NetBSD 7.1 on the Atari TT
NetBSD 7.1 on the Atari TT
Well this weekend I fancied watching paint dry and thats what I did. 
I decided to have a go at installing NetBSD on the Atari TT. Little did I know that this task was going to take around 40 hours to complete.
I found two sources to help with the install: The install started off well with the two install boot floppies then the slowdown began. The install I chose pulled all the install files from the NetBSD atari port ftp site. All worked fine with the NetUsbBee card but I left it running over night and it was just finished in the morning.
Rebooting after installation then resulted in several points where the first boot was generating certs for the ssh tools and also the font cache was updating for over 4 hours.
That said now its first boot is complete NetBSD boots and is useable. I still have a way to go to get the X Windows up and running but I intend to share the 4GB image online for others to use and not have to go through the pain of a long wait.
Boot screen after memory test:
Logged in (this was the first login before setting up user account):
Currently the TT is compiling several packages for the X Windows to work. Will keep you posted as to the progress and when I have an image to share.
I decided to have a go at installing NetBSD on the Atari TT. Little did I know that this task was going to take around 40 hours to complete.
I found two sources to help with the install: The install started off well with the two install boot floppies then the slowdown began. The install I chose pulled all the install files from the NetBSD atari port ftp site. All worked fine with the NetUsbBee card but I left it running over night and it was just finished in the morning.
Rebooting after installation then resulted in several points where the first boot was generating certs for the ssh tools and also the font cache was updating for over 4 hours.
That said now its first boot is complete NetBSD boots and is useable. I still have a way to go to get the X Windows up and running but I intend to share the 4GB image online for others to use and not have to go through the pain of a long wait.
Boot screen after memory test:
- IMG_2659.JPG (2.06 MiB) Viewed 4439 times
Logged in (this was the first login before setting up user account):
- IMG_2657.JPG (2.1 MiB) Viewed 4439 times
Currently the TT is compiling several packages for the X Windows to work. Will keep you posted as to the progress and when I have an image to share.
Re: NetBSD 7.1 on the Atari TT
Nicely done.
Working ones : MegaSTE (68020) / TT030 / Falcon with AB040 & Eclipse / 1040STF
Need testing : Falcon with CT2
Need testing : Falcon with CT2
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stephen_usher
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Re: NetBSD 7.1 on the Atari TT
Wow... 10 meg of ST RAM? How much TT RAM?
Still, nice to see a modern UNIX running. The X server will take quite a few days to compile. I remember doing so in the 90s on a Sun SPARCstation 10 under SunOS 4.1.x, and that took about 3 days.
Still, nice to see a modern UNIX running. The X server will take quite a few days to compile. I remember doing so in the 90s on a Sun SPARCstation 10 under SunOS 4.1.x, and that took about 3 days.
Intro retro computers since before they were retro...
ZX81->Spectrum->Memotech MTX->Sinclair QL->520STM->BBC Micro->TT030->PCs & Sun Workstations.
Added code to the MiNT kernel (still there the last time I checked) + put together MiNTOS.
Collection now with added Macs, Amigas, Suns and Acorns.
ZX81->Spectrum->Memotech MTX->Sinclair QL->520STM->BBC Micro->TT030->PCs & Sun Workstations.
Added code to the MiNT kernel (still there the last time I checked) + put together MiNTOS.
Collection now with added Macs, Amigas, Suns and Acorns.
Re: NetBSD 7.1 on the Atari TT
10MB of ST-Ram was one of the first upgrades I performed on my TT - see post here viewtopic.php?f=15&t=357stephen_usher wrote: ↑Sun Dec 03, 2017 8:38 pmWow... 10 meg of ST RAM? How much TT RAM?
Still, nice to see a modern UNIX running. The X server will take quite a few days to compile. I remember doing so in the 90s on a Sun SPARCstation 10 under SunOS 4.1.x, and that took about 3 days.
I currently have 128MB of TT-Ram on a MegTT board.
Thanks for the heads up - I guess my TT is going to be on for a few days
Re: NetBSD 7.1 on the Atari TT
A bit more progress... 
I have the X Windows running now on the native Atari TT video
Seeing this screen on the TT was a great step forward
I finally go the twm window manager running too
On the web I found Izumi Tsutsui has compiled an accelerated binary of X for the ET4000 card but as I have an ATIMach64 I am looking to compile a binary to get this working. Izumi Tsutsui's files: - ftp://ftp.NetBSD.org/pub/NetBSD/misc/ts ... ari.tar.gz. When done I will have the image of NetBSD where the default is the TT native display and swapping the X symbolic link to the relevant graphic card compiled X binary will allow the use of the various graphics cards.
I have the X Windows running now on the native Atari TT video
Seeing this screen on the TT was a great step forward
- IMG_2660.JPG (4.34 MiB) Viewed 4394 times
I finally go the twm window manager running too
- IMG_2664.JPG (1.97 MiB) Viewed 4394 times
On the web I found Izumi Tsutsui has compiled an accelerated binary of X for the ET4000 card but as I have an ATIMach64 I am looking to compile a binary to get this working. Izumi Tsutsui's files: - ftp://ftp.NetBSD.org/pub/NetBSD/misc/ts ... ari.tar.gz. When done I will have the image of NetBSD where the default is the TT native display and swapping the X symbolic link to the relevant graphic card compiled X binary will allow the use of the various graphics cards.
Re: NetBSD 7.1 on the Atari TT
Very cool man! I will definitely give you images a shot once you're finished. I'm glad to hear you'll do an et4000 version too, awesome!
Falcon ct60e 060 - 256mb ram - phantom bus and dsp accel // Atari TT - Thunder and Storm IDE 64mb ram - Lightning VME - USB LAN - Ati Mach64 2mb // Atari STM 4160 - 4MB ram - 16Mhz exxos 1.5 booster - Ultrasatan
Re: NetBSD 7.1 on the Atari TT
Thanks - As with most of us here I am trying to do this round my day job. The compiling on the actual TT is taking way too long. I have just built up a NetBSD VM instance so I can do cross-compile building of the sources with a bit more CPU speed.
I am in the process of getting the ET4000 up and running and will post a screenshot as soon as I am there.
My lofty goal is to try and get NetBSD running with a Gnome or KDE desktop. I am not sure if it will be useable.
Re: NetBSD 7.1 on the Atari TT
A little update:
I have been spending time building a VMware NetBSD 7.1 environment so that I can do a cross build.
So far I have managed to build complete distro fileset for the Atari TT and have started to optimise the kernel.
Currently I am working to build the various X files and get the ET4000 card working.
I had to do this as rebooting, building etc on the TT was painful.
I have been spending time building a VMware NetBSD 7.1 environment so that I can do a cross build.
So far I have managed to build complete distro fileset for the Atari TT and have started to optimise the kernel.
Currently I am working to build the various X files and get the ET4000 card working.
I had to do this as rebooting, building etc on the TT was painful.
Re: NetBSD 7.1 on the Atari TT
That’s great, will test it on my tt with IDE HDD and Our fastram card, would be a goal to get the lightning usb working using netbsd