Hello everyone, I have recenty bought a second-hand HP c8000 workstation and I would like to install Linux. The c8000 has arrived with a pre-installed HP-UX 11 and works perfectly (no hardware issues). No matter Debian or Gentoo versions, the install CD/DVD boot/install process hangs in the very same place. Just to limit the discussion to a specific case, I would like to take in account the latest Debian 8.0 unstable: http://ftp.debian-ports.org/debian-cd/hppa/debian-8.0 ( https://parisc.wiki.kernel.org/index.php/Debian_Ports_Installation ) The c8000 has TWO serial ports (A and B). Using null modem cables I have connected both serial ports to a Dell desktop with two serial ports and two serial terminals (9600, 8, n ,1) programs open. Serial A : a lot of diagnostic and booting messages. The c8000 "bios" produces a lot of "post" messages on the Serial A port. Serial B : none The CD/DVD Linux install disk boots and produce a series of messages on the VGA monitor, then hungs. No further messages on the built-in serial ports A and B. Game over ? On Internet I have found serveral posts that point out the necessity of a PCI serial port "PC compatible UART". I will try it as soon it will available. Just to be sure, can you confirm/negate/answer to the following questions? Q1. On HP c8000 the built-in serial ports A and B are useless for Linux installation. A PCI serial card with a PC compatible UART must be used. Q2. After installation, serial ports A and B are still unusable with Linux or they become available? Q3. Is it possible to install Linux and boot from an IDE/PATA disk or any IDE/PATA disk will be available only as "data disk" (no boot; boot works only on SCSI disks)? Q3. I have found that c8000 "bios" has an x86 emulator capable to detect and initialise PCI and AGP "x86 PC" cards with x86 coded VGA-BIOS. It is correct? Q4. Recent kernel and X11 versions have built-in hardware support for OpenGL for the models where the manifacture has released the technical specs. Why on Linux-hppa the hardware acceleration is not supported? Q5. After the installation, the built-in Ethernet interface will becomes available or I need to install a second PCI network card? Q6. Recent kernel versions have built-in Comedi data acquisition drivers built-in. If I will install a compatible DAQ card in a PCI slot, it will works? Q7. Someone has tried any hard-real-time-patched linux kernel on pa-risc machines (like RT-PREEMPT or RTAI) or other tricks to reduce kernel latency (like forced cpu assignement to a specific process)? Thanks in advance for your help. A lot of hppa/c8000 hardware is now available at ridiculous prices, therefore I suppose that the answer to my questions in a single thread will help a lot of hppa newbies like me. Simone Mannori - Italy -- To unsubscribe from this list: send the line "unsubscribe linux-parisc" in the body of a message to majordomo@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx More majordomo info at http://vger.kernel.org/majordomo-info.html
