PPC: No installation of version 6.4 possible on latest Macs

Support knowledgebase (rschmid_ppc_installation)
Applies to

SuSE Linux PowerPC: Versions since 6.4

Symptom:

The installation starts without a yaboot menu. No manual correction is possible. The Mouse and Keyboard are not recognized.

Cause:

The new USB devices (Keyboard pro et al) are not recognized by the 2.2.14 Kernel.

Solution:

Download the following files from our ftp server:


ftp://ftp.suse.com/pub/suse/ppc/update/BETA/kernel/vmlinux.benh.gz
ftp://ftp.suse.com/pub/suse/ppc/update/BETA/kernel/k_benh.rpm

A Dual G4 can use a SMP kernel after the installation:
ftp://ftp.suse.com/pub/suse/ppc/update/BETA/kernel/k_benhs.rpm


ftp://ftp.suse.com/pub/suse/ppc/update/6.4/a1/devs.rpm
ftp://ftp.suse.com/pub/suse/ppc/update/6.4/ap1/usb.rpm

Unzip the kernel with MacGzip.bin, (found in the suseboot/tools folder) and change the entries in yaboot.conf to:

default = install
timeout = 200

image = vmlinux
   label = install
   # add  ide0=noautotune  to the append line if your IDE drive 
   # doesn't work
   append = "ramdisk_size=64000"
   initrd = ramdisk.image.gz
   root = /dev/fd0

Run the script in the tools folder to mark the os-chooser bootable. Change it to TBXI, and choose the linux boot partition as the Startup Disk. The installation should start now from the hard disk, with the new kernel. You will not be able to use the mouse during the installation. Instead, use the keyboard. After sucessful installation, copy the other three files to your linux partition and install with the following command:

(Run this as root from the directory you copied the packages to.)

rpm -Uvh k_benh.rpm devs.rpm usb.rpm

After this, follow the directions in our support database article, "USB with Kernel 2.2.16 and later." The article can be found at:

http://sdb.suse.de/sdb/en/html/usb2216.html

Change the following entries in yaboot.conf:

default = linux
timeout = 200

image = ultra0:9,/boot/vmlinux     #change to linux root 
   label = linux
   # add ide0=noautotune to the append line if your IDE drive
   # doesn't work
   # append = "ide0=noautotune"
   root = /dev/hda9                #change to linux root

Keywords: PPC, YABOOT, APPLE, MAC, POWERPC, IMAC

Categories: Power Macintosh

SDB-rschmid_ppc_installation, Copyright SuSE Linux AG, Nürnberg, Germany - Version: 23. Sep 2000
SuSE Linux AG - Last generated: 28. Nov 2000 by rschmid (sdb_gen 1.40.0)