Earlier quoted context omitted.
But that stuff is usually not x86.
Embedded projects where intel was involved often use something like Atom.
Yes, but this is being replaced by meaty Intel UpSquared boards
ELKS: Linux for 16-bit Intel Processors
111–119 of 119 posts
Re: ELKS: Linux for 16-bit Intel Processors
#112Does anybody have the archive of the original ELKS site with the quote from Linus that Linux is not suitable for anything but 486 or higher or something like that?
Couldnt find that quote on the 2001 version of the site. https://web.archive.org/web/20010626233912/http://www.elks.e... Not sure if you are confusing that with the original Linux/Linus announcement post: https://groups.google.com/g/comp.os.minix/c/dlNtH7RRrGA/m/Sw...
I searched archive a while ago and couldn't find it. It's probably referencing the announcement but I clearly remember a pull quote on the ELKS site, probably the same one quoted above.
I happened upon the site when first playing with a (z80) Gameboy compiler (probably SDCC) and wanting to port Linux to it.
I fully admit i could be imagining it.
Yes, I should have said 386.
Re: ELKS: Linux for 16-bit Intel Processors
#113I had tried to get some version of Linux running on my 386SX / 25MHz / 8MB RAM but only succeeded in getting BasicLinux[1] running bootstrapped from a DOS boot first. Somehow I had never found ELKS! But I was just able to trivially make a floppy and boot the system[2]. Amazing. Looking forward to playing with this. [1] https://distro.ibiblio.org/baslinux/ [2] https://mastodon.social/@incanus/113777573079528868
If you can compile and install TCC you might compiler further useful software and games. Also, check delicate linux: http://delicate-linux.net/ Do not try X under Delicate Linux, it will run dog slow with 8MB of RAM. If you can upgrade it to 16MB and some 486, X would be fine, with icewm set to a light plain theme, no desktop icons.
I've been able to cross-compile from Linux (in Docker on my Mac; things didn't work well on macOS) to make binaries that run on the 386 under ELKS. Just had to juggle a few stock games to grab a couple dozen KB on the floppy to make room.
Re: ELKS: Linux for 16-bit Intel Processors
#114Thanks for the comments! ELKS will run on an 8088, but also runs on any x86 PC using the legacy "real mode" which runs in 16-bit segmented architecture without an MMU or any hardware protection. It can be fun to boot a PC and see a close resemblance to Linux, but run the way things used to be, using only 16-bits. It'll also run in ROM, e.g. using a 8018x CPU w/onboard PIT and PIC. The point of ELKS today is about "sm…
This is what I've been looking for! Can you fit a workable version on a 1.44 floppy?
With so little context in your question I'll reply with
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Linux_Router_Project
I remember using this in the late 90s (maybe early 2000s). A linux distro designed to be a router, and to fit on (and run from) a single floppy.
Re: ELKS: Linux for 16-bit Intel Processors
#115Earlier quoted context omitted.
I'm totally going to run it on an Amstrad PPC640 soon :)))
Yes it runs on that Amstrad. A funny story about the Amstrad, at one point we added divide-by-zero trap handler in the kernel for user space apps. When the Amstrad reboots via our 'shutdown', its gets a div zero exception in its own BIOS (which at the time prohibited the reboot, lol).
I'm having a play on the PPC640 with a Gotek running Flashfloppy with fd720-fat.img
It's erroring after the mount with panic:No init or sh found SYSTEM HALTED. BOOT:
The computer is unreponsive at the boot: prompt.
I've tried a few different settings in the ff.cfg, but no joy. Could it be a Gotek issue?
Re: ELKS: Linux for 16-bit Intel Processors
#116Wait, "ROM-based systems"? Were there such x86 micros and is this saying you could run Linux from ROM? That's super interesting.
The Tandy 1000 SL/2 I grew up with had DOS 3.3 in ROM, mounted on D:\
Sort of.
It’s merely a ROM drive implemented in the BIOS. Drive 8 is used.
There’s also an INT 18h hook that operates by simply booting drive 8. This is the fallback bootstrap hook. No disks? No problem. Boots to DOS vs. IBM which booted BASIC or everyone else who just prints an error.
On one of these Tandy’s, DOS is really running from RAM, it is merely loaded from ROM, and even then it’s just a virtual disk.
I wrote a little tool to make the ROM drive accessible on non-Tandy DOS: https://github.com/dfelliott/tandy1000-romdrive
There are versions of DOS that can be run directly from ROM, but this isn’t one of them.
Curiously, Deskmate runs from ROM for real. Meaning the code is actually running in the Exxx segment backed by the actual ROM chip. The Deskmate files on the ROM drive are relatively small and are only a small part. The bulk of the code runs direct from ROM.
Re: ELKS: Linux for 16-bit Intel Processors
#117Earlier quoted context omitted.
Yes it runs on that Amstrad. A funny story about the Amstrad, at one point we added divide-by-zero trap handler in the kernel for user space apps. When the Amstrad reboots via our 'shutdown', its gets a div zero exception in its own BIOS (which at the time prohibited the reboot, lol).
I'm having a play on the PPC640 with a Gotek running Flashfloppy with fd720-fat.img It's erroring after the mount with panic:No init or sh found SYSTEM HALTED. BOOT: The computer is unreponsive at the boot: prompt. I've tried a few different settings in the ff.cfg, but no joy. Could it be a Gotek issue?
Open up an issue on GitHub and we can help you better. The usual reason for problems like this is the layout of the image is incorrect on GoTek, and/or the GoTek is set to the wrong CHS (cylinders/head/sector) for the image being used.
Re: ELKS: Linux for 16-bit Intel Processors
#118Earlier quoted context omitted.
Yes it runs on that Amstrad. A funny story about the Amstrad, at one point we added divide-by-zero trap handler in the kernel for user space apps. When the Amstrad reboots via our 'shutdown', its gets a div zero exception in its own BIOS (which at the time prohibited the reboot, lol).
I'm having a play on the PPC640 with a Gotek running Flashfloppy with fd720-fat.img It's erroring after the mount with panic:No init or sh found SYSTEM HALTED. BOOT: The computer is unreponsive at the boot: prompt. I've tried a few different settings in the ff.cfg, but no joy. Could it be a Gotek issue?
Also worth trying would be the 1440k image, as that's the later standard 3.5" floppy format.
Re: ELKS: Linux for 16-bit Intel Processors
#119Earlier quoted context omitted.
Is Alistair Riddoch still around? I've been wondering about him, his name is all over the early dev86 and ELKS C library code :)
Well I mean, he's a friend and in fact hosted the NYE party I was at so, in that sense he's still around. I might see him later this week and if so I'll try to remember to mention that ELKS is still going.
Hi! I'm not really doing much in the Free Software space any more, mostly due to inflexible employment situations, but I'm delighted to see ELKS still ticking along.