[PPC] I can't boot Xubuntu! iMac G3 350

[Jammy4041]

Hi All!

I have an iMac G3 (Indigo, slot loading) that I have just finished installing Xubuntu 8.04 on.

I can boot into Mac OS X at the prompt by just pressing x, but whenever I try to boot into Xubuntu, (by pressing L) it comes up with another prompt (When I press TAB, I get Linux....Old), so I type Linux, but then the computer just shuts itself down. Strange!

I partitioned my HFS+ Partition using the Debian Etch Install CD, but Debian didn't install, so I installed Xubuntu 8.04, in the partition that the Debian installer created.

I can boot OSX fine, but not Xubuntu.

I will try typing in Linux Old if that helps, and post back.

Thanks in Advance

[Jammy4041]

I tried typing Linux old and that doesn't work either- it keeps shutting down my iMac.

[Jammy4041]

I don't know if this would help anybody but, in the Xubuntu Installation, my Partition Table looks like this:


IDE1 master (hda)- 41.1 GB Maxtor 6K040L0

#1..............32.3kB............................ .......................Apple
#2..............27.6kB............................ .................Macintosh
#3..............37.9kB............................ .................Macintosh
#4..............27.6kB............................ .................Macintosh
#5..............37.9kB............................ .................Macintosh
#6............102.4kB............................. ................Macintosh
#7............262.1kB............................. ................Macintosh
#8............262.1kB............................. ..........Patch Partition
#9..............25.0GB........................HFS+ ................Untitled
#10..............1.0MB......B..K............boot.. ...............Untitled
#11.............15.7GB.......................ext3. ................Untitled
#12..........375.1MB.....F................swap.... .................Swap

[oswaldkelso]

does ubuntu show up if you hold the alt/opt key on boot?

If not I would try and repair your yaboot.conf with the live cd.

If it's a new install home and all then a reinstall seems the easy option.

[stream303]

I don't know if this would help anybody but, in the Xubuntu Installation, my Partition Table looks like this:

Cool - everything looks to be in place, in particular partitions 1, 10, 11, and 12.

Oswaldkelso was right - I'd be very interested to see what your /etc/yaboot.conf file looks like.

Can you get into a rescue-shell (hit -tab- at the second-stage of yaboot boot: prompt) and then when asked, get into a shell on the /dev/hda11 partition?

From there, issue
cat /etc/yaboot.conf

so we can take a look at it? I've got a sneaking suspicion that root and/or boot may be pointing to the wrong partitions.

It is possible that you could use yabootconfig at that stage to help out, or we can try doing it manually by editing yaboot.conf and following up with a ybin...

[Jammy4041]

When I press the Alt Key (I don't have a mac keyboard) I get 2 hard drive icons showing up- one with Tux in the corner (That's on the left) and another with a X in the corner (Mac OS X- I presume). When I try clicking on the Linux Hard Drive, it just brings me back to Yaboot prompt.

[Jammy4041]

How would I get into a shell on /dev/hda11?

I'm also currently downloading the PPC Live CD to see if I can get the yaboot.conf file. It's the Hardy Heron PPC Live CD version.

[stream303]

To get to a rescue shell from an "alternate" disk, at the second-stage of the yaboot boot: prompt, just hit -tab- to stop the countdown. It should then show you some options you can use, I believe something like

rescue-powerpc

and should boot you into an emergency rescue shell that looks like it is going through the motions of installing, but eventually stops and asks you where you want your shell to be dropped into...

[Jammy4041]

Thanks for that- now I'm in- I chose the option with 11 in it (that would seem logical) and I'm in the prompt

Here's what my Yaboot.conf looks like

##yaboot.conf generated by the Ubuntu Installer
##
##run: "man yaboot.conf for details. Do not make changes until you have!!
##see also: /usr/share/doc/yaboot/examples for example configurations.
##
##For a dual boot menu add one or more of:
##bsd=/dev/hdaX, macos=/dev/hdaY, macosx=/dev/hda2

boot=/dev/hda10
device=/pci@f2000000/mac-io@17/ata-4@1f000/disk@0:
partition=11
root=/dev/hda11
timeout=100
install=/usr/lib/yaboot/yaboot
magicboot=/usr/lib/yaboot/ofboot
enablecdboot
macosx=/dev/hda9

image=/boot/vmlinux
label=Linux
read-only
initrd=/boot/initrd.img
append="quiet splash"

image=/boot/vmlinux.old
label=old
read-only
intrid=/boot/initrd.img.old
append="quiet splash"

[stream303]

Whew, ok it's not that, everything looks good.

While you are in that shell, can you now issue a ybin:

ybin -v -C /etc/yaboot.conf

(Note the capital C)

and then just type exit and back out nicely to reboot?

[Jammy4041]

When I do that I get these errors:

ybin: /dev/hda10: No such file or directory
ybin: /proc filesystem not mounted NVRAM will ot be updated

[stream303]

Ok, if it were me, I'd be tempted to go back into the shell of /dev/hda11, and then issue:

mkofboot -v -C /etc/yaboot.conf

Note that this is very similar to the ybin command for syntax, and I'd answer 'yes' to the prompt.

I'm starting to wonder if those manual partitionings you did might be suspect. Perhaps it's time to call in the more brainier guys than me.

I'd be tempted myself to go farther with the mkofboot command, but I'd be prepared to just start the whole thing over with a 50-50 install of OSX first, and then followed by Ubuntu.

If you aren't up to that, or don't want to mess with the mkofboot command and possibly losing stuff, hang in for the real brains in this outfit....

Just being honest :)

[Jammy4041]

OK, thanks for your help- I just guess I'll have to reinstall Ubuntu.