Precompiled kernel images and a special version of amiboot (called boothack) can be downloaded from SunSITE Denmark.
Before you download anything, you should read Chapter 6 and Chapter 7 to prevent yourself from getting a nasty surprise. Also, I suggest you start by downloading only what is needed to get a minimal system installed (see Chapter 4) - if this is working you can then download the applications you want to run.
The kernel archives at SunSITE Denmark (see Chapter 13) are named vmapus-YYMMDD.lzh and contain three files: vmlinux (the actual kernel image), System.map (a list of symbols/addresses in the kernel) and .config (describing how the kernel was configured).
You only need the kernel image to boot Linux, but the other files may help track down bugs. Please read the section called Kernel Debugging in Chapter 14 for information about how you can use a kernel dump and the System.map file to help yourself or others locate a bug.
Precompiled kernels are provided for the 2.2.x series kernels (stable release). The 2.3.x kernels are only available in source form. People who want the bleeding edge stuff should compile their kernels themselves (see the section called Recompiling Your Own Kernel in Chapter 14).
The precompiled kernel image includes drivers for the hardware listed below. The drivers are exactly the same as in Linux/m68k so they will not work better (or worse, hopefully) and you need to take the same precautions with some of the drivers (e.g., CyberVision) as you would in Linux/m68k. Consult the Linux/m68k FAQ (see Chapter 12) if you have problems.
A list of drivers that are known to work can be found in Chapter 6.
| DISPLAY | BLOCK | CHAR | NET | SCSI |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| OCS, ECS, AGA, CyberVision, CyberVision/3D, PM2 (CyberVision/PPC) [a], RetinaZ3, Clgen | Amiga floppy, A1200/A4000 IDE, IDEDoubler, Buddha | Amiga serial, Amiga keyboard, Amiga mouse, GVP IO extender (ser) [b], MultifaceIII ser, Whippet | Ariadne, AriadneII, A2065, Hydra, A1200 PCMCIA/NE2000 | A3000, A4091+A4000T[c] , BlizzardPPC[d] , A2091, GVP11 |
| Notes: a. The driver included in the precompiled kernel is an old beta. If you want the up-to-date version get the latest sources from the PM2 webpage (see Chapter 12). Don't expect the precompiled version to behave as described on the webpage! b. On some machines, the IO extender may cause the kernel to hang at startup. A crude hack can be used to work around this problem - ask on the mailing list for details if necessary. c. You have to disable the use of BATs to map main memory. Add "nobats" to your kernel options. There are still some stability problems with this driver under Linux/APUS. d. You have to disable the use of BATs to map main memory. Add "nobats" to your kernel options. | ||||
If you have hardware for which you would like to see an existing Linux/m68k driver included, please let me know. You should restrict your request to something you need to get your system installed as the precompiled kernel is already pretty big. Some drivers will be include for testing purposes (like sound) and be removed again when they have been reported as working.
The kernel also includes these software drivers:
| FS | PARTTBL | PROTOCOLS | MISC |
|---|---|---|---|
| affs, dos, ext2, iso9660, minix, nfs, proc, vfat, hfs | amiga, msdos, mac | ppp, slip | ram disk, z2/motherboard swap, loop |