Re: [linuxdc-dev]NFS & other Qs

[M. R. B. <mr...@0x...>]

* Ernie <st...@ma...> on Thu, Dec 20, 2001:

>=20
> I managed to configure the net-tools package, and they even execute=20
> correctly on the dc!  Except, there is no /proc file system, nor can i=20
> seem to mount one ... does /proc work on the dc yet?  Is the busybox=20
> util not able to mount it?
>=20

You need to add a /proc entry to /etc/fstab, and use `mount -a` (preferably
in a boot script) to automatically mount it at boot.  Of course, you need
/proc compiled into the kernel in the first place.  Here is my /etc/fstab
(the backslashes continue to the next line, don't use them in your fstab):

192.168.1.11:/home/mrbrown/dcdev/nfs/nfsroot  /  nfs \
    defaults,errors=3Dremount-ro 0 0
proc    /proc     proc    defaults 0 0
#none   /dev      devfs   defaults 0 0
#none   /var/shm  shm     defaults 0 0
tmpfs   /tmp      tmpfs   defaults 0 0
/dev/gdrom /gdrom iso9660 defaults,user,noauto 0 0

> Has anyone gotten bash to run?  I compiled it, but i get a 'unaligned'=20
> error...
>=20

Yeah, but it's not that trivial to cross-compile bash.  Look for hidden
(well, not really) patches on ftp.m17n.org/pub/super-h/ in the debian
directories, they might help.

> Another mount question ... can the busybox 'mount' binary mount nfs=20
> shares?  i have an nfs server i can easily throw some sh4 binaries on,=20
> which would probably be a lot faster than uploading via the serial cable=
=20
> (which is probably still easier than burning a CD every couple of=20
> minutes).  Is this possible, or do i have to use nfsroot?  I'm thinking=
=20
> it'd be great if i could just copy binaries to the nfs share,and mount=20
> it as /usr/local on the dc ...
>=20

You need to enable NFS mounting in busybox, and enable "IP: kernel level
autoconfiguration" under "Networking options" and "NFS file system support"
and "Root file system on NFS" under "Network File Systems" in the kernel.
Then, pass the appropiate command line to the kernel.  Details on the
command line format are in Documentation/nfsroot.txt.

> Is there some way to redirect the console back through the serial cable,=
=20
> even though i'm using the serial cable for uploading the kernel?  I only=
=20
> have one monitor, and 3 computers, so its a big jumble of wires behind=20
> my desk ... and i noticed some 'console' options in the dc-load tool ...
>=20

Yes, enable "Serial (SCI, SCIF) support" and "Support for console on serial
port" under "Character Devices".

> What are ya'll using your DC's for?  I guess if I could get X working,=20
> that'd be cool.  And maybe a dynamic linker?  I've read a few posts=20
> indicating X is kinda slow, but i suppose things can only get better as=
=20
> more people discover more about the DC hardware ... I mean, all the=20
> games run pretty quickly :).
>=20

glibc runs under LinuxDC so the dynamic linker is already in place.  X is
slow and will always be slow (and will never be officially supported by
yours truly).  All new discoveries into the black hole of Dreamcast
internals get put back into the kernel drivers.

> Thanks in advance, and any tips or tricks anyone would like to share,=20
> i'd appreciate ...
>=20

Here is the command line I normally use (again remove the backslashes):
  mem=3D16M video=3Dpvr2fb:640x480-16 console=3DttySC1,115200 root=3D/dev/n=
fs \
  nfsroot=3D192.168.1.11:/home/mrbrown/dcdev/nfs/nfsroot \
  ip=3D192.168.1.21::192.168.1.254:255.255.255.0:blackbox::off=20

This enables the pvr2fb console (just the penguin, no output), with the
main console on the serial port; it also sets up a static IP and mounts NFS
root off of my workstation.  The "mem=3D16M" will go away in a couple of
kernel iterations.

Our goal is to get the website back up by Christmas 2001.  That's next
Tuesday :P.  We already have preliminary "Getting Started" guides, so any
other docs you would like to see from us, tips or tricks you'd like to
contribute, and even off-site links, please send them our way.

M. R.