Linux on a beige g3
 

Hi sorry if this is in the wrong forum but dont know where else to post this.
Im neve to linux & have a Macintosh computer its a beige g3 dt model 266mhz(overclocked to 333mhz) with 160mhz ramrunning mac OS10.2.8
I want to install a linux on it dont matter what one but what linux would prople suggest for this computer.
Also how do you get a linux cd to boot under mac os10.x as i know theres a program called bootX that you can use to help install linux on a mac but it only works onder mac os9 & i only have mac os10.2.8
Ive searched the net for hours & can only find help about installing linux on a mac with bootX & mac os9 which is no good to me.
So please can someone help me as where ever i go for help its the same i never get any help

Thanks in advance

Hi there,

There are many, many, many distributions that support PPC, including debian, yellowdog,SuSE-I think and a loads more, although with those specs I think you would be better off with debian.

I am sure that you will be able to boot the cd from the cd drive and install it that way, if not- im looking for a solution for ya.

thedeadhead

i all ready have tried to boot straight from a cd with no luck it was an offical mac ubuntu 5.04 install cd & i couldnt get the mac ubuntu 5.04 live cd to boot either but as i type this ive just been hada 3 cd set of yellow dog 3.01 droped off to me

I have debian running on a beige g3 dt also.

An "old world" mac such as the beige g3 will not boot from a linux cd; it has to do with the firmware. However, it will boot from a floppy just fine. Debian is the only distro I know of that still provides a way to boot from floppies. The boot floppies from debian are available here debian floppies

Instructions for making the floppies are available here


The full debian install manual is here manual

You have an Old-World Mac. There are no LiveCDs that can boot them.

Before you install Linux, you might have to mess with stuff in Open Firmware (although perhaps OS X has done that already). Your model is notoriously difficult to boot. In case you need to, here are some resources:
http://www.penguinppc.org/bootloaders/quik/quirks.php
http://www.netbsd.org/Ports/macppc/models.html

I've had experience with Debian 3.0 (woody), which had floppy images that you can use to boot the Debian installer on Old-World Macs in this directory:
http://ftp.debian.org/dists/woody/ma...c/images-1.44/
* the "boot-floppy-hfs.img" is a MacOS boot floppy that loads the Linux kernel and asks for the "root" floppy
* the "root.bin" is the root floppy it asks for and starts the installer
I think the current Debian 3.1 (sarge) also has similar images. Make sure to write these floppy images raw onto the floppy with "dd" or something similar; Mac Disk Copy sometimes messes up the image if you don't lock it.

Make sure to read the installation manual (woody, sarge). You should have the installer install the "quik" bootload

SadAngelMan-

I have a similar setup to yours:

Mac beige g3 dt model 266mhz with 768 MB RAM.

I don't own Mac OS X at all. I also got the three CD set of YellowDog 3.0.1, and it works well.
Everything you need to get started is on the first CD. This includes bootX.

Good luck with it. If you need any help getting started, let me know...

Uncle Mac Linus