In need of a Linux Distro for an IBM RS/6000 7044-270
 

Hello LQ'ers.. This is my first post here, so here goes. I have just acquired an IBM RS/6000 7044-270 workstation, and I'd like to install Linux on it. Is there a distro out there that I can install on this machine? If so, which one, and will it take a month for the install to be successful? Thanks.

What kind of hardware is an IBM RS/6000 7044-270?

That is a risc machine. You have to know which exact processor is in the RS6000. Also, there has to be a C compiler for that processor architecture. No C compiler, no linux. Try the debian site and see which arch's they have. I believe they have the most different arch's.

That's a Power3 isn't it? I agree with AwesomeMachine, your best bet is Debian and if that doesn't support it, NetBSD might, that runs on pretty much everything (even a toaster). If you really want Linux, you could maybe run it under NetBSD via Xen.

I will try Debian
 

Thanks guys.. I was leaning towards Debian anyway, I just need a second/third opinion. I will download and attempt to install tonight, and of course I will post the results.

How do you modify the Boot order?
 

I believe that I have the right Debian arch to install on the IBM RS/6000, but how do I modify the boot order?

Well usually the boot order is defined through the BIOS. I'm assuming your wanting to change the menu Grub uses. The file is /boot/grub/menu.lst It comes with help already written into the file. You can Google for more if you need it. The internet is full of examples. If that dosen't work, come back and ask away!

did you ever get it working? What kind of video card does yours have?

Install Linux on 7044-270
 

I am in the process of trying to install Linux on a 7044-170 and I have been playing with the Fedora core 6 for power pc. I have got to boot of the cdrom but it fails to install the sysem loader. It says that \vmlinux is a invalid ELF file. I am tring to find out just what boot image I can use to get the system loader to work.

7044-270
 

The system has a propritary IBM power PC proc. It is most likely a power 3 mod 2 proc in either 333, 375, 400 or 450 Mhz speed. If it is a 270 is could also be a multi processor machine.

64bit-PowerPC arch

Check here -> http://penguinppc.org/

I had a play with a Gentoo PPC liveCD on a RS/6000 (can't remember the model). Never got a successful boot off the CD.
Gave up after a couple of hours..

Hate to bring old threads back to life, but has anyone had any success installing Red Hat (any flavor) on the RS6000's? I've been banging my head on this one, short of gearing up the HMC to do the job - that supposedly works, but I've seen boxes that work fine with no HMC as well.

(sigh)