Issues Installing on Power Mac G5 - Video Feed Issues

[jumil]

Ubuntu 11.10 (currently Xubuntu) runs like a charm on my iBookG4, so there is nothing keeping PPC from running it per se.
I am totally new with any under-the-hood-work in Linux as well (6 months of simply using Ubuntu on my amd64 Desktop machine and now 2 weeks of kicking it into shape on my old old PPC notebook) and have learned a lot during the last two weeks
Keep trying. Bite that problem and never ever let it go. i found that a great way to learn my way around Linux.
In fact I think getting Ubuntu to run in a complicated environment like PPC is probably far more instructive then just using it where it is supported.

[tiresia]

I have the same machine as you, PowerMac G5 2x2,3 GHz. I believe your problem is related to the nvidia Grafic Card. Notice that the NVIDIA GeForce 6600 has two DVI connections. You should use the first one. If the monitor is connected to the second one you don't get any video signal.

If you install correctly Linux (Ubuntu and Debian work very well on your machine) you shouldn't need to press the Opt-Key during start-up. You can choose the OS at the first yaboot prompt.

Yes, MacOSX is quite 'egocentric' - therefore it is advisable to install it as first but to create the bootstrap partition for Linux as second partition. Your partition map should look like here

[MacPenguin1972]

Ubuntu 11.10 (currently Xubuntu) runs like a charm on my iBookG4, so there is nothing keeping PPC from running it per se.
I am totally new with any under-the-hood-work in Linux as well (6 months of simply using Ubuntu on my amd64 Desktop machine and now 2 weeks of kicking it into shape on my old old PPC notebook) and have learned a lot during the last two weeks
Keep trying. Bite that problem and never ever let it go. i found that a great way to learn my way around Linux.
In fact I think getting Ubuntu to run in a complicated environment like PPC is probably far more instructive then just using it where it is supported.

Really? Just I remember the whole fiasco with BeOS years ago. One of the reasons BeOS failed was because Apple would not allow it to run on the Power PC. Of course it was at a time when the foundations were a bit shaky (not as bad as the PC crowd would have you believe) and Steve Jobs just got back at the helm after Apple bought his company NeXT. (I remember all the doomsayers claiminh Apple would fold up! HAH!) (I speak from first hand experience about the BeOS)

But they have always been about making sure their machines run with their OS, etc. So as I'm having trouble with a more recent G5 model I was wondering if this was part of the issue. But since OS X was a Unix-based OS and Linux is basically a derivative of the Unix platform I figured the machines running OS X should in principle be able to handle Linux. Or any Linux version tailored to run with the Power PC chip set that is.

But even now- with Apple using Intel chips, they made sure to let everyone know that only Apple machines are supposed to be able to run the OS. (Which, I hear it's not hard to build a decent Hackintosh for half the cost of a low end Mac Pro)

At any rate, was thinking it was just something they put in to prevent or inhibit the use and one would have to find some kind of hack or workaround.


At any rate-- if I have Ubuntu 10.10 on my machine, would I have to wipe the partition and reinstall Linux? Or would Linux on my Power Mac upgrade to Xubuntu 11.10 from a DVD or CD if I was running my installed OS?

I'm thinking with the difference in the name it should be again a different OS- BASED on Ubuntu, but not quite? Or am I wrong?

Thanks again.

[MacPenguin1972]

I have the same machine as you, PowerMac G5 2x2,3 GHz. I believe your problem is related to the nvidia Grafic Card. Notice that the NVIDIA GeForce 6600 has two DVI connections. You should use the first one. If the monitor is connected to the second one you don't get any video signal.

If you install correctly Linux (Ubuntu and Debian work very well on your machine) you shouldn't need to press the Opt-Key during start-up. You can choose the OS at the first yaboot prompt.

Yes, MacOSX is quite 'egocentric' - therefore it is advisable to install it as first but to create the bootstrap partition for Linux as second partition. Your partition map should look like here

First-

Thanks for the tip. I'll be darned! I tried that and it worked. I wonder why that would make such a difference? Clearly there is no dual-monitor option then for Linux on the Power Mac.

The other part--

Actually it is strange. I took the risk and let the machine boot without holding down option and the Yaboot came up with the options of Mac OS, Linux or a CD/DVD ROM. (I say "risk" - I mean the "risk" of having to wait for Mac OS X to fully boot so I could safely restart the machine if OS X took over the boot, wasted time, etc.)

I have been letting it restart a few times now without holding down option to make sure it wasn't a fluke but it appears to be working. This didn't work on my G4- in fact, I had to hold down option every time and Yaboot on THAT machine only recognized Linux and the CD/DVD ROM - not OS X. I do have Linux as the second partition this time. On the original attempt. Linux was given the first 40GB of my hard drive and Mac OS got the rest. This time it is the reverse you suggested.

Now the question becomes-- can I upgrade Ubuntu 10.10 to Xubuntu or Lubuntu 11.10 from a disc with what is on my hard drive running or do I need to do a clean install.

Debian? didn't work worth a darn. I think it's too old. The last version for the Power PC was version 6.x and they're up to 11 or 12 now?

Tried Fedora too, no dice. Thing is I'm getting a 1TB external firewire, and I hear Apple machines can boot from an external ONLY if it's firewire. So if that is the case I may experiment with Mint on a partition there.

I have yet to get ANY Linux version to work on Virtual PC 7 for Mac so I can have a "linux box" while running OS X. (The only one that would work was Damn Small Linux- I did get that to work on VPC7)

Anyhoo... that's for the tip, I did work. Now I want to see what else I can mess with here.

[tiresia]

Clearly there is no dual-monitor option then for Linux on the Power Mac.

Right, at least not with that Grafic Card. I guess it should work on PowerPC Desktop

Actually it is strange. I took the risk and let the machine boot without holding down option and the Yaboot came up with the options of Mac OS, Linux or a CD/DVD ROM. This didn't work on my G4- in fact, I had to hold down option every time and Yaboot on THAT machine only recognized Linux and the CD/DVD ROM - not OS X.

I guess, it happened because sometimes the yaboot installer failed to recognize MacOSX - this happened to me very often with the Fedora Installer

Now the question becomes-- can I upgrade Ubuntu 10.10 to Xubuntu or Lubuntu 11.10 from a disc with what is on my hard drive running or do I need to do a clean install.

You can do it and it should work. You don't need a CD, you can just change the repositories in /etc/apt/sources.list
Anyway I would make a clean install, it takes not more than half an hour.

Debian? didn't work worth a darn. I think it's too old. The last version for the Power PC was version 6.x and they're up to 11 or 12 now?

That's not true, Debian is not too old. And the version of Debian is not at all related to the Ubuntu version. On my PowerMac Debian Squeeze runs VERY well.

Thing is I'm getting a 1TB external firewire, and I hear Apple machines can boot from an external ONLY if it's firewire. So if that is the case I may experiment with Mint on a partition there.

You can boot a PowerMac also from an USB Drive. If you didn't you can also install a second internal SATA HD. Take care by multibooting, where the yaboot will be installed. I suggest you to read the link I gave you in my previous post.

I have yet to get ANY Linux version to work on Virtual PC 7 for Mac so I can have a "linux box" while running OS X. (The only one that would work was Damn Small Linux- I did get that to work on VPC7)

Yes, it works quite well, but don't expect a fast OS.

[MacPenguin1972]

You can do it and it should work. You don't need a CD, you can just change the repositories in /etc/apt/sources.list
Anyway I would make a clean install, it takes not more than half an hour.

What would I change it to? I tried to update from the CD I made of 11.10 but it ran into a wall with the install, said something about the mirror being invalid.

I admit I'm a novice on some of this stuff but that's why I am on the forums, so I can learn about it.

Do you know what the correct mirrors are and how to change the program to access those mirrors?

Thanks in advance, and for the input on your last comments also.

MP.