[linuxsh-dev] Debian GNU/Linux on Dreamcast

[Rene M. <re...@li...>]

Hi everyone, I'm new here so please bare with my newbie questions.

My current pet project is to get my Dreamcast to run Linux and hopefully
become somewhat of an X terminal or perhaps even be able to run some
DIVX ;-) Cds. I have been looking for a good HOWTO on the project or
perhaps even an home page. Unfortunately I have only managed to get bits
and pieces. So I thought it might be a good idea to write my own HOWTO
on the subject. But I could use some help. As I understand it applets
two people on this list have bean able to boot the kernel on a DC. So I
would appreciate it if someone could help me out (so I won't make all of
your mistakes again) Here's my understanding of things, please correct
me if I'm wrong. The Dreamcast can boot Linux from a CDR. but there is
quite some "magic" involved in getting it done. Perhaps its over the
serial cable that Marcus has on his home page

http://mc.pp.se/dc/serifc.html
but so far there are no ISO images to be simply downloaded and burnt.
(If there aren't then I would like to help create some, but again all
help I can get would be much appreciated)

Can someone please tell me what works and what doesn't yet, and how do
you get it to do? How far has the project come.

First some DC / Linux questions:

Q1: Does someone have an ISO image to burn, or do you use the
serialslave to load the kernel from the DC?

Q2: Is there an FB device that works with the PowerVR2 GFX. (As I
understand It the answer i NO)

Q3:  I have heard and seen an someone with an NIC (Network Interface
Card) but so far haven't had any luck in getting hold of one. Are they
available in Japan or US?

Q4: I managed to download the x86 cross compile tools from

ftp://ftp.m17n.org/pub/linux-sh/debian/packages-i386/

but for some reason the tools are installed as sh-linux-gcc and not
sh-linux-gnu-gcc as the kernel expects, why?

Q5: I have downloaded the kernel source from the CVS directory but fore
some reason it refuses to compile for GENERIC mode. Anyone who got a
clue why? Is it broken by default.

Q6: Are there any specific switches that should / shouldn't be used when
compiling the kernel to the DC. I thought of making a special "class"
fro the DC in the compiler script. Is this a good idea?

And then some more general SH-Linux questions:

Q7: What kind of development boards exist for this particular CPU and
where can they be purchased. (Links would be fine, approximately price
also)

Q8: How far has the Debian GNU/Linux Distribution come? As I understand
It its just n it infancy, and where is the help most needed?

Q9: Is there an .plan fore the platform


/Rene