Bootloader Floppy Issue DL380 G4

[petersb]

Hi all,

I have just been given the task to install 5.06 on a set of DL380 g4s. Problem is they don't come with a floppy anymore. I've tried a USB floppy however there seems to be a problem with that. I've also tried using the virtual media via the ILO interface which also fails. I believe this emulates a USB floppy anyway. Is there a way to link in the bootloader from CD or or via the network? Anyone got any ideas ?

Thanks in advance
P.S. Doeas anyone know whether 5.07 supports the CISS driver without the need for a bootloader floppy ?

 

[cdlvj]

The CD is bootable, does the machine have a CD?

 

[motoslide]

The CISS driver must still be loaded at boot-time if you are installing 5.0.7 on the RAID system. I've never thought about how to address that without a floppy drive. SCO supports the USB devices, but at boot time????
Can you just hang a standard floppy on the systems long enough to get them installed, or did they yank the floppy controller from the M/B as well?

 

[petersb]

Can't install a standard floppy ther is no connector for it. If you buy the optional kit it must come with some sort of adapter.

 

[apeasecpc]

Does the BIOS have any configurations for a standard floppy? If yes, you might be able to install a standalone floppy controller.

 

[stanhubble]

How to install BTLD on USB floppy.
take from

http://wdb1.sco.com/kb/showta?taid=125420&qid=662800919&sid=1820042354&pgnum=1

NOTE: Please follow the procedure below in order to get OSR5.0.7 installed on a system with USB floppy only. It will not work with older releases of OpenServer because they do not support USB floppies during ISL. 
1- Boot via OpenServer 5.0.7 install CD-1 and at the install boot prompt, enter the following boot string, where <BTLD> is the driver name you are attempting to extract: 


             boot: defbootstr link="BTLD"


If you are linking multiple BTLDs, use: 

             boot: defbootstr link="BTLD1 BTLD2" prompt


Place the BTLD floppy disk in the USB floppy drive. 
2- The install kernel will be loaded and then it requests for the BTLD. After each BTLD is installed, check for error messages indicating that it did not link successfully. If all is well, continue the installation as normal. 

3- Once you reach the stage where the installation starts to setup/write the filesystems on to the hard drive and tries to extract the BTLD from the floppy, you see this message: 


              mount: Bad address

              Please select the floppy device you are using

              (1) /dev/fd0
              (2) /dev/fd1

             You need to switch to the installation shell and issue the
             following commands:

               <Ctrl><Alt><F3>  --> To enter the installation shell.
               <Installation> rm /dev/install1
               <Installation> mknod /dev/install1 b 2 66
               <Ctrl><Alt><F1>  --> To switch back to the installation screen.

             Then select (1) /dev/fd0.
             If that doesn't work, try (2) /dev/fd1.


             The installation will now able to access the USB floppy and
             extract the BTLD.

 

[petersb]

Stan,

Thanks for your help. Unfortunatley this only applies to 5.07/ I am using 5.06. May be a good incentive to upgrade though.

Thanks all the same.

 

[stanhubble]

Sorry I must have been reading motoslide's reply and thought you were trying to install 5.0.7.

This is a longshot but can you install a second cd?
Can you write cd's (on another machine) ?

What I am thinking is to put the contents of the BTLD on a cd and use the same process to point /dev/install1 to the second cd (you may need to experiment with the node numbers depending on where you get the second cd installed).