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Debian 11.0 PPC64 install mirror?

DearthnVader

DearthnVader

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Original poster
Dec 17, 2015
2,207
6,399
Red Springs, NC
I'm trying to install Debian 11.0 PPC64 on my G5 and I get to the point to select a mirror for the net install, but none of the guides I've seen list a working mirror.

Anyone know what mirror to manually enter?
 
Tratkazir_the_1st said:
http://ftp.ports.debian.org/debian-ports/dists/sid/ ?
You can construct needed string in sources.list, can't you? :)
(Don't remember precisely, but something like:
deb http://ftp.ports.debian.org/debian-ports/ unstable main non-free).
BTW, try to install it to GPT drive, it's much funnier :D (you'll need small hfs partition for /boot/grub, like ESP for EFI).
Click to expand...
All sorts of issues.

I installed without a working mirror, only from the CD image, but it fails to install a working bootloader. Grub fails and I can't seem to understand why to fix it, and even tho I install hfsutils I don't have yabootconfig or ybin.

I suppose I need the apt package Yaboot, but that doesn't seem to be used anymore, and I don't have wget, even tho the package is on the CD???

 
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Tratkazir_the_1st said:
@DearthnVader
Try to find some videos on youtube about Debian installation. The very idea to use GPT drive & grub2 I've got from one of them (it's a bit too long to explain it in text, excuse me :) ).
Click to expand...
My G5 doesn't support GPT only the later 2005's did as far as I know.

At any rate, I'm trying to fallow these instructions to fix grub, but I'm have an issue:

1. Boot from the Debian ppc64 Netinstall ISO linked above
2. Choose "Default Install"
3. Run through the simple prompts in the installer, use the full disk during partitioning, and choosing all defaults is fine.
4. When you get the message about GRUB install failing, IMMEDIATELY press Alt-F2 to open a console, and hit enter to start it.
5. Type the following:
chroot /target
wget https://repo.powerprogress.org/debian/install/grubfix32.sh
chmod u+x grubfix32.sh
./grubfix32.sh /dev/sda2 (or whatever your partition was called during partitioning)
6. If you see "GRUB installed with no errors reported" in the wall of text, you're good! Press Alt-F1 to go back to the install, and choose "Install without bootloader"
7. Run through the rest of the prompts, and reboot into your shiny new Debian install!
Click to expand...


One of two important things to note is that 'grubfix32.sh', in the instructions above, is for 32-bit G3/G4's, while 'grubfix.sh' is for 64-bit G5's.
Click to expand...

The issue is if I chroot to /target I don't have wget. If I use wget and I don't chroot I get the proper grubfix.sh and chmod it, however when I try and execute it I get:

Code: 
/bin/sh: ./grubfix.sh: not found

It's there, I can see it with ls?
 
If i remember right, the installer doesnt have the $PATH set. Try running wget from the full path. Like /usr/bin/wget. You may have to do that for every command until its installed.

Another option, if you want yaboot instead of grub is to install feinix linux. Based on debian. It installs fine and sets up yaboot fine, but the desktop wont show. To work around that drop to console and install a different login manager like lightdm, then install another DE like xfce. Problem solved.

fienixppc.blogspot.com

Download

You may want to review System Requirements & Known Hardware Issues before installing. For Open Firmware systems, such as Apple PowerPC a...
fienixppc.blogspot.com fienixppc.blogspot.com

Cheers
 
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