Installation of Ubuntu 8.04 on iMac G3 (slot) 400Mhz 10Gb HDD 512Mb RAM (upgraded)
The installation guide below has been designed to be as comprehensive as possible. It is long winded, but as a complete newbie less than a year ago, I understand the need for more than 'just edit the xxxx file'.
Most of the ideas are not mine, so I have tried to remember where I got the info from and list the addresses. This post is useful, however, because it does contain information not contained in the PowerPC Known Issues page (https://wiki.ubuntu.com/PowerPCKnownIssues) or other threads I have seen, and it collects together information posted in a variety of places to complete a basic set-up, following installation.
I am a not an expert, so there may be a number of items below that the better informed could improve, but the actions carried out below have worked on my machine. Before reading this post, please read the PowerPC Known Issues wiki, as my solution differs, and clearly other iMac G3s have responded differently to the installation of 8.04.
www.ubuntu.com and click on Support and then documentation to see the official Ubuntu 8.04 info.
The first useful thread is Easy Way to Install Ubuntu on iMac G3 (http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=405934). The instructions contained here are very useful and form the basis of the initial installation. There is also information available concerning an earlier version of Ubuntu at (https://help.ubuntu.com/community/Installation/PowerPC). I carried out the following:
Used this page http://cdimage.ubuntu.com/ports/releases/hardy/release/ to select Mac (PowerPC) and IBM-PPC (POWER5) alternate install CD.
I used the NTI CD & DVD make on my XP machine to burn an iso image of the resulting file. To do this select 'Data', 'Data CD', 'File', 'Create Disc from ISO Disc Image File'. Select your Ubuntu 8.04 download and burn at 4x speed for best results.
Changed the keyboard for a standard wired (Microsoft) English (UK) keyboard and a standard wired mouse (Asda own brand), both USB. Booted the iMac while holding down the 'c' key. This enables you to boot from the cd. Plugged in my ethernet cable. (Necessary for the post install activity). At the prompt, pressed the tab key to show all the boot options. You will see 'cli-powerpc' as one of the options. Type cli-powerpc at the prompt. The installation process should now commence.
At the appropriate points in the process carry out the following. Just press return to move to the next item, or use tab or the cursor keys to move the cursor to the <continue> option. There is also a <back> option:
Choose the 'entire guided' hard drive partition option, which will format and partition your hard drive ready to accept the new operating system (OS).
Choose a name for the computer. Ubuntu is chosen by default, but you can change it if you want to.
Choose a username and password of your own making.
Enter proxy details. If you are connecting through your own router at home, then you almost certainly won't have a proxy, so leave this blank and just press return.
Set clocks to UTC.
If the installation programme claims not to see the cd-rom press Alt F2 simultaneously and at the resulting prompt type:
Return to the installation process by typing Alt F1. You may need to go round the cd-rom detection process a second time.
If you make a mistake you can go back, and if it all goes horribly wrong, or you believe that you have made wrong choices, but don't know how to correct them, then you can just start again. You aren't limited to the number of attempts you can make, so don't worry about making the wrong choice.
When the installation is finished the disc will be ejected, and you will be asked to press return to reboot the system.
As the system reboots, you will see 2 successive boot prompts. Both will default to certain values. At the first prompt you get the option to either boot from the cd, by typing c (ie start the installation again), or l to boot the installed system. If you do nothing, the system will boot from the installed system. At the second prompt, you have a number of options, some of which we will use later. Again, if you leave it blank, it will default to the boot configuration set during the installation process.
When the system is rebooted you will need to login using the username and password you specifed. Press return after each entry. You will notice that no characters appear when you type your password. Now type the following and then hit the return key after each line. Enter your password when required, and type y followed by enter if you are invited to download more software. Some of the processes below may take some time, depending on your download speed, RAM, etc. It is beneficial to get your system up to date before installing the desktop graphics:
Code:
sudo apt-get update
Code:
sudo apt-get upgrade
The system will now reboot. Login again.
Type the following:
Code:
sudo apt-get dist-upgrade
The system will now reboot. Login again.
Type the following, which installs the X server, required for the visuals, ie the desktop:
Code:
sudo apt-get install xorg xserver-xorg-dev
sudo rebootFollowing the reboot and login, type:
Code:
sudo apt-get install ubuntu-desktop
The desktop that you are installing is called Gnome. If you are more adventurous you can investigate how to install a different desktop.
You may now find that as the system reboots it will pass through the 2 boot prompts and arrive at a screen that states 'Loading.............', followed by a sudden shutdown. The solution is not too difficult.
Reboot the machine by switching it off and then on again at the button. At the second boot prompt, type:
Code:
Linux nosplash video=ofonly nofb
(You may not need all these, but that's not important right now). The nofb item removes the framebuffer. My original video problem appears to have been that the system could not find a valid framebuffer. I found this out by typing startx at the prompt and reading the resulting error messages. I found framebuffer information here https://wiki.ubuntu.com/FrameBuffer
Once your system reboots, type:
Code:
sudo nano /etc/yaboot.conf
You are now editing the boot configuration that the system defaults to at the second boot prompt. Use the cursor keys to move about the file. There are 2 lines in the file that start with the word 'append'. To the end of each of these lines add the words:
The lines should now look like this:
Code:
append="quiet nosplash nofb"
Press the ctrl key and the letter o simultaneously
Press the return key
Press the ctrl key and the letter x simultaneously
Type the following to ensure that the correct boot config is used for subsequent boots:
When the prompt reappears, type:
The machine should now reboot without intervention. If it doesn't, you may need other boot items such as video=ofonly, but my knowledge runs out at this point.
Once rebooted we need to finish the install by editing the /etc/X11/xorg.conf file. (Note that the first 'X' in the file name is a capital letter). In order to obtain something close to the correct entries for this file I first installed Ubuntu 6.06.1 on my iMac and copied the resulting xorg.conf file. I have used the file in its entirety, and by a process of elimination removed the modules that either don't exist or don't work. To remove a line from a file in Linux you only need to add a # at the start of the line. This is a useful feature, as it allows you to restore lines later, if you have made a mistake by removing them. To begin with, save your existing xorg.conf file, in case my instructions do not work and you wish to work with the original file. Type:
Code:
sudo nano /etc/X11/xorg.conf
ctrl o
Now edit the file name to, say
Code:
/etc/X11/xorg.conf2
return
ctrl x
I have attached my own config file. Those in the know will almost certainly have a better way of getting it onto your iMac, but this method worked for me:
Burn the file to cd as a text file. The infromation on cdroms comes from here http://ubuntuforums.org/archive/index.php/t-807976.html. Type:
You should now see all the media, ie cdrom0 or cdrom. As appropriate, type:
Code:
sudo mount /media/cdrom#
(Where hash is the number identified when you typed ls, if a number is required)
You should now see the xorg.txt file you saved on the cd. Type:
ctrl o
Edit the file name to:
Immediately preceeding the file name you may see an expression such as 'DOS Format' or 'MAC Format'. If you see either of these descriptions hold down Alt and then press m as many times as necessary to remove these descriptions. Once this is done:
return
ctrl x
Your machine should now reboot with the full desktop display. Login using your username and password. If it doesn't, type:
Look at any resulting errors, as you may be able to use these to modify the xorg.conf file.
The Known Issues Wiki (see address at top of post) also gives advice on editing a further file, if you have a blank screen. Type:
Code:
sudo nano /etc/initramfs-tools/modules
Use the cursor key to go to the bottom of the file and add the line:
ctrl o
return
ctrl x
Code:
sudo update-initramfs -u
If you are up and running with a full desktop and have logged in, then there are some multimedia options that you may wish to install. These are mainly codecs that interpret video and sound and the software needed to decrypt your DVDs and also set the correct DVD region. Set up of PowerPC multimedia is more dificult than for normal i386 computers becuase not, in particular, Flash, as used on iplayer and youtube is not avialbale for Linux PowerPC. However, through the use of programme called Gnash and another 'get around', a great deal of flash content can be viewed, including youtube. BBC iplayer programmes can also be downloaded for playback at a later time. The PowerPCFAQ page has information and links for adding multimedia:
https://wiki.ubuntu.com/PowerPCFAQ
There is also help at:
https://help.ubuntu.com/community/Medibuntu
To set up some basic multimedia capability:
Code:
sudo apt-get install ubuntu-restricted-extras
Code:
sudo apt-get update && sudo apt-get install medibuntu-keyring && sudo apt-get update
Code:
sudo apt-get install libdvdcss2
Code:
sudo apt-get install ppc-codecs
Code:
sudo apt-get install libdvdread3
Code:
sudo apt-get install libdvdnav4
The regionset package that you may see referred to in Ubuntu documentation does not appear to be required by the libdvdcss2 decryption package, and it interfered with the playing of DVDs on my machine.
Some flash content can be viewed by one of the 2 following methods. If Gnash doesn't work, try method 2.
1. Install gnash, which will work for some sites:
Code:
sudo apt-get install mozilla-plugin-gnash
2. Install a handy downloader:
Open browser
Right click on bar below the web address (Bookmark Toolbar) and select new folder.
Entitle this:
Video Downloads
Go to:
http://1024k.de/bookmarklets/video-bookmarklets.html
Right click the:
All-In-One Video Bookmarklet
Select the arrow to the right of the 'Folder' dropdown and then select the arrow to the left of Bookmarks Toolbar, finally, select Video Downloads. Press Done.
Go to youtube.com and use a hyperlink to select a video. Go to the Video Download Download folder on the Bookmark Toolbar and select yor new bookmark. A new dialogue box will appear. Left click the .flv Download Link and it will play in the browser window. Check the bookmarklets page for more advice and a 'how to' video. You can also save the video to your hard drive to play later.
I installed a media player called VLC. It can handle a large variety of video formats, including playing DVDs:
Code:
sudo apt-get install vlc
Totem is the default media player, so when you put a DVD into the computer, it will launch Totem. To play in VLC, just close Totem and open VLC.
The default dvd player can be changed if you wish. The information on setting the default player comes from this link:
http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=844654
I have chosen Ogle as the defualt player, as I think it plays well, but you can use the default player instructions for any media player.
To begin with we will install and set up Ogle. Open Terminal and type:
Code:
sudo apt-get install ogle ogle-gui
Ogle setup instructions come from this link:
http://linux.die.net/man/5/oglerc
Once Ogle is installed we need to set up the sound and fullscreen. (BTW to toggle fullscreen on and off while playing type f or F). Type:
Code:
sudo nano /usr/share/ogle/oglerc
The Ogle config file just requires a couple of changes. The config file contains options for comprehensive set-up. Look for:
Code:
<audio>
<device>
<driver>oss</driver>
Change the driver from oss to alsa.
Look for:
Change no to yes. DRC makes loud noises softer, and quiet sounds louder.
Look for:
Code:
<fullscreen>no</fullscreen>
Change no to yes.
ctrl o
Return
ctrl x
To make Ogle the default player, type:
Code:
sudo nano /etc/gnome/defaults.list
Look for:
Code:
x-content/video-dvd=totem.desktop
Change the line to:
Code:
x-content/video-dvd=ogle-gui.desktop
ctrl o
Return
ctrl x
Type:
Code:
sudo cp /usr/share/app-install/desktop/ogle-gui.desktop /usr/share/applications/
When rebooted, open Terminal and type:
In the resulting file broswer select [Edit], [Preferences], [Media] and in the [DVD Video] option select Ogle from the drop down list.
Close the file browser and Terminal.
If the above has worked, you will be able to insert a dvd a have it automatically launch Ogle and play in full screen.
If you want RealPlayer, the PowerPC FAQ page has good instructions. RealPlayer allows live streaming of BBC radio content, amongst other things. If you go to BBC iplayer and select the radio station of your choice and then 'listen live', the webpage will use RealPlayer to stream.
If you want to 'listen again' on the BBC, then this site will do it for you, via realplayer or helix plugin for Totem (I don't know exactly how it works, but it does):
http://www.iplayerconverter.co.uk/
I have also downloaded epiphany browser:
Code:
sudo apt-get install epiphany-browser
In theory, if you disable javascript, 'Edit', 'Preferences', 'Privacy', and then select a non-live radio programme from BBC iplayer, then you should get a screen asking you to enable javascript and offering to launch the programme in realplayer instead. I get the screen, but epiphany is not linked to realplayer, so I can't get the programmes to start. However, if someone knows how to make the link, then this will work. (I already use this method on an old mobile IE browser and a more modern mobile Opera browser on a PDA).
If you want to watch iplayer programmes, then you can download them (as opposed to streaming them) using the following technique. You should be aware that this technique downloads programmes without the associated digital rights management (DRM), so the BBC makes attempts to prevent this method from working from time to time, and if you have qualms regarding the legal side, then you should avoid using it. Open a terminal and type:
Code:
tar zxvf iplayer-dl-latest.tar.gz
Code:
cd iplayer-dl-0.1.14/
(or the actual version downloaded)
Code:
sudo apt-get install ruby
Code:
ruby setup.rb config
Code:
sudo ruby setup.rb install
(taken from the BBC page you want to view)
The programme will now be downloaded in .MOV format and can play on Totem, VLC or other players.
If the BBC offers podcasts of a particular programme, then go to the BBC podcast directory and copy the URL of the required programme subscription. Open rhythmbox and select new podcast. Copy the subscription URL into the required box, and the programme will be downloaded as MP3. You can set rhythmbox for regular update of programme subscriptions.
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Originally Posted by conal
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