3.1. Consoles

In order to boot your PA-RISC system with the PA/Linux kernel, you must first get a console on that system. You can use either a graphic console, which requires that a monitor be attached to the system, or a serial console, which allows communication with the system from a remote Linux machine. For the graphic console, you must be sure that the Linux support the graphic card of your system and there are two ways to get the graphic console. If you think about bug reporting your trouble, you must differenciate the two of them. First, the STI console is the classical video text console like on your PC for example. This name is due to the fact that each HP box has the Standard Text Interface which contains some standard ways to access to video memory. Second graphic console is the framebuffer console. In fact, while booting, you will see a penguin appeared on the top-left corner. This is the easiest way to differenciate the two graphic modes. For the serial console, it is a good way to get all the prompt messages including the BOOT_ADMIN ones. It is very useful for bug reports. The majority of servers can only be used by the serial console.

If you have a monitor for your PA-RISC system, the easiest method is to use a graphic console. If you have troubles, the best way is serial console.

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3.1.2. Using a serial console

The only time that you should have to use a serial console is if you either don't have a monitor for your PA-RISC machine, or your machine doesn't support graphics. Also, the kernel can NOT use the graphics console of some models, at the moment. So, if you need to use a serial console, use the following procedures to set up serial console support.

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3.1.2.1. Serial Cable

To connect your PA-RISC machine to your PC so you can boot the system using a console, you need a 9 pin-to-9 pin female null-modem cable. You should be able to obtain such a cable at your local computer hardware supplier. Obviously, you can connect the other end of the cable to a terminal but the best is to connect it to another box running minicom to get every messages and to copy and paste them logged in a file in order to get a complete and easy bug report.

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3.1.2.2. Configuring minicom on Linux

In order to communicate with your PA-RISC machine during this process, you have to set it up in "serial console" mode and configure a serial communication program. We recommend minicom,which is installed in most Linux distributions by default. If you don't have minicom on your system, you can find the latest package at any of the major Linux software sites.

Most of the minicom configuration is machine-dependent. You must, however, ensure that:

1. the baud rate is set to 9600

2. parity is set to 8-N-1

Don't worry too much because it is the default value for PA-RISC system. If you have a PC, you will probably need to change the baud rate but it seems that PA-RISC systems do like that too much.

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3.1.2.3. Switching consoles

Before you can set up a serial connection between your Linux machine and your PA-RISC machine, you have to change the console mode on the PA-RISC system.

The default console mode is graphic_1. To change this, use the following procedure:

1. Turn the PA-RISC machine on.

2. During the boot process, the following message will appear:

   Searching for Potential Boot Devices. To terminate search, press and hold the ESCAPE key.

   When this message appears, press and hold the Esc key until an options menu appears.

3. By default, you enter the BOOT_ADMIN console. In some 715s, the options menu looks like this:

   b) Boot from specified device s) Search for bootable devices a) Enter Boot Administration mode x) Exit and continue boot sequence ?) Help Select from menu:

   Select "a) Enter Boot Administration mode". This will bring up a "BOOT_ADMIN>" prompt. Everything else you do will be in BOOT_ADMIN mode. So now, everybody is in the BOOT_ADMIN console!

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3.1.2.3.1. Checking current console mode

Type: path console to see to which mode the console is currently set.

If it's in graphic console mode, it will return "Console path = graphic_1".

If it's set to serial console, it will return "Console path = rs232_a.9600.8.none" or something similar.

Note that for some models, you can find some differences but the idea is the same. If you want to see more descriptions, please write a message telling me the box you use and what you get.

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3.1.2.3.2. Changing to serial console mode

To change to serial console mode, type the following command at the BOOT_ADMIN command prompt:

path console rs232_a.9600.8.none

To verify that the console path has been properly set, type path console. This should return Console path = rs232_a.9600.8.none, indicating that the system is now set to boot in serial console mode. By default, reset will make reboot your system with the new parameters.

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3.1.2.3.3. How can I change the boot console to serial on a 712?

Unfortunately, you can't. Although 712s are configured for in-house HP development to use serial console, this configuration isn't supported in the field. You have to use a graphics console for 712s but if you really want it, you have a tip in the PA/Linux mailing list archive. In fact, why will we use this beautiful 712 with serial console when you can have X!

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3.1.2.3.4. Changing to graphic console mode

It is the opposite operation compared to the upper one. By checking your console path, you should see Console path = rs232_a.9600.8.none Now, you must set your grahic mode via BOOT_ADMIN

path console graphic_1

You should get the display available after a reset. If the screen does not seem to work, try to press the Tab key to change the resolution of your display. Pressing this key, the monitor type changes to one resolution to another one. Perhaps, you need to this operation several times. This is true also when you change your monitor.

3.2. Preparing to boot from the network

This is a very old way to operate but it used to be the only way. Now, you do not need to boot via the network except some very specific case. That's why it is still here.

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3.2.3. Using bootp/tftp

3.2.3.1. Obtaining bootp/tftp

For Debian users, you just have to install the packages via these commands as root:

apt-get install bootp apt-get install tftpd

The package bootp can be replaced by dhcp. But, this howto won't go further in this way. For your information, after installing the package dhcp, you have a section in /etc/dhcpd.conf about BOOTP and you can always try man dhcp.

If you need rpm packages, the best advice is to go to http://rpmfind.net. It looks like for Red Hat users, you need to create the user "nobody" belonging to the group "nogroup". The files contained in your /tftpboot/ directory should belong to him.

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3.2.3.2. Configuring bootp/tftp

Use the following procedure to use bootp on your boot server:

This section is dedicated to Debian users. For others distributions, it is similar but there can be some changes like default directories. Since Debian maintained a bootp package, I will discuss about it only. For dhcp configuration, it is not planned to be added.

1. Configure /etc/inetd.conf on your boot server by adding the following lines:

   tftp dgram udp wait nobody /usr/sbin/tcpd /usr/sbin/in.tftpd /tftpboot bootps dgram udp wait root /usr/sbin/bootpd bootpd -i -t 120

   Here, /boot is being used for tftpd server. You can choose another directory if you want. According to man tftpd, the default directory is /tftpboot.

   When this is done, restart inetd with: /etc/rc.d/init.d/inetd restart.

2. According to man bootptab, set up the /etc/bootptab file to contain:

   [hostname]:hd=/tftpboot/Image:\ :rp=/usr/src/parisc/:\ :ht=ethernet:\ :ha=[mac address]:\ :ip=[ip address]:\ :bf=[boot filename]:\ :sm=255.255.255.0:\ :to=7200:

   You have to fill in the [hostname], [mac address], and [ip address] with the appropriate information, of course, where:

   • [hostname] is the name of the PA-RISC host

   • [mac address] is the ethernet address of the PA-RISC box, which you obtain by typing lan_address at the BOOT_ADMIN> prompt

   • [ip address] is the IP address of the PA-RISC system

   • [boot file name] is the name of the bootable kernel image.

   You'll end up with something like this:

   vodka:hd=/tftpboot:\ :rp=/usr/src/parisc/:\ :ht=ethernet:\ :ha=080069088717:\ :ip=140.244.9.208:\ :bf=lifimage:\ :sm=255.255.255.0:\ :to=7200:

4.1. GCC compiler

You can compile your kernel with your own HP box. But on oldest systems, perhaps, you prefer to use another computer to compile your kernel. Let's see the two alternatives:

4.2. Kernel configuration

The best way to get performance is to get a well configured kernel. For PA-RISC platform, make oldconfig is a kind of default setup. If you want to make your own kernel, the first step is to know what is your hardware. The best way is to look at your box and find a maximum of information. Then, you go to the official hardware database or the HP partsurfer.

When you know what is inside your box and what you want to do with your box, just run make menuconfig or another config command. Here is the list of menus you should be going in to see if the value set corresponds with your hardware:

• Processor type indicates your CPU model

• General options tells you what is going to be enable in your kernel

• Network device support is used to set your network card

• Character devices shows your I/O possiblities

• Console drivers is directly related to your console path

• Sound enables your Harmony hardware

As you see, menus about HP hardware are not numerous but there is a lot of dependency between them. Now, you must configure accordingly to the use you will do of the box. Here is the list of some menus you should be going in to configure the services you want:

• General setup is responsible for binary formats

• Parallel port support gives you the choice to deactivate parallel port

• Block devices set on the ramdisk and loopback support. You probably won't use them.

• File Systems/Network File Systems is where to go to unset NFS support

Once this is done, save your configuration. Everything is written in the .config file. You can backup it because a make distclean will remove it. At this stage, you do make dep vmlinux and if everything goes fine, you have a new kernel.

4.3. Kernel installation

If you made a native build, you backup the last working kernel with an extension like ".bk" and you copy the recent kernel with the same name. You reboot and try the new one. If it is not working, you can reboot and using PALO command, you change the name of th kernel you want to boot. ( See next section for more informations )

If you are booting via network, you need to set PALO as it is explained in the next section and run make palo

5.1. What is PALO?

PALO is two programs, a boot loader, which is loaded by the HP firmware into memory and then executed, and boot media management tool, which initializes and updates bootable media such as disks. The PALO boot loader executable is stored in a file called iplboot. "IPL" is HP jargon for Initial Program Loader. The boot media management tool is called PALO, just as on x86 the lilo boot media management tool is called LILO, though it's worth noting that PALO doesn't usually need to be used every time you build a new kernel, as LILO does.

5.2. What does PALO?

The main idea is to boot a kernel passing all the parameters it needs. The practical experience is a little more complicated. Indeed, PALO can transform the classical vmlinux into a HP-UX bootable lifimage including a RAMDISK or a NFSROOT redirection. However, it could make a hard disk drive bootable specifying the console output and the root device. We are going to see all these points precisely. The major point is that lifimage file is a bootable kernel and vmlinux is the kernel itself and it needs PALO to be bootable.

5.3. How to make a lifimage with RAMDISK ?

First point is to explain when you should use this way. At an earlier step of PA/Linux project, the lifimage was very useful. In fact, you put this file in the bootp server tree and then you can boot your HP box via boot lan instruction. The advantage of ramdisk is to unpack its own file system and to be completely independant. The main drawback is the fact that you have to build your own ramdisk if you have some memory constraints or some files customized. Now, let's see how to get a lifimage. So, you get the latest source of PA/Linux. Mainly, you will need a good cross-compiler and the linux and palo directory. Everything you need is at http://www.parisc-linux.org/. You do your make menuconfig. Then, you just have to do make palo. The point is that in the palo directory, you have the PALO Makefile in which you have to select the ramdisk file. So, initially, you can read:

# RAMDISK = ${PA}/ramdisk.bin

Thus, if you want to use the RAMDISK support with a file called for example ramdisk.bin and placed in the linux directory, you just have to uncomment it:

RAMDISK = ${PA}/ramdisk.bin

After configuring the Makefile, you can go into the linux directory and launch your make palo. The result, a lifimage file, is waiting for you in the PALO directory.

5.4. How to make a lifimage with NFSROOT ?

This method is widely used because the kernel and the file system is visible since your server. It is also very easy to test a new kernel. You just have to generate the kernel and then you put it in the correct directory. After rebooting, the HP box will find via boot lan instruction its new kernel. Getting the NFSROOT support is easier than the RAMDISK. You edit the Makefile of PALO and you specify the tftpboot server IP adress. In fact, if your server has 10.10.10.2 for IP adress, then the default file is ok because we can read into:

NFSROOT = 10.10.10.2

If you have anything else, this field must be completed by the correct data. After configuring the Makefile, you can go into the linux directory and launch your make palo. The result, a lifimage file, is waiting for you in the PALO directory.

5.5. How to make bootable a partition ?

This part is where PALO will be seen as LILO. PALO is mainly a program that enables HP box to boot via a kernel on its own hard disk drive. This section is going to explain you how to make it right. When you install the PALO package, Paul Bame, the author and maintainer, put a copy of the default /etc/palo.conf in the /usr/doc/share/doc/palo/palo.conf. If you want to understand how PALO works, you just have to read this file! This sample comes from palo.conf. It is the default value. We advice you to stay close to this scheme. However, the parameter recoverykernel is the path to the kernel that you want to boot with in a failsafe session! The next one, bootloader, is the path to this utility which is produced by PALO when you ask for make iplboot. init-partitioned is used to tell on which device you want to write the result. The effect is immediate. It means that PALO is going to write on the first octets of this partition. A good advice will be to check this info with fdisk, in order to be sure to update the good drive. Finally, the last parameter is the commandline! The first number indicates which partition PALO has to mount in order to get the kernel file! Logically, the following string is the absolute path to the kernel. HOME and TERM seem to be some environmental parameters passed to init. They are not compulsory but they can be useful. The root parameter explains to the kernel which partition it must mount for the root file system in read-only while booting. It can be tricky when you plug two disks. You could add some very interesting parameters like console where you can specify the output for the console. You should know that console=ttyS0 is for a serial console and console=tty0 is for a STI-console. In the latest version of PALO, this path should be added automatically and correctly. If not, please mail to the mailing list.

# The following arguments are set up for booting from /dev/sda3, specifically # mounting partition 3 as root, and using /boot/vmlinux as both the # recovery kernel, and the default dynamically-booted kernel. # --recoverykernel=/boot/vmlinux # --bootloader=/boot/iplboot # --init-partitioned=/dev/sda # --commandline=3/boot/vmlinux HOME=/ TERM=linux root=/dev/sda3

5.6. How to use PALO at the boot ?

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5.6.2. One example

This example is the work of Michael Damaschke. So, let's go for the story of the happy PA/Linux user booting a kernel, also called I don' t know how I can configure my workstation to boot the right kernel I want ?.

After the power on of your workstation and monitor there is a message on the screen how told you that the workstation wants to start automatically an bootdevice or you can hold the Esc key to break up the auto-booting., on this situation you must hold the Esc key.

Depending on your model, you need to press this key during a long time. Also, your monitor can be too slow to be up while the message is on the screen. So, if you see your leds on your keyboard blinking, it is the signal to press and hold the Esc key. If you still have troubles, please refer to the Consoles section.

Now, there is some little differences about the way to get access to BOOT_ADMIN If you have an old box, you get a new Information message on your screen where the workstation-firmware told you that it would like to search for all bootable devices or you can break this by holding the Esc key. So you must do the same procedure you have done before, you must hold the Esc key.

Then you get a menu where you must push the a-key with following ENTER-Key, so know you are on the BOOT_ADMIN Prompt. First, we must turn off the auto booting by the following lines on the BOOT_ADMIN Prompt:

BOOT_ADMIN> autoboot off

then press the ENTER key.

After that, you must tell the system from wich SCSI boot device you would like to boot. This device must have the f0 type partition where the PALO loader lives.

For this example, the old kernel is vmlinux-2.4.9-32 and the new one for example vmlinux-2.4.17-pa3. The format of the SCSI boot device is: SCSI.X.0 where X is the SCSI-ID of the disk you want. For example:

BOOT_ADMIN> boot SCSI.5.0

After the command boot and the SCSI-ID, you must add IPL if you have a HP 9000/7xx to tell that you want to interact with IPL. If you have a more recent hardware, the system will ask if you want to interact with IPL:

Interact with IPL (Y or N)?>

Now, you can manual configure the PALO booting parameters. For example:

BOOT_ADMIN> boot scsi.5.0 ipl

then press the ENTER key.

Now you can see a new Menu where you can configure on line 0 (default) the boot partition number, the path and the name where your boot kernel is. It should looks like this:

HARD Booted. palo ipl 0.92 root@spqr Mon Jun 25 23:03:13 CEST 2001 3/vmlinux-2.4.9-32 3585851 bytes @ 0x6d8f800 Current command line: 3/vmlinux-2.4.9-32 root=/dev/sda3 console=ttyS0 TERM=vt102 0: 3/vmlinux-2.4.9-32 1: root=/dev/sda3 2: console=ttyS0 3: TERM=vt102 Edit which field? (or 'b' to boot with this command line)? 0

You are asking PALO to boot the kernel file vmlinux-2.4.9-32 living on the third partition of scsi.5.0. But you want another kernel this time. So, you press the ENTER key and you modify the text to match with your needs, here vmlinux-2.4.17-pa3. You validate your input via the ENTER key. Then, it asks you which field you want to edit, just put "b" to boot your new kernel! After that you must press the ENTER key, please don't chance other parameters if you don't know what you do ! Now, PALO has no secret for you :-)

6.1. The main commands

These commands are the basic ones.

• boot must be followed by an argument which indicates the path you want to boot. The path should be thedefinition of a device like for example FWSCSI.6.0 or PRI if you have initialized this variable correctly.

• path displays or sets the previous path. You just have to type: path pri fwscsi.6.0. But, you can set also the paths of the console (graphics/serial) and of the keyboard (ps2/hil).

• search is a very useful command. It checks automatically and displays all the bootable pathes. In the recent versions, it links them to a shortcut. It detects even if the box can do boot lan.

• display redisplays the current menu.

• help gives you an overview of what the command does. By default, you can have all the commands by typing help main.

• On approximately every system, you have a reset instruction. It makes the box reboot with the newest parameters you hase set.

6.2. The configuration commands

These commands are available in the configuration menu. So, in order to use them, you must enter this menu with configuration command.

• auto will show you if the box will boot by default or will do a search. You can influence these parameters with the keywords ON and OFF.

• bootinfo lists all the boot parameters of the system.

• default sets back the predefined values.

• monitor sets your display configuration by typing mo <path> <type> which indicates your console path and secondly your type. If you do not know your monitor type, via mo list, you have all the necessary info.

6.3. The information commands

Here, you will have access to all the informations about your system. Go into the menu is done by asking for information.

• all should display everything you need.

• fwrversion gives your fimrware revision. You can check if your firmware is updated with this file.

• lanaddress contains the MAC address of the system.

6.4. The service commands

It is PA-RISC guru skill menu. You will find nothing really interesting for an end-user. That's why you will find nothing. If you think I should really put something, please mail me.