Hello,

I'm trying to install Debian on a C3750 workstation. My problem is that
after the initial boot loader I don't see anything after the "If this is
the last message you see ...".

I've tried http://ftp.parisc-linux.org/debian-cd/debian-12/debian-2025-01-hppa-CD.iso
and https://cdimage.debian.org/cdimage/ports/snapshots/2024-12-24/debian-12.0.0-hppa-NETINST-1.iso
as mentioned on https://parisc.docs.kernel.org/en/latest.

But I have a Debian boot CD from 2021, where after this message the
normal kernel boot messages appear. It had later issues when trying to
install to the hard disk iirc, so I hadn't installed Linux on the box
back then.

So what could be the problem? The old, working CD has palo v2.15. The
new CDs have palo 2.25 and 2.27. If palo is the problem. I don't know
the kernel versions.

I would pretty like to have a Linux on this machine :-(

regards,
chris

--- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
* Origin: fsxNet Usenet Gateway (21:1/5)

On 3/14/25 16:56, Helge Deller wrote:

On 3/14/25 14:57, Christian Groessler wrote:

I'm trying to install Debian on a C3750 workstation. My problem is
that after the initial boot loader I don't see anything after the
"If this is the last message you see ...".

I've tried http://ftp.parisc-linux.org/debian-cd/debian-12/
debian-2025-01-hppa-CD.iso

That CD should work.
I used it to install on a physical C3700.
I used serial console, maybe you are using graphics card?

Sorry, yes, I'm using a graphics card.

and https://cdimage.debian.org/cdimage/ports/snapshots/2024-12-24/
debian-12.0.0-hppa-NETINST-1.iso as mentioned on https://
parisc.docs.kernel.org/en/latest.

But I have a Debian boot CD from 2021, where after this message the
normal kernel boot messages appear. It had later issues when trying
to install to the hard disk iirc, so I hadn't installed Linux on the
box back then.

Does the machine maybe has general issues?

No. It runs HPUX and OpenBSD fine.

The problems with Linux back then were with detecting the disk iirc.

So what could be the problem? The old, working CD has palo v2.15.
The new CDs have palo 2.25 and 2.27. If palo is the problem. I don't
know the kernel versions.

I don't think palo is the problem.
Can you take screenshots or trace logs?

I could take screen shot, but you don't see much. After "If this is the
last message..." there is no output anymore.

I'm just wondering, the old CD worked in this regard: after this message
the kernel boot messages appeared and the installer could be entered.

If this helps, the box seems to have two graphics cards, which are
detected by OpenBSD as 'sti0 at pci0 dev 2 function 0 "Hewlett-Packard Visualize FX4" rev 0x02'.

If it doesn't work I can use serial, but I'd prefer to have a GUI on
this machine.

regards,
chris

--- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
* Origin: fsxNet Usenet Gateway (21:1/5)

On 3/16/25 11:40 PM, Helge Deller wrote:

I suggest you install the machine with serial console. Then, after
installing
a newer kernel you should be able to boot the installed machine
with text-mode STIcon.

I've set the console to SERIAL_1, but it doesn't help.

-----------
Firmware Version 2.0

Duplex Console IO Dependent Code (IODC) revision 1

------------------------------------------------------------------------------
(c) Copyright 1995-2000, Hewlett-Packard Company, All rights reserved ------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Processor Speed State Coprocessor State I/D
Cache
--------- -------- --------------------- -----------------
-------------
0 875 MHz Active Functional 768
kB/1536 kB

Central Bus Speed: 120 MHz

Available memory: 3221159936 bytes
Good memory required: 33366016 bytes

Primary boot path: FWSCSI.5.0
Alternate boot path: SCSI.6.0
Console path: SERIAL_1.9600.8.none
Keyboard path: USB

Processor is booting from first available device.

To discontinue, press any key within 10 seconds.

Boot terminated.


----- Main Menu
-------------------------------------------------------------

Command Description
------- -----------
BOot [PRI|ALT|<path>] Boot from specified path
PAth [PRI|ALT|CON|KEY [<path>]] Display or modify a path
SEArch [DIsplay|[[IPL] [<path>]]] Search for boot devices

COnfiguration [<command>] Access Configuration menu/commands
INformation [<command>] Access Information menu/commands
SERvice [<command>] Access Service menu/commands

DIsplay Redisplay the current menu
HElp [<menu>|<command>] Display help for menu or command
RESET Restart the system
-----
Main Menu: Enter command > bo ide
Interact with IPL (Y, N, Q)?> y

Booting...
Boot IO Dependent Code (IODC) revision 0


HARD Booted.
palo ipl 2.25 https://parisc.wiki.kernel.org - Tue, 18 Jun 2024 16:57:10
+0000
Boot limited to sectors below 2GB: NO

Boot image contains:
0/vmlinux32 5102748(0) bytes @ 0x1202800
0/vmlinux64 6162944(0) bytes @ 0x16e0800
0/ramdisk 17880911 bytes @ 0xe7800

Information: No console specified on kernel command line. This is normal.
PALO will choose the console currently used by firmware (serial).
Current command line:
0/vmlinuz initrd=0/ramdisk console=ttyS0 TERM=vt102
0: 0/vmlinuz
1: initrd=0/ramdisk
2: console=ttyS0
3: TERM=vt102

<#> edit the numbered field
'b' boot with this command line
'r' restore command line
'l <#/path> list dir from numbered partition with path
'x' reset and reboot machine
? b

Command line for kernel: ' console=ttyS0 TERM=vt102 palo_kernel=0/vmlinuz' Selected kernel: /vmlinuz from partition 0
Selected ramdisk: /ramdisk from partition 0
Warning: kernel name doesn't end with 32 or 64 -- Guessing...
This box can boot either 32 or 64-bit kernels...
Both kernels available, choosing 64-bit kernel
ELF64 executable
Segment 0 load 0x000e0000 size 6107176 mediaptr 0x1000
Segment 1 load 0x01e00000 size 25628 mediaptr 0x5d5000
Loading ramdisk 17880911 bytes @ 3eee1000...
Branching to kernel entry point 0x000e0000. If this is the last message you see, you may need to switch your console. This is a common symptom -- search the FAQ and mailing list at https://parisc.wiki.kernel.org

-----------

And then ... nothing

Strange. Given that the older installation medium worked.

regards,
chris

--- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
* Origin: fsxNet Usenet Gateway (21:1/5)

Hello Dave,

On 3/23/25 18:16, John David Anglin wrote:

Maybe try adding "earlycon=pdc" to kernel command line. I would of thought it would be
default.

Makes no difference. Neither "earlycon=pdc" nor "earlycon=ttyS0" show additional output on the serial connection or the montor.


regards,
chris

Dave

On 2025-03-23 1:01 p.m., Christian Groessler wrote:

On 3/16/25 11:40 PM, Helge Deller wrote:

I suggest you install the machine with serial console. Then, after installing
a newer kernel you should be able to boot the installed machine
with text-mode STIcon.

I've set the console to SERIAL_1, but it doesn't help.

-----------
Firmware Version 2.0

Duplex Console IO Dependent Code (IODC) revision 1

------------------------------------------------------------------------------
   (c) Copyright 1995-2000, Hewlett-Packard Company, All rights reserved >> ------------------------------------------------------------------------------

  Processor   Speed            State           Coprocessor State  I/D Cache
  ---------  --------   ---------------------  ----------------- -------------
      0      875 MHz    Active                 Functional         768 kB/1536 kB

  Central Bus Speed:                   120 MHz

  Available memory:             3221159936 bytes
  Good memory required:           33366016 bytes

  Primary boot path:    FWSCSI.5.0
  Alternate boot path:  SCSI.6.0
  Console path:         SERIAL_1.9600.8.none
  Keyboard path:        USB

Processor is booting from first available device.

To discontinue, press any key within 10 seconds.

Boot terminated.


----- Main Menu -------------------------------------------------------------

      Command                           Description
      -------                           -----------
      BOot [PRI|ALT|<path>]             Boot from specified path
      PAth [PRI|ALT|CON|KEY [<path>]]   Display or modify a path
      SEArch [DIsplay|[[IPL] [<path>]]] Search for boot devices

      COnfiguration [<command>]         Access Configuration menu/commands
      INformation [<command>]           Access Information menu/commands
      SERvice [<command>]               Access Service menu/commands

      DIsplay                           Redisplay the current menu
      HElp [<menu>|<command>]           Display help for menu or command
      RESET                             Restart the system
-----
Main Menu: Enter command > bo ide
Interact with IPL (Y, N, Q)?> y

Booting...
Boot IO Dependent Code (IODC) revision 0


HARD Booted.
palo ipl 2.25 https://parisc.wiki.kernel.org - Tue, 18 Jun 2024 16:57:10 +0000
Boot limited to sectors below 2GB: NO

Boot image contains:
    0/vmlinux32 5102748(0) bytes @ 0x1202800
    0/vmlinux64 6162944(0) bytes @ 0x16e0800
    0/ramdisk 17880911 bytes @ 0xe7800

Information: No console specified on kernel command line. This is normal.
PALO will choose the console currently used by firmware (serial).
Current command line:
0/vmlinuz initrd=0/ramdisk console=ttyS0 TERM=vt102
 0: 0/vmlinuz
 1: initrd=0/ramdisk
 2: console=ttyS0
 3: TERM=vt102

<#>           edit the numbered field
'b'           boot with this command line
'r'           restore command line
'l <#/path>   list dir from numbered partition with path
'x'           reset and reboot machine
? b

Command line for kernel: ' console=ttyS0 TERM=vt102 palo_kernel=0/vmlinuz' >> Selected kernel: /vmlinuz from partition 0
Selected ramdisk: /ramdisk from partition 0
Warning: kernel name doesn't end with 32 or 64 -- Guessing...
This box can boot either 32 or 64-bit kernels...
Both kernels available, choosing 64-bit kernel
ELF64 executable
Segment 0 load 0x000e0000 size 6107176 mediaptr 0x1000
Segment 1 load 0x01e00000 size 25628 mediaptr 0x5d5000
Loading ramdisk 17880911 bytes @ 3eee1000...
Branching to kernel entry point 0x000e0000. If this is the last message you >> see, you may need to switch your console. This is a common symptom -- search >> the FAQ and mailing list at https://parisc.wiki.kernel.org

-----------

And then ... nothing

Strange. Given that the older installation medium worked.

regards,
chris

--- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
* Origin: fsxNet Usenet Gateway (21:1/5)

On 3/23/25 23:28, John David Anglin wrote:

Hi Christian,

On 2025-03-23 5:48 p.m., Christian Groessler wrote:

ello Dave,

On 3/23/25 18:16, John David Anglin wrote:

Maybe try adding "earlycon=pdc" to kernel command line.  I would of thought it would be
default.

Makes no difference. Neither "earlycon=pdc" nor "earlycon=ttyS0" show additional output on the serial connection or the montor.

If old installer works, I would use it and then update system with apt/apt-get.

It looks to me like your installed kernel crashes shortly after transfer to start kernel.

Debian kernels work okay on c3700/c3750.

Latest installer hasn't had much testing.

I can try (again). Something didn't work back then therefore I haven't installed Linux on the box. I think it had problems to detect the hard
disk. But I'll check again.

How would I build my own version of the installer CD? I could use latest
(or whichever) kernel.

regards,
chris

--- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
* Origin: fsxNet Usenet Gateway (21:1/5)

On 3/24/25 21:15, Helge Deller wrote:

On 3/24/25 21:07, Christian Groessler wrote:

I can try (again). Something didn't work back then therefore I
haven't installed Linux on the box. I think it had problems to
detect the hard disk. But I'll check again.

What's so special with your machine so that you have problems with
hard disc? Are you using normal SCSI drives?

Nothing special. They are SCSI drives. Maybe I misremember what was the
problem back then. I'm physically away from the machine at the moment.
But I'm going to try the old installer CD in the next days.

How would I build my own version of the installer CD? I could use
latest (or whichever) kernel.

It's quite complicated.
All steps are here: https://parisc.docs.kernel.org/en/latest/how_to_create_debian_unstable_iso_images.html

But of course it's possible to hack around, e.g. use existing
CD-image and "just" hack in a new boot kernel. But, it's not easy!

Ok. Thanks for the link. I hope I don't have to go through it...


regards,
chris

--- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
* Origin: fsxNet Usenet Gateway (21:1/5)

On 3/23/25 6:01 PM, Christian Groessler wrote:

I've set the console to SERIAL_1, but it doesn't help.

-----------
Firmware Version 2.0

Duplex Console IO Dependent Code (IODC) revision 1

------------------------------------------------------------------------------
   (c) Copyright 1995-2000, Hewlett-Packard Company, All rights reserved ------------------------------------------------------------------------------

  Processor   Speed            State           Coprocessor State  I/D
Cache
  ---------  --------   ---------------------  ----------------- -------------
      0      875 MHz    Active                 Functional         768
kB/1536 kB

  Central Bus Speed:                   120 MHz

  Available memory:             3221159936 bytes
  Good memory required:           33366016 bytes

  Primary boot path:    FWSCSI.5.0
  Alternate boot path:  SCSI.6.0
  Console path:         SERIAL_1.9600.8.none
  Keyboard path:        USB

Processor is booting from first available device.

To discontinue, press any key within 10 seconds.

Boot terminated.

----- Main Menu
-------------------------------------------------------------

      Command                           Description
      -------                           -----------
      BOot [PRI|ALT|<path>]             Boot from specified path
      PAth [PRI|ALT|CON|KEY [<path>]]   Display or modify a path
      SEArch [DIsplay|[[IPL] [<path>]]] Search for boot devices

      COnfiguration [<command>]         Access Configuration menu/commands
      INformation [<command>]           Access Information menu/commands
      SERvice [<command>]               Access Service menu/commands

      DIsplay                           Redisplay the current menu
      HElp [<menu>|<command>]           Display help for menu or command
      RESET                             Restart the system
-----
Main Menu: Enter command > bo ide
Interact with IPL (Y, N, Q)?> y

Booting...
Boot IO Dependent Code (IODC) revision 0

HARD Booted.
palo ipl 2.25 https://parisc.wiki.kernel.org - Tue, 18 Jun 2024 16:57:10 +0000
Boot limited to sectors below 2GB: NO

Boot image contains:
    0/vmlinux32 5102748(0) bytes @ 0x1202800
    0/vmlinux64 6162944(0) bytes @ 0x16e0800
    0/ramdisk 17880911 bytes @ 0xe7800

Information: No console specified on kernel command line. This is normal. PALO will choose the console currently used by firmware (serial).
Current command line:
0/vmlinuz initrd=0/ramdisk console=ttyS0 TERM=vt102
 0: 0/vmlinuz
 1: initrd=0/ramdisk
 2: console=ttyS0
 3: TERM=vt102

<#>           edit the numbered field
'b'           boot with this command line
'r'           restore command line
'l <#/path>   list dir from numbered partition with path 'x'           reset and reboot machine
? b

Command line for kernel: ' console=ttyS0 TERM=vt102 palo_kernel=0/vmlinuz' Selected kernel: /vmlinuz from partition 0
Selected ramdisk: /ramdisk from partition 0
Warning: kernel name doesn't end with 32 or 64 -- Guessing...
This box can boot either 32 or 64-bit kernels...
Both kernels available, choosing 64-bit kernel
ELF64 executable
Segment 0 load 0x000e0000 size 6107176 mediaptr 0x1000
Segment 1 load 0x01e00000 size 25628 mediaptr 0x5d5000
Loading ramdisk 17880911 bytes @ 3eee1000...
Branching to kernel entry point 0x000e0000. If this is the last message you see, you may need to switch your console. This is a common symptom --
search
the FAQ and mailing list at https://parisc.wiki.kernel.org

-----------

And then ... nothing

Strange. Given that the older installation medium worked.

Booting the older installation CD:

---------------
Command line for kernel: ' console=ttyS0 TERM=vt102 palo_kernel=0/vmlinuz' Selected kernel: /vmlinuz from partition 0
Selected ramdisk: /ramdisk from partition 0
Warning: kernel name doesn't end with 32 or 64 -- Guessing...
This box can boot either 32 or 64-bit kernels...
Both kernels available, choosing 64-bit kernel
ELF64 executable
Segment 0 load 000e0000 size 4863088 mediaptr 0x1000
Segment 1 load 01900000 size 24756 mediaptr 0x4a5000
Loading ramdisk 14083766 bytes @ 3f280000...
Branching to kernel entry point 0x000e0000. If this is the last message you see, you may need to switch your console. This is a common symptom -- search the FAQ and mailing list at https://parisc.wiki.kernel.org

Decompressing Linux... done.
Booting the kernel.
[ 0.000000] Linux version 5.10.0-3-parisc64
([email protected]) (hppa64-linux-gnu-gcc-10 (GCC) 10.2.1 20210110, GNU ld (GNU Binutils for Debian) 2.35.1) #1 SMP Debian
5.10.12-1 (2021-01-30)
[ 0.000000] CPU0: thread -1, cpu 0, socket 0
[ 0.000000] FP[0] enabled: Rev 1 Model 19
[ 0.000000] The 64-bit Kernel has started...
[ 0.000000] Kernel default page size is 4 KB. Huge pages enabled with
1 MB physical and 2 MB virtual size.
[ 0.000000] printk: bootconsole [ttyB0] enabled
[ 0.000000] Initialized PDC Console for debugging.
[ 0.000000] Determining PDC firmware type: System Map.
[ 0.000000] model 00005dc0 00000481 00000000 00000002 77b06784
100000f0 00000008 000000b2 000000b2
[ 0.000000] vers 00000301
[ 0.000000] CPUID vers 19 rev 11 (0x0000026b)
[ 0.000000] capabilities 0x7
[ 0.000000] model 9000/785/C3750
[ 0.000000] Memory Ranges:
[ 0.000000] 0) Start 0x0000000000000000 End 0x00000000bfffffff Size
3072 MB
[ 0.000000] Total Memory: 3072 MB
[ 0.000000] initrd: 7f280000-7ffee6b6
[ 0.000000] initrd: reserving 3f280000-3ffee6b6 (mem_max c0000000)
[ 0.000000] PDT: type PDT_PDC, size 50, entries 16, status 0, dbe_loc 0xffffffffffffffff, good_mem 31 MB
[ 0.000000] PDT: Firmware reports 16 entries of faulty memory:
[ 0.000000] PDT: BAD MEMORY at 0x2889b8c0, single-bit error.
[ 0.000000] PDT: BAD MEMORY at 0x194186c0, single-bit error.
[ 0.000000] PDT: BAD MEMORY at 0x1ac186c0, single-bit error.
[ 0.000000] PDT: BAD MEMORY at 0x30c6f2c0, single-bit error.
[ 0.000000] PDT: BAD MEMORY at 0x408ef300, single-bit error.
[ 0.000000] PDT: BAD MEMORY at 0x49099440, single-bit error.
[ 0.000000] PDT: BAD MEMORY at 0x490ab1c0, single-bit error.
[ 0.000000] PDT: BAD MEMORY at 0x480eb1c0, single-bit error.
[ 0.000000] PDT: BAD MEMORY at 0x184586c0, single-bit error.
[ 0.000000] PDT: BAD MEMORY at 0x2106d940, single-bit error.
[ 0.000000] PDT: BAD MEMORY at 0x6ea1d200, single-bit error.
[ 0.000000] PDT: BAD MEMORY at 0x328bd240, single-bit error.
[ 0.000000] PDT: BAD MEMORY at 0x2b01b8c0, single-bit error.
[ 0.000000] PDT: BAD MEMORY at 0x2ac9b8c0, single-bit error.
[ 0.000000] PDT: BAD MEMORY at 0x6eeec000, single-bit error.
[ 0.000000] PDT: BAD MEMORY at 0x4342f1c0, single-bit error.
[ 0.000000] Zone ranges:
[ 0.000000] Normal [mem 0x0000000000000000-0x00000bffffffffff] ---------------


These "BAD MEMORY" lines don't look good. Although HPUX and OpenBSD
appear to be stable on this machine.
Do we have a memory test program?

regards,
chris

--- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
* Origin: fsxNet Usenet Gateway (21:1/5)

On 3/24/25 9:23 PM, Christian Groessler wrote:

On 3/24/25 21:15, Helge Deller wrote:

On 3/24/25 21:07, Christian Groessler wrote:

I can try (again). Something didn't work back then therefore I
haven't installed Linux on the box. I think it had problems to
detect the hard disk. But I'll check again.

What's so special with your machine so that you have problems with
hard disc? Are you using normal SCSI drives?

Nothing special. They are SCSI drives. Maybe I misremember what was the problem back then. I'm physically away from the machine at the moment.
But I'm going to try the old installer CD in the next days.

I checked now. The installer cannot access the installation meduim (CD):

[ (1*installer) 2 shell 3 shell 4- log ][ Mar 25
12:22 ]
|


|


|


|
┌─────────────┤ [!!] Detect and mount installation media
├──────────────┐

|
│
│
|
│ No device for installation media was detected.
│
|
│
│
|
│ You may need to load additional drivers from removable media, such
as │
|
│ a driver floppy or a USB stick. If you have these available now,
│
|
│ insert the media, and continue. Otherwise, you will be given the
│
|
│ option to manually select some modules.
│
|
│
│
|
│ Load drivers from removable media?
│
|
│
│
|
│ <Yes> <No>
│
|
│
│
|

└───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘

|


|


|


|


|


|
<Tab> moves; <Space> selects; <Enter> activates buttons

|


(Probably doesn't look nice here, copy'n'pasted from serial connection.)

regards,
chris

--- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
* Origin: fsxNet Usenet Gateway (21:1/5)

On 3/25/25 14:59, Helge Deller wrote:

On 3/25/25 13:23, Christian Groessler wrote:

On 3/24/25 9:23 PM, Christian Groessler wrote:

On 3/24/25 21:15, Helge Deller wrote:

On 3/24/25 21:07, Christian Groessler wrote:

I can try (again). Something didn't work back then therefore I
haven't installed Linux on the box. I think it had problems to
detect the hard disk. But I'll check again.

What's so special with your machine so that you have problems
with hard disc? Are you using normal SCSI drives?

Nothing special. They are SCSI drives. Maybe I misremember what
was the problem back then. I'm physically away from the machine at
the moment. But I'm going to try the old installer CD in the next
days.

I checked now. The installer cannot access the installation meduim
(CD):
│                                                                 |
│ No device for installation media was detected.

Is it a SCSI CD-ROM drive, or ATA/SATA ?

ATA/SATA. I boot with "bo IDE"

regards,
chris

--- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
* Origin: fsxNet Usenet Gateway (21:1/5)