Date: Thu, 10 Jun 2010 14:20:27 -0400 From: Paul Mather <paul@gromit.dlib.vt.edu> To: freebsd-ppc@freebsd.org Subject: Current support for Xserve G5 Message-ID: <C15A6C39-B7A2-4D08-A40E-E2257CF95FC4@gromit.dlib.vt.edu>
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In our lab we have two Xserve G5 servers. We'd like to keep using = these, but, because of EOL issues with Mac OS X, I am looking for an = Open Source replacement. My preference is for *BSD---preferably FreeBSD = or NetBSD. When I looked a while ago, it seemed that the Xserve G5 was = either not supported or not very functional under these two OSes. = (NetBSD, for example, had no support for the onboard SATA controller and = so could only run diskless via netbooting.) I just looked at the FreeBSD/ppc project Web page and was happy to see = the Apple Xserve G5 as reported as running for FreeBSD 8.1. Can anyone = tell me whether this runs fully for the stock Xserve G5 hardware, or = does it have some serious limitations to deployment, as mentioned for = NetBSD above? The Xserve G5 hardware we have is as follows: Machine Model: Xserve G5 CPU Type: PowerPC G5 (3.0) Number of CPUs: 2 CPU Speed: 2.3 GHz L2 Cache (per CPU): 512 KB Memory: 4 GB Bus Speed: 1.15 GHz Boot ROM Version: 5.1.7f2 This appears to be same specification as described at this Web page: = http://www.everymac.com/systems/apple/xserve/stats/xserve_g5_2.3_dp.html Assuming this hardware is fully supported, I'd be looking to do a clean = install of FreeBSD onto it (replacing Mac OS X). I looked at the ISO = install instructions at the FreeBSD/ppc project Web page but they are = written for "FreeBSD/PPC 6.0-RELEASE install.iso" and state right at the = top that G5 is not supported. Hence, they don't offer any advice = regarding installing onto a headless, keyboardless Xserve G5. :-) Does anyone have any more up-to-date instructions? I've run -CURRENT on = NetBSD/alpha, NetBSD/pmax, and FreeBSD/i386 before, so running on the = bleeding edge is within my comfort zone. Cheers, Paul. PS: If it turns out that FreeBSD is not well-supported on the Xserve G5 = but you know of some other Open Source OS that is, please chime in with = suggestions.=
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