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Old 11-27-2009, 08:31 AM   #1
BeBobb
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Registered: Nov 2009
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LInux on iMac g3


I have an old iMac G3 with a 333mHZ processor, 6GB hard drive, and 64MB of ram. I'm just looking for something to do with this computer because I never use it. I decided that it would be fun to try and install Linux on it. I have never installed Linux in the past, nor have I ever used Linux, but I think that it might be fun to try, and I might even learn something in the process of doing so.
So I was looking for good option for an old iMac last night. While reading articles, I read that Debian would work well. I know enough about Linux to know that it has distros, so reading about Debian did not surprise me.
I have no idea on how to burn a bootable disk for my iMac.
Here are some questions I have:

Where is a good download link for Debian?
Is there any step-by-step instructions that someone could give me on installing debian on my iMac?
How would I go about burning the disk?
Is there a special type of disk that I would need?
Are there any other reccomended OS's from Linux that would work on my iMac G3 333mHZ, 64MB ram, and 6GB hard drive?
I am a complete n00b to this. So ANY information would be GREATLY appriciated. Thank you.
 
Old 11-27-2009, 08:52 AM   #2
Lordandmaker
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Registered: Sep 2005
Location: London, UK
Distribution: Debian
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Quote:
Originally Posted by BeBobb View Post
Where is a good download link for Debian?
http://www.debian.org/distrib/

You have three options with Debian:
Stable - Old, stable, unchanging.
Unstable - New, cutting edge, changing, prone to breakage
Testing - somewhere in between the two.

I'd suggest Testing for a workstation and Stable for a server.

There're a few methods of getting the images, too.
A netinstall is a tiny image, so a small download, but on installation it must then download everything it needs to install. The normal CDs are a bigger initial download, but then don't need to download so much. I've always used netinstall CDs.

Finally, you want to make sure you download a 'PowerPC' image.

My reccomendation would be this file.

Quote:
Is there any step-by-step instructions that someone could give me on installing debian on my iMac?
It's relatively simple, you put the disk in, boot and hold down the 'c' button (or maybe just press it, I can't remember exactly) to boot off the CD. Then you follow the instructions.
There are likely some friendly docs on the ubuntu website - the Ubuntu 'alternate' install is almost identical to the Debian standard one.

Quote:
How would I go about burning the disk?
I don't know in OSX, but in windows I'd reccomend Infra Recorder.
Basically, you will download an iso file, which is basically a clone of the CD. You do not want to burn it to CD as you would normal files, the process is more of a conversion to a CD (or, more frequently, termed 'burning an image'). You'll need software that claims to burn ISO files.
Quote:
Is there a special type of disk that I would need?
You need a writable CD and CD burner.
Quote:
Are there any other reccomended OS's from Linux that would work on my iMac G3 333mHZ, 64MB ram, and 6GB hard drive?
What's important is to find one that supports the PowerPC or PPC architecture.

Ubuntu used to, and Fedora Core still do. Both are more newbie-friendly than Debian (Fedora less so than Ubuntu), or so goes common opinion. You'll not be going wrong with Debian, but it's worth knowing that there are alternatives if you end up not getting along with it.
 
  


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