Re: Where can I find the ramdisk image for sarge for Old World Macs?

You have what is referred to these days as an "OldWorld", a Mac that has a particular architecture which (currently) requires the use of a piece of software called BootX in order to boot into Linux. (In the near future, it's possible you'll be able to boot and install Linux using another method; stay tuned for that.)

I'll begin posting the installation procedure here, supposing you've never installed Debian (or any flavor of Linux) on your OldWorld Power Mac. If anyone else reading this finds that I've missed a step or am doling out false information, please correct me. Anyway, here goes nothing.

First, you'll need to format your hard drive using Apple's system software (prior to OS X), creating at least two partitions. I use OS 9 to do so, but I believe you can use earlier systems. You'll simply need to have a basic booting Mac system, one that can load the BootX extension (which will in turn load your Linux system). For example, I've had an OS 9 partition as small as 40MB that worked for installing and booting Ubuntu (which is Debian-based). I'd recommend allowing for more space, however, if this is your first installation. You'll never know which OS 9 software you may end up wishing to use -- for example, you may find that you'd like to use the Internet software at some point during the installation. You may not *need* to access the Internet in order to install Debian, but you may find that it makes things easier for you. It kind of depends on how you choose to perform a certain step in the installation -- namely, moving your Linux kernel (vmlinux) and ramdisk.image.gz (initrd.img) files back over to your Mac OS partition. (More explanation later.)

Okay, I have to jet. Partition your disk, and later I'll post some more info. (I'd post links to more info. now, but a quick search isn't revealing the resources seeking.) Also, let us know your progress as this installation pans out.

Hello, all!

After trying unsuccessfully to install Yellow Dog Linux on my Power
Macintosh 7500, I am trying Debian.

After seeing the daunting 14 CD isos, the #debian irc channel told me I
would only need the first 3, so that's all I burned for now.

The instruction on
< http://www.debian.org/releases/stable/powerpc/ch04s05.html.en#files-oldworld>
claim that a ramdisk image named ramdisk.image.gz will be on the first
installation CD, but it isn't. There is one .gz file, but it is not a
ramdisk, I found out the hard way. The file linux.bin is also not there,
but the file vmlinux is a kernel, I found out the hard way.

Does anyone know where can I find the ramdisk image for Debian 3.1r2 for
Old World Macs?

Thanks in advance,
--
Jeffrey Rolland
<jrolland@softhome.net>

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