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List:       openbsd-ppc
Subject:    Re: Powermac 8500
From:       Ian McWilliam <ianm () cit ! uws ! edu ! au>
Date:       2003-11-04 9:45:08
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On Sat, 1 Nov 2003, Dale Rahn wrote:

> On Sat, Nov 01, 2003 at 10:06:08PM +0000, Marco Peereboom wrote:
> > I think that in my enthusiasm I might have bought a Powermac 8500 on ebay. I
> > also assumed OpenBSD would work on it but I obviously did not do my homework
> > before I started bidding.
> >
> > Anyway, what is the reason why the 8500 isn't supported?
> >
>
> Firmware, Apple's open firmware 1.0.x and 2.x require xcoff bootloader
> and additional load-base changes. The appropriate changes to make
> macppc/stand/boot.mac work have not been found.
>
> Diffs/directions on how to get the bootloader to load a kernel and
> print copyright _very_ welcome. The rest of the support pieces are
> minor in comparison.
>
> Dale Rahn				drahn@dalerahn.com
>
>

I have a 7500 lying around gathering dust. If anybody wants to work with
me on this, drop me a line.

I'll going to start with netbsd code, hopefully make somthing work then
try outfitting our boot code.

There are quite a few differences between netbsd's ofwboot and our ofwboot
too, hmm might take a while.

------------------------------------------------------

Ian McWilliam
Technical Officer
School of Computing & IT
University of Western Sydney.

"Technician was the lowest rank on this ship. even
the man who changed the bog roll was higher than us."
- Dave lister, Red Dwarf.
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