When attempting to enable an x86 Solaris jumpstart server to install Netra X1 machines, the mis.netra-x1.259-3836-0x script fails silently. This results in a "cannot mount root" error and failure of the Netra to boot to the network even if all other parameters are configured correctly. Here is an example of the terminal output on the error:

ok boot net
Boot device: /pci@1f,0/ethernet@c  File and args: 
SunOS Release 5.8 Version Generic_108528-07 64-bit
Copyright 1983-2001 Sun Microsystems, Inc.  All rights reserved.
Cannot load drivers for /pci@1f,0/ethernet@c
Can't load the root filesystem
Type  'go' to resume
ok            

This is caused by the script running an architecture check and then failing out silently when it does not get a SPARC architecture returned. This is described in detail in Internal Bug ID 4473713.

The solution to this is to use the workaround described in Bug ID 4473713 , which is outlined below:

1. Set up the jumpstart server if this has not already been done. Valid OS versions at the date of this writing are Solaris 8, versions 10/00, 01/01, and 04/01, or updates 2, 3, and 4.

2. Apply the mis.netra-x1 script as outlined in Info Doc 26310 It is pointless to re-write that document here as it has many steps and is very well written for step-by-step use at this point in your setup. This procedure is to be inserted in between steps 6 & 7 of the procedure outlined in Info Doc 26310.

3. After applying the mis.netra-x1.259-3836-0x script (versions -02 and -03 have been tested in the creation of this document), you will need to add the dmfe driver to the boot image served out by your jumpstart server. This is done at the shell prompt as root. Please note that in the example below the root image is located at /jumpstart/2.8/sparc_1000/Solaris_8/Tools/Boot on the example server. This location will vary depending on the setup of your server. The example is used to illustrate the point that you must specify the whole path all the way to the alternate root that is served across the network to your client. The sample command line is:

# add_drv -b /jumpstart/2.8/sparc_1000/Solaris_8/Tools/Boot -m "* 0600 root sys" -i '"pci128h,9102" "pci1282,9102" "ethernet"' dmfe

This can also be broken out using backslashes as follows:

# add_drv -b /jumpstart/2.8/sparc_1000/Solaris_8/Tools/Boot \

> -m "* 0600 root sys" \

> -i '"pci128h,9102" "pci1282,9102" "ethernet"' dmfe

Note that the ">" symbols will be added as you hit return after each "\".

The above procedure must be done to each boot image you wish to install. For example, if you have a 10/2000 image and a 01/2001 image that you use for different configurations, you will need to add the dmfe driver to both .../Solaris_8/Tools/Boot directories.

4. Proceed with step 7 and beyond in the procedure from Info Doc 26310 to complete your installation.

Please note that the mis.netra-x1.259-3836-02 and -03 scripts use patchadd and as such will not run under 2.5.1 or earlier.

Author: Don Bessee

e-mail: donald.bessee@central.sun.com

Last updated: 16 July, 2001