As /sys/doc/port.ms says, --- The compiler assumes that the target CPU supports the optional byte and word memory operations (the ``BWX'' extension). If you have an old system, you can generate code without using the extension by passing the loader the .CW -x option. ---
That may not be enough though; dhog thought that some of the device drivers might depend upon byte or word accesses. Plus you'd need to check all the assembly language code for BWX operations. And of course details of I/O and memory management vary across Alpha models.
