NetBSD Problem Report #60342

From www@netbsd.org  Fri Jun 19 13:40:06 2026
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Date: Fri, 19 Jun 2026 13:40:05 +0000 (UTC)
From: rwj@SDF.org
Reply-To: rwj@SDF.org
To: gnats-bugs@NetBSD.org
Subject: netbsd_11_0_rc4 dvd can't boot and prompts for a floppy attempting install to bare SSD
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X-From4GNATS: "rwj@SDF.org via gnats" <gnats-admin@NetBSD.org>

>Number:         60342
>Category:       install
>Synopsis:       netbsd_11_0_rc4 dvd can't boot and prompts for a floppy attempting install to bare SSD
>Confidential:   no
>Severity:       serious
>Priority:       medium
>Responsible:    install-manager
>State:          open
>Class:          sw-bug
>Submitter-Id:   net
>Arrival-Date:   Fri Jun 19 13:45:00 +0000 2026
>Last-Modified:  Mon Jun 22 01:30:01 +0000 2026
>Originator:     robert jones
>Release:        https://undefined/NetBSD-11.0_RC4-amd64-dvd.iso
>Organization:
personal only - *novice*
>Environment:
https://undefined/NetBSD-11.0_RC4-amd64-dvd.iso
>Description:
This is only an indicative/outline report as I'm a novice and had only v. limited time for the operation so I suggest you just add this to the file w/o spending time or actioning unless/until s/o else reports similar.

https://undefined/NetBSD-11.0_RC4-amd64-dvd.iso

First attempt at a trial install to raw/bare SSD but dvd complained could not find anything to boot and prompts for a floppy. Presumably this due to no MBR on SSD but even so, conversely in same bare environment:

https://undefined/NetBSD-11.0_RC4-amd64-bios-install.img.gz

when dearchived and burned to usb stick did boot and I was able to get the base system installed first time (but then borked it trying to install desktop-installer).

...

(I'll do a separate submission as change req. or similar for 

a) install menu routine when base system installed - please add a prompt to remove boot media to signal clearly that a system ready to self boot now exists.

b) add pkgin to the base install system regardless of whether  "Enable installation of binary packages" is selected.

c) add pico / nano as an alternative to vi.

d) consider expanding the dvd version so it includes a representative selection of main sets so installation of a system that has an x windows / window manager system plus web browser and say LibreOffice and some basic utils can be created w/o need for an internet connection.) 
>How-To-Repeat:
Reboot but circulus inextricabilis w/o a fdd.
>Fix:
Apprently deploy a boot floppy .... 

>Audit-Trail:
From: nia <nia@NetBSD.org>
To: gnats-bugs@netbsd.org
Cc: 
Subject: Re: install/60342: netbsd_11_0_rc4 dvd can't boot and prompts for a
 floppy attempting install to bare SSD
Date: Fri, 19 Jun 2026 16:39:31 +0000

 On Fri, Jun 19, 2026 at 01:45:01PM +0000, rwj@SDF.org via gnats wrote:
 > Presumably this due to no MBR on SSD but even so, conversely in same bare environment:
 > 
 > https://undefined/NetBSD-11.0_RC4-amd64-bios-install.img.gz
 > 

 The .img file is a raw file system image (in this case MBR) designed
 for directly being dd'ed to a target disk.

 Conversely, the "DVD" file is cd9660 file system exclusively designed
 to be _burned to optical media_.

 They're not interchangable nor are they meant to be.

From: RW Jones <rwj@sdf.org>
To: gnats-bugs@netbsd.org
Cc: install-manager@netbsd.org, gnats-admin@netbsd.org, netbsd-bugs@netbsd.org
Subject: Re: install/60342: netbsd_11_0_rc4 dvd can't boot and prompts for
 a floppy attempting install to bare SSD
Date: Mon, 22 Jun 2026 01:27:45 +0000 (UTC)

 Thanks. Just to clarify in case it helps: the DVD iso *was* burned to 
 physical _dvd_ medium, not a purported "burn" to usb stick.

 If there is some other aspect which regulates and which I'm not picking up 
 then I suggest no need to focus further on this one absent others' reports 
 -- as noted the BIOS flavour _img_ once unpacked and "burned" (sic) 
 to _usb stick_ did in the alternative work.

 Reards,


 Robert Jones

 On Fri, 19 Jun 2026, nia via gnats wrote:

 > Date: Fri, 19 Jun 2026 16:40:01 +0000 (UTC)
 > From: nia via gnats <gnats-admin@NetBSD.org>
 > Reply-To: gnats-bugs@netbsd.org
 > To: install-manager@netbsd.org, gnats-admin@netbsd.org,
 >     netbsd-bugs@netbsd.org, rwj@SDF.org
 > Subject: Re: install/60342: netbsd_11_0_rc4 dvd can't boot and prompts for a
 >     floppy attempting install to bare SSD
 > 
 > The following reply was made to PR install/60342; it has been noted by GNATS.
 >
 > From: nia <nia@NetBSD.org>
 > To: gnats-bugs@netbsd.org
 > Cc:
 > Subject: Re: install/60342: netbsd_11_0_rc4 dvd can't boot and prompts for a
 > floppy attempting install to bare SSD
 > Date: Fri, 19 Jun 2026 16:39:31 +0000
 >
 > On Fri, Jun 19, 2026 at 01:45:01PM +0000, rwj@SDF.org via gnats wrote:
 > > Presumably this due to no MBR on SSD but even so, conversely in same bare environment:
 > >
 > > https://undefined/NetBSD-11.0_RC4-amd64-bios-install.img.gz
 > >
 >
 > The .img file is a raw file system image (in this case MBR) designed
 > for directly being dd'ed to a target disk.
 >
 > Conversely, the "DVD" file is cd9660 file system exclusively designed
 > to be _burned to optical media_.
 >
 > They're not interchangable nor are they meant to be.
 >
 >

 --
 rwj@SDF.org
 (rwj@freeshell.org)
 SDF Public Access UNIX System - http://SDF.org

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