Debian Kernel compilation and installation for Sun/Cobalt RaQ
Compiling and installing a new, working Linux kernel on a RaQ appliance is not as trivial as it would be on a commodity PC/server. Here, I go through how I got my Lenny based RaQ's up and running with new kernels, starting from an already operational Debian Lenny i386 install
Upgrading the ROM on a Cobalt RaQ4
Do not attempt this with a RaQ550, it will damage it!((http://www.osoffice.co.uk/romupdate.html))
For RaQ3, please see the methods for “Flash without OS“((http://www.osoffice.co.uk/romupdate.html))((http://wiki.parvi.org/index.php/ROM_Flash_without_OS_Guide))
Installing any modern OS onto the RaQ GenIII hardware, requires that the RaQ's BOOT ROM is upgraded to a version that supports Linux kernels newer than the Linux 2.4 series. The the StrongBolt((http://www.osoffice.co.uk/)), BlueQuartz and Cobalt-ROM((http://sourceforge.net/projects/cobalt-rom)) projects are the sources for newer BOOT-ROM's. How to update your ROM file is outlined at http://www.dincom.co.uk/bq/rom.php and at the StrogBolt OS pages (http://www.osoffice.co.uk/romupdate.html).
Basically, you need a running OS on your RaQ before you start. This is because the flashtool((http://www.dincom.co.uk/bq/centosbqfiles/mirror/flashtool/)) needs to be run on the actual hardware. If you do not have an operational original OS on disk, using the Strongbolt CDROM, or other means of net-booting may get you to your goal.