| 1 |
Isn't some
one else also doing this? |
|
No.
Both projects have merged their efforts. |
| 2. |
How far have you
got? |
|
It
doesnt boot yet!
Sorry
to get your hopes up, but it really is still early days...
Work is progressing on several
fronts at once
Check the status
page for details. The main projects are;
-
Writing VAX assembly code for
arch/vax/* (bootloader, memory & process management)
-
Fixing up include files in include/asm-vax/*
& getting linux to compile.
-
Writing an ELF aware toolchain
(binutils, egcs)
|
| 3. |
Can I help? |
|
Sure. You'll need a VAX
station 3100, and a i386 linux box as the cross compile host, a VTxxx series
terminal attached to the VAX, and a network. You can get the rest of the
software here at this site. Please contact me first before randomly
hacking, because I've sort of got a plan here, which might not be 100%
obvious from the code.
Beware - the memory
management subsystem is mine. Feel free to offer suggestions, but
beware that it is now into personal vengeance territory as far as I'm concerned. |
| 4. |
Anyone else helping
you? (aka: are you a lone loony?) |
|
Yes.
If you want to help out, subscribe to the linux-vax mailing list and let
us know what you would like to take a crack at.
To the guys at Florida Atlantic
who have also expressed an interest in helping out. Their server was here.
-- Jeff drop me a line if you are still interested. |
| 5. |
Why port Linux, why
not just use *BSD, ULTRIX, {Free|Open}VMS? |
|
*BSD are fine systems. My
first UNIX boxes were BSD derived, and Ive followed the free ones since
386BSD. They are the first choice for running a free UNIX on VAX
hardware.
ULTRIX. I can't afford,
nor OpenVMS. I scan the FreeVMS list, and eagerly wait for code to appear.
I may help out there at some point. Some stuff from this effort might
be useful to them. (Linux already has DECnet, and a partial read-only implementation
of the VMS ODS-2 Filesystem.) |
| 6. |
Why are you doing
this? |
|
-
It is about time I did
something constructive.
-
I want to learn how Linux/UNIX
works.HURD sounds a bit much for my simple brain.
-
As a side effect, I'm
learning how the i386 and alpha processors work, and I've never learnt
assembly at this level before
-
I've got several VAXes
kicking around with out an OS.
-
I like VAXes. I wrote
a fair chunk of my PhD thesis and learnt to program on them.
|
| 7. |
What VAXes run linux
at the moment? |
|
None. It doesnt boot
yet.
The port target is a VAXstation
3100 M30 (WS42-A) with 16MB ram and a colour graphics card. It is *VERY*
unlikely that any of the "big" vaxes will ever be supported. The long term
plan is to get the VAXstation 3100 M30/40 going, then the 3100 M76, then
the 4000/60. Anything that requires a Patchable Control Store
is unlikely to ever work. Use NetBSD. |
| 8. |
What Books/References
are
you using? |
|
-
VAX Architecture Reference Manual.
Leonard, T. (2nd ed) 1987 Digital Press
Part No EY-3459Y-DP
-
VAX VMS Internals and
Data Structures. Goldenberg R. (for VN 5.2) 1991 Digital Press.
Part No EY-C171E-DP
-
VAX Assembly Language. Baase,
S, 1992 Prentice Hall
-
Alpha Architecture Handbook.
Sites, R. 1992. Digital Press
Part No. EY-L520E-DP
-
The "Great Gray Wall"
-
&Others as they arrive
from various places around the planet.
|
