box in order to make necessary configuration
	changes.

        Please do not forget to bring your cobalt appliance to a secure state
        before connecting it to an open network:

          * set root password by passwd(1)
          * remove all pseudo terminal (tty[pqrs]?) lines from /etc/ttys,
            or remove "secure" field from such pseudo terminals
          * comment out telnet and rlogin lines in /etc/inetd.conf
            if you don't really want to enable those services by default
            (it might be better to use sshd(8))
          * add new users with user(8) etc.
          * put users who need root access via su(1) in the "wheel" group
            by editing the /etc/group file

        See the afterboot(8) man page for more details.

9.	Check afterboot(8) man page by typing "man afterboot".
        Some of the information is not applicable
        to the cobalt architecture, but will give you some
	background information on configuring NetBSD in general.

        The NetBSD Guide http://www.NetBSD.org/docs/guide/en/index.html
        also provides helpful information.

Warning: A freshly installed box is configured as a DHCP client
         i.e. it tries to obtain its IP address over the network from a DHCP
         server, for initial setup with the i386 server running restorecd.
         To disable this after your own settings are compilete,
         change /etc/rc.conf to contain "dhclient=NO" line.

This file is permanently available as /root/instructions.txt on this restore
CD.

===========================
Monitoring the Installation
===========================

If your appliance has a serial port and you want to use it to monitor the
installation (or to login after installation has finished), connect a PC or
terminal to the serial port and configure as 115200 8N1.

===============
Troubleshooting
===============

Q: Installation seems to go smoothly, but after reboot I am seeing

	"Jump_to_Real_Kernel: disk error, trying BFD again"

A: This may be a problem with the hard drive configuration. Here is
   an advice from debian-mips list:

   Check the jumpers on your hard drive.  The jumper on my Qube's hard
   drive had settings for "Primary" and for "Only disk in the chain".  I
   had it set to "primary" which let me install things, but wouldn't
   boot.  I had to put it on "Only disk" to get a boot.  This cost me
   three days :(

Q: Installation was ok, but the boot loader doesn't seem to boot a kernel

A: Please report this to port-cobalt@NetBSD.org.  In the meantime, use the
   following workaround:

   - Connect a PC or terminal to the appliance's serial port (115200 8N1)
   - Reboot or power-cycle the box
   - When the Cobalt's banner "We serve it, you surf it" appears, hit space bar
   - In PROM console, type

	bfd /boot/netbsd-INSTALL.gz

   - When the kernel is booted, login as root, mount /dev/wd0e partition and
     set up all vmlinux* links to point to boot.gz:

	# mount /dev/wd0e /mnt
	# cd /mnt/boot
	# rm vmlinux.gz
	# ln boot.gz vmlinux.gz
	...
	# rm vmlinux_raq-2800.gz
	# ln boot.gz vmlinux_raq-2800.gz

Please report any problems not covered by this section to
port-cobalt@NetBSD.org.

===================
Further Information
===================

NetBSD home page
	http://www.NetBSD.org/

NetBSD/cobalt port page
	http://www.NetBSD.org/oorts/cobalt/

NetBSD/cobalt FAQ
	http://www.NetBSD.org/ports/cobalt/faq.html

The NetBSD Guide
	http://www.NetBSD.org/docs/guide/en/

general instructions on configuring a fresh NetBSD install
	man afterboot

detailed description of Cobalt boot process
	man boot

=======
Credits
=======

Cobalt Networks, Inc. -- first and foremost, for the idea of this installation.
Beside of the idea, many configuration files were taken out of the original
Cobalt OS Restore CD and modified to work with NetBSD.

NetBSD Cobalt users -- for testing and many useful suggestions. Without you,
this work would have never been done!

Alex Pelts -- for the excellent instructions on how to create a restore CD.

Dennis Chernoivanov -- for creating the initial NetBSD restorecd script and
writing paneld utility.

Nolan Leake -- for providing the periodic banner refresh patch for paneld

Havard Eidnes -- for improving this instructions.txt document
