Fwd: Re: new ibook - potato 2.2r4 - image not found

[Gordon Paynter <gordon.paynter@ucr.edu>]

On Thursday 08 November 2001 21:27, Florian Friesdorf wrote:
> I tried to install linux on my new ibook. But I got an error message:
> '
> Welcome to yaboot version 0.9
> Wrong partition 1 signature

  [etc etc etc]

I've just been through all this with a brand new iBook.  It took me
days to sort this stuff out because I wasn't taking the right advice.
In the end, I did a hard disk/network install.

For what it's worth, here's what I advise:


First, don't use 2.2.  Get 2.4 (woody) from

http://http.us.debian.org/debian/dists/woody/main/disks-powerpc/current/

or a mirror.  For one thing, it will give you yaboot 1.3.4, which has
much better recovery from screwups.

Second, your best source for instructions is the Installation manual
in the doc subdirectory of the directory of the directory above.  It
spells out how to do a hard disk install.

Third, DO do a hard disk install if you have any sort of
networkability at all.  It's very, very relatively easy.

> I used the partition tool from the MacOS 9 Install CD to create 3
> Partitions (MacOS 9, MacOS X, Linux dummy).
> Others reported, there are a lot of partitions belonging to Open
> Firmware. I could only see my newly created 3 partitions - hmmm.

That $%^&@# Apple tool wont show you those other partitions.

Here's the sequence:

Boot into Macos9 Install CD.  Make three parttions: a big Linux
partition, a MacOS parttion, and a MacOSX partition.  It's easiest to
make them HFS.  Make sure the Linux partition is first (i.e. called
"untitled", not "untitled 2").  Note that you cannot change the MacOS
partitions again later - if you try you will loose them and be unable
to reinstall with a McOS.  Next, install a MacOS.

Put the four files referred to in the document above on a MacOS drive
and do an openformware boot into that version of yaboot.

Run the "Install" kernel like this: "Install video=ofonly".  The video
thing seems to be necessary on very new iBooks, but I haven't explored
the details.

You will now run the Linux installer.  One of the first things you
will be asked to do is partition the hard disk with mac-fdisk.  The
mac-fdisk tool will let you see all those strange partitions you've
been reading about.  Delete the big Linux partition you made before,
and insert a bootstrap partition and whatever others you need.

  Important note: it is said that kernel bugs will plague you if you
  go to more than 15 partitions.  By the time you have 8 MacOS
  internal, 2 MacOSes, 1 bootstrap, and 1 swap, that leaves you space
  for at most three of your own, so don't try to be too fancy.  (I
  made a 6GB /, and a 12GB /home).

After this, it's simply a case of following the installer instructions.


Next challenge: X.


Gordon