[rescue] SMP on Open/NetBSD (was: Re: FSCKing OpenBSD!)

[Robert Novak]

On Thu, 14 Feb 2002, Torquil MacCorkle III wrote:

> OpenBSD and NetBSD have SMP support on non-x86 platforms.. If you had
> checked the website you'd see that.

Which platforms? Can you give references? Or am I falling victim to a
troll? If so, I apologize to the rest of the list. It must the Vicodin. I
swear, getting me to go to the dentist is like pulling teeth sometimes. :)

The usual MP platforms I hear about and pay attention to (and even use)  
are x86, Alpha, and SPARC. I'm sure a quad processor Atari would be cool,
but it wouldn't be common (or necessarily useful). So I went to look at
Alpha and SPARC as examples of non-x86 platforms. With me so far?

Here's what I found when I checked the website. Did you see the same?

---------------------------------------------------------------

http://www.openbsd.org/alpha.html
*	At this time none of the following systems are supported: 
	*	Multiprocessor alpha systems. 

http://www.openbsd.org/sparc.html
* Unsupported Devices. First of all, there are MANY unsupported devices. A
  comprehensive list can probably not be written.
	* Multiple Processors/Modules in sun4m systems
	OpenBSD will not currently boot on some machines with multiple
	processors. You must remove the extra CPUs. 

---------------------------------------------------------------

http://www.netbsd.org/Ports/alpha/models.html

	[Several references to "NetBSD/alpha has been run only on
	single-CPU systems (and could not easily make use of other CPUs at
	this time, even if they were present)."... there is a 2001-04-20
	note saying it's supported in -current, although the models page
	was updated eight months later]

http://www.netbsd.org/Ports/sparc/

	[no specific yes or no on MP... just says all known mbus modules
	are supported. However, see the following...]

ftp://ftp.netbsd.org/pub/NetBSD/NetBSD-1.5.2/sparc/INSTALL.html

      Unsupported devices

     * Use of more than one processor in sun4m machines (it boots, but
       only uses one processor)

---------------------------------------------------------------

Please feel free to enlighten me if I missed something obvious, or if I
went to the wrong websites. I figured the official sites would be
sufficient. But I might be wrong again. :)

--Rob 


Robert Novak, Indyramp Consulting * rnovak at indyramp.com * indyramp.com/~rnovak
	"I don't want to doubt you, Know everything about you
      I don't want to sit Across the table from you Wishing I could run."