Debian 12 on iMac G5
Claudia Neumann
Hi all,
I have an iMac G5, PowerMac 12,1 PPC970FX, Platform: PowerMac 12,1 MacRISC4 Power Macinstosh, Memory 1GB+384MB.
I had installed Ubuntu 16.04.7 LTS and it was running fine. Now I need newer libc and so on. So I wanted to install Debian 12 or even Debian 13 on this iMac.
Is that possible? I tried
debian-12.4.0-ppc64el-netinst.iso
but the iMac does not start from the DVD.
What can I do?
CU
Claudia
Claudia Neumann
Hi all, hi Adrian,
downloaded the image and burnt on DVD. Now the iMac starts from DVD but hangs with:
smp_core99_probe
smp_core99_bringup_done
the ventilator is up high but nothing else happens.
I have ATI Radeon X600 (Rev 380) 3E50 (PCIE)
Any hints?
Claudia
Am Dienstag, 23. Januar 2024, 14:58:08 CET schrieb John Paul Adrian Glaubitz:
> Hi Claudia,
>
> On Tue, 2024-01-23 at 14:54 +0100, Claudia Neumann wrote:
> > I have an iMac G5, PowerMac 12,1 PPC970FX, Platform: PowerMac 12,1
> > MacRISC4
> > Power Macinstosh, Memory 1GB+384MB.
> >
> > I had installed Ubuntu 16.04.7 LTS and it was running fine. Now I need
> > newer libc and so on. So I wanted to install Debian 12 or even Debian 13
> > on this iMac.
> This is a computer running in big-endian mode, so you need to install a
> big-endian PowerPC distribution.
>
> > Is that possible? I tried
> > debian-12.4.0-ppc64el-netinst.iso
> > but the iMac does not start from the DVD.
>
> The ppc64el Debian port targets little-endian PowerPC, so it's not
> compatible with your Mac.
>
> > What can I do?
>
> Please use this installation image:
> > https://cdimage.debian.org/cdimage/ports/snapshots/2023-12-14/debian-12.0.
> > 0-ppc64-NETINST-1.iso
> Adrian
>
> --
> .''`. John Paul Adrian Glaubitz
>
> : :' : Debian Developer
>
> `. `' Physicist
> `- GPG: 62FF 8A75 84E0 2956 9546 0006 7426 3B37 F5B5 F913
Federico Vaga
this is a very interesting coincidence. I've started trying a couple of
days
a go to install Debian 12 on the same iMac.
In my case, I'm booting the netinst image from USB but the kernel
crashes
somewhere. The screen is not refreshed after a few kernel messages, so I
was
not able to debug any further.
On the web I've found this project https://fienixppc.blogspot.com/ and I
their
suggestion about a video driver misconfiguration and a possible
solution.
See https://fienixppc.blogspot.com/p/troubleshooting-of.html
None of the options, helped me. But I did not try to investigate more
since
then. Perhaps you will have better luck :)
Federico Vaga
Claudia Neumann
Hi Federico,
if it didn't work for you, I would rather try with Debian.
CU
Claudia
Federico Vaga
perhaps there is a misunderstanding. I'm trying Debian 12 ppc64
Big-Endian.
My suggestion to you is to try the proposed fix from the fienixppc team.
I report here what is mentioned in their article (I copy only what is of
interest to you).
```
[...]
the system shows only a black screen, a black screen with a cursor, or
a garbled image:
These issues are caused by driver configuration issues. Try entering the
below boot parameters when you see the yaboot prompt (when booting up
your system).
Radeon GPU
[...]
If you have a Radeon GPU, try entering the following boot parameters
(one at a time, must be entered EXACTLY as listed):
"Linux radeon.modeset=1 video=offb:off nomodeset"
"Linux radeon.agpmode=-1 radeon.modeset=1 video=offb:off nomodeset"
```
In other words, using grub, try to add to the command line paramenters
"radeon.modeset=1 video=offb:off nomodeset" or
"radeon.agpmode=-1 radeon.modeset=1 video=offb:off nomodeset"
In my particular case, my iMac has an Nvidia card, therefore I tried
another set of parameters. For me, it did not help. But you are using
a different card with a different driver. It might be of help.
Federico Vaga
http://www.federicovaga.it/
Claudia Neumann
Hi Adrian,
I choose
debian-11.0.0-ppc64-NETINST-1.iso
from 14.5.2023.
I can start the installation, partitioning has succeeded.
it installs busybox but hangs with:
package zstd is not available. There is a reference from another package.
The installation stopped.
Any suggesttions?
Should I choose another iso?
Regards
Claudia
Am Dienstag, 23. Januar 2024, 15:54:22 CET schrieb John Paul Adrian Glaubitz:
> Hi Claudia,
>
> On Tue, 2024-01-23 at 15:39 +0100, Claudia Neumann wrote:
> > Hi all, hi Adrian,
> >
> > downloaded the image and burnt on DVD. Now the iMac starts from DVD but
> > hangs with: smp_core99_probe
> > smp_core99_bringup_done
> > the ventilator is up high but nothing else happens.
> >
> > I have ATI Radeon X600 (Rev 380) 3E50 (PCIE)
> >
> > Any hints?
>
> If you have the time, please try any of the older images:
> > https://cdimage.debian.org/cdimage/ports/snapshots/
>
> It might be a kernel bug in one of the recent kernel versions.
Claudia Neumann
Great!
Thanx
Claudia
Am Dienstag, 23. Januar 2024, 18:42:03 CET schrieb John Paul Adrian Glaubitz:
> Hello Claudia,
>
> On Tue, 2024-01-23 at 17:59 +0100, Claudia Neumann wrote:
> > I choose
> > debian-11.0.0-ppc64-NETINST-1.iso
> > from 14.5.2023.
> >
> > I can start the installation, partitioning has succeeded.
> > it installs busybox but hangs with:
> > package zstd is not available. There is a reference from another package.
> > The installation stopped.
> >
> > Any suggesttions?
> >
> > Should I choose another iso?
>
> I will create fresh images within the next hours. You can try these.
>
> I'll let you know once they are available.
Claudia Neumann
Hi John, hi Frederico,
I tried debian-12.0.0-ppc64-NETINST-1.iso from 31.1.2024.
The Mac G5 stops with
smp_core99_probe
smp_core99_bringup_done
I tried with
radeon.modeset=1 video=offb:off nomodeset
radeon.agpmode=-1 radeon.modeset=1 video=offb:off nomodeset
in grub. No better.
Now I have the problem, that I don't get the DVD out of the drive. With my try of debian-11.0.0-ppc64-NETINST-1.iso from 14.5.2023 I partitioned the hard drive. So there is no bootable kernel on the hard drive.
Can I boot from USB?
Any hints?
Claudia
Am Dienstag, 23. Januar 2024, 18:42:03 CET schrieb John Paul Adrian Glaubitz:
> Hello Claudia,
>
> On Tue, 2024-01-23 at 17:59 +0100, Claudia Neumann wrote:
> > I choose
> > debian-11.0.0-ppc64-NETINST-1.iso
> > from 14.5.2023.
> >
> > I can start the installation, partitioning has succeeded.
> > it installs busybox but hangs with:
> > package zstd is not available. There is a reference from another package.
> > The installation stopped.
> >
> > Any suggesttions?
> >
> > Should I choose another iso?
>
> I will create fresh images within the next hours. You can try these.
>
> I'll let you know once they are available.
>
> Adrian
Jeffrey Walton
<dr.claudi...@gmx.de> wrote:
>
> Hi John, hi Frederico,
>
> I tried debian-12.0.0-ppc64-NETINST-1.iso from 31.1.2024.
>
> The Mac G5 stops with
>
> smp_core99_probe
>
> smp_core99_bringup_done
>
> I tried with
>
> radeon.modeset=1 video=offb:off nomodeset
>
> radeon.agpmode=-1 radeon.modeset=1 video=offb:off nomodeset
>
> in grub. No better.
>
> Now I have the problem, that I don't get the DVD out of the drive. With my try of debian-11.0.0-ppc64-NETINST-1.iso from 14.5.2023 I partitioned the hard drive. So there is no bootable kernel on the hard drive.
>
> Can I boot from USB?
from a USB thumb drive when I installed Debian on my PowerMac G5. The
Open Firmware would not allow it. I had to burn the CD or DVD.
Jeff
DistroHopper39B Business
Yes, I did boot from DVD. But how can I get the DVD, that will not boot, out of the drive?
CU
Claudia
Claudia Neumann
Yes, I did boot from DVD. But how can I get the DVD, that will not boot, out of the drive?
CU
Claudia
Am Sonntag, 4. Februar 2024, 21:57:30 CET schrieb Jeffrey Walton:
Claudia Neumann
Mouse button during boot worked like a charm.
Thanx
Claudia
Claudia Neumann
Hi all,
now I could install
debian-12.0.0-ppc64-NETINST-1.iso
from 2023-05-28.
But grub would not install.
I can boot into grub.
The partition is (ieee1275/hd,apple3) and I can find the kernel in /boot:
config-6.2.0-9-powerpc64 vmlinux-6.1.0-9-powerpc64 initrd.img.old vmlinux.old vmlinux System.map-6.1.0-9-powerpc64 initrd.img initrd.img-6.1.0-9-powerpc64
now I am somehow lost.
What should I set for root?
set root=(ieee1275/hd.apple3)
gives no error, but
linux /boot/vmlinux-6.1.0-9-powerpc64 root=/dev/sda3
-> error: no server is specified
Any hints?
Claudia
Federico Vaga
0. prepare a USB key with the netinstall image using ``dd``
1. hold ``Command + Option + O + F`` while booting until you get the
OpenFirmware command line
2. type the following command ``boot usb<N>/disk@<n>:,\<path-to-bootloader>``
Replace <N> with the USB port number you are using. On the iMac G5 they go from
0 (top) to 2 (bottom).
Replace <n> with the disk number assigned. This is usually 0 or 1.
Replace <path-to-bootloader> with the full path to the grub bootloader.
In practice, assuming that you have the USB key in the top USB port.
```
boot usb0/disk@1:,\boot\grub\powerpc.elf
```
How do you find this yourself? Using ``dev / ls`` you get the hardware layout
(device tree). In there you will see a node under a PCI endpoint named
``disk@<n>``. Remember type ``devalias``, and you will see that a ``usb<N>``
name is mapped to the PCI endpoint you found before.
--
Federico Vaga
Claudia Neumann
Hi all,
in the meantime I succeeded in installing Debian 12.0.0 on iMac G5 with radeon graphic card.
I used ISO-Image 2023-06-18, installed default with tasksel KDE plasma, LXDE and LXQT.
I had to insert "radeon.agpmode=1 radeon.modeset=1 video=offb.off nomodeset" in grub to get graphic mode.
Now firmware R300_cp.bin, b43 and isight.fw is missing. I can not install this firmware from the indicated sources.
/etc/debian_version is telling me, it is trixie/sid, but 12.0.0 should be bookworm stable.
Can I change /etc/debian_version to bookworm and change the /etc/apt/sources.list to bookworm? Should I download the missing firmware by hand and install it?
With LXDE I can work although it is rather slow. Firefox hangs, konqueror will not show google. Are there any tricks to make that better?
Otherwise the iMac G5 is not usable.
Best regards
Claudia
Federico Vaga
>Hi all,
>
>in the meantime I succeeded in installing Debian 12.0.0 on iMac G5 with radeon graphic
>card.
>
>I used ISO-Image 2023-06-18, installed default with tasksel KDE plasma, LXDE and LXQT.
>
>I had to insert "radeon.agpmode=1 radeon.modeset=1 video=offb.off nomodeset" in grub
>to get graphic mode.
nouveau driver. I had to set "video=TV-1:d" to avoid continous error ("DDC
responded, but no EDID")
>Now firmware R300_cp.bin, b43 and isight.fw is missing. I can not install this firmware
>from the indicated sources.
>
>/etc/debian_version is telling me, it is trixie/sid, but 12.0.0 should be bookworm stable.
>
>Can I change /etc/debian_version to bookworm and change the /etc/apt/sources.list to
>bookworm? Should I download the missing firmware by hand and install it?
>
>With LXDE I can work although it is rather slow.
> Firefox hangs, konqueror will not show
>google. Are there any tricks to make that better?
I've in the pipeline to try ArticFox (https://github.com/rmottola/Arctic-Fox)
A bit extreame perhaps. You could try `lynx` and friends.
>Otherwise the iMac G5 is not usable.
>
>Best regards
>
>Claudia
Federico Vaga