Reanimator: new software appliance to install IRIX over a network

[Linux-RISC]

Hello everyone.

I belong to a Spanish Retrocomputing forum called Retrowiki.

I have developed Reanimator, a software appliance to install IRIX over a network using a Raspberry Pi or VirtualBox (no extra RBPi features).

Reanimator has some interesting features such as:
- multiple network protocols available: NFS, Samba, FTP, ...
- automatically download of selected IRIX versions from the Internet: 5.3, 6.2, 6.5.0, 6.5.7, 6.5.22 and 6.5.30
- full version including several IRIX versions
- a Raspberry Pi network assistant to select wired or Wi-Fi connection to the Internet. The RBPi will work as a router for your sgi computer, allowing access to the Internet through your Wi-Fi network
- selections file to simplify the IRIX installation
- easy configuration by menus
- mount ISO images and pendrives
- update scripts from the Internet

Please, browse https://github.com/Linux-RISC/Reanimator or http://irix.mersisl.com/ and give it a try.

 

[kikems]

Awesome, I use Reanimator every time with my SGI since few months and works really good.

 

[Elf]

Edit: With apologies, I no longer wish to have involvement with SGUG or SGI communities in general,
and have also chosen to remove all of my content. Many things have changed since I co-founded, named, and ultimately
then left SGUG. There are many good people around, to whom I apologize for frustrating by removing these things, and
also many petty people that over the years whittled down both the enjoyment as well as sense of obligation I used to
feel to anyone else regarding what was ultimately just a hobby. Unfortunately one of the latter now writes the rules
and so it is time for me to take my things and go.

This message will replace all of my previous forum posts because deleting threads that I started would have removed
other peoples' posts.

 

[isoriano]

Muchas gracias .. reading through your wiki and the setup it reminds me a lot how booterizer works which I use.

Will give it a try once you have it ready for Sun Would be great to have it as dual "install server" for the sgi/Sun machines.

Saludos

Nacho

 

[retronav]

Hello
I'm trying to install Irix 5.3 on my Indy (R4400 100MHz 160MB RAM) using Reanimator but without luck.
I was able to run fx and do partitions I can start the installation process but then I'm askewd for IP address of rbpi and I get connection errors like in the attached image.
I was able to install 6.5.22 from the same rbpi but 5.3 is not installing. What do I do wrong? Any helpis much appreciated. TIA

 

[Linux-RISC]

Questions:

1. setenv ipaddr 192.168.9.1 (or .2) on Command Monitor

2. Are you using IRIX 5.3 images downloaded from Reanimator repositories ? I assume this is the case.

2. What's your network architecture?
- To avoid problems, please download the full version (includes IRIX 5.3) and use the default option: "By default, Reanimator is configured to be connected directly to the client computer or to a network switch. This is the simplest configuration" https://github.com/Linux-RISC/Reanimator/blob/main/network_setup.md

3. Follow the IRIX 5.3 installation guide: "5.3 on Indy" https://github.com/Linux-RISC/Reanimator/blob/main/install_guide.md

4. "I was able to install 6.5.22 from the same rbpi but 5.3 is not installing" Uhmmm ... strange, I suspect IRIX 6.5.22 was installed and after rebooting the IP has changed due to DHCP. Have you cheched your IP on Command Monitor ?

Please, let me know your comments.

 

[retronav]

Hi I was able to solve this few days ago.

I used RPi conected directly to Indy via RJ45 Cable.
I downloaded the 5.3 images inside the Pi - The full version.

TL;DR - I didnt read the step-by-step instruction carefully and I missed one step. "5. load filename" --> irix@rbpi:i/5.3.txt"
and that's it.
Sorry for bothering and big thanks for replying.
Reanimator is great tool and I will use it for sure many times in the future

 

[retronav]

OK. Now when 5.3 on my Indy is installed I also installed 6.5.30 on my Octane2. But looks like the installation is not complete. I mean one of the thing that's missing is Control Audio (apane) a tool to control audio. I can't select it in ToolChest. Is it possible that I haven't installed some package? Which one?
The demos are not there either.

Also. Looks like the6.50.30that I installed is mips-3 architecture. Is it possible to install mips-4 binaries with Reanimator?

[edit]
The audio confidence test is working fine so the sound card is detected and working.

 

[Linux-RISC]

It's very strange, I have installed (among others) 6.5.30 dozens of times with no issues. Have you loaded the right selections file 6.5.30.txt ?

The distribution is an official set of CDs downloaded from popular sites (http://jrra.zone/sgi/), never custom images. I don't know if the binaries are mips-3 or mips-4, these binaries are the ones on the CDs.

As an alternative, you could try to install IRIX writing the sources manually, but there are some years I use selections file instead, please read the IRIX installation guide https://github.com/Linux-RISC/Reanimator/blob/main/install_guide.md:
Octane2: use "rbpi" or "debian" according to the installation platform
irix@rbpi:i/IRIX/6.5.30/disc1/dist
irix@rbpi:i/IRIX/6.5.30/disc2/dist
irix@rbpi:i/IRIX/6.5.30/disc3/dist
irix@rbpi:i/IRIX/6.5.30/apps/dist
irix@rbpi:i/IRIX/6.5.30/capps/dist
irix@rbpi:i/IRIX/irix65x/f1/dist
irix@rbpi:i/IRIX/irix65x/f2/dist
irix@rbpi:i/IRIX/irix65x/nfs/dist
(optional) irix@rbpi:i/IRIX/irix65x/devl/dist
(optional) irix@rbpi:i/IRIX/irix65x/devf13/dist

Please, let us know the install procedure to find the problem.

 

[retronav]

What I did was exactly what is decribed on your github page. irix@rbpi:i/6.530.txt. and it worked. there were some conflicts but it. was easy to solve. I used the command > install maintenance and then >go. hope that was ok.
I know it souds strange but Idont have apanel program. should the demos be installed also by default? (buttonfly, doom, etc?) because they are not.

I also asked on discord and I got the answer but I will repharese the question here. shouldn't the binaries be mips-4? when I do
$ file /bin/ls
I get mips-3 as a CPU architecture for this file. Is this OK? The reason I ask is because the original IRIX I got on this Octane2 previously (before I reinstalled it) was mips-4 binaries (I'm almost sure about this). but this is just aside question.
TIA Anyway

 

[Linux-RISC]

You can find the demos on http://jrra.zone/sgi/, "OCTANE Demos 1.3 ", they are not included on the operating system CDs.

 

[retronav]

OK. I reinstalled it again and looks like now it's a complete install. everything works fine. But I'm really curious what went wrong last time that the audio was not working? I also have demos now. Thanks @Linux-RISC