Newbie question about Fedora Core 4

flux1968 · #1 19th March 2005, 06:30 PM

I am a total newbie to Linux so please bear with me.

I decided to try to install Fedora Core 4 on a PowerPC G4/533. I burned all 5 cd's but I can't seem to boot off the first one to begin the install. Am I doing something wrong?

***bob*** · #2 19th March 2005, 07:15 PM

Please, please do not attempt to install FC4 at this point. It's a very early version designed to for testing purposes only. You should be installing FC3 instead - FC4 will be stable and available for general use later on.

jim · #3 19th March 2005, 07:18 PM

Or wait til FC4 is release in June. FC 3 I think doesn't have total PPC support. Someone chime in on this to be sure of the PPC support.

salpula · #4 19th March 2005, 07:52 PM

FC3 is actually pretty well off at this point, I have it running beautifully on my iBook 800Mhz G4, but be warned the installer isn't perfect so you might have to tinker a tiny bit with getting yaboot setup, but if you read the documentation you should be fine, check out the Fedora PPC guide thread. DO NOT UPDATE FROM THE DEVELOPMENT TREE, if you use the stable yum repository everything should run fine. I have a default workstation going and it runs better than OSX did on that laptop since it only has 256 mbs of ram.

flux1968 · #5 22nd March 2005, 12:04 AM

Thanks for your response. I took your advice and installed FC3. I ran into some snags during the install and had to play around until I got it to work. However, I'm still struck by the lack of any good documentation for Fedora Core for PPC. Maybe it's because I've been spoiled by using the Mac so long, but I hope that someone puts out a Fedora Core for PPC guide or something.

***bob*** · #6 22nd March 2005, 02:13 AM

Have you looked in the PPC section of the Forum. For instance: http://www.bytebot.net/geekdocs/ibook/fedorappc.html

I'm a bit envious since I've never touched a Mac, but now that the sub-$500 machine is out there, maybe some day (after the home improvements, boat and snowmobile that is....)

salpula · #7 22nd March 2005, 07:46 AM

Its because fedora for PPC is very new. . . it was not even supported when FC3 was released all the work was done after from what I understand. And FC4 is the first time its being included with the release.

flux1968 · #8 23rd March 2005, 04:04 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by justol'bob

Have you looked in the PPC section of the Forum. For instance: http://www.bytebot.net/geekdocs/ibook/fedorappc.html

I'm a bit envious since I've never touched a Mac, but now that the sub-$500 machine is out there, maybe some day (after the home improvements, boat and snowmobile that is....)

Yes, in fact, that's where I found the installation instructions for FC3.

salpula · #9 23rd March 2005, 04:48 PM

If you want to try FC4 and have FC3 installed do this. .
1. Download all 5 CDs and the boot.iso (don't bother with the DVD its more of a pain)
2. mount the boot iso "mount -o loop /home/user/boot.iso /mnt/tmp"
3.copy the VMlinuz and ramdisk image into your boot folder
4. Make a yaboot entry eg:
image=/boot/iso3.9/vmlinuz
initrd=/boot/iso3.9/ramdisk.image.gz
label=isoboot
root=/dev/hda2
partition=2

5. (optional)extract the CDs on another linux box and shared the folder over NFS (it MIGHT also work to do it frmo the hard drive)
6. Boot the yaboot entry and select method of install. So far I know of NFS and CD installs (after booting from the hard drive) working, neither myself nor LaKing could get the hard drive option going

flux1968 · #10 23rd March 2005, 05:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by salpula

If you want to try FC4 and have FC3 installed do this. .
1. Download all 5 CDs and the boot.iso (don't bother with the DVD its more of a pain)
2. mount the boot iso "mount -o loop /home/user/boot.iso /mnt/tmp"
3.copy the VMlinuz and ramdisk image into your boot folder
4. Make a yaboot entry eg:
image=/boot/iso3.9/vmlinuz
initrd=/boot/iso3.9/ramdisk.image.gz
label=isoboot
root=/dev/hda2
partition=2

5. (optional)extract the CDs on another linux box and shared the folder over NFS (it MIGHT also work to do it frmo the hard drive)
6. Boot the yaboot entry and select method of install. So far I know of NFS and CD installs (after booting from the hard drive) working, neither myself nor LaKing could get the hard drive option going

Where can I find the boot.iso? It's not with the other 5 cd's that the Fedora page links to. Also, I'm a bit fuzzy on instructions 2 - 4. When would I type in that line: "mount -o loop /home/user/boot.iso /mnt/tmp"? Right at the prompt? Does this create a boot folder? How do I copy? I also don't know how to make a yaboot entry.

I'm sorry if this seems pathetic but like I said, I'm a total newbie. Thanx for your response though.

salpula · #11 23rd March 2005, 08:25 PM

How can it be pathetic that you don't know a lot about linux cause you are new. . . everyone starts off like that. . .some people just get cocky about it. . . If you want to read around on some of the other FC4 threads in this forum and see if you can figure anything out or get a basic jist of it. I think I am going to try and write an install faq from my expiriences tonight if I have time.
The most important thing about being a newbie to linux: Most of your questions will be answered by reading a little bit in forums and doing google searches. You also might want to find a basic command reference page ( I don't have any links on hand) until you become familiar. . .
good luck
-Salpula