on kernel building, firewire support, my install HowTo
Hello everyone,
I've used debian-ppc off and on for about two years now. This is the
first I've never really participated in the debian community as most of
my experimenting was from reading (and some irc).
About the firewire support, RC2 has firewire enabled by default as my
firewire burner is detected and works (It's a LiteOn repackaged as a
Lacie). So there is no need to custom make a kernel for this reason.
As for building kernels, it seems that every linux-pc head named tom,
dick, and harry that I personally know has built a kernel. According to
my experience and that of others I have read, it is not such an easy
process on ppc. In retrospect I now know what probably made it fail,
but what I found annoying is the sheer lack of qualitative (or
quantitative) data on how to build specifically a working ppc 2.6 kernel
(when I looked at least). Seems there is lots of info for 2.4, and most
of that pc specific. When searching as to why my kernel failed, I've
been told that it might have been because some things were created as
modules that were supposed to be built into the kernel. The pc specific
HowTos (that I've read) do not take into account ppc specifics that
might break your kernel. You'd think they make the set up so as to not
allow disabling choices such as these. In part they do, but this leaves
a lot to be desired.
My two cents is that try to use the RC2 stock kernel before you go out
and try a custom one.
And as for a method of install, I've installed not so intuitive OSes
that like you to do things in blocks (such as a bsd I will not mention
by name), and I always come back to a simple mac? way of doing things.
Essentially I speak of the routine a certain redhat ppc suggests in
their install manual (that I've aquisitioned). If you want a dual boot,
it's the simplist and least terse.
1. boot from mac OS (X) install CD
2. goto the disk utility (under file?).
3. Once booted from CD, partition top leaving it as "Free Space" (the
name used in OS X's disk utility (classic uses some other name for "Free
Space" but it is reminiscent of "Free Space")
4. partition making the bottom partition HFS(+)
The Free space and MacOS must be this way else the partition scheme
collapses
4.1 goto disk icon of the "Free Space" partition, highlight and select
info button. Write down unix designation (such as disk0sX where is "X"
equals is number. Jot this down).
5. quit disk utility and start the OS X installer.
5.1 Finish OS X install, put up firewall, update
6. then use the latest sarge installer and select manual install
process.
7. find the Free Space (recall the the unix designation number (without
the "disk0s") as this should be the same as what gnu-linux calls it),
highlight it -- enter- select automatically partition (I think I select
select "work desk" [what ever gives a separate partition for user]).
Then the installer will put you back into the manual partitioner
utility. From here you can highlight partitions and hit 'enter' to
change their default sizes. Easy as pie.
At debian's manual partitioner:
I sometimes simply do not bother to take down the disk0s number because
I've made the partitions significantly different sizes so as it is easy
to tell the difference. Also, if Panther partitioned, "Free Space will
show up" (can't remember what Jaguar names it but is similar).
>From here you select to write partition scheme, once again it asks you
to approve partitions that it will change.
Somewhere at this point the sarge's RC1 used to notify me about not
installing a bootloader (I don't think RC2 does this anymore). If so,
just ignore it as it is installed latter on (or prompts you to latter
on). The notifying of having installed no bootloader seemed to be a
bug, an annoying one at that.
This works for me on a new world by installing yaboot (and gives me a
working kernel that supports my firewire burner). But I would think
that if sarge is nearing maturity ... it would also intutively install
an old world bootloader instead of yaboot within this routine.
If the installer does not install the proper bootloader, you should
still have the option of using apple's boot loader. As I recall
(correct me if I am wrong anyone), macs with OF (of any version) offer
the a graphical boot loader if you boot with the option key (yes not
called the "alt" key:]) held down. This works for me when I've had
bootloader problems from, other distro, installs that mess up yaboot.
Then again I have version 3 of OF.
Last thing I'll say for now, sarge RC2 with the default kernel and with
KDE just flies. It's is so responsive that I have had a brand new G4
ibook collecting dust. Moral of the story, if you just want a working
system try the defaults first. And if you're having trouble with terse
install procedures try the above instructions (they'll work as long as
the default supports your machine. Else you can perhaps adapt it). I
did write them from memory, but they should be fine.
Sorry about the length, but sound bites didn't seem to encapsulate
enough. This did serve to write down and organise my install method.
Hopefully this will help others coming from OS X. Personally I spent
hours reading various ppc installs (install method on the debian site
needed serious updating, was simply inaccurate at times, and at other
times missing entire steps, and I thought unnecessarily extensive but
this extensiveness has changed), grabbing a bit here and a bit there and
amalgamating various approaches. The reason I spent so much time doing
this is because I knew that if I could manage to install debian (back
when debian used to a 40? step install procedure) that I would feel more
at home being that fink allowed for pre-emptive debian training. You
have lot of choice on how to install. Personally, I wouldn't use most
debian-ppc install HowTos, to put it mildly. But to each their own.
For the record, I use a 400mhz iMac slot loading DV from 1999 with a gig
of ram (if you're wondering on what machine the above works with).
I'm not using debian, strictly speaking, at this moment, but this
concerns another issue I will put to the mailing list. Right now I got
a hacked/custom ubuntu-ppc with debian-ppc parts to get what I wanted
(to circumvent bugs in both ubuntu and debian).
Andres
PS-the "option" trick to start apple's bootloader works only if you
haven't deleted the apple partitions as one of them contains the driver.
This is one reason to install OS X and/or not to delete these
partitions, contrary to some examples in debian-ppc HowTos.
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