xref: /netbsd-src/distrib/notes/sparc/xfer (revision 3fe138c1461e710931a50b66f08982c5f52c371f)
1Installation is supported from several media types, including:
2	NFS partitions
3	FTP
4	Tape
5
6The steps necessary to prepare the distribution sets
7for installation depend on which method of installation
8you choose.  The various methods are explained below.
9
10To prepare for installing via an NFS partition:
11
12	Place the NetBSD software you wish to install into
13	a directory on an NFS server, and make that directory
14	mountable by the machine which you will be installing
15	NetBSD on.  This will probably require modifying the
16	/etc/exports file of the NFS server and resetting
17	mountd, acts which will require superuser privileges.
18	Note the numeric IP address of the NFS server and of
19	the router closest to the the new NetBSD machine,
20	if the NFS server is not on a network which is
21	directly attached to the NetBSD machine.
22
23	If you are using a diskless setup to install NetBSD on
24	your machine, you can take advantage of the fact that
25	the above has already been done on your machine's server.
26	So, you can conveniently put the NetBSD filesets in your
27	machine's root filesystem on the server where the install
28	program can find them.
29
30	Once you have done this, you can proceed to the next
31	step in the installation process, preparing your
32	system for NetBSD installation.
33
34
35To prepare for installing via FTP:
36
37	NOTE: this method of installation is recommended
38	      only for those already familiar with using
39	      the BSD network-manipulation commands and
40	      interfaces.  If you aren't, this documentation
41	      should help, but is not intended to be
42	      all-encompassing.
43
44	The preparations for this method of installation
45	are easy: all you have to do is make sure that
46	there's some FTP site from which you can retrieve
47	the NetBSD installation when it's time to do
48	the install.  You should know the numeric IP
49	address of that site, the numeric IP address of
50	your nearest router if one is necessary
51
52	Once you have done this, you can proceed to the next
53	step in the installation process, preparing your
54	system for NetBSD installation.
55
56
57To prepare for installing via a tape:
58
59	To install NetBSD from a tape, you need to somehow
60	get the NetBSD filesets you wish to install on
61	your system on to the appropriate kind of tape,
62	in tar format.
63
64	If you're making the tape on a UN*X system, the easiest
65	way to do so is:
66
67		tar cvf <tape_device> <files>
68
69	where "<tape_device>" is the name of the tape device
70	that describes the tape drive you're using (possibly
71	something like /dev/nrst0, but we make no guarantees 8-).
72	Under SunOS 5.x, this would be something like /dev/rmt/0mbn.
73	Again, your mileage may vary.  If you can't figure it out,
74	ask your system administrator.  "<files>" are the names
75	of the "set_name.nnn" files which you want to be placed
76	on the tape.
77
78	Once you have done this, you can proceed to the next
79	step in the installation process, preparing your
80	system for NetBSD installation.
81