Got a tip for us?
Let us know
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.
Lubuntu 16.04 Remix (updated)
- Thread starter wicknix
- Start date
- Sort by reaction score
Even then, DD on OS X has been shown to produce boot disks incompatible with Open Firmware.
Only DD from a Linux environment has been tested to create working OF boot disks.
@z970mp :
Well, I have the "original" Lu 16.04 installed on my iBook, and generally it runs "OK" . . . but I think the web demands more than the 933 MHz cpu can put out . . . if all I wanted to do was write on it, it might be "OK" . . . . But, thinking back over the years on the ubuntu apple user forum I think I 've had guys suggesting that OF move before, we're talking a few years back now . . . and I don't think it worked then, even going further than OF to something??? Anyway, I had the iso on a large 32 GB flash drive, thinking it could do "persistence" but the "mkusb" app that I use for all of my flash drive making needs couldn't get that done . . . so it was just a regular "live" drive . . . .
Since I now have the DVD and it boots up . . . I'm wiping the drive . . . it was a USB 3 drive . . . it did mount on the G4 desktop, just wouldn't boot . . .
PS: I still haven't messed with "DD" . . . I use Brasero or mkusb . . . .
Really? I use dd on my Power Mac G4 (10.4.11) and it has always produced bootable drives. Same with my MacBook (10.11.6). I guess my experience is an exception and not the rule then.
@este.el.paz I can't guarantee mkusb's compatibility with Open Firmware.
From your Linux system, open a terminal and enter the following (assuming your .iso is in your Downloads folder):
From the Wiki:
Also from the Wiki:
Failing that, you can also try boot ud:,\\yaboot as suggested. Assuming your USB drive is compatible, either one will work.
Very strange... If memory serves, @Dronecatcher experienced problems booting from USB when using OS X DD, but boot from USB flawlessly when he used Linux DD.
And from memory, my experiences mirrored his.
What kind of bootable drives did you make? OS X drives might be one thing, but a Linux installer or live environment has never produced good results for us when they were created from OS X DD. Contrastingly, Linux DD has never failed. At least me, that is.
I don't claim to know the reason behind this quirk - I'm just restating the situation.
From your Linux system, open a terminal and enter the following (assuming your .iso is in your Downloads folder):
From the Wiki:
Also from the Wiki:
Failing that, you can also try boot ud:,\\yaboot as suggested. Assuming your USB drive is compatible, either one will work.
Very strange... If memory serves, @Dronecatcher experienced problems booting from USB when using OS X DD, but boot from USB flawlessly when he used Linux DD.
And from memory, my experiences mirrored his.
What kind of bootable drives did you make? OS X drives might be one thing, but a Linux installer or live environment has never produced good results for us when they were created from OS X DD. Contrastingly, Linux DD has never failed. At least me, that is.
I don't claim to know the reason behind this quirk - I'm just restating the situation.
Always Linux drives. I use the dd command with no specification for block size and it does its thing. It boot successfully and can produce a stable live system (save for some graphical crashes that I inevitably get no matter what I'm booting from).
Come to think of it, I think I conducted most of my flashing from Leopard...
Maybe Leopard broke something in DD that kills Linux compatibility?
@z970mp :
Thanks for posting that DD data, apparently it didn't make it into the reply window . . . I'll have to take a look at it . . . but I find the GUI apps to be "best" for me . . . rather than trying to figure out whether the usb port is #1, or #3, etc . . . . I haven't had any problems with mkusb created drives, and it has the capacity to make "persistent live" installs with either debian or ubuntu isos . . . I've only tried to do that a couple times . . . without "success" for pilot error reasons.
Anyway, as mentioned before, the Wicknix Lu 16 iso is now etched into a DVD and the USB flash drive is "nuked" . . . . I found the Wicknix page with all the various respin options . . . when I get the time I'll take your recommend to try out the 12 . . . burned to DVD via likely my '12 MacPro booted up in either Lu or U-MATE 20.04 and using . . . brasero . . . and I'll see what HTOP shows on CPU percentage.
I'll probably boot up the 16 DVD again and skip the browser and see if just trying to type something in a word processor gets the fan blowing . . . .
Thanks for the attention and information . . .
So, following up on the prev post . . . I did again boot the live 16.04 respin in my iBook 933 a second time, and this time I first tried it without trying resource heavy web sites, like Gmail . . . so I launched LO Writer and I typed a few words, left that window open; launched GParted, the cpu kicked up a couple of notches, but nothing dramatic; then I launched HTOP, so three windows open . . . and basically the only sound was the hum of the optical drive spinning . . . . Then I launched Spider Mail, which I guess is the spin on T-bird?? or similar, wanted to see if it would do "email" without blowing it's top, but I didn't have all of the data for the "wizard" . . . so I shut that down.
Then, final "test" . . . I launched Spider Web . . . loaded Gmail . . . and, even as it was processing the name and password . . . the cpu was spinning up and the fan started blowing . . . so I fq'd out of it and the cpu dropped back down to like 3% . . . . So, all in all, this respin did better than the olde Lu 16 system does with three or four windows open the fan is blowing fairly noisily . . . but the Wicknix version seems to handle that quietly.
On the "downside" the olde bug-a-boo from as far back as the ubuntu 12.04 days in PPC seems to still be hanging on . . . i.e., window dragging is "glitchy" and there is "tearing" or "trails" along behind the drag . . . back in ubuntu PPC days guys were blowing their tops about "window dragging issues," . . . . I still have a CD/DVD from a guy on that forum, "rsavage" who provided his spin of Xubuntu 12.04 that had "all of the window manager problems fixed" . . . for PPC . . . . I don't know enough to know how he did that, but he did . . . back in when was that 2011???
Then, final "test" . . . I launched Spider Web . . . loaded Gmail . . . and, even as it was processing the name and password . . . the cpu was spinning up and the fan started blowing . . . so I fq'd out of it and the cpu dropped back down to like 3% . . . . So, all in all, this respin did better than the olde Lu 16 system does with three or four windows open the fan is blowing fairly noisily . . . but the Wicknix version seems to handle that quietly.
On the "downside" the olde bug-a-boo from as far back as the ubuntu 12.04 days in PPC seems to still be hanging on . . . i.e., window dragging is "glitchy" and there is "tearing" or "trails" along behind the drag . . . back in ubuntu PPC days guys were blowing their tops about "window dragging issues," . . . . I still have a CD/DVD from a guy on that forum, "rsavage" who provided his spin of Xubuntu 12.04 that had "all of the window manager problems fixed" . . . for PPC . . . . I don't know enough to know how he did that, but he did . . . back in when was that 2011???
Certain gfx cards and certain versions of lxde dont get along well and you get tearing and slow dragging. My mini with a radeon 9200 had that issue. However under 12.04 remix that issue went away. I'd say give it a whirl. Its much lighter than 16.04, and i rebuilt a lot of newer software for it. Should run quite well on your machine.
Cheers
Cheers
@wicknix :
Thanks for the reply . . . I do have your 12.04 & the Sidster spins burned to DVD so I will give them a try . . . just for kicks . . . obviously in linux, nothing is permanent . . . . I did keep the rsavage spin of 12.04 going on my iMac 800, possibly might still be on it, but the machine is "crashing" all of the time . . . and I do think 12.04 was "the best" for PPC . . . but then I also like "new" . . . except for Debian Sid based distros, they don't seem to play well with others in multi-boot situations . . . .
The window tearing, slow draggin of 16 isn't a deal breaker for me I was jes bringing it up . . . as happening . . . but I will give the other options a test run . . . . I know, "don't install Sid, Sid is crazy, Sid doesn't play well with the other kids," etc. : - )))
Well, if you like 16, just install another window manager to replace ldxe, or just use the preinstalled openbox. I've used IceWM in the past with 16 on my mini and the tearing/dragging issue went away. However i highly recommend you try 12 remix first as it'll run much better on a sub-1ghz machine.
Cheers
Cheers
Great work on this @wicknix
I installed on my 1.67GHz PowerBook G4 and it is so well optimized compared to the stock 16.04 install! In fact I would say the performance is the same or better than the Pinebook that I use as my main laptop. I've installed the Window Maker desktop and it works flawlessly, including the wmbattery dockapp. Just wanted to thank you for this and let you know that I appreciate the work you've put in.
I installed on my 1.67GHz PowerBook G4 and it is so well optimized compared to the stock 16.04 install! In fact I would say the performance is the same or better than the Pinebook that I use as my main laptop. I've installed the Window Maker desktop and it works flawlessly, including the wmbattery dockapp. Just wanted to thank you for this and let you know that I appreciate the work you've put in.
Glad you like it. I was torn after I made 12 and 16 remix, so my PowerBook now dual boots both. 
Cheers
Cheers
Ha!!!...so best of both worlds, wicknix.
I must say since installing your 12 on my G4 iBook, Ive been thinking about a possible setup re most of my PCs. Ive two iMacs - 5,_ and 10,1 that I use eyetvs on...using Snow Leopard on both. I could set dual booting OSX ie Snow Leopard just for eyetv viewing and/or recording...and have Lubuntu on both the iMacs and your 12 on the iBook (with tiger)...for online and general computing stuff.
I must say since installing your 12 on my G4 iBook, Ive been thinking about a possible setup re most of my PCs. Ive two iMacs - 5,_ and 10,1 that I use eyetvs on...using Snow Leopard on both. I could set dual booting OSX ie Snow Leopard just for eyetv viewing and/or recording...and have Lubuntu on both the iMacs and your 12 on the iBook (with tiger)...for online and general computing stuff.
Hi,
I have problems with the 16.04 build on my G5 June 2004.
1. Shut down and reboot does not work. The process stops with a Black screen and no shot down or reboot. I must press the Button to shut down.
2. I have installed Lubuntu side by side to Leopard. Setup before installation:
Partition 1: Leopard ---> Partition 2: Data ----> Free Space for Linux
After installation of Lubuntu and a "restart" i go to the Apple Bootmanager and select Linux. Now i get a black screen with a text boot menu (l, x, c?)
Wenn I press "l", i get back to the wrong colored Apple Bootmanager
Wenn I press "x", i get a grey screen and no boot.
Is there a way to fix this Problem?
I have problems with the 16.04 build on my G5 June 2004.
1. Shut down and reboot does not work. The process stops with a Black screen and no shot down or reboot. I must press the Button to shut down.
2. I have installed Lubuntu side by side to Leopard. Setup before installation:
Partition 1: Leopard ---> Partition 2: Data ----> Free Space for Linux
After installation of Lubuntu and a "restart" i go to the Apple Bootmanager and select Linux. Now i get a black screen with a text boot menu (l, x, c?)
Wenn I press "l", i get back to the wrong colored Apple Bootmanager
Wenn I press "x", i get a grey screen and no boot.
Is there a way to fix this Problem?
@wicknix :
So, after action report, so I've tried the 16 spin in both of my more or less extant PPC units, and 16 runs pretty well on the slightly modded Sawtoothe, and does OK on the iBook, I tried to log out of the lxde session and into an openbox, but it wouldn't except any of the possible "passwords" I could think of . . . ????
I booted the 12 in the iBook and it was fine . . . until I tried getting into the browser . . . then the fan started to spin up . . . main reason I would mainly go with the 16 is because of the dreaded "Abiword" app in 12 . . . we used to have "problems" with Abiword back in the day of Abiword, this time when I typed or tried to type, another window would open????
Then, I tried the Sid spin, wasn't sure exactly what this is spec'd for, I thought the last iteration for PPC was the U-MATE Zesty that I have on my PM . . . no browser . . . . Anyway, I booted it up in the 3,1 . . . got to the Yaboot screen, entered in the boot params, got a "boot failed" or "failed to read" from all of the different params or no params . . . . Then I tried it over in the iBook, put the params in, got a dmesg window . . . ran for a bit . . . ending in the dreaded . . . "panic of kernel" . . . ??? It did list that it was "elf32 bit" . . . as I was thinking it was for 64 bit PPC only . . . anyway, something about it did not "play well" in my two PPC units . . . . just reporting.
Right now I'm leaning toward the 16 spin, perhaps running Openbox or IceWM . . . if I were to go the full installation route . . . .
@TzunamiOSX sounds like the hard drive is in the lower bay. Linux won't boot from it. Move it to the upper bay and you should be good. Oh, the l is linux, x is osx, c is cdrom. Usually they are already labeled.
Cheers
Cheers
You are right.
Thanks, this will help.
i know for what the l,x,c is, but i was not shure that the last was a "c"
@este.el.paz yeah running live from cd/dvd you can't log out to use openbox. There is no password on the live system. The live session is really only meant to test if the system will boot on your machine, and install the system. ome things might not work properly until it's installed and updates are applied.
Cheers
Cheers
Yes, it is working but i have a new problem...
I can not etablish a AFP connection to other macs.
In this guide you can see all afp macs under Network drives (same on my iMac G4 with Mate) but here i dont see other machines.
tutorialforlinux.com
Oh, and is it possible to install conky-manager? if yes, help would be nice, too.
EDIT: Connection is a Cable
I can not etablish a AFP connection to other macs.
In this guide you can see all afp macs under Network drives (same on my iMac G4 with Mate) but here i dont see other machines.
How to Access Mac Files From Lubuntu Linux on a Local Network • tutorialforlinux.com
Lubuntu macOS Easy File Sharing Hi! The Tutorial shows you Step-by-Step How to Set Up an Easy File Sharing between Linux Lubuntu and macOS on Local Network by the Afp Protocol. The gvfs-backends package provides support for reading and writing files on macOS and original macOS network shares via...
tutorialforlinux.com
Oh, and is it possible to install conky-manager? if yes, help would be nice, too.
EDIT: Connection is a Cable
Last edited:
I dont use anything of that nature, so i don't really have an answer. However after reading that link, all i can think of is make sure you have all the gvfs packages installed. Try apt-get install gvfs gvfs-backends gvfs-bin gvfs-common gvfs-daemons gvfs-fuse gvfs-libs and see if any are missing.
As for conky-manager it looks like only intel builds are available. I'll see if i can build it from source.
Cheers
As for conky-manager it looks like only intel builds are available. I'll see if i can build it from source.
Cheers
Yes, it is working but i have a new problem...
I can not etablish a AFP connection to other macs.
In this guide you can see all afp macs under Network drives (same on my iMac G4 with Mate) but here i dont see other machines.
How to Access Mac Files From Lubuntu Linux on a Local Network • tutorialforlinux.com
Lubuntu macOS Easy File Sharing Hi! The Tutorial shows you Step-by-Step How to Set Up an Easy File Sharing between Linux Lubuntu and macOS on Local Network by the Afp Protocol. The gvfs-backends package provides support for reading and writing files on macOS and original macOS network shares via...
Oh, and is it possible to install conky-manager? if yes, help would be nice, too.
EDIT: Connection is a Cable
T - does that connection have to be a cable...and does it have to be Lubuntu?
I might be off here - but I think you said you had leopard installed as well as lubuntu. Last night I was fooling round with my iBook G4 leopard setup. I had network cable connection...and then noticed I could access my Intel Imac..which was connected by wifi.
so..not lubuntu (have to re-install that) but thru leopard and not cable but cable to router to wifi...seems to work..