The kernel (this means all the processor-, MMU- and FPU-specific stuff) has been ported.
All of the hardware-independent drivers have been ported.
The following filesystems have been done: minix, ext2, msdos (including the GEMDOS variant used on Ataris, Win95 VFAT and Win95 FAT32), ntfs, proc, isofs, affs (Amiga file systems), nfs, and ufs. Amiga, Atari, Macintosh (A/UX format) and MS-DOS partitioning schemes can be used.
Starting with the 1.05 release of e2fsprogs, new Linux/m68k
filesystems are created using the common ext2 format (as used by
Linux/i386). Filesystems compatible with kernel 1.2.13pl4 and later
can be used in Linux/m68k 2.0, but before upgrading to 2.2 (when it
becomes available) it will be necessary to byteswap your filesystem
(see
How To Byteswap Your Filesystems) to
put it into the common format. The common format can be read from and
written to by Linux on all processors, as well as the GNU Hurd. The
common format doesn't seem to cause a noticeable performance loss.
An X server exists that uses the frame buffer device interface. Frame buffer devices exist for both native Amiga and Atari graphics in the kernel; supported video cards also use the frame buffer interface. Work is underway to get the X server to work with 15, 16, 24 and 32 bit-per-pixel graphics for non-native graphics cards; it currently supports 1-8 bit graphics, depending on the underlying hardware. 12 bit-per-pixel support will be possible when the NeXT port has progressed to an appropriate point.
The list of supported hardware should be exhaustive, i.e. if it isn't in here or in section Work In Progess it isn't supported at all. If you find omissions, please report them.
All models supported, with the exception of the DraCo clone. A3000(T) means A3000 or A3000T tower; A4000(T) means A4000 or A4000T tower. A2000 implies all A2000-derivatives (A1500, A2500, etc.)
Supported built-in hardware:
All accelerator cards with compatible CPUs are supported (this does not mean that all features of the CPU card, like SCSI, will be available, but the CPU itself works).
All RAM expansions are supported (but see
16 bit RAM expansions). Non-AutoConfig expansions may not be
recognized under all circumstances without a ``memory file'' (see
16 bit RAM expansions or the amiboot
documentation for details).
Supported SCSI cards:
Note: If you have an early A4000/040, read the A3640 Zorro II Bug.
Supported Ethernet cards:
Supported IO cards:
Supported graphics cards:
All models supported, including the Medusa clone. Supported built-in hardware:
Linux's Minix FS is compatible with the Minix V2 FS used with MiNT.
Supported RAM cards:
Supported Ethernet cards:
Screen extenders: Screenblaster, Onscreen work, others should work too.
Other peripherals: Atari Laser Printer
(written by Richard Hirst)
There are multiple VME boards out there on which Linux/m68k could run. There is currently one port for the Motorola MVME166 and MVME167 boards. These are complete systems on a card, so there's no need to support any external controller cards:
The released source is based on 2.0.29, but it is now being integrated in to the 2.1 development tree. The system will happily loop building the kernel for hours on end with no problems (no '040 MMU bug here!) It takes about 20 minutes to build a kernel.
More information can be found at Richard's VMEbus port page.
Richard has also ported Linux/m68k to the MVME162 (after the original port was made by Vaughn Skinner and lost in a disk crash). It ``basically works as well as the 166 and 167'' ports according to Richard.
The needed files can be downloaded from Richard's MVME162 page.
A port to the MVME147 board has been made by Dave Frascone <chaos@mindspring.com>. It is currently in beta testing, and a current release (based on Linux/m68k 2.0.25) is available at http://www.mindspring.com/~chaos/linux147/. According to Dave, it is currently missing Ethernet support, and the serial drivers need some work.
The VME 17x series of boards are similar to the 16x series, except they have 68060 processors. According to Richard Hirst, the corresponding 16x port should run fine with the data cache disabled (which does cause a performance drop-off), if you compile the kernel with 68060 support. The caching problem will be resolved in due course.
Richard has also teamed up with BVM Ltd. to port Linux/m68k to that company's BVME4000 and 6000 boards. The port will be integrated into the development tree in the near future; you can obtain it from Richard's BVME page. More information is available on BVM's home page.
(written by Joe Pranevich)
Currently, development on the port is going along nicely. 2.0 kernels are up for grabs and (for the *really* daring) we have enough drivers to allow for a ``production'' machine. 2.1 kernels are a work in progress.
Currently ``supported'' machines include the SE/30, Mac II, IIx, IIcx, IIci, Powerbook 190, and LCIII. (And probably others, list members don't have all possible configurations between them. :) ) Basically, 030- and 020-based machines are generally either working or very close to working at this point, to some degree. 040 support is coming soon.
As for drivers, we have (somewhat) working SCSI (forgive me, I forget the chipset that the Macs use), (somewhat) working Ethernet (again, I don't remember the chipset(s)), NuBus, Mac II-style ADB (Apple Desktop Bus; also used in some NeXTs) (keyboard and mouse, works on all above except Powerbook and LCIII), video (most of Apple's video boards, excepting rbv (RAM Based Video) boards), and probably some other goodies that I'm forgetting. We also have a working installer and booter (Penguin).
Updates, as always, on http://www.mac.linux-m68k.org/.
(written by Joaquin Menchaca)
There is a current Linux/m68k to the Sun 3 Series. The machines intended to be supported are Sun 3/50, Sun 3/60, Sun 3/75, Sun 3/150, and others of simliar design. The Sun 3/80 and Sun 3/40X have radically different hardware and will thus have to be supported by a different port.
(written by Joaquin Menchaca)
There is an ongoing movement to port Linux/m68k to the NeXT hardware. Currently the booter is being worked on. Progress is difficult becuase the lack of documentation available for this platform. Apple is dropping 680x0 support in future OS releases and current technical support does not make this effort easier.
There is currently no Linux/m68k port for several 680x0 based computers that would be able to run Linux. The reason for this is rather simple: Nobody has written it. The reasons for that are many: The people who already have most/all of the knowledge on the Linux side of the port are usually busy maintaining/improving one of the existing ports. Another quite common reason is that no or only insufficient documentation on the hardware of that platform exists. Sun 3s are an even more special case: Unlike all other machines mentioned here, they don't use Motorola MMUs (except the Sun 3/80, which uses a 68030).
See Future Development for details on progress (or lack thereof) toward completing ports to these systems.
As far as I know, you can run NetBSD or OpenBSD on some of the unsupported systems.
Linux also runs on several other platforms in varying states of usability:
This list is not exhaustive.
False. Linux/m68k is at least as stable as Linux on Intel, Alpha and Sparc systems. Furthermore, Linux/m68k was the first stable port of Linux to any other (non-Intel) processor.
There is development on additional hardware drivers and additional machine ports (like implementations for the Macintosh, Apollo and Sun 3), but this is the same ``development'' that is underway on other platforms.
False. Over 900 people have registered using Linux/m68k (and this is strictly optional). Many hundreds more are using it on systems without Internet connections.
Linux/m68k's usage on systems capable of running it is probably equivalent to that of Linux on Intel platforms (on a percentage basis).
Over 330 people participated in the call for votes for the newsgroup
comp.os.linux.m68k, which took place over a year ago (when
Linux/m68k was in less widespread use).
False. Linux has many features that make it preferable to NetBSD or OpenBSD or SpinoffGroupOfTheWeekBSD. The most impressive feature is that there is virtually no Berkeley code in the kernel: it is written from the ground up to comply with POSIX and other standards (XPG, SVID, etc.), and work is underway to make it a ``branded'' Unix.
Linux is also highly popular on Intel platforms (to a much greater degree than BSD). This popularity, combined with 99.9% source compatibility, means that virtually any program that runs on Linux/i386 (and doesn't use non-portable features like SVGAlib) can be compiled and run on Linux/m68k. It also means that you can walk into virtually any bookstore and buy a book specifically about your OS (try that with AmigaOS!).