Re: installing Linux thru USB memory key on a PowerBook G4 12" 1.33Ghz
[This message has also been posted to comp.os.linux.powerpc.]
On 2005-05-21, Jack Malmostoso <jackmalmostoso@freesurf.ch> wrote:
> Ciao Basile Starynkevitch [news], nel tuo messaggio dicevi:
A big thanks to JAck for having answered.
>
>> Do you have an idea if it is doable?
>
> Give a good read to the Sarge Installation Manual, it is weel covered
> there:
>
> http://d-i.alioth.debian.org/manual/en.powerpc/ch04s04.html
>
A big thanks for the reference. However, I was not successful with it
(probably either because of a faulty hardware, or because I don't
master or understand enough the OpenFirmware).
I followed the above reference, which tell to use the mac-fdisk
utility. Unfortunately, I don't have any working Mac, so I downloaded
this from Debian and compiled it on my x86/PC/Debian, which has the
opposite endianness of PowerPC. I did run it on my PC, but I suppose
that it didn't work well (maybe because of endianness issues?) I also
used the hfsutils commands instead of mounting an HFS filesystem (which
my x86 kernel don't support because I did not compile it in).
I must say that I am not fully sure of what parts of my PowerBook are
working properly and what parts are broken (the CDROM slot is
mechanically broken; the disk is new, and apparently it is powered,
because the part at bottom left of keyboard is usually warm.)
I don't know much about Open Firmware. I am able to boot into it. I'm
getting (I'm copying by hand the powerbook's screen)
Apple PowerBook6,4 4.8.3f1 BootROM built on 04/01/04 at 16:52:05
then a few lines, and at last the ok 0 > prompt
In the same document,
http://d-i.alioth.debian.org/manual/en.powerpc/ch05s01.htm section
5.1.3. Booting from USB memory stick is suggested to type
dev / ls
I'm getting many lines; I'm copying here the few which I guess might
be relevant (the indentation is for OpenFirmware output; non indented
text is my comment). The 256Mb USB memory stick is plugged in, and its
LED is green. I don't have any external USB hub plugged in, and the
only plugged in USB device is my memory stick, which is plugged into
the USB plug near the middle, (nearest to the ethernet connector).
ff88c198: /cpus
.... a few lines after
ff8925d0: /packages
....
ff8b1b60: /usb-hid-class
ff8b46c0: /usb-ms-class
....
ff967238: /pci@f2000000
.... about two dozen lines later (after hitting space to scroll)
ff992e98: /usb@1a
ff9f10a0: /device@1
ff9f1250: /interface@0
ff9f1370: /interface@1
ff9f1488: /interface@2
ff99aa38: /usb@1b
ff9f0d20: /disk@1
.... I'm guessing that the firmware detected some USB disk (ie my stick?)
ff9a2630: /usb@1b,1
ff9aa228: /usb@1b,2
.... I'm not sure to understand what these means... (maybe
.... partitions??? on the USB stick, but I don't see why...)
The same section suggest typing devalias, which gives many lines. the
lines containing USB are
usb0 /pci@f2000000/usb@1b,1
usb1 /pci@f2000000/usb@1b
usb-1a /pci@f2000000/@18
usb-1b /pci@f2000000/@19
usb-1c /pci@f2000000/@1a
usb-2a /pci@f2000000/@1b
usb-2b /pci@f2000000/@1b,1
usb-2c /pci@f2000000/@1b,2
Then the same section says: Having worked out the device path, use a
command like this to boot the installer:
boot usb0/disk:2,\\:tbxi
..... By typing the exact sequence above, I'm getting
can't OPEN: usb0/disk:2,\\:tbxi
Can't open device or file
..... then I tried
boot usb1/disk:2,\\:tbxi
and getting
MAC-PARTS: specified partition is not valid can't OPEN: usb1/disk:2,\\:tbxi
Obviously, something different happen, but the USB key is not what the
PowerBook OpenFirmware expects. I'm guessing an endianness issue...,
and I suppose that the stick was indeed read at this point (but the
read failed, because of bad partition issue).
Does any one have clues on how to "cross-install" Linux, ie how to
prepare a USN key on Linux/x86 to be bootable on PowerPC/OpenFirmware?
Otherwise, is there some exact image of a bootable USB memory stick
somewhere, that I could just copy by running on my x86/Debian/2.6 kernel
dd if=bootable_stick.image of=/dev/uba
(BTW, if someone who have a dozen minutes to spare can run the
commands detailed on http://d-i.alioth.debian.org/manual/en.powerpc/
an publish the exact image of his 128 or 256Mb usb memory stick, I
would be very grateful).
Regards, and a big thanks for all.
--
Basile STARYNKEVITCH http://starynkevitch.net/Basile/
email: basile<at>starynkevitch<dot>net
aliases: basile<at>tunes<dot>org = bstarynk<at>nerim<dot>net
8, rue de la Faïencerie, 92340 Bourg La Reine, France
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