== Soekris Manual ==

http://soekris.com/Manuals/net4801_manual.pdf

== boot infrastructure ==

The netboot image for debian is already around.  You need

wget http://centerclick.org/net4801/pxelinux/pxelinux.0.gz

as opposed to the pxelinux.bin that's already around.  You need to make a link in pxelinux.cfg to an appropriate pxelinux configuration file, namely the one for serial.  To the end of the 'install' image you want to add:

DEBIAN_FRONTEND=text

(we did this, so it's probably already there.)

Minicom should be set for 9600 baud, 8 databits, no parity, 1 stop bit, no flow control.  Turn hardware flow control off in minicom.  The UNIX device for talking to the console is almost certainly /dev/ttyS0.

== configure the Soekris net4801 BIOS ==

Look at the banner from when the net4801 boots.  Get the BIOS version and check it against the Soekris web site.

Hit C-p as it is booting to get to a BIOS prompt.

Issue these commands at the BIOS prompt, filling in today's date and the current time.

date YYYY/MMDD
time HH:MM:SS
set ConSpeed=9600
set BootDrive=F0 FF 80 81

The only reliable way to obtain the MAC address of 'Eth 0', without having an operating system already loaded, is to watch the diagnostic output of 

boot f0

== current problem ==

Debian net-install can't find the CF card to install to.  We've tried:

* 2.4 and 2.6 kernels

* patched and unpatched kernels

* all of the above with each of the stable/testing/unstable repos

The "Kingston Elite Pro" CF card is reported by the 4801 as

Pri Sla SAMSUNG CF/ATA LBA Xlt 1012-32-63

The SimpleTech CF card is

Pri Mas Hitachi XX.V.3.7.0.0 LBA 993-16-63