Problems installing Yellow Dog Linux onto Old World Mac

Sun Aug 20 17:29:54 MDT 2006

Hi Jeffrey!

I noted your earlier posting and thought the following link might 
interest you:

http://www.yellowdog-board.com/viewtopic.php?t=381

It provides instructions on how to prepare BootX settings (and other 
details) so that you will be able to use YDL 4.x as long as you need to 
use that Old World Mac. 

Regarding using earlier versions of YDL or any other Linux the important 
thing to consider is not so much the software as it is the reason why 
such a thing is necessary for you.  As you are probably aware, each 
increasing version number usually addresses flaws, errors and other 
problems not initially addressed in a prior version.  I tried to 
consider the possibility of some Linux software which did not rely or 
interact with or need support from the Linux kernel at some level (for 
processing, recompilation or something else) and frankly I found myself 
stuck.

I'm not an engineer, nor does my knowledge base apply to the whole world 
of Linux -- and so I can only state that my own opinion is that it is 
best to move forward or in this case utilize YDL 4.0 at least.  When you 
become more familiar with these instructions then perhaps you could 
attempt to develop a similar strategy presented in those instructions 
and adapt them yourself to fit YDL 4.1.

Following the instructions in the link will however be easier than 
learning to tolerate file transfer with dial-up.  It is an unfortunate 
truth that the available flexibility of what yum can access, the .iso's 
available online (which are in the category of nearly 500+MB) only make 
sense for download using either cable or DSL.  At least, at these speeds 
you could burn at least 3 or 4 disks within a day.  You are probably 
well aware that you have to include the download time to get the .iso as 
well as the time to burn the disks.  At least some companies offer a 
tier of offering of different DSL speeds, I have no interest in turning 
this message into a free commercial, but maybe you could find a decent 
deal with a company whose pricing approaches whatever your monthly costs 
are now for dial-up.

I really don't see that using dial-up as a viable idea to download 
hundreds of megabytes comprising only one installation CD of a set of 4 
(for YDL 4.1) is a plan you can execute without it requiring many days 
and a few nights, only to start from the very beginning should there be 
a dropped line, or someone needs to reach you and gets an operator to 
break the connection, etc.  Having experienced that myself when I used 
dial-up years ago, it is not something I wish on anyone.

The other aspect of considering DSL is that so much of what is going on 
in Linux really utilizes the flexibility brought about as a result of 
these faster speeds.  For example, let's imagine that you acquire the 
latest version of YDL and you notice that one of the standard programs 
available with it is not the very latest version available from a 
particular project.
Well, you can download the source and dependencies within half an hour, 
then spend more time to build the application , install it, etc.  You 
can shorten this a bit by using yum to search for all associated 
dependencies, check for available updates available within that version 
of YDL and have yum find all of it, get it and download it for you 
within 15-20 minutes depending upon the complexities involved (such as 
which mirrors yum.conf is looking at)....  on dial-up however all that 
is prolonged intolerably... at least it is intolerable to me.

The option of acquiring CDs is not easy as it used to be either.  Gas is 
going up, Delivery costs go up with them, and so do shipping fees. 

There is one good thing behind all this though, according to this webpage:

http://www.terrasoftsolutions.com/support/hardware/others.shtml

Your Mac should be able to run the current version of YDL as long as you 
use BootX.  Keep in mind that BootX is not provided with any version of 
YDL beyond YDL 3.0.  This means that the only guide to use the modern 
version of YDL (while using BootX) is to use that above link.

Just a different view, but did you bother to test the CD drive itself? 

You could use the hardware diagnostic test which is on the original 
Apple OS Install CD which came with that machine.  If you need to 
replace the drive make sure to have that replaced drive be as close to 
original Apple standard for that computer as possible.

Good Luck....

Jeffrey Rolland wrote:
> Ken,
>
> Thanks for the links. I already had both printed out, along with  
> <http://www.yellowdog-board.com/viewtopic.php?t=249> ("how to install  
> YDL 4.0 on old world mac?").
>
> I was hoping someone would have some more specific support, like what  
> the correct kernels to use with each of 3.0.1 and 4.0.1's Anaconda  
> engine is. (I have a suspicion that the kernel is part of the problem.)
>
> Another thing I'd like to know is if I do manage to install 3.0.1 or  
> (heaven forbid) 2.3, is it possible to use the .iso's for 4.0 and 4.1  
> to update via yum or if I have to use a direct internet connection? I  
> have only dial-up access for the Power Mac, so updating over an  
> internet connection instead of CDs would be almost impossible.
>
> Thanks for the reply.
>
> Sincerely,
> --
> Jeffrey Rolland
> <jrolland at softhome.net>
>
>
> On Aug 20, 2006, at 4:33 PM, Kenneth Browne wrote:
>
>   
>> Jeffrey Rolland wrote:
>>     
>>> Hello, all!
>>>
>>> I am attempting to install Yellow Dog Linux
>>>       
>> First off! Don't give up. It isn't all that hard.
>>     
>>> (versions 3.0.1 and 4.0.1
>>> burned and tried, 2.3 burned but not yet tried, waiting for CDs onto
>>> which to burn 4.1) onto an Old World Mac (Power Macintosh 7500 with 1
>>> GB RAM and a 50 GB HD (10 GB Mac OS 8.6 and 40 GB unformatted)) and I
>>> am having trouble.
>>>
>>> The 4.0.1 disk won't load Anaconda (the YDL installer engine) and
>>> crashes.
>>>
>>> The 3.0.1 disk will load Anaconda, but won't read the 3.0.1 disk for
>>> data and keeps waiting for readable CD; the 3.0.1-loaded Anaconda
>>> will read the 4.0.1 disk a little bit, but then crashes.
>>>
>>>
>>>       
>> On Old World Macs you cannot use a bootable CD without installing  
>> Boot-X
>> first on the Mac Side as an control panel.
>> I've done it on a PPC 5500 (motherboard as the 6500 but in an all  
>> in one
>> form factor that was sold to educational institutions.)
>>     
>>> Is there anybody on the list who has experience using BootX and
>>>
>>>       
>> I'm currently running v. 4 alongside OSX on a G4 and it's been a while
>> since I toyed with Boot-X but to quote the printed copy of the v. 4
>> "Companion to Installing Yellow Dog Linux 4.0"  under the heading
>> NewWorldROM Computers..."Yellow Dog Linux no longer officially  
>> supports
>> OldWorld ROM computers....While this does not mean this version of
>> Yellow Dog Linux does not function with these systems, the required
>> BootX bootloader ( http://www.penguinppc.org/bootloaders/bootx )  
>> must be
>> installed."
>>
>> Here's the URL to the aforementioned installation guide.
>> http://www.terrasoftsolutions.com/support/installation/ydl4.0_guide- 
>> double.pdf
>>
>> as well as the URL to the v.3 guide with more details about  
>> installing BootX
>> http://www.terrasoftsolutions.com/support/installation/ydl3.0_guide- 
>> single.pdf
>>
>> Hope this helps. I still have one of those old PPC5500's in my garage
>> awaiting a hard drive and a home :-)
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> -- 
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>>
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>>     
>
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