Docs:  Machines Supported

This file lists the machines and compilers that we currently support for PETSc. Our main limitation is easy access to the architecture. 

We will try to maintain PETSc support for any major machine class, but only if we have easy access to the machine. Most machines and some implementations of MPI have bugs; since PETSc is a sophisticated system it finds bugs in features that many users do not employ. We cannot write PETSc to work around bugs in system software. Thus, true system bugs, MPI implementation bugs, etc. must be reported to the appropriate vendors for fixing; we will help you in determining whether a particular problem is a true bug and make suggestions for work-arounds.

Details about machines currently supported by PETSc

Machine PETSC_ARCH Comments
IBM RS6000 running AIX4.2, including IBM SP PETSC_ARCH=rs6000, PETSC_ARCH=rs6000_sp,
PETSC_ARCH=rs6000_64 also PETSC_ARCH=rs6000_gnu		 Known Problems: Cannot use gdb debugger if using IBM's compiler.
SGI running IRIX 5.3 and 6.x PETSC_ARCH=IRIX Known Problems: Automated debugger attachment (such as with the option -start_in_debugger) may not work for SGI machines with gdb debugger. Does work with dbx.
64 bit SGI including Origin and PowerChallenge running IRIX 6.3+ PETSC_ARCH=IRIX64

Known Problems:

  1. Trouble compiling the Fortran interface on some version of the Origin 2000; see the file troubleshooting.html for a work-around.
  2. We do not know how to trap floating point exceptions, does not seem to be supported by the OS yet.
  3. See known problems for PETSC_ARCH=IRIX above.
  4. The optimizing compiler on the Power Challenge has been known to generate incorrect code, so always develop with BOPT=g and switch to BOPT=O when you are sure the code is running correctly
  5. Significant performance degradation seems to result when using all processors of a Power Challenge system to run MPI programs. You should only use p-1 processors in a p processor system; this has nothing to do with PETSc .
Convex Exemplar running HPUX version 10.01  and others PETSC_ARCH=hpux

To compile PETSc on Convex, use PETSC_ARCH=hpux and use only HP-compilers. Assuming that the HP compilers are in /bin and Convex compilers are in /usr/convex/bin, edit bmake/hpux/base* files and replace the occurence of each of the following: cc -> /bin/cc CC -> /bin/CC f77 -> /bin/f77 ld -> /bin/ld Also, add the following line to bmake/hpux/base: LD = /bin/ld

You cannot build PETSc as root on this machine. We don't know why but it appears the compiler flags that appear when compiling as root are incompatible with PETSc. Recommend compile as a user and then change file permissions as needed.
HP running UX version 10.10 PETSC_ARCH=hpux

You may need to use Gnu make rather than the native make on this machine. On some versions of the OS we have been unable to generate clean installs using the native make. To switch to using gnumake, edit the file ${PETSC_DIR}/bmake/hpux/base and define OMAKE to be the path and name of gnumake. Our machine is a 9000/770.

Known Problems:  Profiling version (BOPT=Opg) doesn't work. The HPUX libraries required for profiling are buggy.

Sun Sparcstations running Solaris 5.7 PETSC_ARCH=solaris or PETSC_ARCH=solaris_gnu Fine
Cray T3E

also T3D

 PETSC_ARCH=t3e

PETSC_ARCH=t3d

Known Problems: Cannot use automated debugger attachment via -attach_debugger_on_error or -start_in_debugger. With a little juggling you can run MPI programs in the TotalView debugger. To use Totalview, link with the option -Xn where x is the number of processors to use while debugging.

DEC alpha running OSF of unknown version PETSC_ARCH=alpha Fine.
Intel processors running Linux, Version 2.1.130 and others PETSC_ARCH=linux Fine
Intel processors running freebsd, Version 2.2.7 and others PETSC_ARCH=freebsd Fine
Intel processors running Windows  PETSC_ARCH=win32_ms, win32_ms_hpvm, win32_ms_mpich, win32_ms_mpipro, win32_ms_wmpi

MS Visual C++ 6.0 used for C and C++ compiler. Digital Visual Fortran (with 6.1 update) used for FORTRAN

Known Problems:

  • Currently only console applications are supported since PETSc makes extensive use of STDOUT/STDERR.

  • Some of the SYS functions may not work. This could be due to the absence of corresponding UNIX functionality on NT.

Intel processors running Windows PETSC_ARCH=win32_gnu

gcc/g++ version 2.95.3-1 from Cygnus toos.
Intel processors running Windows PETSC_ARCH=win32_borland  Sequential only. No complex version (requires fortran blas).
Intel processors running Windows PETSC_ARCH=win32_intel  same as win32_ms
Mac OS X PETSC_ARCH=macx Requires Mac OS 10.1 or higher
PC Running BeOS PETSC_ARCH=beos
  •  g++ is flakey 
  • no fortran compiler

We no longer support some older machines including::