Unable to install/boot debian from G3(beige) desktop
Hello compatriots/teachers,
I'm sorry to burden the list with this question since I'm fairly sure it's
been asked before(judging from Google hits on the subject). But after 48
hours of trying, retrying and retrying again, I think I've reached the end
of my ability to self help.
I'm trying to install debian on a standard Apple PowerMac G3 desktop(233MHz,
internal 4G ATA drive) and I've successfully gotten a network install to the
point where it's time to make the hard drive bootable. And this is where
I've failed again and again.
Yes, I know that the Open Firmware with this Mac is supposed to be buggy and
requires a patch. I BELIEVE I added this patch with utility from Mac OS 8.5
before blowing it(OS 8.5) away in the course of partitioning the drive. I
don't intend to dual boot and am seeking to make this a Linux-only box.
I can get to the OF prompt using the OPT-CMD-O-F keystroke. As it stands
now,
- Open Firmware is at version 2.0f1
- Linux boot is at /boot/vmlinux-2.2.20-pmac
- /boot/first.b has been replaced with patched version from
http://www.cpu.lu/~mlan/ftp/quik-first.b-g3 according to installation
instructions
- quik.conf checks out correctly with correct fields and values(fyi
root=/dev/hda2)
Not that the last matters, since I can't even boot from OF, right? Yeah, I
get the standard "CAN'T OPEN" whatever boot-device value I've had. And I've
put in MANY, as I've trolled across the Net for possible correct values.
Per a suggestion at http://mfdh.ca/apple/debian_on_oldworld_mac.html, I used
the ofpath command in ash to try and determine the correct absolute hardware
path. Typing, "ofpath /dev/hda2" returned
"/pci/mac-io/ide@20000/ata-disk@0:2". Using that value or its alias in OF
boot-device or boot-file fields still leaves me with "CAN'T OPEN..."
SO, besides the obvious question -- Please, all of you successful G3 debian
users how do I do this?! perhaps some areas of troubleshooting would be to
confirm that early OF patch? I.e., be sure that my OF has been correctly
updated. How do I check for this?
Pardon the long mail. Besides my gratitude, I'd be happy to take a couple
helpful souls to my favorite Japanese noodle place the next time you're near
Golden Gate Park in San Francisco, CA! Guidance is truly appreciated.
-T
-------------------
"Believe nothing, no matter where you read it,
or who said it,
no matter if I have said it,
unless it agrees with your own reason and
your own common sense."
- Attributed to Buddha
Reply to: