Ununtu Repositories for 11.10 PPC

[MacPenguin1972]

NEW "bug report" -- 9-Nov-2011

This is for the benefit of other novices like myself who have had the same issues or similar issues to using 11.10 or 12.04 Ubuntu installs either full or mini-iso.

Attempted to restore Ubuntu back to version 10.10 ("last good known working version")

Was unable to restore. In spite of wiping the created partitions clean for a clean install, the new install now boots into Open Firmware when selecting "l" for "Linux" at the boot prompt. This means a complete wipe and repartitioning of the entire boot drive to allow for an uncorrupted version of Ubuntu 10.10 to be installed and function.

Note: Ubuntu 10.10 has no issues accessing mirrors to install programs from the disc as long as "install-powerpc64" is used on a clean "free space" partition created in Mac OS X on a freshly wiped hard drive. Since there is no way in either Mac OS X 10.4.11 Tiger to rewipe the original "free space" partition without wiping the whole drive (Disk Utility is an inept program for this purpose -- while it recognizes the partitions, it will not mount or wipe them) and there is no way to do it in the partition portion of the Ubuntu install program without wiping the Mac OS X side of the drive with it (attempting to wipe the individual paritions results in errors) it is not possible to reinstall 10.10 without a complete rewipe of the entire master drive. I am backing up all Mac OS X files to external drives to prepare for this inevitable, unavoidable, step in the restoration process.

The Ubuntu Forum, after spedning much time doing keyword searches for relevant posts, has no information to better remedy these issues. There are no alternatives to wiping the entire drive for clean installs of Mac OS X and Ubuntu. With the exception of one or two users, many of my attempts to get help have largely been met with arrogant mockery.

The mini-iso for Ubuntu 11.10 also boots into Open Firmware when attempting to install, after booting into Open Firmware the machine shuts down the USB port controlling the keyboard and mouse, making any further computer use impossible. A hard restart is the only known remedy.

Have been unable to get correct mirrors for 11.10 or 12.04 installs, also do not have the command line instructions to cause Ubuntu to draw files from the correct locations. Apparently the mirrors in the install iso no longer exist. The ports were created and the mirrors deleted after creation. Users, especially novice ones, are up the creek without a paddle trying to install these versions.

It is safe to say Ubuntu 10.10 is the "end of line" for the Power PC Ubuntu user.

[rsavage]

It is safe to say Ubuntu 10.10 is the "end of line" for the Power PC linux user.

This is utter rubbish.

[MacPenguin1972]

This is utter rubbish.

So far, I still don't know how to do what I want to do. No one is helping, including you.

PaulJWells is the only one so far who has attempted to even offer something. He has offered a lot of information on previous threads I started that I am now going back over to see what I can do with them.

Unfortunately 11.10 is a lost cause for the Power PC user until someone who knows Linux well enough fixes that install iso or posts on how to do it. AND in a way that even the biggest idiot can understand it.

So far you still haven't given me any reason to think you don't have a God complex about this. You haven't offered one single technique like a command line code or internet link that provides direct answers to any of my questions, just go sit on your high horse!

Of all the posts I see, most issues are for laptops, or other systems. I don't see many dual processor G5 users on here having the same issues as me.

[rsavage]

Look the problem is you are refusing to read the documentation or the threads we link. Mikewhatever and pauljwells have asked you to do things and you ignore them. So ultimately how are we supposed to help you?

If you bothered reading the release notes for 11.04 and 11.10 then you will see ubuntu recommend installing ppc 11.10 by upgrading from a previous version. System > Administration > Update Manager . Click the 'Upgrade' button. It is easy when you read the documentation.

[MacPenguin1972]

Look the problem is you are refusing to read the documentation or the threads we link. Mikewhatever and pauljwells have asked you to do things and you ignore them. So ultimately how are we supposed to help you?

If you bothered reading the release notes for 11.04 and 11.10 then you will see ubuntu recommend installing ppc 11.10 by upgrading from a previous version. System > Administration > Update Manager . Click the 'Upgrade' button. It is easy when you read the documentation.

Look I really don't mean to be a jerk but I really don't know how to take you.

I'm going over your looooooooong Lubuntu thread trying to figure it all out- those side-scrolling text boxes make this hard to print out for sure, so I'm having to re-create it in a WP file in Open Office so I can be holding this in my hand when I try the install again.

I probably won't try 11.10 again until I install a second internal drive in my Mac (which I hope to do soon) to boot from with no OS X whatsoever on it. I am currently copying my OS X drive so I can wipe it all out to start over again. I have no other choice- can't wipe the original Linux parititions back to "free space" again.

You have made reference to directories in THIS post- but my question is-- what SUDO commands are used to force UBUNTU to do that? I ask because even if clicking the "upgrade" button as you say, it is going to go wherever it was programmed to go. If the directory (or repository or mirror, etc.) happens to be bad, I need to know the correct directory it needs, then, how to go in and edit so it goes into the right place.

That is one of the things I have been after here all along.

Command line instructions to make this thing work. OR, how do I set the system to do what you are talking about?

And where do I go to set those parameters?

I am begrudgiinly looking at your 7 page thread abiout LUbuntu and not find these answers. I may have to run LUbuntu instead of Ubuntu- so much for using OpenOffice.org and GIMP, etc. Ubuntu comes with an office suite of it's own but I've gotten to like OpenOffice.org's stuff. Does anything Microsuck Orifice can do. What better way to thumb one's nose at Bill Gates? (besides using Ubuntu, not Windows)

I'm just thinking the programs I want to use may not work if I use Lubuntu, then I'll be back here trying to find answers to THAT problem. I'm afraid to go through all that and run into the scenario. So I am trying to learn this stuff so I can leave nothing to chance.

Looked at Kubuntu-- would be nice to have Ubuntu and Kubuntu to have the option of both Gnome and KDE desktops since I've used both when I had Red Hat Linux 9 about 6 years ago on an old PC I got dirt cheap. Then I could use programs for either Gnome or KDE. (From what I remember back then, 2004-2005)

I also found another thread I started I completely forgot about about compiling. I just hope I can use those techniques on any program, pretty much.

[rsavage]

This is getting ridiculous now. I've told you the 'official' way to install Ubuntu 11.04 and 11.10 is to install a previous version such as 10.10 and upgrade. I've told you how to do this via the update manager. In the unlikely event that your sources list is bad (the mirror problem is only on the latest live cds) this is what it should look like for natty http://ubuntuforums.org/showpost.php...0&postcount=11 . You've been told in this thread the commands to look it up, but they are also on that linked post. This is the easy way. The way you are supposed to do it. The way to do it if you can't get the mini iso to work.

You've already said you can't get the mini iso to work with your G5. I'm sorry about that. I don't know the answer since nobody has ever reported such a problem before to my knowledge. So I don't understand why you are going though the lubuntu thread and are intent on installing it?? The first post on that thread is kept up to date and so you are wasting your time going through the 7 pages.

You shouldn't have to wipe your hard disk to install again. At the partition stage of the install you'll be able to reformat the partitions where you have previously installed ubuntu. There are the options there to do it, because I've done it.

[MacPenguin1972]

[QUOTE=rsavage;11441295]This is getting ridiculous now. I've told you the 'official' way to install Ubuntu 11.04 and 11.10 is to install a previous version such as 10.10 and upgrade. I've told you how to do this via the update manager. [QUOTE]

I have, with Ubuntu 10.04, discovered that the Update Manager is unreliable. It will work for only so long. It is only as good as the repositories and mirrors it is programmed to access. If those change, Update Manager becomes a useless feature without a hack of some kind to reset it to the right place.

I got to the point on 10.04 when I originally had it that I could no longer use the update manager to update Ubuntu 10.04. I could no longer take advantage of updates and as a result, the "sofrware center" feature became equally useless. Apparently they get their files from the same place?

I do not want to run into this problem on 10.10 or any other version. WHEN the Update Manager fails (and WHEN because they do change the repositories and mirrors as I have been learning) I want to know how to set the update manager to the new locations where it is to get the files. Obviously that is a command line thing, is it not? How do you FIX the update manager when it fails?

[pauljwells]

Hi all. I have a G5 dual core, plenty of experience with Ubuntu and no working 11.10 yet!! 11.04 installed perfectly well from the alternate installer (it lets you specify ports.ubuntu.com for the mirror) @MacPenguin1972 - 11.04 has the benefit of Firefox >3 so you get the sync function and you can run unity (if you want to). In many ways it is less reliable than 10.10 (CD mounting for example.) 10.10 installs fine from the alternate installer.

Right now I am installing 11.04 mini on a new partition with a view to immediately upgrading to 11.10. I tried the 11.10 mini but got an error related (I think) to the new ATA drivers in kernel 3 ...

I'll keep you all updated.

UPDATE

11.04 cli installed fine from the mini. Upgrade to 11.10 cli went fine but will only boot the 11.04 kernel. If I try to boot the new (3.0.0.12) kernel I get the brief white screen flash (ending with 'returning from prom-init') and then it just hangs with a black screen - no initramfs shell, nothing.

Linux root=/dev/sdb4 made no difference (This is the correct partition!) I'm not sure why it would since the old kernel boots fine surely the partition is found

I added pata_macio to the modules file but this made no difference. I ran

update-initramfs -u

which updated the new kernel's initramfs but still no dice.

Stumped... I seem to have a problem that is not covered by the various threads we've all been reading and writing on this.

[zenstate]

Just wanted to point out that "PPC" means Pocket PC to many. PowerPC is the proper term for the RISC architecture.

[pauljwells]

Just wanted to point out that "PPC" means Pocket PC to many. PowerPC is the proper term for the RISC architecture.

Thanks for that gem :-/