Re: PATCH: linux_2_4: add support for the Ocelot-G board

[Ralf Baechle <ralf@linux-mips.org>]

On Mon, Sep 02, 2002 at 12:38:50PM -0700, Matthew Dharm wrote:

> Oh, I agree that a 64-bit kernel makes sense.  I'm just not sure what is
> needed to get from where I am now to where I want to be.
> 
> There is _much_ interest from our customers for 64-bit linux.  Especially
> if the toolchain catches up so that we can have 64-bit userspace.

The toolchain stuff is being worked on.  Hold your breath but cheat every
once in a while when your face turns blue ;-)

> Anyone have some quick pointers on how to get from here to there?

The basic receipe is easy.  The 64-bit kernel has a binary compatibility
layer that allows you to use 32-bit software with no changes.  Just use
a 64-bit compiler, for now that's probably still the egcs 1.1.2 /
binutils 2.9.5 based mips64-linux / mips64el-linux tool chain.  Using your
old .config file do a "make ARCH=mips64 oldconfig" etc.  The resulting
binary file will be a 32-bit ELF file so you can just feed that to your
firmware for booting as usual.  Problems may be hit along the way ;-)

  Ralf