SparcstationVoyager

You need the Sparc-Voyager and a Server (optional with running Debian) to boot from.

I will call the Server "Alpha" and the Voyager "Omega"

do first steps on Alpha:

$apt-get install rarpd
- in /etc/ethers insert Omegas mac adress and the IP for it (from now on called omega-IP)
- in /etc/hosts insert 'omega-IP' and its Name (else use DNS)
$rarp -a -A -v

still on Alpha, provide a bootable kernel:

$apt-get install tftpd-hpa (this server will provide the bootup files for Omega)
- make a directory for the bootfiles (/tftpboot/omega in my case)
- you need a bootable Linux kernel for the sparc platform (download from debian.org)
- start a network sniffer and power on the Voyager, press "Stop+A" and enter: "boot net"
  - don't forget to physically connect Alpha:====:Omega
- take a look at the file Omega wants and link the kernel to this name
$in.tftpd -l -v -v -p -s /tftpboot/omega
- you could use inet.d but I recommend to start it via commandline, cause you just need it once and so you have better control/error diagnostics
at this stage Omega should connect to Alpha when you "boot net" and load the kernel, then after setting things up it will stop, complaining about missing root file system

provide rootfs on Alpha:

$apt-get install nfs-user-server (it should also install portmap)
- put the path for the Omega root filesystem in /etc/exports
  - I used a temporary rootfs for installing only, if you wish you can use the rootfs regulary and run Omega diskless
- it should contain a line like this: "/tmp/voyager-rootfs 'omega-IP' (rw,no_root_squash)"
  - !this is unsecure, so don't do that on untrusted networks!
- and one like this: "/tmp/voyager-deb 'omega-IP' (ro)"
  - the second is for the .deb packages, which I locally provide - instead you may download them directly from a debianserver to Omega (the debian-installer will ask you)
- in my "local" case I had to put the following files into /tmp/voyager-deb (got them from debian.org - where else
  - basedebs.tar
  - sun4cdm/drivers.tgz
  - sun4cdm/images-1.44/rescue.bin
$/etc/init.d/portmap start
$/etc/init.d/nfs-user-server start
- your server (Alpha) is now configured and should be up and running..

go to Omega and learn to be patient:

press "Stop+A" and enter: "boot net linux nfsroot='omega-IP':/tftpboot/voyager-rootfs nfsaddrs='omega-IP'"
the kernel will get loaded, starts and then mounts the (temporary) root filesystem, a few minutes later (if nothing went wrong) the debian-installer greets you and from now on it's easy going..
just enter the correct source paths
after all you have one more machine with a nice Debian system on it which can do the "smoke test" 8]