Create a bootable usb for net install

[Thomas Detoux]

Hi,

A friend of mine want me to install linux on his old ppc-powered
laptop mac. However, his cd-rom reader is broken and can't be used so
my plan was to make a net install using a usb stick to boot (if that's
possible).

I've found some howtos on the wiki, which tells me
- either to use some script (makeSuseBootDisk or something like that)
that does not work with ppc (didn't try, I just looked at the help
section in the script)
- either to copy all files from the boot/<arch>/loader directory from
the cd and do some weird stuffs afterward, but there is no loader
directory on the ppc mini-iso.

So, what do I need to do to make a bootable usk disk from the net
install ppc iso ?

Thanks in advance.


Thomas

PS : I've posted a similar question on the forums, but the response I
got didn't convinced me.
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[Olaf Hering]

On Wed, Jul 30, Thomas Detoux wrote:

> Hi,
>
> A friend of mine want me to install linux on his old ppc-powered
> laptop mac. However, his cd-rom reader is broken and can't be used so
> my plan was to make a net install using a usb stick to boot (if that's
> possible).

> So, what do I need to do to make a bootable usk disk from the net
> install ppc iso ?

Macs can not boot from USB devices.
Use BootX, which can load the vmlinux and initrd files.
This site describes how to do it:

http://en.opensuse.org/Booting_on_PowerMac_(OldWorld)
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[Larry Stotler]

On Wed, Jul 30, 2008 at 4:57 AM, Thomas Detoux <detoux@...> wrote:
> A friend of mine want me to install linux on his old ppc-powered
> laptop mac. However, his cd-rom reader is broken and can't be used so
> my plan was to make a net install using a usb stick to boot (if that's
> possible).

We're gonna need the actualy model in order to give the proper advice.
 Also, depending on what system it is, it may not end up being worth
thr trouble,  11.0 ran pretty slow on my Wallstreet with the stock
G3/266.  Even the opening sounds in KDE didn't play properly.

> I've found some howtos on the wiki, which tells me
> - either to use some script (makeSuseBootDisk or something like that)
> that does not work with ppc (didn't try, I just looked at the help
> section in the script)
> - either to copy all files from the boot/<arch>/loader directory from
> the cd and do some weird stuffs afterward, but there is no loader
> directory on the ppc mini-iso.
>
> So, what do I need to do to make a bootable usk disk from the net
> install ppc iso ?

If it's an old world system(any PPC based powerbook through the
Wallstreet), all you have to do is copy the initrd32 and linux32 files
to the bootX directory and start the system with them.  Once the
installer fails, you can select the onboard ethernet port and do an
nfs or ftp install.

If it's new world, I'd say if you have another machine handy, you
could try installing it onto that one and then swapping the drive in.
I regularly swap drives between my P2 and P3 based laptop with no real
issues other than changing the video and audio setups.
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[Thomas Detoux]

2008/7/31 Larry Stotler <larrystotler@...>:
> We're gonna need the actualy model in order to give the proper advice.
>  Also, depending on what system it is, it may not end up being worth
> thr trouble,  11.0 ran pretty slow on my Wallstreet with the stock
> G3/266.  Even the opening sounds in KDE didn't play properly.

My friend told me it was an "ibook powerpc G4". That's all he could
tell me, don't know if it's enouth informations for you.

By the way, what does the terms old-world and new-world refers to ?
You said old-world is "any PPC based powerbook through the
Wallstreet" but what does the new york stock excanche market has to do
with this affair ? (I told you, I know nothing about tha apple world).

Thanks
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[Larry Stotler]

On Thu, Jul 31, 2008 at 12:22 PM, Thomas Detoux <detoux@...> wrote:
> My friend told me it was an "ibook powerpc G4". That's all he could
> tell me, don't know if it's enouth informations for you.

IIRC, you should be able to swap the broken cd-rom drive for a
standard laptop DVD drive.  That would solve the problem(If you need a
drive for cheap, email me directly if you are in the US).

> By the way, what does the terms old-world and new-world refers to ?
> You said old-world is "any PPC based powerbook through the
> Wallstreet" but what does the new york stock excanche market has to do
> with this affair ? (I told you, I know nothing about tha apple world).

The second generation G3 Powerbook had the codename of Wallstreet.
The 3rd had Lombard, the last was Pismo.  Apple called all four
generations just PowerBook G3, so codenames are used to differentiate
which is which.  The Powerbook G4 had names like Titanium, etc.

As for Old World and New World, Apple used to have the Boot info on a
ROM chip.  These machines are called Old World.  New World machines
have the boot info on the hard drive.  Basically, any Beige colored
PCI Powermac is Old World and any colored PowerMac is New World.  For
the laptops, the G3 Lombard and Pismo and any of the newer Powerbook
G4s and all the iBools are New World.

New World machines are more disirable because the use newer, faster parts.

Sorry to confuse you.  Later
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