# Installing FreeBSD 9.1 fails on Sun Ultra-30



## linmag7 (Feb 13, 2013)

I'm trying to install FreeBSD-9.1 on my sun Ultra-30 using the boot-only install iso. After some 30 seconds of reading from the cdrom, the FreeBSD/sparc64 bootstrap loader says:


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can't load 'kernel'
```

Then it drops me into some mini bootloader shell. I've tried to download the iso from a few different sites. FreeBSD-8.3 installs just fine on the same system using the boot-only install iso for 8.3, which suggests that my hardware is still OK. Any ideas?


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## aurora (Feb 13, 2013)

I once experienced a kernel compatibility issue on a Pentium II 400MHz PC with FreeBSD 8.x. The 8.x was getting installed but then it was running extremely unstable. FreeBSD 7.4  on the same PC was working perfectly, so I have reverted back to 7.4. What you experience is not surprising.


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## sossego (Feb 13, 2013)

You could always svn the 9.X or 10.X source and rebuild the kernel from that.


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## linmag7 (Feb 14, 2013)

On sparc64 it is not possible to use the 'freebsd-update' utility to upgrade a 8.3 to a 9.1. This leaves me only with the option building everything from source on the ultra-30?


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## sossego (Feb 15, 2013)

Did you use svn to download the source?
There is also the option of using ftp or wget to download.

`# cd /usr && ftp [url]ftp://ftp.freebsd.org/pub/FreeBSD/releases/sparc64/sparc64/9.1-RELEASE/src.txz[/url] && unxz src.txz`
If using wget, then just substitute wget for ftp in the above command line.

`# tar Jxvf src.txz` if `# unxz src.txz` doesn't work.

The above will give you an updated source. From there, you can follow the handbook for rebuilding the kernel and world.

If it happens that the build screws up:
1. Reinstall 8.3.
2. Join the FreeBSD SPARC64 mailing list.
3. Let them know the problem. Marius Strobl is the most knowledgeable in that mailing list. If he gives you some advice, follow it.


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## linmag7 (Feb 15, 2013)

Ok, thanks!

I'm rebuilding FreeBSD-9.1 from source on my ultra-30 now. I suspect it might take a while, even though its a lot faster than my sparcstation 5 with linux. 

I also tried installing FreeBSD-9.0, the installer CD made it past the bootloader as opposed to 9.1 but after a while I got a something like "MMU miss" and I was dropped to the sun OK prompt. I guess this suggests that the generic sparc64 supplied with FreeBSD install is compiled with options that makes it no longer support an ultra-30. Hopefully a custom kernel will get past that


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## linmag7 (Feb 17, 2013)

I've now built FreeBSD-9.1 from source and it boots fine on my ultra-30! nice! I disabled SMP and debug symbols in the custom kernel but did noting else to customise the install. I wonder why the install CD doesn't boot?


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## sossego (Feb 20, 2013)

You can look at the Gentoo SPARC FAQs for more help on OpenBoot Parameters.
http://www.gentoo.org/doc/en/gentoo-sparc-faq.xml

Insert the disc and see if it matches the hash sum from the download area.
I've asked curiosity questions on the mailing lists and have received good information. 

Gnome and KDE may have some difficulties for you. You can use the standard "box" type window managers.

Xxxterm and other minimalist browsers will work on SPARC64. Firefox is at the older version.

The good thing about SPARC64 machines is that they can take a large workload.


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