Originally Posted by
AndyMarsh
Okay, first post. I would be a new user to Linux if I could get the thing working! Arghhh!!!!
Don't base your judgement about Linux on how it is supported for Apple PPC boxes, which are notoriously fickle for a beginner due to the large amount of Apple-specific quirks that Linux installers have no way of handling automatically.
Machines:
Apple G3 Blue and White 350Mhz 6Gb 256Mb ATI Rage 128 PCI
Apple G4 400Mhz 6Gb 256Mb ATI Rage 128 AGP
Concentrate on getting the G4 to work first. That would represent the very minimum to me for usability, as G3's are really just a technical exercise in frustration, unless you know how poorly they are going to perform up front.
When all is said and done, you'll have the equivalent on the G4 to about an 800mhz Intel box with 256mb of ram. It's not going to be zippy, and you won't have full flash support as there is only a work-in-progress with gnash.
Distributions:
Ubuntu 8.10 CD ISO install
Debian
Xubuntu 7.10
By all means try the latest Jaunty 9.04. Earlier versions had a number of mind-numbing bugs. I recommend the "alternate" text-based installer:
http://cdimage.ubuntu.com/ports/releases/9.04/release/
Press CTRL + F1 and type sudo nano /etc/X11/xorg.conf and magicallly this file is EMPTY. Try to add info about monitor and refresh rates (HorizSync 30-83) (VertRefresh 56-75) according to my monitor these are correct.
That's correct. But you know how to do it manually, armed with the correct frequencies for your monitor.
To help out, here's a more populated version that can serve as a template for editing and additions, even though it is still a bit empty. :
NOTE that the BusID you see here is for MY iMac, and you may not need this line at all for yours.
Code:
Section "Device"
Identifier "Configured Video Device"
BusID "PCI:240:16:0"
EndSection
Section "Monitor"
Identifier "Configured Monitor"
HorizSync xx-xx
VertRefresh xx-xx
EndSection
Section "Screen"
Identifier "Default Screen"
Monitor "Configured Monitor"
DefaultDepth 24
SubSection "Display"
Depth 24
Modes "1024x768"
EndSubSection
EndSection
Use the native-resolution of your monitor instead of "1024x768" if it is different.
Still blank screen on startup. I have been at this for two days straight. I have ordered CD distros of Fedora and Debian but I fear that once they arrive I will have the same problem.
That is correct. Fortunately what you learn here is also directly applicable to Debian, and even to Fedora for the most part.
Is there a driver that I need to download from a repository or something alse that I am missing.
You should have a much easier time with Jaunty 9.04, since the ati drivers have been replaced with more generic ones, so you may not have to fiddle with driver settings at all - just concentrate on getting your vertical/horizontal frequencies correct for your external monitor, and perhaps a setting in xorg.conf like:
To force the proper video resolution to whatever is the native resolution of your monitor.
Surely this is not an isolated issue as I have tried this on two machines and a friend has had the EXACT same problem on his Apple G4 400mhz.
Exactly - with many Apple boxes, one has to nearly always manually modify /etc/X11/xorg.conf themselves. You may get lucky with more modern G4 and G5's but don't count on it.
I can login to the low res video=ofonly nosplash place but none of the apps work on the G3 and the mouse does not work on the G4.
Two outstanding kernel parameters - especially nosplash, which seems to haunt Ubuntu until the end of time. If those work, you can make those kernel parameters permanent by editing the "append=" lines in /etc/yaboot.conf, and then performing sudo ybin -v to make the system aware of the change.
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