# Will FreeBSD 13 install/run on PDP-11 or VAX?



## decuser (Jan 22, 2022)

Two parts - is it possible/supported and is anybody doing it? I installed NetBSD on my simulated VAX and it worked, and supposedly OpenBSD supports VAX, but neither are as familiar to me as FreeBSD.


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## Jose (Jan 23, 2022)

Doesn't look that way








						Platforms
					

FreeBSD is an operating system used to power modern servers, desktops, and embedded platforms.




					www.freebsd.org


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## astyle (Jan 23, 2022)

From a very long time ago, I seem to recall that NetBSD's project page does contain some good instructions about making a port for a different architecture... I would not recommend trying to port FreeBSD to VAX. But if you start messing around, and are willing to put in some time and effort, and are open to learning stuff that may not appear related - then nothing is out of question. Good luck.


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## gpw928 (Jan 23, 2022)

The address space on the PDP-11 would be insufficient to run any modern BSD.

The PDP-11 did run System V, and 2.11BSD (source, and pre-installed simh versions available).


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## Terry_Kennedy (Jan 23, 2022)

decuser said:


> Two parts - is it possible/supported and is anybody doing it? I installed NetBSD on my simulated VAX and it worked, and supposedly OpenBSD supports VAX, but neither are as familiar to me as FreeBSD.


The closest you could get "out of the box" would be a (much) older FreeBSD release on an Alpha. According to this, FreeBSD 6.4 was the last release to support the Alpha architecture.

Even if any of these were possible, the slowest low-end x86-64 notebook available today would far outperform an actual Alpha.

On the other hand, I run an emulated Alpha with OpenVMS under FreeBSD, using the AlphaVM Pro emulator.


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## decuser (Jan 23, 2022)

gpw928 said:


> The address space on the PDP-11 would be insufficient to run any modern BSD.
> 
> The PDP-11 did run System V, and 2.11BSD (source, and pre-installed simh versions available).


Well, sort of 211 BSD is still maintained and works on the pdp sim just fine.


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