Help with PowerPC Install

[Graham]

Aaron Duncan wrote:
> I am new to Linux.  I have used it in the past when my employer's
> servers and workstations had it installed, but never personally.  I
> wanted to bring new life to an older iMac (G3 500MHz).  I reburned the
> ISO twice, but the same thing happens-once the initial boot screen
> indicator is filled, all I get is a soft music playing and a black
> screen.  EVERY TIME!  This happened with Fedora Core as well.  Am I
> missing something?  Or is Linux just destined not to work on my machine?
> 
> Aaron Duncan
> 

Hi Aaron, let me try and help.

First of all, you must burn the PowerPc version of the distro to use.
If you haven't downloaded it, then this is the first thing to check -
that you have the correct version for the correct architecture.

You don't say which version of MacOS software you are using, but it
should be possible to upgrade it through the Apple website.  If you are
using OS X as I am, you need to load the CD/DVD through the Mac's
optical drive, then reboot and hold down the "c" key until you get some
text on the screen in a terminal.  This makes the Mac boot from the disk.

Now, you should get Kubuntu loading from the disk and you can install
from there.

Now the downside.  I understand the PowerPc architecture is not going to
be supported fully after Feisty on any of the Ubuntu variants; after I
had installed Kubuntu I had REALLY bad graphical displays - and that was
on Edgy.  I got round this by installing the Debian Etch netinstall
disk.  Sure, the installer is still text based (unless you get the full
Cd .iso burned and input at the boot input screen installgui or
guiinstall [can't remember which now]) but the display was rock steady.

Yes, you can get Linux on your box through the PowerPc.  There is even a
distro specially written for the PowerPc ("Yellow Dog Linux") but its
not based on anything at all Debian-like.  From my experience (and I
don't like to say this) keep away from the Ubuntu variants when
installing on a PowerPc.  I'd go for Debian, but there's a very good
Slackware variant available in Vector Linux.

The PowerPc actually has BSD trundling along behind the operating
system, so you might like to try the PowerPc version of NetBSD instead.
 I personally have not tried it, but a number of Mac users at my
university's IT Club have and swear by it.

HTH (at least a bit)

Graham