diff --git a/alpine/requirementes.md b/alpine/requirementes.md new file mode 100644 index 0000000..4a549ca --- /dev/null +++ b/alpine/requirementes.md @@ -0,0 +1,196 @@ + +This page will tell you what requirements you will need to use the +[Alpine Linux](about.md) operating system. + +* Hardware requirements +* Software requirements + +# Hardware requirements + +For installation and usage consider that Alpine can run on several kinds +of devices, from the popular PC machine to video game consoles like the +Game Boy Advance and the 3DS, and as such you must check the following +of your machine: + +- [Architecture](#architecture) +- [Memory](#memory) +- [Storage](#storage) +- [Peripherals](#peripherals) + +#### Architectures + +**Architecture means kind of computer. The most popular architecture is +the misnamed "Intel IBM PC"** or "i386" which is actually in fact the +x86 or x64. There are other supported computer architectures that are +not "x86", like mainframes, servers, and embedded devices (such as +routers like Sonicwall and Cisco ones). Here are the architectures +supported by Alpine: + +| Supported Arch | since | until | Meaning of installation and target architecture | +| -------------- | ------- | ------- | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | +| x86\_64 | all | current | The popular AMD64 compatible 64-bit x86 based machines, i386 is not recommended for newer/latest hardware. | +| x86 | all | current | The all popular 32 bit intel (i386 pc 32bit) and x86\_64 (i686 pc 64bit and amd64)compatible (both) | +| ppc64le | v3.6 | current | For the PowerPC devices with pure little-endian mode, mostly for POWER8 and POWER9 | +| armhf | v3.0 | current | The newer ARM hard-float for newer, more powerful 32-bit devices alongside 64-bit. Including video games\! | +| armv7 | v3.9 | current | The 32-bit ARM only execution state of the ARMv7 devices machines. Including video game consoles\! | +| aarch64 | v3.5 | current | The 64-bit ARM only execution state of the ARMv8 device machines. Like Rasberri's | +| ppc64le | v3.6 | current | for 64-bit big-endian PowerPC and Power ISA processors like some MAC computers. | +| s390x | v3.6 | v3.15.0 | For the Super powered IBM mainframes, especially IBM Z and IBM LinuxONE servers. | + +#### Memory + +**Means minimum amount of RAM memory. Need of RAM it depends of the +meaning of the installation**, any hardware are supported and there is +minimum sizes for: + +| Target Arch | Mim RAM to start | Min RAM to install | Min RAM for GUI | Best for GUI work | +| ----------- | ---------------- | ------------------ | --------------- | ----------------- | +| x86\_64 | 512 Megs | 512 Megs | 3 Gigs | 8 Gigs | +| x86\_32 | 128 Megs | 256 Megs | 2 Gigs | 3 Gigs | +| ppc64le | 128 Megs | 256 Megs | 2 Gigs | 8 Gigs | +| armhf | 256 Megs | 512 Megs | 2 Gigs | 6 Gigs | +| armv7 | 256 Megs | 512 Megs | 2 Gigs | 6 Gigs | +| aarch64 | 256 Megs | 512 Megs | 2 Gigs | 8 Gigs | +| ppc64le | 256 Megs | 512 Megs | 1 Gigs | 6 Gigs | +| s390x | 128 Megs | 256 Megs | 1 Gigs | N/A | + +#### Storage + +**Means any external or internal storage device that can be added after +or before install to use** by the Alpine Linux system. Currently depends +of the current linux kernel supported. + +**All the PATA and SATA hard disk drives are supported, also any USB or +SD** card that can be detected by USB BUS by the linux kernel subsystem +during install. + +#### Peripherals + +**Means any external or internal device that can be added after or +before install to detectd** by the Alpine Linux system. Currently +depends of the current linux kernel supported. + +##### ISA devices + +**ISA devices** are not supported since 3.8 because kernel drops support. +those pc machines must use an older alpine linux, our wiki has good recipes +for such cases. To support those devices use v3.8.0 alpine version as maximun. + +##### GPU devices + +**GPU devices** are supported, but for advanced features, 3D acceleration +are manager by MESA project: + +- Intel: mostly any Intel by one exception, intel i810/i815 will lack + of features cos only has 4Mb memory, Mesa and Linux drop theit + support. Recent devs wants to deprecated intel support on mesa. +- ATI/AMD, only radeon series with exception of recent two last years + respect Alpine release, Rage r128/match64 series has limited + support. Recently AMD brings now open source code for last chips. +- Nvidia: limited; only few are complete supported\! not all features + are allowed\! Needs 5.15 ad up kernels due to the bribery of the + anonymous community that forced the sources to be released. +- Matrox: not all features are supported, just cos are shipped on most + servers. Those GPU has 3D support but in recent kernels due the + increment of requirementes that is practically not usefully. +- Sis: limited features are supported, since code are not updated on + Xorg and Linux kernel +- Via: limited features are supported, since openchrome code are not + updated on Xorg and Linux kernel + +##### WIFI devices + +**WIFI devices** are supported well if are not hybrid ones, nomadays +currently wifi devices are now hybrids that are mostly mix of bluetooth and wifi. + +Note that bluetooth adapter, while on the same card as your wifi will +have a seperate hardware ID but both will be reconiced always as USB devices. + +Mostly mayor of those are not well suported unless you use kernel 5.10 and up, +so the recommendations for recent hybrits devices are Alpine v3.15 and up. +the only problem are few modules like Broadcom (that some not matter if +are older or newer will require compilation and firmware) and the +Realtek Semiconductor only if your device are so so recent. + + +# Software requirements + +- [Media](#media) +- [Booting](#booting) +- [Storage](#storage) +- [Firmware](#firmware) + +### Media + +**Means the files need for dump the install media, and later boot from +the target install** machine, of course downloaded from +http://dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org/alpine/latest-stable/releases or main Download page. + +| Available for | ISO (for USB, CD/DVD) | IMG (for Netboot) | TAR (for ROOTFS, in tar.gz) | Download links recommended | +| ------------- | --------------------- | ----------------- | --------------------------- | ---------------------------------------------------------------------- | +| x86\_64 | YES | YES | N/A | | +| x86 | YES | YES | N/A | | +| ppc64le | NO | YES | YES | | +| armhf | NO | YES | YES | | +| armv7 | NO | YES | YES | | +| aarch64 | YES | YES | YES | | +| mips64 | YES (until v3.15.0) | YES | N/A | | +| s390x | YES | YES | N/A | | + +For some architectures, those pc machines must use an older alpine linux, +our wiki has good recipes for such cases, like the `x86` knowed widely +as `i386` or `32bit pc`, its better to use the recomended download link, + +Contrary to everything that stupids devs will say about using fads, fashioned +and latest versions, **the age of these devices will require that you do +not use software so modern** that it always increases the requirements +to do the same task as any recent version of same. + +### Booting + +**Means support for kind of BIOS setup of machine, and where can be +media downloaded will be boot**, please for more info check [Alpine and UEFI](alpine-and-uefi.md)) wiki page + +| Supported Arch | Supported BIOS | Supported Types | Media Boot Recommended | +| -------------- | ---------------------- | --------------- | ---------------------------- | +| x86\_64 | Coreboot, Vendor/OEM | BIOS, UEFI | **USB**, CD/DVD (ISO) | +| x86 | Coreboot, Vendor/OEM | BIOS, UEFI | **USB**, CD/DVD (ISO) | +| ppc64le | Coreboot, Vendor/OEM | BIOS, UEFI | **USB**, CD/DVD (ISO) | +| armhf | Uboot, Vendor/OEM | BIOS, UEFI | **NET**, MINIROOTFS (TAR.GZ) | +| armv7 | Uboot, Vendor/OEM | BIOS, UEFI | **NET**, MINIROOTFS (TAR.GZ) | +| aarch64 | ?Coreboot?, Vendor/OEM | BIOS, ?UEFI? | **USB**, CD/DVD (ISO) | +| mips64 | Vendor/OEM | ? | v3.14.0 end of support | +| s390x | Vendor/OEM | BIOS, ?UEFI? | **USB**, CD/DVD | + +If the computer does not automatically boot from the desired device, one +needs to bring up the boot menu selection for choosing the media to boot +from. Depending on the computer the menu may be accessed by quickly +(repeatedly) pressing a key when booting starts, or sometimes it is +needed to press the button before starting the computer and keep holding +it when it boots. Typical keys are: `F9`-`F12`, sometimes `F7` or +`F8`. If these don't bring up the boot menu, it may be necessary to +enter the BIOS configuration and adjust the boot settings, for which +typical keys are: `Del.` `F1` `F2` `F6` or `Esc.` + +### Space + +**This means amount of available space in disk partitions to perform a +kind of install** and of course will depends of type and meaning of your +desired install, this are the recommended sizes but depends of the +[BIOS/UEFI support and disk layout](alpine-and-uefi.md) wiki page. + +| Minimum sizes | Partition for BOOT (`/boot`) | Partition for ROOT (`/`) | Partition for HOME (`/home`) | Partition for SWAP (`N/A`) | +| --------------- | ---------------------------- | ------------------------ | ---------------------------- | -------------------------- | +| base only | 100 Megs | 500 Megs | 1 Gigs | Optional | +| default server | 200 Megs | 2 Gigs | 2 Gigs | 4 Gigs | +| default desktop | 250 Megs | 80 Gigs | 320 Gigs | 8 Gigs | +| mail server | 200 Megs | 80 Gigs | 20+ Gigs | 8 Gigs | +| web server | 200 Megs | 10 Gigs | 20+ Gigs | 8 Gigs | + +# See Also + +* [about.md](about.md) +* [contribution.md](contribution.md) +* [README (index)](README.md) +* [README (main)](../README.md) +