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version 1.49, 1998/08/27 17:34:05

version 1.50, 1998/08/29 00:18:28

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<hr>

<p>

OpenBSD/sparc runs on most of the 32bit Sun SPARC workstations, including

the sun4, sun4c, and sun4m architectures

(not the 64bit <a href="sparc64.html">Ultra SPARC</a> computers).

The current port maintainer is

Jason Wright (<a href="mailto:jason@openbsd.org">jason@openbsd.org</a>).

Others are definately welcome to contribute!

</p>

<h3><font color=#0000e0><i>Table of contents</i></font></h3>

<p>

<ul>

<li><a href="#history">Past history of the port</a>

<li><a href="#status">Current status</a>

<li><a href="#info">Where to get the port</a>

<li><a href="#info">Where to get it</a>

<li><a href="#hardware">Supported hardware list</a>

<li><a href="#projects">Project list</a>

</ul>

</p>

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<p>

The original BSD4.4 port was done by Chris Torek as a contract to

LBL. The code was released by Chris in mid-93, and Theo de Raadt

LBL. The code was released by Chris in mid-1993, and Theo de Raadt

worked it into shape for the NetBSD tree. Theo and Markus Wild worked

on improving Chris' original SunOS compatibility code into a highly

complete and reliable emulation. Chuck Cranor ported the sun4c code to

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This last change also required a rewrite of the device configuration

code. Just after the NetBSD/sparc 1.0 release, Peter Galbavy wrote an

ESP scsi device driver as a replacement for Chris' sparc-specific scsi

code, this new driver unfortunately had some problems.

code, this new driver unfortunately had some problems and was eventually

replaced.

</p>

<p>

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to Aaron Brown of Harvard, who was paid out of Margo Seltzer's research

funds. This initial stuff consisted mostly of a few attempts at building

pmap structure that could support all 3 MMU types efficiently. Also,

David Miller of the Sparclinux project got a little bit involved.

David Miller of the S/Linux project got a little bit involved.

</p>

<p>

Theo and Jason Downs merged the NetBSD sparc code back into OpenBSD, making

OpenBSD/sparc usable again. There are still a few OpenBSD/sparc features

OpenBSD/sparc usable again. Jason Wright wrote a few new SBus Ethernet

from older source trees that need to be re-integrated; these will likely

drivers with information from the S/Linux project and has merged a few bits

surface soon.

from NetBSD sources to improve the stability of this architecture.

</p>

<p>

And work continues...

</p>

<hr>

<h3><font color=#0000e0><strong>Current Status:</strong></font></h3>

<p>

The people working the most on OpenBSD/sparc are Jason Downs, George Robbins,

The people working the most on OpenBSD/sparc are

and John Stone.

Jason Wright, Theo de Raadt, and Todd Fries.

<br>

</p>

<p>

Email may be sent to the maintainers and users of the OpenBSD/sparc port at

<a href="mailto:sparc@openbsd.org">sparc@openbsd.org</a>.

To join the OpenBSD/sparc mailing list, send a message body of <b>"help"</b>

to <a href="mailto:majordomo@OpenBSD.org">majordomo@OpenBSD.org</a>

and you will receive a reply outlining all your options.

and you will receive a reply outlining all of your options.

</p>

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</p>

<p>

OpenBSD/sparc can be reasonably described as a continuation of the

Most of the problems with OpenBSD/sparc are believed to stem from the wide

NetBSD/sparc development with improvements. The current status is

variety of sparc processor and cache implementations along with their

somewhere between under development and ready for general use, in that

undocumented bugs, rather then general kernel problems.

it does support many of the Sparc based systems and their peripherals,

and can be quite reliable depending on the system configuration and

usage.

</p>

<p>

Most of the problems are believed to stem from the wide variety of sparc

processor and cache implementations along with their undocumented bugs,

rather then general kernel problems.

Feedback on which models do and do not work reliably is

appreciated, particularly with the newer sun4m implementations like the

Fujitsu TurboSparc and Ross HyperSparc based systems and upgrades.

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<p>

The installation tools and process as of the 2.1 release are greatly

improved over previous releases of OpenBSD. OpenBSD/sparc can be installed

improved over previous releases of OpenBSD, and more work has been done

with each successive release. OpenBSD/sparc can be installed

or upgraded via floppy boot images on sun4c and sun4m, miniroot images

for machines without floppies (and sun4 machines).

for machines without floppies (and sun4 machines), as well as network

and diskless installs.

</p>

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<p>

<ul>

<li><a href=ftp.html>Snapshots are made available from time to time.</a>

<li><a href=ftp://ftp3.usa.openbsd.org/pub/OpenBSD/2.2/sparc/INSTALL.sparc>Installation information for the 2.2 release of OpenBSD/sparc</a>

<li><a href=ftp://ftp3.usa.openbsd.org/pub/OpenBSD/2.3/sparc/INSTALL.sparc>Installation information for the 2.3 release of OpenBSD/sparc</a>

</ul>

</p>

<p>

<hr>

<h3><font color=#0000e0><strong>What hardware is supported?</strong></font></h3>

<h3><font color=#0000e0><strong>Supported hardware list:</strong></font></h3>

<h4>OpenBSD/sparc runs on the following classes of machines:</h4>

<ul>

<li> sun4: 4/100, 4/200, and 4/300

<li> sun4c: SS1, SS1+, IPC, SLC, SS2, IPX, and ELC. (<strong>Please note

that Sbus DMA peripherals do not work in some of the slots of an

that SBus DMA peripherals do not work in some of the slots of an

SS1 or SS1+</strong>).

<li> sun4m: at least the LC, LX, 4, 5, 10, and 20. A few cpu

combinations do not work reliably, as well as a few odd memory

configurations.

<li> Typically it works on faithful clones of these machines

</ul>

<h4>Supported devices. This list of basically declares that any `stock' sun4c

"sparcstation" machine will probably work; for sun4 machines one must be more

<h4>Supported devices</h4>

careful.</h4>

<p> This list of basically declares that any `stock' sun4c or sun4m

"sparcstation" or "sparcserver" machine will probably work; for sun4 machines

one must be more careful.

<ul>

<li> Sun keyboard and mouse

<ul>

<li> Type 2, 3, 4, and 5 keyboards with several layouts

</ul>

<li> Floppy drives:

<ul>

<li> sun4c and sun4m floppy disk drive

</ul>

<li> Serial ports:

<ul>

<li> ttya and ttyb on-board serial ports (can be used as console if needed)

<li> 4/300 ttyc and ttyd on-board serial ports

<li> SBUS magma serial port cards, including: 4Sp, 8Sp, 12Sp, 16Sp, LC2+1Sp,

<li> SBus magma serial port cards, including: 4Sp, 8Sp, 12Sp, 16Sp, LC2+1Sp,

2+1Sp, 4+1Sp, and 8+2Sp.

</ul>

<li> Audio support:

<ul>

<li> sun4c on-board audio

</ul>

<li> Framebuffers:

<ul>

<li>SBus, MBus and sun4c/sun4m on-board video:

<ul>

<li>bwtwo - black and white.

<li>cgthree - 8-bit color, unaccelerated.

<br>The cgthree driver also supports the cgRDI, an onboard cgthree-like

<br>The cgthree driver also supports the cgRDI, an onboard

framebuffer found in some laptops.

cgthree-like framebuffer found in some laptops.

<li>cgsix - 8-bit color, accelerated (GX, GX+, TGX, TGX+).

<br>This should work with most faithful emulations/clones of the SBus

<br>This should work with most faithful emulations/clones of the

cgsix.

SBus cgsix.

<li>cgfourteen - 8-bit color (24-bit MBus accelerated card, but the driver

<li>cgfourteen - 8-bit color (24-bit MBus accelerated card, but the

only properly emulates a cgthree).

driver only properly emulates a cgthree).

<li>TCX - 8-bit color (24-bit, but driver currently emulates a cgthree).

</ul>

<li> 4/200 on-board bwtwo

<li> P4 video (4/100 and 4/300):

<ul>

<li> bwtwo - black and white

<li> cgthree - 8-bit color, unaccelerated

<li> cgfour - 8-bit color, 1-bit overlay, unaccelerated

<li> cgsix - 8-bit color, accelerated

<li> cgeight - 24-bit color, 1-bit overlay, unaccelerated

</ul>

<li> VME video (sun4):

<ul>

<li> cgtwo - black and white

<li> cgthree - 8-bit color, unaccelerated

<li> cgsix - 8-bit color, accelerated

</ul>

<li> Ethernet adapters:

<ul>

<li> on-board AMD Lance ethernet

<li> on-board AMD Lance Ethernet

<li> SBus AMD Lance ethernet cards

<li> SBus AMD Lance Ethernet cards

<li> Sbus cards containing both AMD Lance and "esp" scsi

<li> SBus cards containing both AMD Lance and "esp" scsi

<li> on-board Intel 82586 ethernet (ie0 on 4/100 and 4/200)

<li> on-board Intel 82586 Ethernet (ie0 on 4/100 and 4/200)

<li> VME Intel 82586 ethernet cards

<li> VME Intel 82586 Ethernet cards

<li> Sbus 10/100Mbit hme found on SunSwift and Quad FastEthernet boards

<li> SBus 10/100Mbit hme found on SunSwift and Quad FastEthernet boards

<li> 10/100Mbit qec+be found on Sun Fast Ethernet boards

<li> SBus 10/100Mbit qec+be found on Sun FastEthernet boards

</ul>

<li> SCSI controllers:

<ul>

<li> on-board "esp" SCSI controller (sun4c, sun4m, and 4/300)

<li> SBus "esp" SCSI controller (Also works with several 3rd party

esp compatible boards)

<li> Sbus cards containing both AMD Lance and "esp" scsi

<li> SBus cards containing both AMD Lance and "esp" scsi

<li> VME "SUN-3"/"si" SCSI controller (interrupt driven DMA)

<li> 4/110 "SCSI Weird"/"sw" on-board controller (polled DMA)

</ul>

<li> SMD and other disk controllers

<ul>

<li> Xylogics 7053 VME/SMD disk controller ("xd")

<li> Xylogics 450/451 VME disk controller ("xy")

</ul>

<h4>OpenBSD/sparc does *not* run on these machines (yet):</h4>

<ul>

<li> sun4: 4/400 (lacks support for the I/O cache, and has ethernet problems)

<li> sun4: 4/400 (lacks support for the I/O cache, and has Ethernet problems)

<li> sun4m: older systems with Viking (TMS390Z55) processor modules without external cache chips, aka SuperCache, aka MXCC, aka PAC.

<li> sun4m: older systems with Viking (TMS390Z55) processor modules

<li> sun4m: model 4/600 -- uses auxio registers, sun4m VME, I/O cache?

without external cache chips, aka SuperCache, aka MXCC, aka PAC.

<li> sun4d: SPARC Server 1000, SPARC Center 2000 -- XD-Bus vs. M-Bus, MP issues.

<li> sun4m: model 4/600 -- uses auxio registers, sun4m VME, I/O cache?

<li> sun4u: UltraSPARC 64-bit machines.

<li> sun4m: with Ross HyperSparc processor modules

<li> It does not work on most Solbourne machines, which are quite different.

<li> sun4d: SPARC Server 1000, SPARC Center 2000 -- XD-Bus vs. M-Bus,

MP issues.

<li> sun4u (<a href="sparc64.html">sparc64</a>): UltraSPARC 64-bit machines.

<li> It does not work on most Solbourne machines, which are quite different.

</ul>

<p>

OpenBSD/Sparc on the 4c/4m machines is critically dependent on configuration

OpenBSD/sparc on the 4c/4m machines is critically dependent on configuration

information returned by the openboot prom. A sparc clone that differs

information returned by the OpenBoot PROM. A sparc clone that differs

substantially from the Sun model as far as device names and properties will

require additional work in this area.

<h4>Unsupported Devices. First of all, there are MANY unsupported devices.

A comprehensive list can probably not be written.</h4>

<ul>

<li> Serial Cards:

<ul>

<li> VME mti 16-port serial card

<li> VME alm2 16-port serial card

<li> VME mcp 4-port serial card (or is it 8 port)

</ul>

<li>Disk Controllers:

<ul>

<li> VME "sc" SCSI controller

<li> VME IPI controller

</ul>

<li> Ethernet adapters:

<ul>

<li> sbus Quad ethernet controller (mace ethernet)

<li> SBus Quad Ethernet Controller (mace Ethernet): support should

be coming soon for these boards.

</ul>

<li> Framebuffers:

<ul>

<li> VME cgfive, 8-bit color, 1-bit overlay, double-buffered, unaccelerated without GP/GP2

<li> VME cgfive, 8-bit color, 1-bit overlay, double-buffered,

<li> VME cgnine, 24-bit color, 1-bit overlay, double-buffered, unaccelerated without GP/GP2

unaccelerated without GP/GP2

<li> VME GP/GP2 Graphics Processor (drives a cgfive or cgnine)

<li> VME cgnine, 24-bit color, 1-bit overlay, double-buffered,

<li> SBus cgeight 24-bit color, unaccelerated (note: SBus cgeight is quite different from VME/P4 cgeight)

unaccelerated without GP/GP2

<li> SBus GS, 24-bit color, 8-bit color, overlay planes, double-buffered, 3-D acceleration (aka cgtwelve)

<li> VME GP/GP2 Graphics Processor (drives a cgfive or cgnine)

<li> SBus GT, 24-bit color, 8-bit color, overlay planes, double-buffered, 3-D acceleration (aka Graphics Tower)

<li> SBus cgeight 24-bit color, unaccelerated

<li> SBus ZX, 24-bit color, 8-bit color, overlay planes, double-buffered, 3-D acceleration (aka Leo)

(note: SBus cgeight is quite different from VME/P4 cgeight)

<li> SBus GS, 24-bit color, 8-bit color, overlay planes, double-buffered,

3-D acceleration (aka cgtwelve)

<li> SBus GT, 24-bit color, 8-bit color, overlay planes, double-buffered,

3-D acceleration (aka Graphics Tower)

<li> SBus ZX, 24-bit color, 8-bit color, overlay planes, double-buffered,

3-D acceleration (aka Leo)

</ul>

<li> SBus cards other than the standard video/scsi/ethernet listed above

<li> SBus cards other those listed above

<li> On-board Audio and ISDN hardware present on some sun4m systems

<li> Multiple Processors/Modules in sun4m systems (OpenBSD will not currently boot on machines with multiple processors.)

<li> Multiple Processors/Modules in sun4m systems

(OpenBSD will not currently boot on machines with multiple processors.)

</ul>

<hr>

<h3><font color=#0000e0>OpenBSD/sparc Projects:</font></h3>

<h3><font color=#0000e0>Project list:</font></h3>

<ul>

<li>Improve sun4m stability.

<li>Merge in useful NetBSD work.

<li>Start work on device drivers for unsupported framebuffers.

<li>Bring back OpenBSD/sparc features from older code.

</ul>

<hr>