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Linux on a Mac - newbie needs help!

  • 25-08-2004 7:54pm
    #1
    Richard
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,439 ✭✭✭


    Maybe this is better in the Mac forum, but I'll ask here first.

    I want to install Linux on a 12" Mac Powerbook G4. I have tried installing Debian, but when I boot into the console-thingy and run the yaboot command and type 'install', I have no joy. It just shuts down the machine.

    I'll freely admit to knowing very little about Linux, let alone how to install it, but I'd appreciate some pointers. I have partitioned my drive and am trying to install Linux on a 7.69 GB UFS partition.

    An alternative would be install Linux on a Virtual Machine using Microsoft Virtual PC. Any ideas on how to do this?


Comments

  • #2
    nadir
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,419 ✭✭✭nadir


    I know im really pimping it, but what the hell.
    I dont know much about macs, but I guess gentoo ppc, ought to do the trick.
    print out the docs before you start, and have a look at the faq.

    You could also try this if you want to be a bit different.


  • #3
    leeroybrown
    Closed Accounts Posts: 7,562 ✭✭✭leeroybrown


    Firstly I presume you have debian-powerpc?

    Your main Linux options are:

    Debian-PowerPC
    Gentoo PPC (as mentioned by nadir)
    Yellow Dog (RedHat based Mac specific distribution)

    By "console-thingy" are you referring to the OpenFirmware console? If this is what you mean then you should be able to type boot cdrom to get the installer on the debian-powerpc disk to run. Boot the installer and follow the steps to create a base install.

    yaboot requires that you have an "Apple Bootstrap" partition (800Kb) on the hard drive with yaboot installed in it. You may already have a bootstrap partition (probably the second partition on the disk). I've installed debian on a Mac (Xserve G5 Dual CPU) before but couldn't do it the simple way with the installer due to some issues ut I presume it's similar to the normal debian installer. I presume the installer will have an option to install yaboot for you.

    You'll have to use a filesystem other than UFS (or HFS+) for linux. The debian installer will allow you to partition the disk for linux so all you need is some free space. All partitioning needs to be done with mac-fdisk (should be default anyway).


  • #4
    ronanp
    Closed Accounts Posts: 365 ✭✭ronanp


    I run yellow dog 3.01 on an iMac (g3 350mhz, 64mb ram) and it installed seamlessly and runs pretty well once you use an alternative desktop manager (e.g. blackbox). I'd imagine it'd run pretty sweetly on your system. Its well documented and simple to install. Probably not the first choice of the hardcore though :-)


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