Getting Started, Documentation, Tips & Tricks

Hi all,

A few months back (when finishing setup of my Octanes) I documented my steps, since I couldn't find a good howto guide (a recent one that worked, I mean). Figured I share in case it helps someone.

Net Install IRIX from Linux

The biggest hurdle is most Linux kernels that I've dealt with don't support EFS anymore, and Fedora no longer ships kernel-source for just adding in that one module.

Enjoy.

A good candidate for addition to the Nekochan wiki, if you're of a mind...

It is something on my todo list.

Debian still supports EFS.

Installation from Debian is easier, I've a tutorial if someone wants

nuts wrote: Installation from Debian is easier, I've a tutorial if someone wants

Hi,
i'd like to see your tutorial, if possible.
Thanks !

Yes, please do share. I'm going to be adding mine to the wiki one of these days soon - you should consider doing the same.

Of course the easiest way is from IRIX or OpenBSD, because you don't risk breaking the system because ksh is already setup as needed. Of course I do it on IRIX anyways because its just a lot easier.

TeamBlackFox wrote: Of course the easiest way is from IRIX or OpenBSD, because you don't risk breaking the system because ksh is already setup as needed. Of course I do it on IRIX anyways because its just a lot easier.

That may be, but in many cases (such as my own) people don't have an existing IRIX system to install from. And if you are really worried about breaking something, set it up in a virtual machine so that you can blow it away if it breaks (and store the data on NFS).

I played a long time with dina. It works, but I have some bugs with NFS (Dina hangs when i do a large transfer)....
So, I'm looking for another tool......

As I said, using OpenBSD is likely the easiest if you're comfortable in the command line and don't have an IRIX install box up and running. OpenBSD's man pages and FAQ are very well documented and if you need a machine to do double duty of being able to do something else in addition to install server, with OpenBSD you can setup PF easily to block traffic to bootp and rsh outside of your LAN. Coupled with a decent outside firewall, you should be good to go. One of these days I'll do another OpenBSD box and do a guide.

Useful guide - thanks for sharing! I keep meaning to try get a little Linux server setup for net-installing my SGI boxes as CDROM swap-fest that is an Irix installation does start to grate after a while

chicaneuk wrote: the CDROM swap-fest that is an Irix installation does start to grate after a while

And that's just the beginning Then you have to get in there and either ditch the extra junk you don't want, or add the stuff you do want if you did a minimum install which has nothing.

It would be nice to see a coherent set of installation CD's : just the base system, nfs, and the desktop. Not three different web servers, a half dozen incompatible browsers, three different help systems, two printing systems, six competing sets of fonts, two different music players, tools for applications that disappeared during the Flood .. just, streamlined.

Someone almost got that working on a single-dvd install disk but that could be a problem for older boxes

Not three different web servers, a half dozen incompatible browsers, three different help systems, two printing systems, six competing sets of fonts, two different music players, tools for applications that disappeared during the Flood ..

I did a net install of IRIX from Linux once. Captain Phil Harris, formerly of the Cornelia Marie on the Deadliest Catch TV show once said "You're not a man until you pull a tooth out with a pair of pliers."

I don't think he ever tried doing a net install of IRIX from Linux.