READ THIS WHOLE FILE BEFORE YOU START TINKERING!!!!

If I talked to you and told you about this directory, you probably already
know all this.  If you stumbled on it, BE CAREFUL!

This is where I will be dropping my experimental releases of linux-2.4 kernel.
These packages have NOT been fully QA'ed (they work for me!).  They may very 
well blow up your system.  If they do, I don't want to hear about it.  You 
have been warned.  Actually, if they do break, I DO want to hear about it, I 
just don't want to hear you whine about :)

In order to boot larger kernels (and 2.4 kernels are indeed larger) you need
new firmware.  If you have a RaQ3, RaQ4, or Qube3 you should use the 2.3.x
(where x >= 38) firmware.  If you have a RaQ XTR you should use the 2.8.x
firmware.  If you get this wrong your system is DEAD.  Dead as in "Honey, have
you seen my soldering iron?" (unless you are lucky enough to have a socketed
ROM and a spare flash chip, or an external flash burner).  You should upgrade
to the latest version on this site.  These versions are tested.  

In addition to these versions, there is the 2.9.x series firmware, which
supports all the above hardware, but is NOT SUPPORTED except on RaQ550.  These
files (and a README) are in the unified_rom directory).

If you have a RaQ550, you can already boot 2.4.x kernels.  No firmware change
is needed, and if it isn't broken...

If you have an Lx50, you have an entirely different BIOS.  Go away.

If you have a Qube1 (2700), Qube2, RaQ1, RaQ2, or derived platform (2700 and
2800 series) you CAN NOT use these packages.  I'm sorry, but this is an x86
port only.  

Once you are flashed to the newest firmware (see the associated README
files), you are ALMOST ready to install the new kernel.  First: BACK UP YOUR
EXISTING KERNEL.  If you don't, and this fails for you, your system is DEAD
(not as dead as a flash failure, but PLEASE BACK IT UP!!).  For example:  cp
/boot/vmlinux.gz /boot/vmlinux-dist.gz.  Not too hard.  I am amazed how
often people don't do this.

Now you can install the kernel.  The _III kernels are for the following 
systems: RaQ3, RaQ4, Qube3.  The _V kernels are for the following systems: RaQ
XTR, RaQ 550.  MAKE SURE to read the README.gen_III or README.gen_V file, as
applies.

Also on this site are some of the very latest rolls of our kernels.  These have
not been tested on all platforms, but SHOULD work.  Find them in teh
bleeding_edge directory.

Reboot.

This kernel should be fully functional.  We want to hear about any strange 
occurences: crashes, hangs, error or warning messages, etc.

The most useful thing you can do for helping me is sending USEFUL reports.
That means you probably want a serial console attached.

Send reports to thockin@sun.com.  Please use a good subject so I don't get 
you filtered :)

Just for clarity:  THESE RELEASES ARE STILL EXPERIMENTAL.  USE THESE AT YOUR 
OWN RISK.  Please, do not put these on production systems, or on systems 
which need to be supported if they break.

Thanks for listening.  Now go test, and I'll be waiting for your emails :)

Tim