NetBSD SIMH HOW-TO

This is a guide for installing NetBSD/vax in the SIMH emulator.

Install Open SIMH, typically from the pkgsrc open-simh package.
Download a NetBSD/vax CD ISO image.

Create a file netbsd-boot-vax containing the following:

 ;set cpu autoboot
 set cpu simhalt
 set cpu 64m
 set cpu idle=netbsd
 attach nvr /path/to/netbsd-vax-nvram.img
 set rq0 ra92
 attach rq0 /path/to/netbsd-vax-hd.img
 set rq1 cdrom
 attach rq1 /path/to/netbsd-vax-cd.iso
 attach xq0 nat:
 boot cpu
 exit

Start the emulator:
```
 simh-vax netbsd-boot-vax
```
At the VMB prompt, select your preferred language. Set the default boot device, then boot once from the install CD:
```
 set boot dua0
 boot dua1
```
Install NetBSD, perhaps omitting X11; SIMH doesn't emulate a frame buffer. (Prior to 6.0, you'll need to change the CD drive from /dev/cd0a to /dev/ra1a when prompted.)
When installation completes, halt the system. SIMH will automatically exit.
At the top of netbsd-boot-vax, uncomment set cpu autoboot. Then restart the emulator:
```
 simh-vax netbsd-boot-vax
```
It boots unattended to multiuser. Welcome to NetBSD!

Now consider adjusting your SIMH configuration (download doc):

Detach the install CD
Add RAM
Attach more disks, e.g. for swap or objdirs
Forward a host port to the emulated system, e.g. nat:TCP=1234:10.0.2.15:22
Switch from NAT to another networking model (comment out boot cpu, then at the simh sim> prompt, run show xq eth)

If you are interested in helping this document cover other NetBSD ports, or have any other comments or suggestions, please contact Lars Brinkhoff <lars.spam@nocrew.org>, or the NetBSD WWW group.

Acknowledgements

The initial version of this HOW-TO was written by Lars Brinkhoff. Some of the information in this page was derived from an email sent by Mirian Crzig Lennox .

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