Question about PPC arch

[Philip Callan]

Is PPC and PPC64 the same as x86/x86_64?

An extension of a type, but backwards compatible?

Just curious as to running Linux on a Power5 based system, if any PPC
sources would work, or if you require ones written just for ppc64.

Just been drooling over and OpenPower 720, and curious as to how much
trouble a individual would have getting a non-SUSE/RH based distro
running on one.

I realize gentoo has a ppc64 port, anyone booted/installed it on a
recent Power5 machine?

[Anton Ertl]

Post by Philip Callan
Is PPC and PPC64 the same as x86/x86_64?

In many respects, yes. However, one difference ist that the PPC
instruction set is a subset of PPC instruction set, whereas the 386
instruction set and the x86-64 64-bit mode instruction set are two
different (though similar) instruction sets; x86-64 CPUs have
different modes in which they can execute programs with these
instruction sets.

Post by Philip Callan
An extension of a type, but backwards compatible?

They are alike in this respect.

Post by Philip Callan
Just curious as to running Linux on a Power5 based system, if any PPC
sources would work, or if you require ones written just for ppc64.

For that you need a compiler that is set up to build 32-bit
executables, and 32-bit libraries. The gcc on the Gentoo PPC64 system
that I have access to is apparently not set up correctly.

What you can do in any case (since the kernel can run 32-bit
executables) is to have a complete 32-bit system installed separately,
and chroot there for building 32-bit stuff. If you want to run the
resulting executable in the 64-bit system, you need to link it
statically or have the 32-bit shared libraries available in the 64-bit
system.

Post by Philip Callan
I realize gentoo has a ppc64 port, anyone booted/installed it on a
recent Power5 machine?

The Gentoo box I have access to is a Powermac G5.

- anton

[Shyamal Prasad]

"Philip" == Philip Callan <***@shaw.ca> writes:

Philip> Is PPC and PPC64 the same as x86/x86_64?

Nope.

Philip> An extension of a type, but backwards compatible?

The PowerPC specification was 64 bit from day one. A 32 bit subset was
defined. So "backward compatible" is not quite the right term. 32 bit
and 64 bit code runs the same except for a few differences

Philip> Just curious as to running Linux on a Power5 based system,
Philip> if any PPC sources would work, or if you require ones
Philip> written just for ppc64.

You can regular ppc distributions if the kernel works. I run Debian
(sarge) on a dual CPU G5 (32 bit kernel, 32 bit compiled code on an
SMP 64bit 970FX powered machine).

Cheers!
Shyamal

[Shyamal Prasad]

"Shyamal" == Shyamal Prasad <***@verizon.net> writes:

"Philip" == Philip Callan <***@shaw.ca> writes:

Philip> Just curious as to running Linux on a Power5 based system,
Philip> if any PPC sources would work, or if you require ones
Philip> written just for ppc64.

Shyamal> You can regular ppc distributions if the kernel works. I
Shyamal> run Debian (sarge) on a dual CPU G5 (32 bit kernel, 32
Shyamal> bit compiled code on an SMP 64bit 970FX powered machine).

Ooops - I just noted you said Power5. What I said not apply.

Cheers!
Shyamal