4 ms·

> Currently, it's not possible to run gray386linux on i486 machines (but it's possible to run gray386linux on Cyrix 486DLC and similar CPUs) What's the cause?

• marmolak 4y ago
  Hi. I don't know for now. There is ton's of issues while switching to protected mode (ipxe for example: https://github.com/ipxe/ipxe/commit/bc35b24e3ebd2996b2484b7f9ceb96a3cf25823a https://github.com/ipxe/ipxe/commit/bc35b24e3ebd2996b2484b7f...). It just stuck when I select it from PXE menu and I didn't debugged it further. Maybe someone can figure it out and send patches or advices. Also it's not my goal to run gray386linux on i486 machines because I have another distribution: gray486linux, which aims specially to systems with 486 CPUs.
  • andrewf 4y ago
    But what about folks who want to give their 386DX system a speed boost with RapidCAD? Will they have to re-install their OS? :) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UM4NPh5qg8Y https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UM4NPh5qg8Y But seriously this stuff is very subtle. An issue (probably different) from a HN thread on similar matters: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=30801836 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=30801836
    • helf 4y ago
      snort The RapidCAD is pretty amusing since it’s literally just a castrated 486 (no L1! Eek!) The Cyril gray top FastMath FPU is the best bet for an upgrade and still being a real 386 (I’m hunting for one for mine ) - https://www.vogons.org/viewtopic.php?t=65991 https://www.vogons.org/viewtopic.php?t=65991
• pajko 4y ago
  This hack might be a cause: https://github.com/marmolak/gray386linux/commit/81f9adb4656f27e9828cea791d7ebe14a390f2ed https://github.com/marmolak/gray386linux/commit/81f9adb4656f...
  • marmolak 4y ago
    Maybe and maybe another hacks and also not compiled support for 486 cpus. This hack is invoked only on CPUs, which doesn't support cmpxchg instruction. For example, 486 DLC from Cyrix is basically 386 with i486 instruction set but I'm not able to boot linux for 486 machines. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cyrix_Cx486DLC https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cyrix_Cx486DLC But gray386 runs perfectly on 486 DLC without hack involved.