** Is PowerPc Imac able to boot up to a Linux cd?

Malt

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Dec 7, 2011, 11:16:25 PM12/7/11

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Hello There:

I got an IMac G5 PowerPc with Mac OS X 10.4 Tiger operating system.
I would like to install Linux in it, I downloaded Ubuntu, Xubuntu, Debian
and
I have Kopix as well. When I boot the Imac, with the cd inside I press "C"
to boot up from the Cd/Dvd to no avail. I tried with all the Linux.
I tried also to press the "Option" key but won't read the Cd/Dvd unless it
is
a Mac cd like the 10.4 Tiger operating system. My question is the
following:
Is a IMac G5 PowerPc able to boot up to a Linux cd?? I tried to boot up from
a USB memory stick w/Linux in it to no avail.

I heard that Macs with the Intel processor don't have this problem, is it
only
with the PowerPc Processors?

Thank you in advance.

Malt

Stephen Harker

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Dec 8, 2011, 1:25:51 AM12/8/11

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"Malt" <M...@aol.com> writes:

> Hello There:
>
> I got an IMac G5 PowerPc with Mac OS X 10.4 Tiger operating system.
> I would like to install Linux in it, I downloaded Ubuntu, Xubuntu,
> Debian and
> I have Kopix as well. When I boot the Imac, with the cd inside I press "C"
> to boot up from the Cd/Dvd to no avail. I tried with all the Linux.
> I tried also to press the "Option" key but won't read the Cd/Dvd
> unless it is
> a Mac cd like the 10.4 Tiger operating system. My question is the
> following:
> Is a IMac G5 PowerPc able to boot up to a Linux cd?? I tried to boot up from
> a USB memory stick w/Linux in it to no avail.

You need to have a ppc version of linux. The source code has to have
been compiled to make executables appropriate for the processor you
are using. If you try a site such as http://penguinppc.org/ it will
list some distributions, likely not up to date. For some of those you
mention, plus some others that seem to have recent work:

Debian: http://www.debian.org/ports/powerpc/
Ubuntu: https://wiki.ubuntu.com/PowerPC
Crux: http://cruxppc.org/
Fedora: http://fedoraproject.org/wiki/Arch:PPC#Latest_PPC_Fedora_release
Arch: http://www.archlinuxppc.org/

> I heard that Macs with the Intel processor don't have this problem, is
> it only
> with the PowerPc Processors?

No, if you have a cd or dvd or whatever with executables for a
different architecture you can't (in general) use it on your
architecture.

I would suggest you look to see which of the above have good support
for your iMac G5 and try that distribution. Some of the iMac G5
models had issues with most distributions the last time I looked, but
that was at least a year ago. In particular Debian seems to offer
good general support. The latest Fedora is in alpha release, so it
may be problematic.

--
Stephen Harker s.ha...@adfa.edu.au
PEMS http://sjharker.customer.netspace.net.au/
UNSW@ADFA

Malt

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Dec 8, 2011, 8:32:07 AM12/8/11

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"Stephen Harker" wrote in message news:m3fwgvs...@netspace.net.au...

================ ==============================

Thank you Stephen, for your reply. I'll try that.

I am happy to see your reply, I didn't see too much activity with this
powerPc group,
I was wondering if I was going to get an answer.

Malt

ppc.addon

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Dec 15, 2011, 6:41:38 PM12/15/11

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you are still lucky coz there are some good distro for your imac!
I personally prefer CRUX PPC but i'm also quite happy of Fedora (a
good choice when ppc64) that just now is in beta release.

ciao,
Nello
---
My blog: http://linuxpowerpc.blogspot.com/

Dennis

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Jan 18, 2012, 5:11:31 AM1/18/12

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Have you been using the powerpc version of debian. In my power mac g4 it
works like a charm

Dennis