UPDATE: Received the recommended GPU today and am testing it now. Did a complete hardware overhaul with a different NEC CD-R and FDD. Booting still has audible HDD spinning and I saw the activity light come on when my burned BeOS disk was inserted, but no video yet. Debug shows it detects all 3 devices, but can’t mount them.
I have an internal SCSI that I could try as well, if you think that would help.
My advice is to use ISO Buster to convert the third session from a R5 retail CD to an ISO (not a raw bin file) and then write that raw using dd or similar to the hard drive and see if that will boot.
You might also want to try looking at the other BeOS images on Archive.org. They have a lot of earlier versions of BeOS. You might find PR or AA… I know they have PR2 and I got that to burn and boot on a Mac. Maybe that would help? When I first got my 9500 out of storage, the main hard drive was dead and the CD Rom drive would not read disks. So I ended up going the ISO buster route and it was the only way I could get everything to work.
If it helps, maybe I can make you a raw bootable image? I recently put an IDE SD card interface in my Umax and boot from the SD Card. I have previously cloned the SD Card and IIRC the data is just a raw hard drive partition. Maybe if I get you a small circa 100MiB partition you’ll be able to dd that an boot? I would try the ISO buster trick first if you can.
You basically need a drive that can boot. When you can boot you can eliminate that other parts of the hardware are bad.
UPDATE: Got together with a friend who’s far more knowledgeable than I. We tried out his S3 Trio which worked right away. Got splash screen with that, then was able to update the bootrom with PR1. Tried several burned OS install disks. It could definitely “see” one of them, and started using it, but will hang shortly after starting.
I’ve attached the serial info if anyone knows how to better decode it:
installing 00353fb8
→ disk/scsi/rescan
installing 003540c0
installing 00354058
→ disk/scsi/050/raw
installing 00353b40
IDE: ctrl 1 is done with its initialization, took 62 us.
IDE: multiple word dma mode 2 supported.
IDE: set the drive 0 to mode 2.
IDE 0 Master Disk:
Mfg: WDC WD300BB-00AUA1 ? Ser: WD-WMA6W1492932 Firmwar e: 18.20D18WDC WD300BB-00AUA1 ?
IDE: ctrl 0 is done with its initialization, took 152804 us.
→ disk/ide/0/master/raw
→ disk/ide/rescan
installing 00353224
→ disk/floppy/raw
Be Boot ROM, built Jun 27 1997 19:00:30
Rev 6 motherboard, Rev 5 i/o card
Copyright (C) 1991-97 Be Incorporated. All Rights Reserved
Configured boot device is ‘/dev/disk/ide/0/master/raw’, session 0, partition 0
republish
→ disk/floppy/raw
→ disk/ide/0/master/raw
→ disk/ide/rescan
→ disk/scsi/050/raw
→ disk/scsi/rescan
IDE: donotrescan 0.
IDE: ctrl 1 is done with its initialization, took 1040 us.
IDE: multiple word dma mode 2 supported.
IDE: set the drive 0 to mode 2.
IDE 0 Master Disk:
Mfg: WDC WD300BB-00AUA1 ? Ser: WD-WMA6W1492932 Firmwar e: 18.20D18WDC WD300BB-00AUA1 ?
IDE:failed waiting for DRDY, drive 10, ctrl 0.
IDE:failed waiting for DRDY, drive 10, ctrl 0.
IDE: ctrl 0 is done with its initialization, took 6804923 us.
republish
→ disk/floppy/raw
→ disk/ide/0/master/raw
→ disk/ide/rescan
→ disk/scsi/050/raw
→ disk/scsi/rescan
bfs: /dev/disk/scsi/050/2_0 is read-only!
bfs mounted on fd 2, bfs_info @ 0x400c000
loading /scsi_050_2_0/beos/system/kernel_joe (/scsi_050_2_0)
loading section 0 at (phys. = 00003100, virt. = 00003100)
loading section 1 at (phys. = 00081000, virt. = 00081000)
loading section 2 at (phys. = 000c9000, virt. = 000c9000)
loader section, size 0000227c (000c9090 - 000cb30c)
0 dependencies
this looks like a dr9 (aka Preview) or newer kernel
loading /scsi_050_2_0/beos/system/add-ons/kernel/file_systems/bfs (/scsi_050_2_0 )
loading section 0 at (phys. = 000cc000, virt. = 000cc000)
loading section 1 at (phys. = 000f3000, virt. = 000f3000)
loading section 2 at (phys. = 000fa000, virt. = 000fa000)
loader section, size 00000588 (000fa090 - 000fa618)
1 dependencies
loading /scsi_050_2_0/beos/system/kernel_joe (/scsi_050_2_0)
already loaded
START(000567ac, 00089000)
adding kinfo = 000c9000, fsinfo = 000fa000
brkval = 000fb000
Booting from device: /dev/disk/scsi/050/2_0
Be PowerPC Kernel version of May 26 2000 time 15:12:42
(C) Copyright 1991-97 Be, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
Processor: PowerPC 603, revision 0x0302, at 66MHz, on 33MHz bus
BIPROCESSOR mode
08000000 bytes of RAM (128 MBytes)
Be motherboard version 6
Be io card version 5
dma coherent with respect to CPU cache
NTHREADS = 4096, NTEAMS = 1024, NSEMS = 16384
NAREAS = 8192
NPORTS = 4096, MAXMSGS = 8192, MAXBUFS = 8192
hack_load_cont(000c9000, /boot/beos/system/kernel_joe)
3 sections
hack_load_cont(000fa000, /boot/beos/system/add-ons/kernel/file_systems/bfs)
3 sections
hack_load_cont(000c9000, KERNEL)
addr = 00003000, size = 0007e000, name = kernel_joe_text
addr = 00081000, size = 00048000, name = kernel_joe_data
addr = 000c9000, size = 00003000, name = kernel_joe_reloc
addr = 000cc000, size = 00027000, name = bfs_text
addr = 000f3000, size = 00007000, name = bfs_data
addr = 000fa000, size = 00001000, name = bfs_reloc
kheap: addr 000fb000, size 00012000
vheap: addr 05df0000, size 00200000
BAT: map (0) 10000000, 8000000 (physical_ram) 2
flo_init: COOL! cyl buf crosses 64k boundary! tell bob
flo_init: cyl_map[0].address = 0x0010d000 size = 00003000
flo_init: cyl_map[1].address = 0x00110000 size = 00001800
flo_init: cyl_map[2].address = 0x00000000 size = 00000000
floppy uninit()
IDE – try_module: busses/ide/genericpci/v0.6 has no busses
IDE ATA – configure_device: drive dma mode: 0x02
IDE – try_module: busses/ide/genericpci/v0.6 has no busses
scsi_cam: ccb_pool_size = 32
scsi_cam: path=0, devcount=8
scsi_cam: module ‘busses/scsi/53c810/v1’ loaded
scsi_cam: module ‘busses/scsi/53c810/v1’ initialized
scsi_cam: path 0 slack…
scsi_cam: path 0 slack…
vga_init_driver()
boot_frame_buffer = 0
vga_uninit_driver()
mapping /dev/disk/scsi/050/raw to /dev/disk/scsi/0/5/0/raw. long live the new scsi names
bfs: /dev/disk/scsi/0/5/0/2_0 is read-only!
bfs @ 0x1ece00 (BeOS 5 Pro Edition) on /dev/disk/scsi/0/5/0/2_0
KERNEL: vm_init_swap: serious problem #0
Starting /boot/beos/bin/sh /boot/beos/system/boot/Bootscript
vga_init_driver()
boot_frame_buffer = 0
vga_init_driver()
base_registers (0x00530bc8) points to 24 bytes of memory
re: base_registers[] - index: 6, vga_count * 6: 6
VGA_MAP_MAP_NTH(0) out of 2
BAT: map (1) 19000000, 1000000 (pci_bus0_dev13_func0_reg0) 5
trying to set 0x0010b794 to 0x19000000 + 0x00000000
create_pci_area: pci_bus0_dev13_func0_reg0 mapping at 0x19000000
returning the mangled pcii info
VGA_MAP_MAP_NTH(1) out of 2
BAT: map (1) 19000000, 1000000 (pci_bus0_dev13_func0_reg0) 5
trying to set 0x0010b794 to 0x19000000 + 0x00000000
create_pci_area: pci_bus0_dev13_func0_reg0 mapping at 0x19000000
returning the mangled pcii info
BAT: (1) loc u,l = 190001ff,d000002a
BAT: rem u,l = 190001ff,d000002a
BAT: (1) loc u,l = 190001fc,d000002a
BAT: rem u,l = 190001fc,d000002a
BAT: (1) loc u,l = 190001ff,d000002a
BAT: rem u,l = 190001ff,d000002a
VGA_MAP_MAP_NTH(0) out of 2
BAT: map (1) 19000000, 1000000 (pci_bus0_dev13_func0_reg0) 5
trying to set 0x0010b794 to 0x19000000 + 0x00000000
create_pci_area: pci_bus0_dev13_func0_reg0 mapping at 0x19000000
returning the mangled pcii info
VGA_MAP_MAP_NTH(1) out of 2
BAT: map (1) 19000000, 1000000 (pci_bus0_dev13_func0_reg0) 5
trying to set 0x0010b794 to 0x19000000 + 0x00000000
create_pci_area: pci_bus0_dev13_func0_reg0 mapping at 0x19000000
returning the mangled pcii info
VGA_MAP_MAP_NTH(0) out of 2
BAT: map (1) 19000000, 1000000 (pci_bus0_dev13_func0_reg0) 5
trying to set 0x0010b794 to 0x19000000 + 0x00000000
create_pci_area: pci_bus0_dev13_func0_reg0 mapping at 0x19000000
returning the mangled pcii info
VGA_MAP_MAP_NTH(1) out of 2
BAT: map (1) 19000000, 1000000 (pci_bus0_dev13_func0_reg0) 5
BAT: (1) loc u,l = 190001fc,d000002a
BAT: rem u,l = 190001fc,d000002a
BAT: (1) loc u,l = 190001ff,d000002a
BAT: rem u,l = 190001ff,d000002a
BAT: (1) loc u,l = 190001fc,d000002a
BAT: rem u,l = 190001fc,d000002a
BAT: (1) loc u,l = 190001ff,d000002a
BAT: rem u,l = 190001ff,d000002a
BAT: (1) loc u,l = 190001fc,d000002a
BAT: rem u,l = 190001fc,d000002a
BAT: (1) loc u,l = 190001ff,d000002a
BAT: rem u,l = 190001ff,d000002a
BAT: (1) loc u,l = 190001fc,d000002a
BAT: rem u,l = 190001fc,d000002a
trying to set 0x0010b794 to 0x19000000 + 0x00000000
create_pci_area: pci_bus0_dev13_func0_reg0 mapping at 0x19000000
returning the mangled pcii info
VGA_MAP_MAP_NTH(0) out of 2
BAT: map (1) 19000000, 1000000 (pci_bus0_dev13_func0_reg0) 5
trying to set 0x0010b794 to 0x19000000 + 0x00000000
create_pci_area: pci_bus0_dev13_func0_reg0 mapping at 0x19000000
returning the mangled pcii info
VGA_MAP_MAP_NTH(1) out of 2
BAT: map (1) 19000000, 1000000 (pci_bus0_dev13_func0_reg0) 5
trying to set 0x0010b794 to 0x19000000 + 0x00000000
create_pci_area: pci_bus0_dev13_func0_reg0 mapping at 0x19000000
returning the mangled pcii info
VGA_MAP_MAP_NTH(0) out of 2
BAT: map (1) 19000000, 1000000 (pci_bus0_dev13_func0_reg0) 5
trying to set 0x0010b794 to 0x19000000 + 0x00000000
BAT: (1) loc u,l = 190001ff,d000002a
BAT: rem u,l = 190001ff,d000002a
BAT: (1) loc u,l = 190001fc,d000002a
BAT: rem u,l = 190001fc,d000002a
BAT: (1) loc u,l = 190001ff,d000002a
BAT: rem u,l = 190001ff,d000002a
BAT: (1) loc u,l = 190001fc,d000002a
BAT: rem u,l = 190001fc,d000002a
BAT: (1) loc u,l = 190001ff,d000002a
BAT: rem u,l = 190001ff,d000002a
BAT: (1) loc u,l = 190001fc,d000002a
BAT: rem u,l = 190001fc,d000002a
BAT: (1) loc u,l = 190001ff,d000002a
BAT: rem u,l = 190001ff,d000002a
create_pci_area: pci_bus0_dev13_func0_reg0 mapping at 0x19000000
returning the mangled pcii info
VGA_MAP_MAP_NTH(1) out of 2
BAT: map (1) 19000000, 1000000 (pci_bus0_dev13_func0_reg0) 5
trying to set 0x0010b794 to 0x19000000 + 0x00000000
create_pci_area: pci_bus0_dev13_func0_reg0 mapping at 0x19000000
returning the mangled pcii info
VGA_MAP_MAP_NTH(0) out of 2
BAT: map (1) 19000000, 1000000 (pci_bus0_dev13_func0_reg0) 5
trying to set 0x0010b794 to 0x19000000 + 0x00000000
create_pci_area: pci_bus0_dev13_func0_reg0 mapping at 0x19000000
returning the mangled pcii info
VGA_MAP_MAP_NTH(1) out of 2
BAT: map (1) 19000000, 1000000 (pci_bus0_dev13_func0_reg0) 5
trying to set 0x0010b794 to 0x19000000 + 0x00000000
create_pci_area: pci_bus0_dev13_func0_reg0 mapping at 0x19000000
returning the mangled pcii info
BAT: (1) loc u,l = 190001fc,d000002a
BAT: rem u,l = 190001fc,d000002a
BAT: (1) loc u,l = 190001ff,d000002a
BAT: rem u,l = 190001ff,d000002a
BAT: (1) loc u,l = 190001fc,d000002a
BAT: rem u,l = 190001fc,d000002a
BAT: (1) loc u,l = 190001ff,d000002a
BAT: rem u,l = 190001ff,d000002a
BAT: (1) loc u,l = 190001fc,d000002a
BAT: rem u,l = 190001fc,d000002a
BAT: (1) loc u,l = 190001ff,d000002a
BAT: rem u,l = 190001ff,d000002a
BAT: (1) loc u,l = 190001fc,d000002a
BAT: rem u,l = 190001fc,d000002a
VGA_MAP_MAP_NTH(0) out of 2
BAT: map (1) 19000000, 1000000 (pci_bus0_dev13_func0_reg0) 5
trying to set 0x0010b794 to 0x19000000 + 0x00000000
create_pci_area: pci_bus0_dev13_func0_reg0 mapping at 0x19000000
returning the mangled pcii info
get_area_info error
VGA_MAP_MAP_NTH(1) out of 2
BAT: map (1) 19000000, 1000000 (pci_bus0_dev13_func0_reg0) 5
trying to set 0x0010b794 to 0x19000000 + 0x00000000
create_pci_area: pci_bus0_dev13_func0_reg0 mapping at 0x19000000
returning the mangled pcii info
get_area_info error
VGA_MAP_MAP_NTH(0) out of 2
BAT: map (1) 19000000, 1000000 (pci_bus0_dev13_func0_reg0) 5
trying to set 0x0010b794 to 0x19000000 + 0x00000000
create_pci_area: pci_bus0_dev13_func0_reg0 mapping at 0x19000000
returning the mangled pcii info
S3 B_OPEN_GRAPHICS_CARD isa_IO is 0x18212000
BAT: (1) loc u,l = 190001ff,d000002a
BAT: rem u,l = 190001ff,d000002a
BAT: (1) loc u,l = 190001fc,d000002a
BAT: rem u,l = 190001fc,d000002a
BAT: (1) loc u,l = 190001ff,d000002a
BAT: rem u,l = 190001ff,d000002a
BAT: (1) loc u,l = 190001fc,d000002a
BAT: rem u,l = 190001fc,d000002a
BAT: (1) loc u,l = 190001ff,d000002a
BAT: rem u,l = 190001ff,d000002a
No user-level debugger installed
vga_uninit_driver()
freeing base_registers
BAT: (1) loc u,l = 190001fc,d000002a
BAT: rem u,l = 190001fc,d000002a`
What happens if you go in to the boot menu? Also, it can’t hurt to try a later boot Rom if you have the S3 working. I think the last was was 4.5, but don’t quote me on that. I would try PR2 or R3 if you can get the disk installer.
Also try booting PR1 or PR2… they are both online and as I said, I grabbed the one that was an ISO and burned it using AnyBurn on a PC and managed to get it to boot on Mac hardware. I think this was this one or this one there’s also an AA and PR1 image. I also got a R3 image to burn and boot too. If you look here there are a lot of options for legacy PowerPC bootable CD installer images.
I think you want to get the OS to boot to the installer. That eliminates a lot. My biggest issue recently has been failing SCSI CD Rom drives that won’t read burned discs. I currently have 3 that “work”. One will read some discs, one (from the Umax) will read all disks, and one is a burner, so it by definition is a lot more likely to be able to deal with burned discs.
BeBox BootROM Floppy 5.0: The BeOS 5.0.3 ISO contains a updated SCSI driver for issues reading certain CDs. You can retest with the BootROM floppy image on the CD.
Checksum verify the BeOS 5.0.3 CD in a known good CD/DVD unit.
Restart the computer and press any key on the keyboard (i.e. Shift or Space Bar). As mentioned, you’d want the Be boot screen. Select CD-ROM for booting. Continue booting.
Usually, you want to see these during boot:
Err - you get the Boot logo, then you wait, the hard drive will spin, the desktop will load and then you get the installer or Tracker. There is no splash screen under PowerPC. It looks like this
DIAMOND ST64 (S3 Trio64V+) VIDEO 2001 PCI card
Note: This specific video card was tested and approved by Be Engineering. Other Trio64/Trio64V+/Trio64V2 PCI cards may work on the BeBox.
Another BeBox user used the Cirrus CL-GD5424 PCI card using the Rev 6 motherboard with BeOS 4.5.
About the Cirrus and Matrox cards:
OpenFIrmware/Mac PowerPC-compatible VBIOS required.
STB Nitro 64V (i.e. S3 Trio64V+ variant) supported.
It boot so fast.
As of now, the boot menu will usually see my burned r5 install disk. I’ll select it and it’ll read the disk, but will just hang at the boot screen. I’ll try further updating the boot rom and go from there.
It could also be your CD-ROM drive then. I had a similar issue. I have a drive that would refuse to even read a factory production R5 cd, but would boot from the R4.5 production cd. It read it maybe 2 or 3 times, and only when already in the OS. I think it booted and hung before the installer once too.
Did you try cleaning the cdrom lens? A cotton swab with a little IPA or 90° alcohol and just gently touch the lens in circles…
I started to disassemble it, but realised it was a lot more complicated that I thought it would be. To be honest I have 4 drives and 3 read discs, and two read discs reliably so I decided it was a job that can wait.
I’ve been trying to install the OS on IDE with no luck. Both PR1 and PR2 don’t even scan the IDE. R3 does, but I wasn’t able to initialize the drive (get an error). R4 allows you to scan IDE but finds nothing, so R3 was my best path forward.
I found an image of the R3.2 Boot ROM and was able to upgrade the firmware. This now initializes the IDE drive and I was able to install R3. Unfortunately it doesn’t boot. It looks like it’s reading the drive, but hangs before it even gets off the Be logo screen.
Am I missing something? I have a feeling you really need to use SCSI with BeBox hardware… at least with the Rev 6 board I have. I was hoping to escape from that noisy SCSI drive!
True. Newer memory cards are better replacements.
Usually, you’d use a boot floppy to boot the HD. Try booting from the BeOS 4.5.2 CD/HD initially.
Ah, I wasn’t aware of that. How do you create the boot floppy? So far I’ve been able to boot R3 from CDROM and initialize a CF card. It installs the OS and then ejects the CD. It will then just hang and will always hang after a reboot. I didn’t see any mention or options for making a boot floppy. The old SCSI install would boot straight from the HD.
You can use ‘cpimage’ or ‘rawrite’ tools. If BeOS/Linux/BSD, use ‘dd’.
As for BeOS 3.2, recheck your install. Usually, recheck active partition/boot files (i.e. make bootable HD).
Consider BeOS 4.5.2 and 5.0.3 ‘overall’ due to certain improved updates with video/IDE/SCSI/storage drivers.
There are no install boot floppies for the BeBox, only bootrom updates.
Get the serial debug log, it will help figuring out the problem with your R3 install.
As @lorezan says… BeOS PowerPC does not have a boot floppy, (never after the DR releases) and actually would never have needed a boot Floppy for BeBox - the BeBox does not support any other OS. All you can do with a floppy is update the boot ROM and that should not be necessary with the hardware being described so far.!! And for Mac, you need to start to Boot in to MacOS to get the OS Chooser to then boot BeOS.
BootROM wise, a PR2 BootROM will definitely boot R5, so I feel like something else is going on with the hardware, and a serial cable is the best way to debug that.
Edit: apologies for misrepresenting @cocobean in the original text… I misremembered an earlier post. He knows at least some of his beans and possibly more than my bean count 
Unhelpful? You are only stating the bootROM updates. I answered the ‘how to make a boot floppy’ - not how to update the BeBox PROM.
Be careful on making random childish accusations on what someone knows or don’t know. I already commented specifically on BootROM updates earlier.
If I’m wrong… so be it.
BeOS 4.5/5 only came with an Intel boot floppy. The boot ROM was generally updated by the OS util after booting. Therefore you can certainly boot R3 with the R3 boot ROM. I did. I booted R5 with the PR2 boot ROM for almost the entire time I owned a BeBox because the later Boot Roms didn’t support the Matrox card at boot, only when loading the desktop.