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<h2>OpenBSD/powerpc</h2>

<hr>
<h3><strong>Status:</strong></h3>

<p>
This is a rather new port.  It supports some types of machines with
PowerPC processors in them -- <strong>but not all</strong>.  Even though
there are standards committees trying to resolve the problem, there are
significant differences between various PowerPC computers, even when made
by the same vendor!  This port will run on some machines, but not on others.
Check the list below.

<p>
To work, a machine MUST have some variety of OpenBoot firmware!
<p>

As such, this is still rather preliminary and should not be considered
finished.  However, if you have PowerPC hardware we would like to know
if it at least boots the install floppy.

<p>
The following processors are supported: 603, 603e, 604, 604ev.

<p>
The port does not yet use real device drivers. It uses OpenFirmware
for all device driver needs: console, disk, ethernet. It can be
installed from floppy and network or cdrom.  Netboot and netroot
support exists, but is untested.
</p>

<p>
<strong>Known working hardware:</strong>
<ul>
<li> Motorola machines
with OpenFirmware (PPC1bug firmware is known not to work):
<ul>
<li>Series E
<li>RiscPC
<li>Pro2000
<li>Pro3000
<li>Pro4000
<li>Pro6000
</ul>
<li>XXX What else?
</ul>

<p>
<strong>Untested hardware (MAY work -- please mail with results):</strong>
<ul>
<li> Firepower machines
<li> Motorola Net4000
<li> Motorola Net6000
<li> V-I
<ul>
<li> None known to work.
</ul>
</ul>

<p>
<strong>Machines that DO NOT WORK</strong>.
<ul>
<li>IBM machines.
<li>PPCP class machines.
<li>Apple PowerMac systems with a 601 processor or lack OpenFirmware
will never work.
<li>Apple PowerMac systems with at least a 603 processor and OpenFirmware.
The Apple implementation of OpenFirmware does not support loading of ELF
executables (like the boot-blocks for this port).  This needs a workaround.
</ul>
</p>

<h3><strong>History:</strong></h3>

<p>
The powerpc specific portions of the kernel came from the NetBSD port
by Wolfgang Solfrank. The userland and build tools came from an
independent and incomplete port by Dale Rahn. Hopefully pieces
from that other port will be merged, device driver support for
interrupts and some real driver support.
The conversion to the Wolfgang port was done because it was running
multiuser and the other port was still single user out of memory ramdisk
(no fully working device drivers).
</p>

<p>
Contact
<a href=mailto:deraadt@theos.com>Theo de Raadt</a> or
<a href=mailto:rahnds@openbsd.org>Dale Rahn</a> or
<a href=mailto:briggs@openbsd.org>Allen Briggs (for Apple hardware)</a> 
if you are interested in working with other people on this, or need more
information.
</p>

<hr>
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<a href=mailto:www@openbsd.org>www@openbsd.org</a>
<br>
<small>$OpenBSD: powerpc.html,v 1.17 1997/12/01 10:51:08 todd Exp $</small>

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