Re: [gentoo-sparc] QLA2xxx

[Ivan Kabaivanov]

On Thursday 28 February 2008, BRM wrote:
> Thanks. Quick additional Q though -
>
> where's the best place to store the initrd? USB? Floppy? CD?



the most logical place -- /boot, right next to the kernel image.

IvanK.



>
> As I said earlier, I have my preference, but any tips would certainly
> be welcome.
>
> Thanks!
>
> Ben
>
> --- Ivan Kabaivanov <chepati@×××××.com> wrote:
> > On Thursday 28 February 2008 16:39, BRM wrote:
> > > All,
> > >
> > > Thanks for the tips. I'm not sure how it'll all work out right now.
> > > They might provide a method for booting the system via the CD, but
> >
> > then
> >
> > > the only viable option after that seems to be using the specified
> >
> > patch
> >
> > > in kernel builds so that we can boot and gain access to the hard
> >
> > drive.
> >
> > > The system only has one hard drive, which is attached via the
> >
> > QLA2xxx
> >
> > > controller - so I don't see how relying on udev to load the
> >
> > firmware
> >
> > > would solve the problem of accessing the only hard drive in the
> > > system...
> >
> > Ben,
> >
> > if nobody explicitly mentioned it, it's because we all either forgot,
> > or took
> > it as common knowlegde -- you do need an initramfs in order to
> > bootstrap the
> > init process on QLA2xxx machines.
> >
> > OBP knows how to load silo, silo knows how to load the kernel.
> > Things break
> > when the kernel tries to find the root device and that's where you
> > need an
> > initramfs.  You can roll your own.  All it needs is the firmware
> > in /lib/firmware/, udev, qla2xxx.ko, scsi.ko, sd_mod.ko, ext3.ko, and
> > any
> > other modules you may need, and udev.  You also need /etc/udev with
> > appropriate rules, /lib/udev and all the udev helpers, especially
> > firmware.sh.  Your /init script needs to mount /proc, /sys, /dev,
> > start udev
> > and load qla2xxx.ko.  udev will take care of firmware loading.  After
> > that
> > just switch_root.
> >
> > IvanK.
> >
> > > It does occur to me that there might be another slight solution to
> >
> > the
> >
> > > problem, from which udev could then be relied on - using an initrd
> > > image, or booting using another device from which udev could be
> > > utilized.
> > >
> > > I'd rather not have to leave a floppy (yes the system has a floppy)
> >
> > or
> >
> > > CD in the drive all the time, from which it would load an initrd
> >
> > image
> >
> > > containing udev, the firmware, and whatever else would be needed;
> >
> > but
> >
> > > it seems the only other method would be to use a USB Storage
> >
> > device.
> >
> > > Does anyone know if the OpenBoot PROM on the SunBlade 2000 will
> >
> > boot a
> >
> > > USB device? The Service manual seems to indicate it would for a 100
> >
> > or
> >
> > > 250 Iomega Zip Drive (can you even get those anymore?!!) but that
> >
> > too
> >
> > > is not an ideal solution. I'd rather be able to get a USB Stick (2
> > > GB?), or even a USB Hard Drive (e.g. WD Passport or the likes) that
> > > could hold the base system and boot from that. Anyone know if that
> > > would work?
> > >
> > > Might one need to upgrade the OpenBoot PROM to to so? If so, how
> >
> > and
> >
> > > where do I get the new image?
> > >
> > > My only other alternative is to go and get OpenSolaris and try that
> > > out. (Hopefully it won't have the same issue.)
> > >
> > > Any how...thanks for all the helpful tips & everything.
> > >
> > > Ben
> > >
> > > --- Ivan Kabaivanov <chepati@×××××.com> wrote:
> > > > On Thursday 21 February 2008 14:50, Friedrich Oslage wrote:
> > > > > Hi,
> > > > >
> > > > > > The problem comes from the fact that the firmware is in the
> >
> > disk
> >
> > > > at
> > > >
> > > > > > /lib/firmware starting from kernel 2.6.18 or something. If
> >
> > you
> >
> > > > boot
> > > >
> > > > > > the 2617 from the CD it will probably work fine.
> > > > > > Anyway even creating a proper initrd with that /lib/firmware
> >
> > the
> >
> > > > > > kernel does not load it. Don't know why.
> > > > >
> > > > > Using an initrd works fine for me, you probably just forgot to
> >
> > put
> >
> > > > udev
> > > >
> > > > > in it.
> > > > >
> > > > > My initrd basicly looks like this:
> > > > > /dev/console
> > > > > /dev/null
> > > > > /bin/busybox
> > > > > /bin/udevd
> > > > > /lib/udev/firmware.sh
> > > > > /lib/udev/udev.conf
> > > > > /lib/udev/rules.d/50-udev.rules
> > > > > /firmware/ql2200_fw.bin
> > > > > /lib/modules/`uname -r`/modules.dep
> > > > > /lib/modules/`uname -r`/kernel/drivers/scsi/qla2xxx/qla2xxx.ko
> > > > > /linuxrc
> > > > >
> > > > > The script I used to create it is available @
> > > > > http://porno-bullen.de/~bluebird/initrd-qla2xxx/ but don't
> >
> > blame me
> >
> > > > if
> > > >
> > > > > it doesn't work ;)
> > > > >
> > > > > Cheers,
> > > > > bluebird
> > > >
> > > > This is the preferred method -- to let udev handle the firmware
> > > > loading.
> > > > However if you don't have udev in the initrd or it doesn't work,
> >
> > all
> >
> > > > is not
> > > > lost.  There's a way to manually load the firmware, but it's
> >
> > tricky.
> >
> > > > It's
> > > > tricky because you have to be very quick -- you'll have maybe up
> >
> > to
> >
> > > > 4-5
> > > > seconds to load the firmware.  Here's how:
> > > >
> > > > 1) boot the machine (either with an initrd from the hard drive or
> > > > with an
> > > > installation cd.)
> > > > 2) drop to a shell somehow -- I don't run gentoo so I don't know
> >
> > if
> >
> > > > the
> > > > installer has this option but debian does and so does ubuntu for
> > > > sparc.
> > > > 3) Load qla2xxx.ko (just modprobe qla2xxx)
> > > > 4) Find out the device path in /sys (on my sunfire280r
> > > > it's /sys/devices/pci0001\:00/0001\:00\:04.0/)  It might take you
> >
> > a
> >
> > > > few tries
> > > > to find out.  Look for a file
> > > > /sys/devices/pci0001:00/0001:00:04.0/obppath
> > > > with this line
> > > > /pci@8,600000/SUNW,qlc@4. (the numbers are not important.  the
> > > > important part
> > > > is the qlc bit)
> > > > 5) Type this: echo 1 >
> >
> > /sys/devices/pci0001:00/0001:00:04.0/loading
> >
> > > > 6) Type cat /lib/firmware/ql2200_fw.bin
> > > >
> > > > > /sys/devices/pci0001:00/0001:00:04.0/data (this is one line)
> > > >
> > > > 7) Type echo 0 > /sys/devices/pci0001:00/0001:00:04.0/loading
> > > >
> > > > for 5), 6) and 7) you'll get error message file not found.  It
> > > > doesn't matter.
> > > > The point is to cache these three command into the shell history
> >
> > so
> >
> > > > you can
> > > > recall them quickly when you need them.  Remember, you have a
> >
> > window
> >
> > > > of a few
> > > > seconds and regardless how fast you type you won't make it
> >
> > without
> >
> > > > using
> > > > cached commands.
> > > >
> > > > 8) Unload qla2xxx (rmmod qla2xxx)
> > > > 9) Now load the kernel module again (modprobe qla2xxx).  The
> >
> > clock
> >
> > > > starts
> > > > ticking now.  The module tells the kernel that it needs a
> >
> > firmware
> >
> > > > before the
> > > > hardware can be initialized.  The module creates a device path in
> > > > /sys and
> > > > creates two files, loading and data.
> > > > 10) Quickly recall from history the command from 5) and press
> >
> > enter
> >
> > > > 11) Quickly recall from history the command from 6) and press
> >
> > enter
> >
> > > > 12) Quickly recall from history the command from 7) and press
> >
> > enter
> >
> > > > You'll see messages that the card was initialized.  Now you can
> >
> > load
> >
> > > > sd_mod.
> > > > If you had to resort to this, then chances are you don't have
> >
> > udev
> >
> > > > running so
> > > > you may have to manually create the device nodes in /dev.  For
> >
> > your
> >
> > > > convenience:
> > > >
> > > > brw-rw---- 1 root disk 8,  0 2008-02-21 15:03 /dev/sda
> > > > brw-rw---- 1 root disk 8,  1 2008-02-21 15:03 /dev/sda1
> > > > brw-rw---- 1 root disk 8,  2 2008-02-21 15:03 /dev/sda2
> > > > brw-rw---- 1 root disk 8,  3 2008-02-21 15:03 /dev/sda3
> > > > brw-rw---- 1 root disk 8,  4 2008-02-21 15:03 /dev/sda4
> > > > brw-rw---- 1 root disk 8,  5 2008-02-21 15:03 /dev/sda5
> > > > brw-rw---- 1 root disk 8, 16 2008-02-21 15:03 /dev/sdb
> > > > brw-rw---- 1 root disk 8, 17 2008-02-21 15:03 /dev/sdb1
> > > > brw-rw---- 1 root disk 8, 18 2008-02-21 15:03 /dev/sdb2
> > > > brw-rw---- 1 root disk 8, 19 2008-02-21 15:03 /dev/sdb3
> > > > brw-rw---- 1 root disk 8, 20 2008-02-21 15:03 /dev/sdb4
> > > >
> > > > Once you have all the device nodes in /dev you can go back to the
> > > > installer
> > > > and resume.  Make sure you install udev and make sure you copy
> >
> > the
> >
> > > > binary
> > > > firmware into /lib/firmware.
> > > >
> > > > If you're not fast enough the two files loading and data will
> > > > disappear.  If
> > > > this happens, don't worry, just unload qla2xxx and load it again,
> >
> > and
> >
> > > > this
> > > > time make sure you're faster :-)
> > > >
> > > > I've done this in the past and I can guarantee that it works.
> > > >
> > > > 2.6.17 was the last kernel where the fimrware was built into the
> > > > module and
> > > > you didn't have to load it separately.  If you can live with that
> >
> > old
> >
> > > > kernel,
> > > > you can downgrade.
> > > >
> > > > IvanK.
> > > >
> > > > --
> > > > gentoo-sparc@l.g.o mailing list
> >
> > --
> > gentoo-sparc@l.g.o mailing list



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