Installing Linux on a Visualize C3600

[Andrew Kaplan]

Hi there --

I am considering installing Linux on one of our Visualize C3600 systems. Has anyone successfully done such an install? If so, what distro was used and could you provide the procedure that was used to accomplish this? Thanks.

[Steven E. Protter]

Shalom,

I'm pretty sure this is a PA-RISC workstation. That means regular linux won't install.

http://www.parisc-linux.org/software/index.html

SEP

[Alan_152]

You'll need either PA-RISC linux or you'll need to do a manual install/compile of Gentoo linux. Neither are exactly fun to to, IMHO, but if you go the Gentoo install with extreme optimization you'll have a screaming box.

[Florian Heigl (new acc)]

HP used to support Linux on the C3xxx line back in 2000 or so, but this effort is long-gone.

Debian has full support for hppa-based RISC systems, You can download DVD images at:

Please note that the link is the debian 'testing' version, but for toying around it should be ok.
http://cdimage.debian.org/cdimage/weekly-builds/hppa/iso-dvd/

In general OpenBSD has the best support for HP workstations, but if You want my honest opinion even the 'best support' among opensource unices is not very great.
Things are different if we're talking about a little 32bit machine, where the lower footprint is just great.

But for more current systems, HP-UX is definitely the best choice and performs better.

Let me end the little rant with a quote from openpa.net: "Linux does not perform equally well as original HP-UX on PA-RISC systems and hardware support is in contrast still limited."

Try debian for the fun of it, if it works fine downgrade to a non-testing branch, otherwise stick with HP-UX.

[kevin poole_1]

Try Debian 3.0 or up, here are a few links to better info
http://www.openpa.net/linux.html
http://www.linux.com/howtos/PA-RISC-Linux-Boot-HOWTO/index.shtml
http://www.parisc-linux.org/software/install.html

Try some of these sites and see how you do.
The first site lists the machines that have had linux installed on them succesfully.
If in doubt google linux on pa-risc.
Have fun,
Kevin.