NetBSD on Xserve G5

[Paul Mather <paul%gromit.dlib.vt.edu@localhost>]

I am a long-time NetBSD user, albeit on the Alpha platform.  We have two Apple 
Xserve G5 systems that currently have Mac OS X 10.3 Panther installed.  That OS 
is well past end-of-life, so I would like to install a currently-supported open 
source OS so that we may continue to use this hardware.

My ongoing familiarity with NetBSD (and *BSD in general) naturally inclines me 
towards installing NetBSD.  I checked the supported hardware page of the 
NetBSD/macppc port Web site and discovered that the Xserve G5 is listed as 
supported.  However, the install guide for NetBSD/macppc 5 lists "On-board SATA 
controller on G5 systems" under "Unsupported devices."  Is this still the case? 
 If so, this would likely be a show-stopper for us.  (I am happy to try a 
-current version on this system if it fixes the lack of onboard SATA support.)

The Xserve G5s we have do not have any installed video cards.  They do appear 
to have a serial port on the back.  I'm assuming installing via a serial 
console is a straightforward supported option.

If anyone has successfully installed NetBSD on an Xserve G5, or is currently 
using such a setup, I'd be grateful to hear whether you give it a thumbs up or 
thumbs down; if there are any caveats; and so on.  Alternatively, if anyone 
knows of a better supported open source OS for the Xserve G5, I'd be glad to 
hear of persuasive suggestions.  (I'd much rather stick with *BSD, though.)

Finally, is NetBSD/macppc on the Xserve G5 a 32- or 64-bit system?

Cheers,

Paul.

e-mail: paul%gromit.dlib.vt.edu@localhost

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