Gentoo Archives: gentoo-doc-cvs

From: "Sven Vermeulen (swift)" <swift@g.o>
To: gentoo-doc-cvs@l.g.o
Subject: [gentoo-doc-cvs] gentoo commit in xml/htdocs/doc/en: gentoo-mips-faq.xml
Date: Mon, 15 Aug 2011 20:13:27
Message-Id: 20110815201316.ECEDD2004C@flycatcher.gentoo.org
1 swift 11/08/15 20:13:16
2
3 Modified: gentoo-mips-faq.xml
4 Log:
5 Fix bug #379319 - Updated gentoo-mips-faq.xml thanks to Matt Turner (mattst88) and Kumba
6
7 Revision Changes Path
8 1.5 xml/htdocs/doc/en/gentoo-mips-faq.xml
9
10 file : http://sources.gentoo.org/viewvc.cgi/gentoo/xml/htdocs/doc/en/gentoo-mips-faq.xml?rev=1.5&view=markup
11 plain: http://sources.gentoo.org/viewvc.cgi/gentoo/xml/htdocs/doc/en/gentoo-mips-faq.xml?rev=1.5&content-type=text/plain
12 diff : http://sources.gentoo.org/viewvc.cgi/gentoo/xml/htdocs/doc/en/gentoo-mips-faq.xml?r1=1.4&r2=1.5
13
14 Index: gentoo-mips-faq.xml
15 ===================================================================
16 RCS file: /var/cvsroot/gentoo/xml/htdocs/doc/en/gentoo-mips-faq.xml,v
17 retrieving revision 1.4
18 retrieving revision 1.5
19 diff -u -r1.4 -r1.5
20 --- gentoo-mips-faq.xml 21 May 2008 19:47:28 -0000 1.4
21 +++ gentoo-mips-faq.xml 15 Aug 2011 20:13:16 -0000 1.5
22 @@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
23 <?xml version='1.0' encoding="UTF-8"?>
24 -<!-- $Header: /var/cvsroot/gentoo/xml/htdocs/doc/en/gentoo-mips-faq.xml,v 1.4 2008/05/21 19:47:28 swift Exp $ -->
25 +<!-- $Header: /var/cvsroot/gentoo/xml/htdocs/doc/en/gentoo-mips-faq.xml,v 1.5 2011/08/15 20:13:16 swift Exp $ -->
26
27 <!DOCTYPE guide SYSTEM "/dtd/guide.dtd">
28 <guide link="/doc/en/gentoo-mips-faq.xml">
29 @@ -9,6 +9,9 @@
30 <author title="Author">
31 <mail link="redhatter@g.o">Stuart Longland</mail>
32 </author>
33 +<author title="Editor">
34 + <mail link="mattst88">Matt Turner</mail>
35 +</author>
36
37 <abstract>
38 This FAQ is intended to answer some of the most frequently asked questions
39 @@ -19,11 +22,11 @@
40 <!-- See http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.5 -->
41 <license/>
42
43 -<version>1.1</version>
44 -<date>2005-09-08</date>
45 +<version>2</version>
46 +<date>2011-08-14</date>
47
48 <faqindex>
49 -<title>About this document</title>
50 +<title>About this Document</title>
51 <section>
52 <title>Introduction</title>
53 <body>
54 @@ -36,9 +39,9 @@
55 </p>
56
57 <p>
58 -If you have anything to contribute to the FAQ or, having read this guide, you
59 +If you'd like to contribute to the FAQ or, having read this guide, you
60 still have questions that are left unanswered, feel free to
61 -<uri link="http://mips.gentoo.org">drop us a line</uri>.
62 +<uri link="http://www.gentoo.org/proj/en/base/mips/">drop us a line</uri>.
63 </p>
64
65 </body>
66 @@ -52,10 +55,8 @@
67 <body>
68
69 <p>
70 -Gentoo/MIPS is a small project within the Gentoo Foundation, responsible for
71 -looking after the MIPS port of Gentoo Linux. We currently look after two main
72 -sub architectures of the MIPS family specifically: Silicon Graphics systems and
73 -MIPS-based Cobalt servers.
74 +Gentoo/MIPS is a small project responsible for looking after the MIPS port of
75 +Gentoo Linux.
76 </p>
77
78 </body>
79 @@ -96,17 +97,12 @@
80
81 <p>
82 Hey, great idea. Unfortunately, a lot of the Gentoo/MIPS team already have
83 -their hands full looking after Linux/MIPS as well as other commitments.
84 -However, you're welcome to give it a try. May I suggest raising this on the
85 -<uri link="http://forums.gentoo.org/viewforum-f-32.html">Gentoo Forums</uri> and
86 -see what the interest is first. Also, have a look at some of the other threads
87 -on porting Gentoo to other architectures such as <uri
88 -link="http://forums.gentoo.org/viewtopic-t-113387.html">Solaris/SPARC</uri>,
89 -<uri link="http://forums.gentoo.org/viewtopic-t-319607.html">IBM OS/2</uri> and
90 -<uri link="http://forums.gentoo.org/viewtopic-t-319691.html">Microsoft Services
91 -For Unix</uri> for hints on how to proceed. If after some hacking you get
92 -something useful out of it... chances are a few developers will pick up on this
93 -and help you get it to the next stage.
94 +their hands full looking after Linux/MIPS as well as other commitments. A
95 +project like this would fall under the umbrella of the
96 +<uri link="http://www.gentoo.org/proj/en/gentoo-alt/prefix/">Gentoo Prefix
97 +project</uri>. Some work has been done for IRIX, the remnants of which can be
98 +found in <uri
99 +link="https://bugs.gentoo.org/buglist.cgi?quicksearch=irix">bugzilla</uri>.
100 </p>
101
102 </body>
103 @@ -121,9 +117,10 @@
104
105 <p>
106 <uri link="http://www.mips.com">MIPS Technologies</uri> is a company that
107 -produce a number of RISC CPU cores which implement the MIPS Instruction Set
108 -Architecture. These processors appear in all sorts of hardware ranging from
109 -small embedded devices to large servers.
110 +produce a number of RISC CPU cores which implement the <uri
111 +link="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MIPS_architecture">MIPS Architecture</uri>.
112 +These processors appear in all sorts of hardware ranging from small embedded
113 +devices to large servers.
114 </p>
115
116 <p>
117 @@ -138,7 +135,7 @@
118 <body>
119
120 <p>
121 -Good question. In short... Heaps. MIPS Processors see use inside all sorts
122 +In short... lots. MIPS Processors see use inside all sorts
123 of machines, ranging from small PDAs (such as the early Windows CE powered Casio
124 PDAs), X Terminals (e.g. Tektronix TekXPress XP330 series), through to
125 workstations such as the Silicon Graphics Indy and O2 and even high end servers
126 @@ -146,105 +143,12 @@
127 </p>
128
129 <p>
130 -Here is a list of some of the more famous MIPS-based systems in use. A more
131 -comprehensive list can be found on the <uri
132 +A comprehensive list can be found on the <uri
133 link="http://www.linux-mips.org/wiki/index.php/Systems">Linux/MIPS website</uri>
134 </p>
135
136 -<table>
137 -<tr>
138 - <th>Sony Game Consoles</th>
139 - <ti>
140 - <uri link="http://www.linux-mips.org/wiki/index.php/PS1">
141 - PlayStation</uri><br />
142 - <uri link="http://www.linux-mips.org/wiki/index.php/PS2">
143 - PlayStation 2</uri><br />
144 - <uri link="http://www.linux-mips.org/wiki/index.php/PSP">
145 - PlayStation Pocket</uri>
146 - </ti>
147 -</tr>
148 -<tr>
149 - <th>Nintendo Game Consoles</th>
150 - <ti>
151 - <uri link="http://www.linux-mips.org/wiki/index.php/Nintendo_64">
152 - Nintendo 64
153 - </uri>
154 - </ti>
155 -</tr>
156 -<tr>
157 - <th>Silicon Graphics Machines</th>
158 - <ti>
159 - <uri link="http://www.linux-mips.org/wiki/index.php/IP12">
160 - Iris Indigo</uri><br />
161 - <uri link="http://www.linux-mips.org/wiki/index.php/IP19">
162 - Challenge</uri><br />
163 - <uri link="http://www.linux-mips.org/wiki/index.php/IP19">
164 - Onyx</uri><br />
165 - <uri link="http://www.linux-mips.org/wiki/index.php/IP22">
166 - Indy</uri><br />
167 - <uri link="http://www.linux-mips.org/wiki/index.php/IP22">
168 - Indigo 2</uri><br />
169 - <uri link="http://www.linux-mips.org/wiki/index.php/IP22">
170 - Challenge S</uri><br />
171 - <uri link="http://www.linux-mips.org/wiki/index.php/IP27">
172 - Origin 200</uri><br />
173 - <uri link="http://www.linux-mips.org/wiki/index.php/IP27">
174 - Origin 2000</uri><br />
175 - <uri link="http://www.linux-mips.org/wiki/index.php/IP27">
176 - Onyx 2</uri><br />
177 - <uri link="http://www.linux-mips.org/wiki/index.php/IP30">
178 - Octane</uri><br />
179 - <uri link="http://www.linux-mips.org/wiki/index.php/IP30">
180 - Octane 2</uri><br />
181 - <uri link="http://www.linux-mips.org/wiki/index.php/IP32">
182 - O2</uri><br />
183 - <uri link="http://www.linux-mips.org/wiki/index.php/IP34">
184 - Fuel</uri><br />
185 - <uri link="http://www.linux-mips.org/wiki/index.php/IP35">
186 - Origin 3000</uri><br />
187 - <uri link="http://www.linux-mips.org/wiki/index.php/IP45">
188 - Origin 300</uri><br />
189 - <uri link="http://www.linux-mips.org/wiki/index.php/IP53">
190 - Origin 350</uri><br />
191 - <uri link="http://www.linux-mips.org/wiki/index.php/IP53">
192 - Tezro</uri>
193 - </ti>
194 -</tr>
195 -<tr>
196 - <th>DECStations</th>
197 - <ti>
198 - <uri link="http://www.linux-mips.org/wiki/index.php/Deskstation_rPC44">
199 - rPC44</uri><br />
200 - <uri link="http://www.linux-mips.org/wiki/index.php/Deskstation_Tyne">
201 - Tyne</uri>
202 - </ti>
203 -</tr>
204 -<tr>
205 - <th>Cobalt Microservers</th>
206 - <ti>
207 - <uri link="http://www.linux-mips.org/wiki/index.php/Cobalt">
208 - Qube 2700</uri><br />
209 - <uri link="http://www.linux-mips.org/wiki/index.php/Cobalt">
210 - Qube 2800</uri><br />
211 - <uri link="http://www.linux-mips.org/wiki/index.php/Cobalt">
212 - RaQ</uri><br />
213 - <uri link="http://www.linux-mips.org/wiki/index.php/Cobalt">
214 - RaQ 2</uri>
215 - </ti>
216 -</tr>
217 -<tr>
218 - <th>
219 - Broadcom-based 802.11g<br />
220 - Broadband Internet Routers
221 - </th>
222 - <ti>
223 - <uri link="http://openwrt.org/">Linksys WRT54G</uri>
224 - </ti>
225 -</tr>
226 -</table>
227 -
228 <p>
229 -... and that's only just scratching the surface. These machines are wide and
230 +... and that's only scratching the surface. These machines are wide and
231 varied. Many of them do not currently run Linux. Of those that do, we only
232 support a handful, although you're welcome to port Gentoo/MIPS to any MIPS
233 machine if you so wish. Some of these machines are also the focus of the <uri
234 @@ -259,24 +163,10 @@
235 <body>
236
237 <p>
238 -This question is difficult to answer. Your machine could fall into one of three
239 -different baskets:
240 -</p>
241 -
242 -<ul>
243 - <li>Your machine is supported by Gentoo/MIPS</li>
244 - <li>Your machine is supported by Linux/MIPS, but not by Gentoo/MIPS (yet)</li>
245 - <li>Your machine is not supported by Linux/MIPS</li>
246 -</ul>
247 -
248 -<p>
249 For the first one an easy way to find out is to have a look at the
250 <uri link="/doc/en/mips-requirements.xml">Gentoo/MIPS
251 requirements page</uri>. This will tell you if the system you've got can
252 -theoretically run Gentoo/MIPS. Stuart has also written a
253 -<uri link="http://stuartl.longlandclan.hopto.org/gentoo/mips/">hardware support
254 -database</uri> in which users may contribute their experiences. This can help
255 -measure how well Gentoo/MIPS runs on a particular machine.
256 +theoretically run Gentoo/MIPS.
257 </p>
258
259 <p>
260 @@ -296,14 +186,14 @@
261
262 <p>
263 If you've looked at the Gentoo/MIPS Hardware Requirements page, you've probably
264 -noticed there are a LOT of machines we don't support. In the case of SGI
265 +noticed there are a lot of machines we don't support. In the case of SGI
266 hardware, very little is known about some of them, not enough
267 to successfully port Linux to them.
268 </p>
269
270 <p>
271 If you managed to get Linux working on a box currently listed as
272 -<e>unsupported</e> however, feel free to tell us. We'd be interested to know.
273 +<e>unsupported</e> however, please tell us. We'd be interested to know.
274 </p>
275
276 </body>
277 @@ -322,58 +212,46 @@
278 </p>
279
280 <pre caption="Stage Tarball Naming Scheme">
281 - stage3-mipsel4-2005.0.tar.bz2
282 - \____/ \_____/ \____/
283 + stage3-mipsel4_multilib-20110627.tar.bz2
284 + \____/ \_____/ \_____/ \______/
285 + | | | |
286 + | | | `-- Gentoo Release (date of creation)
287 | | |
288 - | | `--- Gentoo Release (e.g. 1.4, 2004.3, 2005.0)
289 + | | `--- ABI: multilib, n32, n64 (nothing for o32)
290 | |
291 | `----------- Endianness and ISA Level
292 | mips ==> Big Endian
293 | mipsel ==> Little Endian
294 |
295 - | R3xxx and earlier: ISA Level 1
296 - | R4xxx series: ISA Level 3
297 - | R5000 and above: ISA Level 4
298 - |
299 `------------------ Stage Tarball type: 1, 2 or 3.
300 </pre>
301
302 <p>
303 -So for those of you who are running R4000-class CPUs, try a <c>mips3</c> or
304 -<c>mipsel3</c> stage tarball.
305 -</p>
306 -
307 -<p>
308 -For those running R5000-class or later CPUs, try a <c>mips4</c> or
309 -<c>mipsel4</c> stage tarball.
310 +For R4000-class CPUs, use a <c>mips3</c> or <c>mipsel3</c> stage tarball.
311 </p>
312
313 <p>
314 -Sometimes the filename will have <c>n32</c> or <c>n64</c> in the filename as
315 -well. These refer to 64-bit userland images. At the moment, support for 64-bit
316 -userlands is still quite flaky and a lot of packages are broken. I'd suggest
317 -leaving these alone unless you're particularly brave and don't mind a rather
318 -bumpy ride.
319 +For R5000-class or later CPUs, use a <c>mips4</c> or <c>mipsel4</c> stage
320 +tarball.
321 </p>
322
323 </body>
324 </section>
325 <section id="chroot">
326 -<title>I got told "Illegal Instruction" or "Cannot Execute Binary
327 -File" when chrooting. What did I do wrong?</title>
328 +<title>I got an "Illegal Instruction" or "Cannot Execute Binary
329 +File" error message when chrooting. What did I do wrong?</title>
330 <body>
331
332 <p>
333 This is generally caused by using the wrong stage tarball. If you try to run a
334 <c>mips4</c> userland on a <c>mips3</c> CPU, you'll get an <e>illegal
335 instruction</e> error message. Likewise, if you have a Big Endian CPU and you
336 -try running Little Endian code on it, you'll get told <e>cannot execute binary
337 +try to run Little Endian code on it, you'll get <e>cannot execute binary
338 file</e>.
339 </p>
340
341 <p>
342 -The fix is simple... clean out your partition, then unpack the correct tarball.
343 -Which one is that I hear you ask? Have a read of the previous FAQ entry.
344 +The fix is simple: clean out your partition, then unpack the correct tarball.
345 </p>
346
347 </body>
348 @@ -455,7 +333,7 @@
349 </section>
350 <section id="serial">
351 <title>The machine downloads the kernel, but then "hangs" (using a monitor and
352 -keyboard -- not serial console)</title>
353 +keyboard &ndash; not serial console)</title>
354 <body>
355
356 <p>
357 @@ -535,8 +413,7 @@
358 The Qube 2700 was the first of the Cobalt servers. While they are very nice
359 machines, unfortunately, they lack a serial port. In other words, any
360 interaction with the machine has to be done through a network. At present, our
361 -netboot images do not support this, although plans are in the works that may
362 -enable support for this machine.
363 +netboot images do not support this.
364 </p>
365
366 </body>