How to install Solaris over the network from a NetBSD host.

Ideas from here. This is not for beginners. Knowledge of NetBSD and Solaris required. For NetBSD I used version 5.0_STABLE and for Solaris version 10, but those are not important. In this scenario, much older and newer versions should work the same. And all this work only to update OBP and reset the ALOM password.

If Solaris complains about "Hardware error or unformatted disk" and exits, use format -e to get a SMI-label on the disk to replace the EFI-label. You usually get this if another OS has been on the destination disk.

Prerequisites

Preparation

The installation

Now turn on the Sun box and type boot net at the ok prompt. First, the bootloader (inetboot) will be tftp'd, then the Solaris kernel will be loaded with NFS. Devices will be probed, network interfaces configured as usual. Then the normal dialog screens appear, starting with the use of <ESC> instead of <Fn>.

Files

/etc/ethers
# used by rarpd
00:03:ba:73:9a:6f       usiii
		
/etc/bootparams
# used by bootparamd
usiii   root=10.0.1.25:/exports/usiii/Solaris_10/Tools/Boot \
        install=10.0.1.25:/exports/usiii
		
/etc/exports
/exports/usiii  -alldirs -maproot=root usiii
		

solaris-netinstall-netbsd / webmaster@itsx.net / created 2010-1-30 / last update 2013-10-1