Arch Linux

rab

Member

Registered: 2006-06-15

Posts: 185

iMac G3 233 MHz Fail on install

Hey i just got this iMac G3 233 MHz from my work and I'm tryiing to install archlinux PPC on it.  I boot up to the install CD and press enter for the default install I get this...

Loading ramdisk.. 
done copying OF device tree
Building DT strings...
Building DT structure...
Device tree strings 0x03030000 -> 0x03030945
Device tree struct  0x03031000 -> 0x03045000
Calling quisce...
returining from prom_init

Then it reboots, any ideas?

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rawr

sa

Member

From: boston ma

Registered: 2008-05-23

Posts: 127

Website

Re: iMac G3 233 MHz Fail on install

why in the Arch64 board then?

anyway any older PPC chip like that will have that problem with HV calls, best to see if you can boot with any debug options

Ranguvar

Member

Registered: 2008-08-12

Posts: 2,563

Re: iMac G3 233 MHz Fail on install

why in the Arch64 board then?

Arch64 & Other Architectures

DaNiMoTh

Member

Registered: 2006-06-10

Posts: 260

Re: iMac G3 233 MHz Fail on install

Hey i just got this iMac G3 233 MHz from my work and I'm tryiing to install archlinux PPC on it.  I boot up to the install CD and press enter for the default install I get this...

Loading ramdisk.. 
done copying OF device tree
Building DT strings...
Building DT structure...
Device tree strings 0x03030000 -> 0x03030945
Device tree struct  0x03031000 -> 0x03045000
Calling quisce...
returining from prom_init

Then it reboots, any ideas?

I have the same problem if I try to use the iso on qemu...

Maybe look in google.
Let us know

guydog

Member

From: Italy

Registered: 2008-12-16

Posts: 4

Re: iMac G3 233 MHz Fail on install

Hi,
I'm new to this forum and almost new to Arch, since I wish to try it out on my old Imac G3 233 rev.B.
Before spending (and wasting) time with install issues, is there any solution for the problem listed in this post?
I'm not a linux newbie, but also I'm not a linux expert.
I was running Ubuntu on that machine until now, but Arch seems to match better my personal linux tastes (simple, lightweight).
I think I could afford Arch installation, even though I don't know that much about commandline.
Any suggestion?
thank you in advance

mianka

Member

From: BE LEUVEN

Registered: 2006-05-30

Posts: 230

Re: iMac G3 233 MHz Fail on install

I do not now why but this often helps on a PPC Mac: at the prompt :video=ofonly.

DaNiMoTh

Member

Registered: 2006-06-10

Posts: 260

Re: iMac G3 233 MHz Fail on install

Keep us informed.. we're working on a new installation cd.

mianka

Member

From: BE LEUVEN

Registered: 2006-05-30

Posts: 230

Re: iMac G3 233 MHz Fail on install

For when ??? For when???

Themaister

Member

From: Trondheim, Norway

Registered: 2008-07-21

Posts: 652

Website

Re: iMac G3 233 MHz Fail on install

Arch with PowerPC support? PowerArch?

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@ GitHub

DaNiMoTh

Member

Registered: 2006-06-10

Posts: 260

Re: iMac G3 233 MHz Fail on install

No,... it's called ArchPPC.

For everyone: use the ArchlinuxPPC bugtracker and post your bugs there.. Otherwise we can forget them

guydog

Member

From: Italy

Registered: 2008-12-16

Posts: 4

Re: iMac G3 233 MHz Fail on install

Thank you very much for working on a new PPC release!
since my iMac rev. B 233 mhz is not my main computer, I'll probably wait the release of the new install cd before trying Arch.
Anyway, I didn't experienced the same problem posted in this topic: that message went away after a while and the iMac booted from cd, but I stopped the install process still I wasn't ready yet.
THank you very much for your work, I'll give feedbacks of the new release (more or less when is planned for?)

DaNiMoTh

Member

Registered: 2006-06-10

Posts: 260

Re: iMac G3 233 MHz Fail on install

Hello, could you try [1] and report your progress on the bugtracker ( if it fails ? )

Many thanks ( to you and to kth5, that made this beta iso )

[1] ftp://ftp.archlinuxppc.org/iso/snapshot … tp.iso.bz2

guydog

Member

From: Italy

Registered: 2008-12-16

Posts: 4

Re: iMac G3 233 MHz Fail on install

ok, I will try to do it, but not immediately, since I have a lot of work going on now.
remember also I'm not a linux nor a commandline expert, and I still don't know whether I could succeed on installing Arch...
How long could this take?
It is easier than a Gentoo install I hope...

DaNiMoTh

Member

Registered: 2006-06-10

Posts: 260

Re: iMac G3 233 MHz Fail on install

You could see the Archlinux installation guide ( installers are the same ) and ask if something isn't clear on #archlinux or #archlinux-ppc channel of azzurra network.

loded

Member

Registered: 2007-06-19

Posts: 4

Re: iMac G3 233 MHz Fail on install

I'm getting the same error as the topic starter, using the 5th of January snapshot.

Mianka, could you clear up what you mean by:

I do not now why but this often helps on a PPC Mac: at the prompt :video=ofonly.

loded

Member

Registered: 2007-06-19

Posts: 4

Re: iMac G3 233 MHz Fail on install

Filed a bug report: http://bugs.archlinuxppc.org/index.php? … task_id=22

stream303

Member

Registered: 2009-03-18

Posts: 23

Re: iMac G3 233 MHz Fail on install

Tip: G3 iMacs have 8gb root partitioning limitations - so be sure to keep your / partition at around 7gb or so (to avoid being on the 8gb boundary) if you have installed a disk that is larger than oem.  The rest of the disk can be partitioned for your use any way you like.  This has thrown off many installations that can write the data to the disk, but cannot boot because root is larger than 8gb.

As for adding the "video=ofonly" kernel parameter, you can make that permanent by adding it to the yaboot.conf configuration for the kernel images with the line:

append="video=ofonly"

and making the system aware of your change with the usual

ybin -v

Last edited by stream303 (2009-04-09 19:12:08)