To install Linux on my AGP G4, I partitioned my disk to include a small
empty HFS partition. I couldn't get the YDL CDs to boot directly
either. Easiest way to get it to install would probably be the
following (no need to change Drive Setup etc.) :
- In the root of the HFS partition, put
1. a copy of the System Folder from the LinuxPPC CD - this allows
you to choose the HFS partition as a startup disk without knowing its
partition number (pdisk for the Mac didn't work on my computer)
2. a copy of yaboot from the CD or better to download a newer
version from http://ppclinux.apple.com/%7Ebenh/
3. yaboot.conf from the install CD's System Folder - it'll
probably look something like this (or the LinuxPPC equivalent):
init-message = "\nWelcome to Yellow Dog Linux!\nHit <TAB> for boot
options.\n\n"
timeout = 150
default = install
image = cd:,\\\\vmlinux
label = install
initrd = cd:,\\\\ramdisk.image.gz
novideo
choose the partition as a startup disk from the control panel. Restart.
Hopefully, the computer will bring up the yaboot screen. Insert the
Installer CD into the drive and press enter to choose the default
option (install). this should load the kernel and Ramdisk image from
the CD.
In my experience, I could boot directly from the LinuxPPC CD but
couldn't get the supplied kernels to work. On the other hand, I
couldn't get the YDL CD to boot up but their kernel and ramdisk image
worked better when I used the method above.
If you do know the partition number of the disk you copy yaboot to,
things are much easier (relatively). Simply copy yaboot and yaboot.conf
from the install CD to the root of the HFS partition and boot into Open
Firmware (Command-Option-O-F). At the prompt type in "boot
hd:X,\yaboot" without quotes where X is the known partition number.
Insert the CD and start the install!
If things go wrong and you can't start your computer up as normal, zap
the PRAM (Command-Option-P-R) for a couple of chimes to bring things
back to normal.
I hope this makes some sense. It's off the top of my head (why don't I
write these things down as I do them?) so let me know if you have any
problems getting it to work.
Good luck!
TD
> I am trying to load LinuxPPC 2000 on my PowerMac G4/400. It is one of
> the very latest AGP G4's (one of the ones that came with MacOS 9.0.2).
> LinuxPPC would not boot from CD, nor from BootX (as you might expect).
> Following the MacOS 9 / Linux FAQ on linuxppc.com, I tried to downgrade
> my disk drivers to the DriveSetup 1.7.3 version. However, when I run
> Drive Setup 1.7.3 on this machine, the app shows a dialog box stating
> that "The application Drive Setup cannot be opened, because it cannot
> run on this computer". It is coming off a checksummed disk image, so I
> assume the app is good. Did they short-circuit old versions of Drive
> Setup to fail on the new machines? Are there any other options that I
> have? Please help, I need my Linux fix!
> Thanks,
> Bill Hayden
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