Re: Debian on iMac G5

[Risto Suominen <risto.suominen@gmail.com>]

Hi Steven,

2016-03-17 2:25 UTC+02.00, Steven Grunza <steven.grunza@gmail.com>:
> Should I expect Debian debian-8.3.0-powerpc-xfce-CD-1 to work on an Apple
> iMac G5?
>
Yes.
>
> I tried installing it and just have a blank screen.
>
> Using Control-Option-F1 I have a text console on the built-in display that
> is displaying
>
So the console is working.
>
> [ looks like a timestamp ] nouveau E[    DRM] DDC responded, but no EDID
> for TV-1
>
> I'm getting these about one every 10 seconds.
>
X has a problem. In your place I would try with an xorg.conf like the following:
---
Section "Device"
    Identifier  "Configured Video Device"
    Driver      "nouveau"
    Option      "Monitor-TV-1"  "Configured Monitor"
EndSection

Section "Monitor"
    Identifier  "Configured Monitor"
    Option      "Ignore"        "true"
EndSection

Section "Screen"
    Identifier  "Default Screen"
    Device      "Configured Video Device"
EndSection
---
The idea is to disable the chip internal TV output that is not connected.

In addition you could add the kernel command line option (with the
same meaning):

video=TV-1:d

but since you can see the console, it's probably not necessary. The
file to edit is /etc/yaboot.conf, and afterwards you have to run;
'sudo ybin -v'.

> Is there a different video driver I can try?  If so, how to I enable it?
>
> lspci reports a "VGA compatible controller: NVIDIA Corporation NV34M
> [GeForce FX Go5200]  (rev a1)
>
I've tried this on a PowerMac G5 with a similar - probably identical -
controller.

Yet another thing to try - in case the above does not help - is to
create the file /etc/modprobe.d/nouveau.conf:
---
nouveau noaccel=1
---
But this disables the acceleration.

Risto