13 KiB
This page will tell you what requirements you will need to use the Alpine Linux operating system.
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:
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 with 32bit compatible (i686 pc 64bit amd64) |
| 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. |
CPU
- Intel
- Core i3 8121U are supported from alpine v3.6 to v3.14 only.
- AMD
- AMD Semprom are pretty slower with recent kernels, so its practically not supported, use older versions of alpine or own build kernel
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 "Next" gen are only basic supported.
- Nvidia: limited; only few are complete supported! not all features are allowed! Needs 5.10 ad up kernels and have issues with power management. Recommended to disable Display power management.
- Matrox: not all features are supported, this is shipped on most servers. Those GPU has 3D support, but with newer 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 v3.16 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.
- prism54 FullMAC PCI / Cardbus devices used to be supported only by the prism54 wireless driver its not supported by alpine, only debian 4, 5, and 6 supports
Software requirements
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 img) | Download links recommended |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| x86_64 | YES | YES | N/A | http://dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org/alpine/latest-stable/releases/x86_64/ |
| x86 | YES (best is v3.12.0) | YES | N/A | http://dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org/alpine/v3.12/releases/x86/ |
| ppc64le | NO | YES | YES | http://dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org/alpine/latest-stable/releases/ppc64le/ |
| armhf | NO | YES | YES | http://dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org/alpine/latest-stable/releases/armhf/ |
| armv7 | NO | YES | YES | http://dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org/alpine/latest-stable/releases/armv7/ |
| aarch64 | YES | YES | YES | http://dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org/alpine/latest-stable/releases/aarch64/ |
| mips64 | YES (until v3.14.0) | YES | N/A | https://dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org/alpine/v3.13/releases/mips64/ |
| s390x | YES | YES | N/A | http://dl-cdn.alpinelinux.org/alpine/v3.15/releases/s390x/ |
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 up to date, fashioned and latest versions, the age of these devices will require that you do not use software so modern things that it always increases the requirements to do the same task as any recent version of same.
Booting
Means support for kind of BIOS/UEFI/OEM setup of machine, and where can be media downloaded will be boot.
| 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 | 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 |
Boot process
The boot process for most common computer are described at the alpine-boot-uefi-bios.md document.
The Uboot process for most common devices are described at the apine-boot-uboot.md except for Odroid-C2 devices..
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 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 | 120 Gigs | 320 Gigs | 8 Gigs |
| mail server | 200 Megs | 80 Gigs | 120+ Gigs | 8 Gigs |
| web server | 200 Megs | 10 Gigs | 20+ Gigs | 8 Gigs |
LICENSE
CC BY-NC-SA: the project allows users to distribute, remix, adapt, and build upon the material in any medium or format for noncommercial purposes only, and only so long as attribution is given to the creators involved. If you remix, adapt, or build upon the material, you must license the modified material under identical terms, includes the following elements:
- BY – Credit must be given to the creator of each content respectivelly, starting at the first contributor.
- NC – Only noncommercial uses of the work are permitted, with exceptions if you fill an issue here!
- SA – Adaptations must be shared under the same terms, you must obey this terms and do not change it.
For more information check the alpine/copyright.md