Solaris 8 x86 install problem on Pentium IV

[MarkBox]

Attempting to install Solaris 8 x86 on a Pentium IV system. Apparently there is a known bug (or two) that will be fixed in a patch coming later this month.

What happens is I boot the system from the CD-ROM, it scans for hardware and asks from which device I want to boot the kernal, I select the CD-ROM drive, the system re-boots and just goes thru the same exact process over and over and over.

I've got a pre-release of the kernal patch for Solaris 8 but how the heck do I patch the kernal on a system that will not even allow me to install the OS?

Some mention was made of performing a network based installation of Solaris 8 as opposed to using the CD-ROM and that I could patch the network installation image. This would allow me to get past the bug.

Anyone have any info or experience with this problem?

 

[hippocrack]

I'm checking the forum for a response to this very question. I am running it on a P2 and I keep looping with reboots right after selecting CD. Anyone?

 

[MarkBox]

A P2? as in Pentium II? There shouldn't be a problem with installing a Pentium II with Solaris x86 unless you have a hardware compatibility problem with the Solaris x86 OS. Be sure to check the hardware compatibility list at sun.com to make sure your hardware is supported.

After weeks and weeks of back and forth with Sun I did finally solve the problem I was having with the Pentium IV systems.

At the prompt where you can choose installation mode (Interactive, etc...) enter the following:

b kadb -d

this breaks into the installation process. You then issue this command to patch an instruction:

setup_mca?w8bc3

then enter the following to exit kadb and continue the installation:

:c

Assuming all your hardware is compatible with the Solaris x86 operating system the installation should proceed as expected. You may end up re-booting a few times as part of the installation process. Each time you re-boot you will have to perform the above steps again. Once both Solaris Software CDs (1 and 2) have been installed you then need to install a couple of patches:

110397-01
108529-08

Patch 110397-01 is a prerequisite of 108529-08. The later patch is the one that includes the fixes for the Pentium IV repetative (infinite loop) reboot problem. These patches are available at sun.com.

As I said, this took 5 very frustrating weeks of back and forth with Sun to figure out and to top it all off it's the FIRST time I've ever installed Solaris anything - LOL )