I am trying to install Linux on my iMac G3 (400 mhz, slot load DVD, 512 mb ram, 10 gb HD, OS 9.2) I need to do this to be able to use it on our school network, the tech guys say that the old OS won't be recognized. Anyway, I put the image on a CD and popped it in the drive. When I boot, the drive recognizes the CD and I can see its contents. So, I powered down and rebooted holding the C button. I thought this would bring up a screen so I could boot from the DVD, but it only shows the HDD. How do I force the computer to boot from the DVD? I want to install Linux completely over OS 9.
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Installing Linux on iMac G3
- Thread starter Lbrownell
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Puppy...
Has no PPC support. This includes the deceptively named macpup. If you actually downloaded mintPPC and are having issues, try their forum at:
http://www.mintppc.org
os911 and linxopjemac (developer) are extremely helpful in my experience.
Your imac is a new world mac, so 9.3 or 11 should install fine. You could also have a bad disk, and you absolutely have to be connected to the web for mintPPC to install. Here is a video of mintPPC 11 running on an imac g3 with E 17 as its window manager. E 17 is the same window manager as macpup, its not a default setting now, but maybe in the future it will be an option.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZGbsmyMtP4M
Have you thought about Tiger?
Has no PPC support. This includes the deceptively named macpup. If you actually downloaded mintPPC and are having issues, try their forum at:
http://www.mintppc.org
os911 and linxopjemac (developer) are extremely helpful in my experience.
Your imac is a new world mac, so 9.3 or 11 should install fine. You could also have a bad disk, and you absolutely have to be connected to the web for mintPPC to install. Here is a video of mintPPC 11 running on an imac g3 with E 17 as its window manager. E 17 is the same window manager as macpup, its not a default setting now, but maybe in the future it will be an option.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZGbsmyMtP4M
Have you thought about Tiger?
For networking purposes, Tiger might be the best option. I don't think Linux OSes have WPA support for the original Airport card if that's what you'll be using. Tiger is modern enough to be able to interface with a wide variety of networking standards and protocols. If you don't mind me asking, which school's network are you going to be using the iMac on?
I could probably find a version of Tiger somewhere, but my main goal is to get this working for as free as possible. That's why I was looking at replacing the Mac OS with Linux. What version of Linux could I install without internet connection that would allow a connection afterwards? I teach a a middle school in Alabama. Our tech guys are pretty competent, they say the network something won't recognize the older OS, or vice versa. I don't know much about networks, so I assume they are right. I want the computer mostly as an internet station for our engineering team to use for research.
Edit: The plan is to use it wired to the network, not via wifi.
Edit: The plan is to use it wired to the network, not via wifi.
They do. On Debian you have to install the firmware-linux-nonfree package for the driver, and I think it's installed by default on MintPPC.
As far as installing without a network connection, maybe Lubuntu would work. The install CDs here are 700 MB downloads, though it might take some work getting it set up right. There are KnownIssues and FAQ pages that have loads of information:
https://wiki.ubuntu.com/PowerPCKnownIssues
https://wiki.ubuntu.com/PowerPCFAQ
You could also try pure Ubuntu, but with a G3 iMac Lubuntu will be leaner and faster.
Ok, so I have a CD-r (not RW) with Lubuntu. How do I get it to boot from CD? I tried booting and pressing the C button. I get an icon for the start up drive, but nothing about the CD/DVD drive. Any other secrets about how to get that to happen?
I, personally, would try MintPPC. MintPPC has (reportedly) worked on Macs with Old World firmware with 188 MHz G3 processors. It's extremely versatile and should definitely work in your case. (Your Mac has New World firmware if I don't miss my mark.) I've got MintPPC working on my MDD and while some things feel contrived and out of place (the screensaver for instance) MintPPC feels like a good, stable, modern OS.
Obvious things to check for: Like the above said, are you sure the iso was for PowerPC? It'll say it in the iso's file name. Are you sure you burned it as a disc image? If you just burned the iso file onto a disc, it won't work. In fact, I'm not sure you can burn a disc from an iso image in OS 9. The only way I know how to do it is in OS X. EDIT: I believe Toast can do this.
You can see if Mac OS 9 recognizes it as a startup disc by going into the Startup Disk control panel. If it's one of the choices you should be able to boot up with it. Unless there's some kind of hardware problem.
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anyone have any advice as to why when i try to boot Lubuntu 12.04 ppc (on a imac G4 800) i just end up with blank white screen...i've tryed a number of options at the prompt (using directed tab key) but all land me back at blank white screen...any ideas?
re download Lubuntu
and then re burn the disk. SLOWLY. I had a similar issue with Lubuntu (by the way there are lots of issues with ppc lubuntu, and not as good support as with mintPPC), and that fixed it. Except my screen was black, not white. I gave up and went back to mintPPC (ibook G4) after a week of trying to get the airport card recognized.
and then re burn the disk. SLOWLY. I had a similar issue with Lubuntu (by the way there are lots of issues with ppc lubuntu, and not as good support as with mintPPC), and that fixed it. Except my screen was black, not white. I gave up and went back to mintPPC (ibook G4) after a week of trying to get the airport card recognized.
I'd recommend MintPPC, too, but then I saw the OP say this:
I don't know if that was from everyone talking about Airport cards, but MintPPC does require an internet connection. Though if there's at least a wired one, it's much easier to install than Lubuntu.
I don't know if that was from everyone talking about Airport cards, but MintPPC does require an internet connection. Though if there's at least a wired one, it's much easier to install than Lubuntu.