November 12, 1997 Announcing the sixth update to MkLinux DR2.1. This is the one that many of you have been waiting for! This update has improved serial support on both the NuBus and PCI class machines. Yes, you can now run PPP reliably on the PCI machines. In addition, a few other bugs were fixed, and a few new features are included. The update is available for anonymous ftp from ftp.mklinux.apple.com: ftp://ftp.mklinux.apple.com/pub/Updates/DR2.1update6/ or our various mirror sites, in the directory: .../Updates/DR2.1update6/ (Please be patient with the mirror sites, it may take them some time to mirror the update) *** IMPORTANT NOTES **** General ------- This update consists of a new Microkernel, Linux Server and Default Pager. The MkLinux Booter doesn't need to change between the previous update (DR2.1update5) and this update (DR2.1update6). However, if you are updating from an update earlier than DR2.1update5, then you will need to obtain the MkLinux Booter from update5. Pay particular attention to the README.install when skipping updates. There are no new RPMs (Redhat Package Manager) packages to download and install. As with update 5, there have been newer versions of some of the shared library based RPMs made available since update 4, as well as many shared library based RPMs that weren't part of updates 3 and 4. However, they are not part of this update. You may obtain them separately from ftp.linuxppc.org and its mirrors. The sources to the Microkernel, Default Pager, and Linux Server, as well as the tools and instructions needed to build them, are included for those of you interested. However, there is no requirement to rebuild these components in order to apply the update. Upgrade Path ------------ This is an update to MkLinux DR2.1. If you are still running MkLinux DR1, DR2, or DR2 with updates, then you should upgrade to DR2.1 before applying this update. It is easiest if you apply this update to a system that has already been updated to the previous level, DR2.1update5. However, it is possible to skip updates if you follow the instructions in the file README.install. Here's a summary: From: To: Valid: ----- --- ------ DR2.1update5 -> DR2.1update6 (YES) DR2.1update4 -> DR2.1update6 (YES) * DR2.1update3 -> DR2.1update6 (YES) * DR2.1update2 -> DR2.1update6 (YES) * DR2.1update1 -> DR2.1update6 (YES) * DR2.1 -> DR2.1update6 (YES) * DR2 -> DR2.1update6 (NO) DR1 -> DR2.1update6 (NO) * Note: When updating a DR2.1, DR2.1update1, DR2.1update2, DR2.1update3, or DR2.1update4 system to this update (DR2.1update6), you will need to apply the pieces from this update (the kernel, server, default pager), the booter from DR2.1update5, and then bring the shared libraries on your system up to the "DR2.1update4" level (if they aren't already). See the file README.install for more information. Bug Fixes --------- We believe this update fixes the following bugs. - The serial driver has been improved significantly. It can now support PPP at speeds up to 230.4k baud, even on PCI machines. - Fixed major number of /dev/adb device - Server doesn't crash anymore when using pdisk on 2Gig drives and larger. Enhancements ------------ - Initial work to determine whether your Mac is "I/O coherent" or not. This affects cache behavior, and is needed in device drivers which are shared between I/O coherent, and non-I/O coherent machines. - More support for various 3 button mice. - Better support for /proc/stat cpu info, allowing display meters such as xsysinfo to display current cpu usage (in addition to load averages). - Support for per-process CPU-usage limits (see man bash, ulimit -t). - Audio support for older NuBus machines (play only). Known Problems -------------- - The MkLinux Booter from update5 was built improperly and doesn't fail properly when it cannot find the Mach Kernel. If you are getting "Type 12" errors, address errors, or other MacOS crashes when you attempt to boot MkLinux, you might want to double-check that you've got your new Mach Kernel named exactly "Mach Kernel" (with the space, _not_ an underscore). If that still doesn't help you, there is a version of the MkLinux Booter that was rebuilt to fail properly, and give you a more descriptive message. See ftp://ftp.mklinux.apple.com/pub/wip/booter/README for details. - The audio on the NuBus machines sounds a little "scratchy". - As we try to figure out and support all the third-party three-button ADB mice out there, occasionally some will stop working when they had worked in previous updates. That may be the case with this update. As these problems come in, we'll try to refine the ADB handling to reliably handle all the third-party mice. If the second and third buttons on your mouse stop working with this update, remember that you can emulate these buttons by pressing option-2 and option-3 on the keyboard. Quick Guide to Files Available in the DR2.1update6 Directory: ------------------------------------------------------------- Required for the update: README contains this message README.install How to install the Mach Kernel, Linux Server, and Default Pager Mach_Kernel.gz vmlinux.gz default_pager.gz The Mach Kernel, Linux Server, and Default Pager in gzipped (ie. compressed) form Optional sources and build tools: README.build How to build the Mach Kernel and/or Linux Server (along with some other tasks in the Microkernel tree, such as the Default Pager) DR2.1update6.osfmk.src.tgz Sources to Mach Kernel in gzipped tar format. (to extract: tar -zxpf DR2.1update6.osfmk.src.tgz) DR2.1update6.osfmk.export.tgz The export/powermac directories, which contains the "exportable" pieces of the Microkernel build (include files and libraries) (to extract: tar -zxpf DR2.1update6.osfmk.export.tgz) DR2.1update6.mklinux.src.tgz Sources to the Linux Server update in gzipped tar format. (to extract: tar -zxpf DR2.1update6.mklinux.src.tgz) DR2.1update6.tools.tgz Various "Mach tools" that are needed to build both the microkernel and the Linux server. ode-bin.tgz OSF development environment tools that are needed to build the microkernel.