G3 Desktop - no boot to CD

[Derick Centeno]

> 
> From: Pete Lancashire <pete5520 at pdxeng.com>
> Date: 2005/01/30 Sun AM 12:50:29 EST
> To: yellowdog-newbie at lists.terrasoftsolutions.com
> Subject: G3 Desktop - no boot to CD
> 
> Hi,
> 
> New to Mac but not Linux.
> 
> I was given a G3 that I can not get to boot to its CDROM
> 
> What I know about it so far is the back lable has on it
> "PowerPC G3 300 Mhz 1MB Cache 64MB/6GB HD/24x CD/Zip"
> When booted it has OS 8, and 192 MB of RAM.
> 
> I downloaded onto my x86 Linux box the 4 YD CD's, and burned
> the ISO's. But I can not get the Mac to boot to the CD.
> 
> I've tried holding down the "C" key and after booting
> into OS 8, changing the boot disk to the CDROM.
> 
> No matter what it boots to the HD.
> 
> Any suggestions would be welcome
> 
> thanks,
> 
> -pete

Hi Pete:
Some good news.
First YDL 4 is optimized to run on Mac Computers known to the Mac Community as 
"New World" computers.  The computer you've described is an "Old World" 
computer.

And now for something "completely different"....
Old World computers requires software which assists them to boot into the Linux 
environment.  The software is known as BootX which is itself comprised of 
several components which TerraSoft provided and built in prior versions of YDL 
but they have chosen NOT to do so for YDL 4 and beyond.  Let's skip the 
technical issues why, ok?  There's enough to explain as it is.

The components of BootX are:
1.  The BootX Control Panel: This goes into the Control Panel section of the 
System Folder for MacOS lower than 9.2 (which is what you have)
2.  The BooxX Extension file: This goes into the Extension Folder.
3.  Linux Kernels Folder: This folder can be created within the MacOS System 
Folder by pressing the Apple Key or Clover Leaf Key and letter N at the same 
time.  It NEEDS TO BE NAMED Linux Kernels so that BootX can find it.  Into that 
folder will be placed a copy of the Linux kernel you are planning to boot into 
from the MacOS!
4.  ramdisk....gz.  I've forgotten what comes between the k and g but this is 
the ramdisk file which ALSO goes into the System Folder.

Before you can continue however remember that YDL 4 was NOT designed to work 
with Old World systems, that DOES NOT mean it cannot be done.  Remember that 
the only support for doing that will come from other members of this same list 
or other lists such as this link below.  Other members have ALREADY worked out 
how to get Old World systems to work with YDL 4 using BootX.  THAT explanation 
can be found here:

www.yellowdog-board.com/viewtopic.php?t=339 

SO where IS BOOTX?  BootX was provided with YDL 3 and it resided on the 1st CD 
disk or Install CD number 1, but YDL 3 is not being sold any longer.  There ARE 
however YDL mirrors which still care YDL 3 and it is there you should look.

You may find you may have to burn the entire YDL 3 Install CD disk #1 just to 
get at BootX.  I hope not, but you know how to do that so that should not be a 
problem.  On the other hand, you may be fortunate to find a mirror with an 
uncompressed form of BootX.  You may also find something called BootX.sea, if 
you do.  Download it.  Copy it onto the MacOS desktop and double click upon it.  
The file will open itself up after that.  Look for that BootX Control Panel and 
Extension file.  That's all you really need from that self-extracting file.  
Refer to the other instructions provided on the above link regarding getting 
into YDL 4 using BootX.