Very Computer

Hi Guys

I have a Mac 7300 and been using LinuxPPC 2000 as a tryout.  Now I'm a
convert and want a distribution that will talk to my USB printer, and
run with more recent stuff.  I tried YellowDog 2.2 and 2.3 but got
install errors. How about Debian or Mandrake?

Anyone know if these will run on my old Mac?  My download link is so
slow I can't experiment, and have to purchase these things.

I'd really appreciate the benefit of someone's experience...

Nikki

Well my friend runs Debian on his 7300, And it runs pretty good! Though i
dont know about USB printer (she doesnt have one) but i'd think that it
depended up on the printer, though i read smwhere that linux had pretty
good support for the USB stuff unless your printer happens to be one of
those combo one (ie fax, printer, copier altogether)

ASiF

Quote:> Hi Guys

> I have a Mac 7300 and been using LinuxPPC 2000 as a tryout.  Now I'm a
> convert and want a distribution that will talk to my USB printer, and
> run with more recent stuff.  I tried YellowDog 2.2 and 2.3 but got
> install errors. How about Debian or Mandrake?

Odd.  I installed YDL 2.3 on my 7300 last year, and I did not have any
remarkable problems.  It went quite smoothly.  Do you recall what sort
of errors you had?

Quote:

> Anyone know if these will run on my old Mac?  My download link is so
> slow I can't experiment, and have to purchase these things.

> I'd really appreciate the benefit of someone's experience...

> Nikki

Hmm. YDL 2.3 is running just fine on my 7600/132 at home. I tried
installing one of the BSD variants, but got bogged down. What seems to
go wrong?

Quote:> Anyone know if these will run on my old Mac?  My download link is so
> slow I can't experiment, and have to purchase these things.

I downloaded the ISO image and burned at work.

Quote:> I'd really appreciate the benefit of someone's experience...

> Nikki

--
-Stephen H. Westin
Any information or opinions in this message are mine: they do not
represent the position of Cornell University or any of its sponsors.

I am running YDL 2.3 on my 7600/200 at home.  Actually I first
installed YDL 2.1 in 2001, then upgraded to 2.3 in 2002.  I had no
problems in installation.  I am using CUPS to print to my Epson C40UX
printer which is a USB printer.

--

School of Physics and Materials Engineering
Monash University                       http://www.ph.adfa.edu.au/s-harker/
                                 Baloney Baffles brains: Eric Frank Russell

Thanks to ALL for your comments, and while I'm pleased for you guys,
I'm now even more mystified about my own difficulties!

I downloaded the installation guide and printed it out so I had it in
front of me, and followed it rigorously.  Indeed all seemed to go fine
until after the package install (I chose Development Workstation, which
is the 'recommended' one) when I got an error message telling me
installation had failed and that I should complete the process
manually.  I was returned to the installation screen and invited to
save what I'd done, and when I did I got a FATAL ERROR, and a screenful
of bug report, and an invitation to send it to someone.  However, there
was no way to save it or take a screenshot.

OK. This was (first) with 2.2 so I thought to myself - the pro-YDL
comments I'd read had actually mentioned 2.3, so I got a copy of that
one.  I got precisely the same result.  I tried both types of ramdisk,
the X installer and the Text one.  I tried using FWB to format the
'unallocated' volume but YDL wouldn't read it so went back to Apple's
Drive Setup and did a slow low-level zeroed reformat.  As far as I can
see I've tried everything (although it has subsequently occurred to me
I might have tried another 'package' to see if there was a difference).
I'm using a separate disk for Linux, and at 2GB it should be big
enough.

A mystery... (one which has prompted me to order a copy of Debian Woody
which, having a much more detailed installation guide, might present
less mystery?  Sorry I can't quote the exact error code, I'm
insufficiently motivated to chase that turkey again.

Nonetheless, any thoughts welcome.  After all, one's errors can be
heuristic!  And the academics amongst you might teach me a thing or
two!

Thanks guys

Nikki

[ YDL bombs during install description ]

Quote:

> A mystery... (one which has prompted me to order a copy of Debian Woody
> which, having a much more detailed installation guide, might present
> less mystery?  Sorry I can't quote the exact error code, I'm
> insufficiently motivated to chase that turkey again.

> Nonetheless, any thoughts welcome.  After all, one's errors can be
> heuristic!  And the academics amongst you might teach me a thing or
> two!

YDL 2.X has an annoying and barely-documented insistence on a 2-gig
minimum filesystem for installation, even though you can have it install
a barebones image which s barely a quarter of that.  It lets you know
it's annoyed by bombing out exactly as you describe (at leat, it did for
me).  Something else might be the cause in your case, but try giving it
2 gigs for / (it's possible it might go with a 1-gig and 1-gig combo
split between / and /usr on separate partitions, if you're constrained).

Good luck !

D.

<snip>

Quote:

> OK. This was (first) with 2.2 so I thought to myself - the pro-YDL
> comments I'd read had actually mentioned 2.3, so I got a copy of that
> one.  I got precisely the same result.  I tried both types of ramdisk,
> the X installer and the Text one.  I tried using FWB to format the
> 'unallocated' volume but YDL wouldn't read it so went back to Apple's
> Drive Setup and did a slow low-level zeroed reformat.  As far as I can
> see I've tried everything (although it has subsequently occurred to me
> I might have tried another 'package' to see if there was a difference).
> I'm using a separate disk for Linux, and at 2GB it should be big
> enough.

Well, my install guide says Development Workstation takes 1.7 Gig.
That leaves 300 Meg for the boot (10 MB) and swap (64 - 256 MB)
partitions.  I think that's pretty tight.  It *should* fit, but if it's
failing it might be needing a bit more than that during the install.
You might try it again selecting the Home/Office option.  That only
requires 1.2 GB.  If it installs OK then you need a bigger disk for
Workstation.  Home/Office has plenty of stuff in it and will let you
see what the system is like.

Misc info:  I selected workstation and installed YDL 2.3 onto a 4 GB
external disk for my 7300.

Regards,
tony

OK guys,

since my / partition was 1.9 GB I suppose that IS tight, particularly
as installation needs a bit of headroom.  Maybe I should try the
Home/Office install, though I did want to do some work with gcc.  

But maybe if I can get YDL going before my Debian disc arrives I can
bury the ghost and not feel so frustrated.  Thanks for sharing your
thoughts.

Nikki