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== Latest PPC Fedora release ==
== Latest PPC Fedora release ==


Latest Fedora release for PPC is currently Fedora 12 and can be found from http://download.fedoraproject.org/pub/fedora/linux/releases/12/Fedora/ppc/iso/
Latest Fedora release for PPC is currently Fedora 12 and can be found at http://download.fedoraproject.org/pub/fedora/linux/releases/12/Fedora/ppc/iso/




We're doing composes of the F-16 packages and create bootable DVD isos.  
There is also '''Fedora 16 Alpha for PPC64''' which has been released Oct. 25th, 2011. It is available on several mirrors which are listed [https://mirrors.fedoraproject.org/publiclist/Fedora/16-Alpha/ppc64/ here].  
Repositories with the latest packages can be found on [http://ppc.koji.fedoraproject.org/mash/16/ our koji hub], the DVD images are currently available in a [http://ppc.koji.fedoraproject.org/scratch/karsten/iso/ temporary location]. Don't expect to be able to install with these DVD isos yet or with the bootimages from the mash directories, it might or it might not work on your machine due to the new combined initrd which is to large for some PowerPC firmwares. The images are known to work on the new Power7 machines and on a PowerMac G5 with 8Gb RAM. There's a [http://sharkcz.livejournal.com/8649.html workaround] for that, but it requires to have a system with an older RHEL or Fedora installation.  


'''UPDATE''' The ISOs from 20110809 and newer have been built with a branch called treebuilder of our [https://fedorahosted.org/lorax/ lorax] tool. We're now back to a small initrd and a second stage ramdisk. [https://fedoraproject.org/wiki/User:Wwoods/Building_images_with_treebuilder Will Woods treebuilder] page contains more information about his enhancements, but make sure to read the [https://fedoraproject.org/wiki/User_talk:Wwoods/Building_images_with_treebuilder discussion] of known issues and workarounds, too.
It is known to work on the new Power7 machines and on PowerMac G5 with > 1Gb RAM. Installations on machines with less RAM might work, but that is untested yet (feedback welcome).  


'''UPDATE''' Latest ISO from 20110920 is installable from previously installed system using network installation source. Some workarounds are needed to finish it:
If everything else fails, here is a [http://sharkcz.livejournal.com/8649.html HOWTO] for an install that requires you to have a system with an older RHEL or Fedora installation and that doesn't use the usual anaconda installer.
# Create one spare partition to hold the LiveOS folder from the ISO, create ext4 filesystem on it, mount it,
# copy LiveOS folder from the ISO to this partition,
# put the vmlinuz and initrd.img from  ppc/ppc64 folder on ISO to /boot,
# edit /boot/etc/yaboot.conf, add following lines, replace DEVICE with the partition holding the LiveOS folder:
image=/vmlinuz
label=Fedora
initrd=/initrd.img
read-only
append="root=live:/dev/DEVICE vnc serial"
# Reboot the system and watch the console,
# after unsuccessful network configuration hit <code>^Z</code>,
# run <code>dhclient</code>,
# get the PID of NetworkManager using <code>ps aux</code>, terminate it,
# hit <code>^D</code> to continue with the installation,
# connect to vnc, proceed to partitioning,
# choose custom layout, do not remove the partition with LiveOS folder,
# input the path to installation repository,
# finish the installation.
After these steps it should boot to newly installed system. I didn't use LVM for the installation and installed only minimal package set.


'''UPDATE''' Latest ISO from 20110929 is installable from DVD, although you might have to add the parameter 'serial' as a kernel parameter at the yaboot prompt. Don't choose to install  'Graphical Desktop' with this iso as there's a missing dependency that'll cause your installation to abort.
 
There are also 20110930 images for PPC (32bit). Those are completely untested and any bugreports need to be ignored atm as we're concentrating on getting 64bit done (unless there's a patch attached that fixes the issue, see below).
On the mirrors are also install media and packages for [https://mirrors.fedoraproject.org/publiclist/Fedora/16-Alpha/ppc PPC (32bit)]
Those are completely untested and any bugreports without patches attached that fix the issue will most likely be deferred atm as we're concentrating on getting 64bit done.


If you want to help out with testing, please report any problems on [https://fedoraproject.org/wiki/Architectures/PowerPC#PowerPC.2FPOWER.2FCell_Special_Interest_Group IRC] or in [http://bugzilla.redhat.com bugzilla] (make sure to set the architecture to 'powerpc'). Feedback about installations on older hardware such as 32bit PowerMac G4 is appreciated, but as we're focusing on 64bit machines it might take some time to fix 32bit issues unless patches are attached to the bugreports.
If you want to help out with testing, please report any problems on [https://fedoraproject.org/wiki/Architectures/PowerPC#PowerPC.2FPOWER.2FCell_Special_Interest_Group IRC] or in [http://bugzilla.redhat.com bugzilla] (make sure to set the architecture to 'powerpc'). Feedback about installations on older hardware such as 32bit PowerMac G4 is appreciated, but as we're focusing on 64bit machines it might take some time to fix 32bit issues unless patches are attached to the bugreports.

Revision as of 17:50, 25 October 2011

Shortcut:
Arch:PPC

PowerPC/POWER/Cell Special Interest Group

Members

Latest PPC Fedora release

Latest Fedora release for PPC is currently Fedora 12 and can be found at http://download.fedoraproject.org/pub/fedora/linux/releases/12/Fedora/ppc/iso/


There is also Fedora 16 Alpha for PPC64 which has been released Oct. 25th, 2011. It is available on several mirrors which are listed here.

It is known to work on the new Power7 machines and on PowerMac G5 with > 1Gb RAM. Installations on machines with less RAM might work, but that is untested yet (feedback welcome).

If everything else fails, here is a HOWTO for an install that requires you to have a system with an older RHEL or Fedora installation and that doesn't use the usual anaconda installer.


On the mirrors are also install media and packages for PPC (32bit) Those are completely untested and any bugreports without patches attached that fix the issue will most likely be deferred atm as we're concentrating on getting 64bit done.

If you want to help out with testing, please report any problems on IRC or in bugzilla (make sure to set the architecture to 'powerpc'). Feedback about installations on older hardware such as 32bit PowerMac G4 is appreciated, but as we're focusing on 64bit machines it might take some time to fix 32bit issues unless patches are attached to the bugreports.

preparing for the Fedora 16 PPC release

We're using the Alpha Fedora release process for secondary arches from James Laska: F16AlphaPPC_checklist


Fedora rebuild efforts

There are currently efforts ongoing to recompile all packages and prepare a F-16 release.

This is the current status of the package rebuild:

Ppc-statistics.png

Rebuild problems, TODO list

- The most urgent problem at the moment is to get the latest version installable (maybe even with some workarounds for problems) so that the installer and bootloader teams can pick up the work.

- The Haskell Compiler (ghc) is available on PPC64. Jens Petersen & Jiri Skala work on bumping haskell-platform packages for PPC64. Unfortunately upstream don't support GHCi & NGC for PPC64. Therefore following packages aren't available for PPC64:

  • ghc-template-haskel
  • ghc-ForSyDe
  • ghc-QuickCheck
  • ghc-hamlet
  • ghc-parameterized-data
  • ghc-type-level
  • haskell-platform packages.

- yaboot only available on PPC which means we currently need some hacks for 64bit boot images

- segmentation fault of alt-ergo.opt during build bugzilla #704236

The PowerPC koji build system

All official Fedora PowerPC packages will be built by the koji build system at the PowerPC koji hub

All non-scratch packages that haven't been deleted by the garbage-collector are available at the package storage, scratch builds can be found for a few days at the scratch repository

Building packages on the PowerPC koji build system

Everyone with a Fedora account can do at least scratch builds of packages on the PowerPC koji build system, package maintainers who can check changes into the git repositories can build updated packages that will later on end up in the distribution.

Doing scratch builds

After running fedora-packager-setup from the fedora-packager rpm 

ppc-koji build --scratch dist-f15 yourpkg.src.rpm

These builds will be removed from koji automatically after a while.

'real' builds

'Real' builds will be pulled into the package repositories and into the install images, unless they got replaced by later versions. After running fedora-packager-setup from the fedora-packager rpm 

ppc-koji build dist-f15 "$(fedpkg giturl)"

or 

fedpkg build --target=dist-f15
(this works only when you have a symlink from ~/.koji/ppc-config to ~/.koji/config)

PPC Shell access for debugging

David Woodhouse (dwmw2) and Josh Boyer (jwboyer) may provide you access to a PPC box for build debugging purposes. Just send them an e-mail with an request and a public SSH key.

Applications/Libraries of Interest

Documentation

PowerPC Hardware

ApplePowerPC

PlayStation

Work needed

Bugzilla

Documentation

Known build issues

Links

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