[Jacques]

Well done there! I'd love to know to know why the cd install failed.

[BackPlaner]

Well done there! I'd love to know to know why the cd install failed.

Well, in fact I DID wind up using the Tezros DVD-ROM drive for a 'local' install, as opposed to a network install. But I needed the O2 to 'drive' the Tezro 6.5.30 install. I figure someone else might have the same problem some day, so I'll detail the process here:

My problem with a 'normal' installation was that as soon as graphical miniroot would load, the monitor would go black/blank and not return, even though L1 said the OS had booted normally. Usually this would just be attributable to IRIX flipping back and forth between DVI analog (miniroot) and DVI digital(OS) signals, and on my other SGIs the SGI F180 monitor handles it fine because it can switch dynamically between A/D inputs. But for some reason, the Tezzie would not recover from the switch. I even tried using a DVI to VGA converter after it switched to miniroot, to see if that would help... but no dice.

So I researched some more and found I could use the L1 PROM console from another SGI or PC shell and do a complete install solely via command line using local (to the Tezro) install media. Since I had a DB9 null modem cable I just hooked it up between the Tezro and the O2, then did 'setenv console d' on the Tezro (and rebooted) to make it headless and guarantee there could be no graphical output.
Then after both booted up, I connected to the Tezro (via the null cable) from the O2 by typing 'cu -lttyd1' in a regular O2 IRIX shell, and then typing 'CTRL-D' and 'Return' after it connected to get off the L1 stream and onto the PROM stream. Everything I document after this was all done in this same O2 shell.

After I typed that, I got a text-only version of the 'Stop for Maintenance' screen and was able to select 5 (Enter Command Monitor) and go to the command prompt. Once there, I loaded the IP35 sash and fx by typing 'boot -p cdrom(2,0,7)stand/sash64 cdrom(2,0,7)stand/fx.64 --x' (replace cdrom(2,0,7) with your own CDROM address from your hinv). Then I was able to re-partition the drive with [ro]ot user mode, and label it using [sy]nc. Then I exited and came back to the original text-only Maintenance screen, from where I typed 2 (Install System Software) and miniroot loaded fine, although instead of the graphical bar filling up (after which my efforts always failed before), now it was just expressed through a series of periods showing the load progress, and once done I had inst> ready to go. After that it was just a standard install process of pre-loading all the needed 6.5.30 CDROMS, and then about two hours of playing CD swap whilst the actual IRIX OS installed.

After restarting all was well and I did a little dance. Then I remembered I had to reset the setenv console back to "g" in the PROM, but my joy, however, was undiminished.

Even though I didn't wind up doing an actual Network installation, much of the useful information above I distilled from this webpage on Iris Network installations via console. (If you are doing a network install there are some additional changes that have to be made to /etc/default/login, /etc/inetd.conf, and /etc/uucp/Devices amongst other files which are documented there)

https://software.majix.org/irix/install-network.shtml

[Jacques]

Thumbs up! Well documented!