path: root/en/hardware/hardware-supported.xml

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 <sect1 id="hardware-supported">
 <title>Supported Hardware</title>
<para>

Debian does not impose hardware requirements beyond the requirements
of the Linux kernel and the GNU tool-sets.  Therefore, any
architecture or platform to which the Linux kernel, libc,
<command>gcc</command>, etc. have been ported, and for which a Debian
port exists, can run Debian. Please refer to the Ports pages at
<ulink url="&url-ports;"></ulink> for
more details on &arch-title; architecture systems which have been
tested with Debian.

</para><para>

Rather than attempting to describe all the different hardware
configurations which are supported for &arch-title;, this section
contains general information and pointers to where additional
information can be found.

</para>

  <sect2><title>Supported Architectures</title>
<para>

Debian &release; supports twelve major architectures and several
variations of each architecture known as <quote>flavors</quote>.

</para><para>

<informaltable>
<tgroup cols="4">
<thead>
<row>
  <entry>Architecture</entry><entry>Debian Designation</entry>
  <entry>Subarchitecture</entry><entry>Flavor</entry>
</row>
</thead>

<tbody>
<row>
  <entry>Intel x86-based</entry>
  <entry>i386</entry>
  <entry></entry>
  <entry></entry>
</row>

<row>
  <entry>AMD64 &amp; Intel EM64T</entry>
  <entry>amd64</entry>
  <entry></entry>
  <entry></entry>
</row>

<row>
  <entry>DEC Alpha</entry>
  <entry>alpha</entry>
  <entry></entry>
  <entry></entry>
</row>

<row>
  <entry morerows="3" condition="etch">ARM and StrongARM</entry>
  <entry morerows="2" condition="lenny">ARM and StrongARM</entry>
  <entry morerows="3" condition="etch">arm</entry>
  <entry morerows="2" condition="lenny">arm</entry>
  <entry>Netwinder and CATS</entry>
  <entry>netwinder</entry>
</row><row>
  <entry>Intel IOP32x</entry>
  <entry>iop32x</entry>
</row><row>
  <entry>Intel IXP4xx</entry>
  <entry>ixp4xx</entry>
</row><row condition="etch">
  <entry>RiscPC</entry>
  <entry>rpc</entry>
</row>

<row>
  <entry morerows="1">HP PA-RISC</entry>
  <entry morerows="1">hppa</entry>
  <entry>PA-RISC 1.1</entry>
  <entry>32</entry>
</row><row>
  <entry>PA-RISC 2.0</entry>
  <entry>64</entry>
</row>

<row>
  <entry>Intel IA-64</entry>
  <entry>ia64</entry>
  <entry></entry>
  <entry></entry>
</row>

<row>
  <entry morerows="3">MIPS (big endian)</entry>
  <entry morerows="3">mips</entry>
  <entry>SGI IP22 (Indy/Indigo 2)</entry>
  <entry>r4k-ip22</entry>
</row><row>
  <entry>SGI IP32 (O2)</entry>
  <entry>r5k-ip32</entry>
</row><row>
  <entry>Broadcom BCM91250A (SWARM)</entry>
  <entry>sb1-bcm91250a</entry>
</row><row>
  <entry>Broadcom BCM91480B (BigSur)</entry>
  <entry>sb1a-bcm91480b</entry>
</row>

<row>
  <entry morerows="4">MIPS (little endian)</entry>
  <entry morerows="4">mipsel</entry>
  <entry>Cobalt</entry>
  <entry>cobalt</entry>
</row><row>
  <entry morerows="1">DECstation</entry>
  <entry>r4k-kn04</entry>
</row><row>
  <entry>r3k-kn02</entry>
</row><row>
  <entry>Broadcom BCM91250A (SWARM)</entry>
  <entry>sb1-bcm91250a</entry>
</row><row>
  <entry>Broadcom BCM91480B (BigSur)</entry>
  <entry>sb1a-bcm91480b</entry>
</row>

<row>
  <entry morerows="5">Motorola 680x0</entry>
  <entry morerows="5">m68k</entry>
  <entry>Atari</entry>
  <entry>atari</entry>
</row><row>
  <entry>Amiga</entry>
  <entry>amiga</entry>
</row><row>
  <entry>68k Macintosh</entry>
  <entry>mac</entry>
</row><row>
  <entry morerows="2">VME</entry>
  <entry>bvme6000</entry>
</row><row>
  <entry>mvme147</entry>
</row><row>
  <entry>mvme16x</entry>
</row>

<row>
  <entry morerows="2">IBM/Motorola PowerPC</entry>
  <entry morerows="2">powerpc</entry>
  <entry>CHRP</entry>
  <entry>chrp</entry>
</row><row>
  <entry>PowerMac</entry>
  <entry>pmac</entry>
</row><row>
  <entry>PReP</entry>
  <entry>prep</entry>
</row>

<row condition="etch">
  <entry morerows="2">Sun SPARC</entry>
  <entry morerows="2">sparc</entry>
  <entry>sun4m</entry>
  <entry>sparc32</entry>
</row><row>
  <entry morerows="1" condition="lenny">Sun SPARC</entry>
  <entry morerows="1" condition="lenny">sparc</entry>
  <entry>sun4u</entry>
  <entry morerows="1">sparc64</entry>
</row><row>
  <entry>sun4v</entry>
</row>

<row>
  <entry morerows="1">IBM S/390</entry>
  <entry morerows="1">s390</entry>
  <entry>IPL from VM-reader and DASD</entry>
  <entry>generic</entry>
</row><row>
  <entry>IPL from tape</entry>
  <entry>tape</entry>
</row>

</tbody></tgroup></informaltable>

</para><para>

This document covers installation for the
<emphasis>&arch-title;</emphasis> architecture.  If you are looking
for information on any of the other Debian-supported architectures
take a look at the
<ulink url="http://www.debian.org/ports/">Debian-Ports</ulink> pages.

</para><para condition="new-arch">

This is the first official release of &debian; for the &arch-title;
architecture.  We feel that it has proven itself sufficiently to be
released. However, because it has not had the exposure (and hence
testing by users) that some other architectures have had, you may
encounter a few bugs. Use our
<ulink url="&url-bts;">Bug Tracking System</ulink> to report any
problems; make sure to mention the fact that the bug is on the
&arch-title; platform. It can be necessary to use the
<ulink url="&url-list-subscribe;">debian-&arch-listname; mailing list</ulink>
as well.

</para>
  </sect2>

<!-- supported cpu docs -->
&supported-alpha.xml;
&supported-amd64.xml;
&supported-arm.xml;
&supported-hppa.xml;
&supported-i386.xml;
&supported-ia64.xml;  <!-- FIXME: currently missing -->
&supported-m68k.xml;
&supported-mips.xml;
&supported-mipsel.xml;
&supported-powerpc.xml;
&supported-s390.xml;
&supported-sparc.xml;

  <sect2 id="gfx" arch="not-s390"><title>Graphics Card Support</title>
<para arch="x86">

You should be using a VGA-compatible display interface for the console
terminal. Nearly every modern display card is compatible with
VGA. Ancient standards such CGA, MDA, or HGA should also work,
assuming you do not require X11 support.  Note that X11 is not used
during the installation process described in this document.

</para><para>

Debian's support for graphical interfaces is determined by the
underlying support found in X.Org's X11 system.  Most AGP, PCI and
PCIe video cards work under X.Org.  Details on supported graphics
buses, cards, monitors, and pointing devices can be found at
<ulink url="&url-xorg;"></ulink>.  Debian &release; ships
with X.Org version &x11ver;.

</para><para arch="mips">

<!-- FIXME: mention explicit graphics chips and not system names -->
The X.Org X Window System is only supported on the SGI Indy and the O2.  The
Broadcom BCM91250A and BCM91480B evaluation boards have standard 3.3v PCI
slots and support VGA emulation or Linux framebuffer on a selected range
of graphics cards.  A <ulink url="&url-bcm91250a-hardware;">compatibility
listing</ulink> for Broadcom evaluation boards is available.

</para><para arch="mipsel">

The X.Org X Window System is supported on some DECstation models.  The
Broadcom BCM91250A and BCM91480B evaluation boards have standard 3.3v PCI
slots and support VGA emulation or Linux framebuffer on a selected range
of graphics cards.  A <ulink url="&url-bcm91250a-hardware;">compatibility
listing</ulink> for Broadcom evaluation boards is available.

</para><para arch="sparc">

Most graphics options commonly found on Sparc-based machines are supported.
X.org graphics drivers are available for sunbw2, suncg14, suncg3, suncg6,
sunleo and suntcx framebuffers, Creator3D and Elite3D cards (sunffb driver),
PGX24/PGX64 ATI-based video cards (ati driver), and PermediaII-based cards
(glint driver). To use an Elite3D card with X.org you additionally need to
install the <classname>afbinit</classname> package, and read the documentation
included with it on how to activate the card.

</para><para arch="sparc">

It is not uncommon for a Sparc machine to have two graphics cards in a
default configuration. In such a case there is a possibility that the
Linux kernel will not direct its output to the card initially used by the
firmware. The lack of output on the graphical console may then be mistaken
for a hang (usually the last message seen on console is 'Booting Linux...').
One possible solution is to physically remove one of the video cards;
another option is to disable one of the cards using a kernel boot parameter.
Also, if graphical output is not required or desired, serial console may be
used as an alternative. On some systems use of serial console can be
activated automatically by disconnecting the keyboard before booting the
system.

</para>
  </sect2>

  <sect2 arch="x86" id="laptops"><title>Laptops</title>
<para>

Laptops are also supported.  Laptops are often specialized or contain
proprietary hardware.  To see if your particular laptop works well
with GNU/Linux, see the
<ulink url="&url-x86-laptop;">Linux Laptop pages</ulink>

</para>
   </sect2>

  <sect2 condition="defaults-smp">
  <title>Multiple Processors</title>
<para>

Multiprocessor support &mdash; also called <quote>symmetric multiprocessing</quote>
or SMP &mdash; is available for this architecture.  The standard Debian
&release; kernel image was compiled with SMP support.  This should not
prevent installation, since the SMP kernel should boot on non-SMP systems;
the kernel will simply cause a bit more overhead.

</para><para>

In order to optimize the kernel for single CPU systems, you'll have to
replace the standard Debian kernel.  You can find a discussion of how
to do this in <xref linkend="kernel-baking"/>.  At this time
(kernel version &kernelversion;) the way you disable SMP is to deselect
<quote>&smp-config-option;</quote> in the <quote>&smp-config-section;</quote>
section of the kernel config.

</para>
  </sect2>

  <sect2 condition="smp-alternatives">
<title>Multiple Processors</title>

<para>

Multiprocessor support &mdash; also called <quote>symmetric
multiprocessing</quote> or SMP &mdash; is available for this architecture.
The standard Debian &release; kernel image was compiled with
<firstterm>SMP-alternatives</firstterm> support. This means that the kernel
will detect the number of processors (or processor cores) and will
automatically deactivate SMP on uniprocessor systems.

</para><para arch="i386">

The 486 flavour of the Debian kernel image packages for &arch-title;
is not compiled with SMP support.

</para>
  </sect2>

  <sect2 condition="supports-smp">
  <title>Multiple Processors</title>
<para>

Multiprocessor support &mdash; also called <quote>symmetric
multiprocessing</quote> or SMP &mdash; is available for this architecture.
However, the standard Debian &release; kernel image does not support
SMP.  This should not prevent installation, since the standard,
non-SMP kernel should boot on SMP systems; the kernel will simply use
the first CPU.

</para><para>

In order to take advantage of multiple processors, you'll have to
replace the standard Debian kernel.  You can find a discussion of how
to do this in <xref linkend="kernel-baking"/>.  At this time
(kernel version &kernelversion;) the way you enable SMP is to select
<quote>&smp-config-option;</quote> in the <quote>&smp-config-section;</quote>
section of the kernel config.

</para>
  </sect2>

  <sect2 condition="supports-smp-sometimes">
  <title>Multiple Processors</title>
<para>

Multiprocessor support &mdash; also called <quote>symmetric
multiprocessing</quote> or SMP &mdash; is available for this architecture,
and is supported by a precompiled Debian kernel image. Depending on your
install media, this SMP-capable kernel may or may not be installed by
default. This should not prevent installation, since the standard,
non-SMP kernel should boot on SMP systems; the kernel will simply use
the first CPU.

</para><para>

In order to take advantage of multiple processors, you should check to see
if a kernel package that supports SMP is installed, and if not, choose an
appropriate kernel package.

</para><para>

You can also build your own customized kernel to support SMP. You can find
a discussion of how to do this in <xref linkend="kernel-baking"/>.  At this
time (kernel version &kernelversion;) the way you enable SMP is to select
<quote>&smp-config-option;</quote> in the <quote>&smp-config-section;</quote>
section of the kernel config.

</para>
  </sect2>
 </sect1>