CPU, Main Boards, and Video Support
There are four major supported &architecture;
subarchitectures: PMac (Power-Macintosh), PReP, APUS (Amiga Power-UP
System), and CHRP machines. Each subarchitecture has its own boot
methods. In addition, there are four different kernel flavours,
supporting different CPU variants.
Ports to other &architecture; architectures, such
as the Be-Box and MBX architecture, are underway but not yet supported
by Debian. We may have a 64-bit port in the future.
Kernel Flavours
There are four flavours of the powerpc kernel in Debian, based on the
CPU type:
powerpc
Most systems use this kernel flavour, which supports the PowerPC 601,
603, 604, 740, 750, and 7400 processors. All Apple Power Macintosh
systems up to and including the G4 use one of these processors.
power3
The POWER3 processor is used in older IBM 64-bit server systems: known
models include the IntelliStation POWER Model 265, the pSeries 610 and
640, and the RS/6000 7044-170, 7043-260, and 7044-270.
power4
The POWER4 processor is used in more recent IBM 64-bit server systems:
known models include the pSeries 615, 630, 650, 655, 670, and 690.
The Apple G5 is also based on the POWER4 architecture, and uses this
kernel flavour.
apus
This kernel flavour supports the Amiga Power-UP System.
Power Macintosh (pmac) subarchitecture
Apple (and briefly a few other manufacturers — Power Computing, for
example) makes a series of Macintosh computers based on the PowerPC
processor. For purposes of architecture support, they are categorized
as NuBus, OldWorld PCI, and NewWorld.
Macintosh computers using the 680x0 series of processors are not in
the PowerPC family but are instead m68k machines. Those models start
with Mac II
or have a 3-digit model number such as Centris 650
or Quadra 950. Apple's pre-iMac PowerPC model numbers have four digits.
NuBus systems are not currently supported by debian/powerpc. The
monolithic Linux/PPC kernel architecture does not have support for
these machines; instead, one must use the MkLinux Mach microkernel,
which Debian does not yet support. These include the following:
Power Macintosh 6100, 7100, 8100
Performa 5200, 6200, 6300
Powerbook 1400, 2300, and 5300
Workgroup Server 6150, 8150, 9150
A linux kernel for these machines and limited support is available at
OldWorld systems are most Power Macintoshes with a floppy drive and a
PCI bus. Most 603, 603e, 604, and 604e based Power Macintoshes are
OldWorld machines. The beige colored G3 systems are also OldWorld.
The so called NewWorld PowerMacs are any PowerMacs in translucent
colored plastic cases. That includes all iMacs, iBooks, G4 systems,
blue colored G3 systems, and most PowerBooks manufactured in and after
1999. The NewWorld PowerMacs are also known for using the ROM in
RAM
system for MacOS, and were manufactured from mid-1998 onwards.
Specifications for Apple hardware are available at
AppleSpec,
and, for older hardware,
AppleSpec Legacy.
Model Name/Number
Generation
Apple
iMac Bondi Blue, 5 Flavors, Slot Loading
NewWorld
iMac Summer 2000, Early 2001
NewWorld
iMac G5
NewWorld
iBook, iBook SE, iBook Dual USB
NewWorld
iBook2
NewWorld
iBook G4
NewWorld
Power Macintosh Blue and White (B&W) G3
NewWorld
Power Macintosh G4 PCI, AGP, Cube
NewWorld
Power Macintosh G4 Gigabit Ethernet
NewWorld
Power Macintosh G4 Digital Audio, Quicksilver
NewWorld
Power Macintosh G5
NewWorld
PowerBook G3 FireWire Pismo (2000)
NewWorld
PowerBook G3 Lombard (1999)
NewWorld
PowerBook G4 Titanium
NewWorld
PowerBook G4 Aluminum
NewWorld
Xserve G5
NewWorld
Performa 4400, 54xx, 5500
OldWorld
Performa 6360, 6400, 6500
OldWorld
Power Macintosh 4400, 5400
OldWorld
Power Macintosh 7200, 7300, 7500, 7600
OldWorld
Power Macintosh 8200, 8500, 8600
OldWorld
Power Macintosh 9500, 9600
OldWorld
Power Macintosh (Beige) G3 Minitower
OldWorld
Power Macintosh (Beige) Desktop, All-in-One
OldWorld
PowerBook 2400, 3400, 3500
OldWorld
PowerBook G3 Wallstreet (1998)
OldWorld
Twentieth Anniversary Macintosh
OldWorld
Workgroup Server 7250, 7350, 8550, 9650, G3
OldWorld
Power Computing
PowerBase, PowerTower / Pro, PowerWave
OldWorld
PowerCenter / Pro, PowerCurve
OldWorld
UMAX
C500, C600, J700, S900
OldWorld
APS
APS Tech M*Power 604e/2000
OldWorld
Motorola
Starmax 3000, 4000, 5000, 5500
OldWorld
PReP subarchitecture
Model Name/Number
Motorola
Firepower, PowerStack Series E, PowerStack II
MPC 7xx, 8xx
MTX, MTX+
MVME2300(SC)/24xx/26xx/27xx/36xx/46xx
MCP(N)750
IBM RS/6000
40P, 43P
Power 830/850/860 (6070, 6050)
6030, 7025, 7043
p640
CHRP subarchitecture
Model Name/Number
IBM RS/6000
B50, 43P-150, 44P
Genesi
Pegasos I, Pegasos II
APUS subarchitecture
Model Name/Number
Amiga Power-UP Systems (APUS)
A1200, A3000, A4000