On Mon, 8 Jun 1998, Nathan Raymond wrote:

> On Mon, 8 Jun 1998, Erik E. Fair wrote:
> 
> > The "ofpcc" is for systems with correct and complete OpenFirmware (IEEE
> > 1275), a category that, alas, does not include any Apple products. After
> > all, that sort of thing might make it easier to boot an OS other than
> > MacOS...
> 
> PCI PowerMacs *do* have OpenFirmware - Apple had to impliment OF for PCI
> support.
> 
> OF is how LinuxPPC works - MkLinux uses a booter like NetBSD, but LinuxPPC
> does NOT need the MacOS at all to boot (and it only works on PCI PowerMacs
> of course).  You have to break into OF early at startup and change some
> variables at the command line to boot into LinuxPPC.  No reason why NetBSD
> PPC couldn't do the same.

I think the key here was correct and complete.  For instance, the G3
PowerMacs, unless the recent models have fixed the problem, can't boot
from their internal IDE drives via OpenFirmware because of an OF bug.  I
read in the MkLinux sources that... either the 6400 or 6500, I believe...
didn't return certain information about the IDE drives... to which Michael
Burg's comment was fudge it.  I'd almost bet that they cut corners in
other places as well, and that other bugs exist....  :-|


David

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