Sparc - Gotchas

This is a stub article for different things to be aware of when installing or using FreeBSD on Sparc hardware.

See this article containing documentation based on a real life installation on an Ultra-based system, including a brief essential guide to the OpenBoot firmware (enough to get FreeBSD booted at least).

Servers only, thanks.

FreeBSD + Sparc = No GUI. See this link w/r/t 5.0; later versions of FreeBSD documentation do not mention it at all.

Sun keyboard and mouse? Throw them away!

Toss 'em because you can't use 'em. Serial console installation only, please. See Sparc_-_Terminal_Emulation
-- This is no longer true for FreeBSD6? I have used sun keyboards to install FreeBSD6 on my sparc machines.
-- I also was able to install using the Sun mouse and keyboard using FreeBSD 7.
-- I was able to use a Sun mouse and keyboard using FreeBSD 8.

Booting can be problematic

The OpenBoot Firmware: learn it, love it.

Java is more of a pain

All the Java sources and installers etc etc -- they're iX86 only.