NetBSD/hppa
Overview
NetBSD is a free, open source Unix-like operating system with support for 32-bit PA-RISC computers
in NetBSD/hppa, a Tier II
port.
The NetBSD port to PA-RISC focuses on 32-bit computers and 64-bit systems in 32-bit. It is largely based on Michael Shalayeff’s work on OpenBSD/hppa from 1999 to 2005 and some updated OpenBSD code later on. NetBSD supports PA-RISC since around 2005, called NetBSD/hp700 until the 7.0 release.
Similar to OpenBSD/hppa, it seems usage of and interest in NetBSD on PA-RISC has declined significantly since the 2000s. Even though NetBSD provides are modern Unix user experience, running PA-RISC might not be as smooth as before.
Systems support
NetBSD describes the following systems as supported (in the 9.2 release, as of 2021), unsure if all are completely supported and tested.
Class | Computers |
---|---|
700s | 705, 710, 712, 715, 720, 730, 750, 725, 735, 755 |
740s VME | 742i, 743i, 744, 745i, 745, 747i, 748i, 748 |
A-Class | A180, A180C |
B-Class | B132L, B160L, B132L+, B180L+, B1000*, B2000*, B2600* |
C-Class | C100, C110,C132L, C160L, C160*, C180*, C200*, C240*, C360*, C3000*, C3600*, C3700* |
D-Class | D200, D210, D220, D230, D300, D310, D320, D330 |
E-Class | E25, E35, E45, E55 (apparently, and with serial console only, without SCSI) |
J-Class | J200, J210, J280*, J282*, J2240*, J5000*, J5600*, J6000*, J6700*, J6750*, J7000*, J7600* |
K-Class | K100, K200, K210, K220, K400, K410, K420 |
Portables | RDI PrecisionBook, SAIC Galaxy 1100 |
Hardware support
Processors
32-bit PA-RISC 1.0 PA-7000, PA-7100, PA-7100LC, PA-7200 and PA-7300LC; some systems with 64-bit processors in 32-bit mode: PA-8000, PA-8200, PA-8500, PA-8600 and PA-8700.
Buses and chipsets
Most PCI, GSC and Runway buses and onboard bus controllers are supported.
Networking
On--board Ethernet and Fast-Ethernet network interfaces are supported; the FDDI sliders on the 735/755 are not supported. Expansion cards for the GSC/HSC and PCI bus slots with a supported Ethernet chipset (Intel i82596, DEC 21142/43 Tulip, Intel i8255x, Realtek 8120/8139, NE2000, SiS 900) could work.
Realtek RTL8150L USB-based Ethernet adapters are supported.
Storage
Storage I/O is supported via the NCR 53C700 narrow, NCR 53C710 Fast-Narrow or NCR 53C875 Ultra-Wide SE SCSI controllers. The on-board NCR 53C720 Fast-Wide HVD controllers are not supported.
GSC/HSC and PCI expansion cards with one of the 53C710 or 53C8xx (siop) SCSI chipsets, Adaptec 2940 (ahc) PCI and various Qlogic ISP PCI SCSI adapters should also work, however not necessarily for booting.
Graphics
SGC graphics (framebuffer).
It seems with NetBSD 11.0 in 2024, more graphics drivers were added: PCI Visualize EG card, HCRX video cards and an X.Org (X11) driver for Visualize EG.
Human I/O
Human I/O is supported via PS/2 and HIL.
Misc
Several PCI USB adapters from VIA and ALi have been tested and are known to work; they support USB mass-storage and Ethernet devices. The onboard Harmony audio system is supported.
Documentation
Manuals
- INSTALL Installation procedure for NetBSD/hppa, release 10.0, NetBSD (2024)
Websites
- NetBSD/hppa official port page, NetBSD (November 2024)
Software
- NetBSD/hppa 10.0 (November 2024) cdn.netbsd.org