I think OS4 CAN be run on MAC MINI (USABLE)

[gaula92]

Skurk: I've got a Mac Mini G4 here now.

I've the same OF version as you do, so I'm getting the same black screen. It has been proved the moana iso files CAN boot in an 4.9.4f1, so I've been searching for an update, with no luck.
There are other users trying to update to 4.9.4f1 so they can run Amiga OS4 on the MAC MINI...and there are users with 4.9.4f1 that DO run it. But we're lost without an OF update...

[skurk]

I also read that the "Moana patched" OS4 requires 64MB graphics memory (VRAM).  Mine has 32M, so case closed in my case

[Jeff]

[EDIT] Post retracted due to legal concerns

[klx300r]

how does one check to confirm the mini has got the 4.9.4f1 firmware :-?

[Jeff]

[EDIT] Post retracted due to legal concerns

[klx300r]

thanks for the info Jeff :-)

[BooBoo1200]

I can only pass on what ive been told.I wouldnt worry about the firmware its been run on other versions check some old threads but you must have the silent update G4 1.5ghz 64VRam - to reach the Kickstart screen the first step.Although no one has said theyve found it very stable.;-)

[Jeff]

[EDIT] Post retracted due to legal concerns

[BooBoo1200]

Your right this is no long term solution but if youve lost intrest and wont wait any longer to mess about with OS4 then for Testing.......
I hadnt read Jeffs earlyer post about spoof the CPU speed and there maybe ways to get it working on other Minis apart from the silent upgrade.
But I wouldnt be so sure the Kick screen is a dead end;-)

[Trev]

The Mac stuff is fun, but I still say OS4 needs to run on a PS3. The hardware is cheap and plentiful.

[skurk]

Or Nintendo Wii, for that sake.

But, since there's a claim it already runs on Mac Mini, I think that's more promising and worth persuading.

That, plus the Mini's got all I'm asking for: Affordable hardware, small footprint, and a very low noise level.

If someone would like me to try certain boot tricks on my setup to get AOS4 started, let me know.

[Trev]

Well, not the Wii. The PS3 was designed to run multiple operating systems, and apart from hardware-banging graphics, can be used as a general purpose computer without legally questionable hacking.

Realistically, legitimate use of OS4 on any non-Amiga platform will require a bit of indepedent development. Regardless, pushing for Mac PowerPC support is just as bad as pushing for continued support of the AmigaOne. They're both dead platforms. Besies, a decent used Mac Mini costs about as much as a PS3 anyway, and it can't run PS3 and Blu-Ray software. ;-)

[Jeff]

[EDIT] Post retracted due to legal concerns

[spihunter]

@Trev,

I think the idea to port OS4 to PS3 idea came around the same time that the Mac Mini port did.

I wonder if anyone ever started it like the Moana Mac Mini project.

At this point unless anyone figures out a way to get Moana running stable on the Mini there is no future hardware for OS4.

It may be a hack and it may not be legit but unless everyone is here is ready to just let the Amiga be a "retro" platform there isnt many options left.


edit:   Well, except AROS & MorphOS. If your still into this platform then that may be the places to hang out for now on?

[Trev]

I was thinking along the lines of positioning OS4 as a platform for parallel processing. While certainly not a new thing, it had gone by the wayside in mainstream distributed systems until we'd hit the practical speed limit of current technology. Anyhow, there's plenty of room for competition in this space. That said, OS4 is basically 80's operating system technology on a newer platform. Maybe it's better off consigned to single-CPU systems? (Cue the custom chip and dedicated processing unit discussion.)

EDIT: I think MIT has some public course materials availabe re: porting operating systems and software to the PS3 (and Cell in general). Should be interesting reading, even if you don't plan on putting fingers to keyboard.

[Jeff]

[EDIT] Post retracted due to legal concerns