Re: Bug#678066: Proposal to simplify PowerPC CD/DVD boot options

[Rick Thomas <rbthomas@pobox.com>]

On Aug 4, 2012, at 10:22 AM, Milan Kupcevic wrote:

> On 08/04/2012 12:41 PM, Steve McIntyre wrote:
> > On Mon, Jun 18, 2012 at 05:56:54PM -0400, Milan Kupcevic wrote:
> > > This is a Debian installation ${MEDIA_TYPE},
> > > built on ${BUILD_DATE}.
> > >
> > > +
> > > Enter one of the following options to begin:
> > >
> > > -install     32-bit processor (G4 or earlier)
> > > -install64   64-bit processor (G5 or IBM POWER3/4/5)
> > > -expert      expert mode on 32-bit processor
> > > -expert64    expert mode on 64-bit processor
> > > +install     64-bit processor (G5 or POWER3/4/5/6/7)
> > > +install32   32-bit processor (G4 or earlier)
> >
> > Is there a reason why you've dropped mention of the "expert" options
> > here?
>
> Just to simplify the first screen. User has to pres TAB to see a full
> list of options, which is: install, expert, rescue, auto, install32,
> expert32, rescue32 and auto32.
>
> When booted on a 64-bit machine the first presented screen looks like:
>
> =====================================================================
> Welcome to Debian GNU/Linux wheezy!
>
> This is a Debian installation CDROM,
> built on 20120617-18:20.
>
> Enter one of the following options to begin:
>
> install     64-bit processor (G5 or POWER3/4/5/6/7)
> install32   32-bit processor (G4 or earlier)
>
> Press TAB for a full list of options.
>
> If the system fails to boot with a white screen
> which doesn't go away, add 'video=ofonly'.
>
>
> Welcome to yaboot version 1.3.16
> Enter "help" to get some basic usage information
> boot:
> =====================================================================
>
>
>
> When booted on a 32-bit machine the first presented screen looks like:
>
> =====================================================================
> Welcome to Debian GNU/Linux wheezy!
>
> This is a Debian installation CDROM,
> built on 20120617-18:20.
>
> Press ENTER to continue, or press TAB for a
> full list of options.
>
> If the system fails to boot with a white screen
> which doesn't go away, type:
>
> install video=ofonly
>
>
> Welcome to yaboot version 1.3.16
> Enter "help" to get some basic usage information
> boot:
> =====================================================================
>
> The full list of options presented after the TAB was pressed on a 32- 
> bit
> machine is: install, expert, rescue and auto.
>
>
> Milan


I just tried booting a PowerMac G4 with the Wheezy installer image  
"built on 20120826-03:23" (details of where I downloaded it from, etc  
available on request).

The G4 is a 32-bit machine, but it seems to be offering me the choices  
for a 64 bit machine.

Before the "boot:" prompt it said (among other things)
    install     64-bit processor (G5 or POWER3/4/5/6/7)
    install32   32-bit processor (G4 or earlier)

and when I entered <tab> at the "boot:" prompt I saw the list of options
    install   expert      rescue
    auto      install32   expert32
    rescue32  auto32

If I just hit <ret> at the "boot:" prompt it looks like it's trying to  
boot the 64-bit kernel, which (of course) fails on the G4.

The only unusual thing about this is that I'm booting from a USB stick  
using Open Firmware, rather than from a physical CD-ROM.  Should that  
make any difference?

Thanks!

Rick