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View Full Version : Can Linux run on a Silicon Graphics OCTANE MIPS R12000 system


Anthony Caruana
02-09-2003, 08:46 AM
A stack of these are going real cheap on auction in Melb, Aust and I was thinking of getting one. Not being a UNIX user I was wondering if anyone had gotten LINUX on one of these as I think the learning curve might not be as steep for an old windoze user

seanturner
02-09-2003, 09:34 AM
A stack of these are going real cheap on auction in Melb, Aust and I was thinking of getting one. Not being a UNIX user I was wondering if anyone had gotten LINUX on one of these as I think the learning curve might not be as steep for an old windoze user

Well, not sure if it will run specifically for this machine, but, one of the companies I used to work for had Linux running with a tweaked TCP/IP on a bunch of MIPs boxes.

Also, there are a bunch of distrubutions out there, go and take a look at what you can compile for.

mscdex
02-09-2003, 11:06 AM
Well, it seems like it's a 64bit processor. So, any OS that supports a 64bit processor should work.

seanturner
02-09-2003, 08:06 PM
Well, it seems like it's a 64bit processor. So, any OS that supports a 64bit processor should work.

Not necessarily. But, Linux does support 64bit.

Janak Parekh
02-09-2003, 09:26 PM
The processor is most likely supported by the kernel, but I'm not sure the device drivers are there to support the unit in any useful fashion. I'd try a Google and/or Google Groups search and see if that turns anything useful up.

Oh, and this link on SGI's site (http://sgi.com/linux/) might be useful. I haven't looked too carefully in it, though...

You'd traditionally run IRIX on that puppy... which you probably want to avoid. :)

--janak

seanturner
02-09-2003, 09:37 PM
Also, you might want to try the Google Linux Search engine first at www.google.com/linux

mscdex
02-09-2003, 11:59 PM
Well, it seems like it's a 64bit processor. So, any OS that supports a 64bit processor should work.

Not necessarily. But, Linux does support 64bit.

I was insinuating that Linux supports 64bit :wink:

Anthony Caruana
02-10-2003, 05:06 AM
Thanks for all the feedback folks -greatly appreciated. It's nice to be a part of such a great community :D