error booting into linux

[rumman]

I have a MacOS partition of 2 gig on my 6 gb hard disk. i have also created a small 32 mb partition as recommended in the documentation for linux boot and copied the 'system' and 'kernel' folders from the linux 2000 q4 install cd into this partition. i set it up as the boot drive.

i have also apparently installed linux successfully, with the minimum recommended files.

my problem is that the system starts booting goes into linux automatically using yaboot i guess and then gives me the following message

> entering the text based installer
> you are here for one of two reasons
> 1. not enough memory
> 2. machine does not support xwindows
>
> (i have 160 mb of ram, so i guess its the second reason)
>
> then it gives an error 'install files could not be found'
>
> then i get a prompt like [root@(none) ~]
>
and nothing happens after that.

Can you help me please?

Thanks
rumman

[James Bond]

try this, when prompted at the boot option, type:

linux root=/dev/hda<number>

where the number is the /dev/hdaX that you should have been given during the install.

Then, you will need to configure and run Lilo for PPC. This works much differently than the one for i386. I would explain it all right now, but, I have to run to class.

I will check back around 5 tonight or so.

-JB

[rumman]

if i press the spacebar before the 'booting in x seconds' message runs out, i get into the screen which has various options such as 'install accelerated video' 'run linux accelerated video' etc. if i choose to run i get into gnome and have managed to log in as root.

but after that things are unclear. how do i configure the modem, install more programs of the cd etc.

by the way, i have the regular imac single button mouse. do i need to change this?

rumman

[slydoggy]

>but after that things are unclear. how do i configure the modem, install more programs of the cd etc.

run kppp from a terminal and you'll get a setup window. You might have to change dev/modem to dev/tty0S or whatever your device might be I have a powerbook with an internal modem.

>by the way, i have the regular imac single button mouse. do i need to change this?

Not really, if you want a three button mouse you need to edit the sysctl.conf file which is in etc/. Edit below the line that has

# Enables 3-button mouse emulation on PPC
dev.mac_hid.mouse_button_emulation = 1

and add

dev.mac_hid.mouse_button2_keycode = 65
dev.mac_hid.mouse_button3_keycode = 125

these two numbers come from typing "showkey" at the command line and pressing and releasing a key. If I remember 125 is the command key for my keyboard. I'm using it for my left button since the command key doesn't work for anything in linux. You have to setup three keys for this to work or at least that is what I had to do.

As for your other questions I'm still trying to figure out how to install from the CD from inside the OS but haven't yet. I boot from the CD, mount my drives and install more software that way.

I'm a newbie at this as well and I'm going from memory so if I made any mistakes or left something out I hope someone pipes in and corrects them.

ciao

[slydoggy]

Oh you have to reboot after the changes.

On mounting the CDRom
as root on command line type,
mount /dev/cdrom

you should hear the drive spin up

then you find it in
/mnt/cdrom

of course dev/cdrom has to be defined in etc/fstab. all the slash stuff gets confusing for Mac ppl. Um ,no just me.

haven't tried installing anything from CD yet.

ciao

-take with grain of salt this is newbie helping newbie--

[ 03 April 2001: Message edited by: slydoggy ]

[rumman]

Great!

did the mound cdrom bit and at least i can get a directory of the cd in /mnt/cdrom. will try and install something from it and let you know if it works. also got the modem working and connected to the internet.

two more problems (at this point in time). when i start netscape it takes hours to load up and gives a message that say something like 'some file is in use by another user, you will not be able to save settings etc.' the solution it offers is to delete the file in /root/netscape/something. problem is that i cannot fing a directory called /netscape anywhere.

second problem is the sound. i can't get any sound out of the imac. there was one place on the sound setting application where i got a sound when i clicked 'test'. this shows that the volume control is correct and i assume the sound card is also recognized. what should i do?

for a newbie to newbie help situation, you certainly have the upper hand!

rumman

[slydoggy]

Originally posted by rumman:

two more problems (at this point in time). when i start netscape it takes hours to load up and gives a message that say something like 'some file is in use by another user, you will not be able to save settings etc.' the solution it offers is to delete the file in /root/netscape/something. problem is that i cannot fing a directory called /netscape anywhere.


Not sure about how to help here. Did you make a user and are logging in as user? For some sites I use Netscape but mostly I use Opera, was my first download and install. Sorry no help here.




second problem is the sound. i can't get any sound out of the imac. there was one place on the sound setting application where i got a sound when i clicked 'test'. this shows that the volume control is correct and i assume the sound card is also recognized. what should i do?


I'm still fighting this one as well only sound I get is a alert sound beep once in awhile. I believe it has something to do with dma? But not sure still gotta work on that one.

Two for two not good today. :-[

btw I put this line in my fstab file and now the CD mounts when I boot up.

/dev/cdrom /mnt/cdrom auto auto 0 0

Still have to go to mnt/cdrom to get to it I guess I could make an alias/symlnk to home dir.

I'm not sure of the arguements here, don't know what the last numbers mean. I set up /boot to mount as well so I could get to yaboot.conf so I could edit it without booting from apple CD, don't have a real system installed just the fake one from the linuxppc CD pretty much all linux..

Sorry no help today just giving tidbits.

ciao

[rumman]

well, for me this is all good info to digest. something in your last post brings me to my next problem.

i have set up macos on a 2gb partition and linux on the rest. how do i get to macos at startup. i have made the 32 mb partition and copied the system and linux folders from the linux cd. that takes me straight to yaboot.

rumman

[slydoggy]

Originally posted by rumman:

i have set up macos on a 2gb partition and linux on the rest. how do i get to macos at startup. i have made the 32 mb partition and copied the system and linux folders from the linux cd. that takes me straight to yaboot.


This is the messed up part. Since I don't need to boot in MacOS, don't really have one, I haven't tried thisbut the docs say there are two ways to do it, both less than desirable imo.

1. zap the pram, ya know hold command-option-p-r while restarting, let chime once sometimes twice then let go. It's suppose to let the machine forget yaboot. But doesn't always work so the docs says.

2. Boot from MacOS CD.
I suppose once that's done you could choose a start-up disk but as I said I haven't tried it.

Don't get me wrong I have other machines that I can use MacOS, it's my main OS except for the past 3 weeks ever since I installed linuxppc.

ciao