Answers to Miscellaneous Questions

This chapter aims to answer some miscellaneous questions about Linux and the JavaStations.

Regarding RARP: Is it Needed or Not?

RARP is not needed with the Krups or Espresso models and recent PROLL software. RARP is required for Mr. Coffee, however.

This document explains how to set up kernel-level RARP for the remaining models. In kernel versions 2.3.x/2.4.x, kernel-level RARP support is removed. Pete Zaitcev has made a patch to ANK userland RARP that allows it to compile on Linux/SPARC. It is available from: ftp://corp.metabyte.com/private/linux_roxy/tools/". The command to use then is rarpd-ank -e eth0. "-e" makes it ignore /tftpboot checking, and "eth0" is needed if you are behind a firewall.

Can One Use the Smart Card Reader on the Espresso models?

This is not currently supported, but the reader follows an ISO standard (ISO 7816-3). On Espresso, if you look into PROLL, there are definitions for the GPIO smartcard data/clock in "eeprom.c". So a programmer should technically be able to get the Smart Card slot running.

Can One Use the Solaris DHCP server instead of ISC?

Yes, this is possible. Earlier ISC daemons had problems, while the Solaris server was more robust. Here is how to configure it:

First, fill in your /var/dhcp/"networks" file, populating it with ethernet to IP info, and the appropriate leastime.

# This example uses "infinite" leastime
#
0108002081C2AE 03 192.168.128.1  192.168.128.100 java01  # JavaStation
010800208E4CF6 03 192.168.128.2  192.168.128.100 java02  # JavaStation

Next, fill in your /var/dhcp/dhcptab file with entries similar to:

##
# First, some network info
#
Locale   m  :UTCoffst=21600:
studsys  m  :Include=Locale:Timeserv=192.168.128.100:DNSdmain=my.own.net:DNSserv=192.168.128.100:
192.168.128.0  m  :Broadcst=192.168.128.255:Subnet=255.255.255.0:MTU=1500:BootSrvA=192.168.128.100:Router=192.168.128.101:NISdmain=my.own.net:NISservs=192.168.128.100:
#
#  note: BootServA can point to a different TFTP server to get the kernel image
#        off of.
#
#
##
# Now we define the JavaStation TFTPboot parameters
#
SUNW.Linux m :Include=studsys:JOSchksm=0x155dbf97:Rootpath=/tftpboot:BootFile=proll.mrcoffee:BootSrvA=192.168.128.100:TFTPsrvN=lnxserv:
SUNW.Linux.Krups m :Include=studsys:Rootpath=/tftpboot:BootFile=proll.krups:BootSrvA=192.168.128.100:TFTPsrvN=lnxserv:
#
#
#  note: different classes are defined for the different PROLL images.
#
##
# Lastly, we list our hosts and which boot class each one gets.
java01  m  :LeaseTim=-1:Include=SUNW.Linux:
java02  m  :LeaseTim=-1:Include=SUNW.Linux.Krups:
#
#
#
###

Can One Pass Arguments to "/sbin/init" in a Diskless Boot like This?

PROLL ships with DHCP options disabled, but it could be changed. You would then do something like "/tftpboot/0A0A0000.ARGS" to get those parameters in.

If you boot from flash memory, PROLL picks up SILO options (where SILO is > version 0.9.6 and PROLL is >= version 11)

Enabling X on the JavaStation

Enabling X on the JavaStation is possible.

First, be sure you have enabled the appropriate framebuffer device in your kernel's configuration (as described elsewhere in this document).

Next, you'll want to use the generic Sun Framebuffer X server and "XF86Config" file. You can build this yourself, or you can try someone's prebuilt binaries, like the samples pointed to below.

As of this time, XFree 4.0 does not work on the SPARC line. You'll need to use an XFree 3.3.x variant in the meantime. The new driver model of 4.0 will provide the path necessary to provide a dedicated accellerated X server for the JavaStations.

Sample XFree Sun Frambuffer X Server File is at: http://studsys.mscs.mu.edu/~tech/Linux_on_JS/Files/XF86_FBDev

Sample XFree JavaStation-Ready XF86Config File is at: http://studsys.mscs.mu.edu/~tech/Linux_on_JS/Files/XF86Config

Is There Mailing List Help?

There is a mailing devoted exclusively to running Linux on SPARC processor based machines like the JavaStations.

The mailing list address is "sparclinux@vger.rutgers.edu". You should first subscribe to it by sending a message to "majordomo@vger.rutgers.edu" with a subject and body line of "subscribe sparclinux <your_email_address>". You can leave out your email address, but it is helpful to put it in if you have multiple valid addresses at your site.

Archives of the Linux/Sparc mailing list are kept at: http://www.progressive-comp.com/Lists/?l=linux-sparc&r=1&w=2"

Are There Alternate Help Sources Available?

There are a few known sources of Linux on JavaStation help outside of this HOWTO and the Linux/Sparc mailing list.

  1. Pete Zaitcev was the driving force in programming the Linux kernel support for the JavaStation line. He maintains a website of low-level hardware details at http://corp.metabyte.com/~zaitcev/linux. Here you will find all kinds of little source patches, though none presented are necessary for basic JavaStation support as described in this document.

Additional sources of information will be added as they appear.