Hi,
a friend of mine gave me an old HP B180 Unix Workstation with HPUX, the only problem with that, the onboard graphicsbaord doesn�t work anymore. I want to buy a new PCI Graphicsboard (350RAMDAC), but they only have Linux drivers going with the card.
Question: Is it possible to compile a Linux driver and make it work on a HPUX system?
hilbi
No way. You will need to write a new driver.
Also, old HP hardware appears on EBAY from time to time. You may be able to find another old system that you can cannibalize.
Hold on Perderabo!
I'm not entirely sure your quick reply is 100 percent correct.
Linux drivers are written for GCC compilers. GCC compilers can create HP-UX binaries depending on the OS. See this link:
http://gcc.gnu.org/install/specific.html\#hppa\*-hp-hpux*
In the past, I have compiled lots of Linux code on HP-UX after installing a GCC environment on HP-UX, and I think that there are a few Linux/GCC drivers will port if written in GCC.
Now, that brings us to the question of version of HP-UX and OS; and as far as an old HP B180 Unix Workstation with HPUX, it might be possible if it is running a version of HP-UX that is GCC compatible.
Then again, I have no idea what version of HP-UX the B180 might have, or what RISC processor.... is it a version that is compatible with GCC?
Complete list here:
http://gcc.gnu.org/install/specific.html
Note: in 'the old days' when I used to write and compile code, one of my first tasks with a new client was to set up a GCC (platform neutral) development environment (for HP, Sun, IRIX, AIX, etc.) so I could use a much broader (and cheaper!) code base and lots of libs!!!
General GCC info here:
Many C programs will compile just fine on HP-UX, but devices are very much different and rely on machine-specific code.
I tried very briefly and very fruitlessly a while back to use Linux device drivers to get some hardware running on HP-UX. Not to say it's not possible, but I would doubt it very very much - the kernel and the hardware are too different to simply port - it'd take a rewrite.
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(Livin Free, please see my note at the end of the post below. Neo)
Yes, I agree that device drivers are hardware specific but there are devices drivers that will port. I agree with Perderabo and LivinFree that we cannot simply compile without some (perhaps a lot!) of code modification. See these links for more info:
http://devrsrc1.external.hp.com/LPK/
After reading the references below, I am starting to think that porting drivers from Linux to HPUX is a LOT OF WORK (just like Perderabo said!!) :
Here is another link from HP:
http://dspp-test.eservices.hp.com/dspp/tech/tech\_TechSoftwareDetailPage_IDX/1,1703,1882,00.html
Here is another excellent HP link with a "linux to hpux device driver porting guide" in PDF format:
A lot of work .... !!!!!
Sorry LivinFree, perhaps your post about eBay was not off topic 
I'm a bit sensitive to off-topic posts (by moderators) because of recent feedback on this subject.