Install freezes on iBook G3

[scaryfish]

Hi,

I'm trying to install YDL on my G3 iBook (900 MHz). I've tried both 6.0 and 5.0.2 and both give the same problem - I get to the boot prompt, and can choose the default or install-text, either way the same thing happens. I get some scrolling text and then it freezes. The screen is mostly black with white text. The last piece of text is "core99_setup_cpu 0 done" and there is a white bar all the way across the screen under that. There is also a white bar one line high at the top of the screen covering the right two-thirds of the screen.

It doesn't respond to keyboard, and just stays like this, with no audible hard-drive or DVD activity.

Any ideas?

[scaryfish]

Here's a photo of the screen so you can see what I mean.

[tkozma]

Same issue here, iBook G3, freezes at the install. Would be glad to see some suggestions.
Note: Ubuntu PPC, however, installs painlessly.

[daenney]

I don't know if you've looked at TerraSofts hardware requirements page but it clearly states that only PPC G4 and greater are supported. As the G3 suggests, it's a PPC G3 proc so it's architecture is not supported, hence the installation fails.

At least, that would be the logical conclusion.

[billb]

YDL 5.0.2 ran OK on my G3 iMac, but I'm not sure what the problem is here ... and I don't have the iMac any more.

[Michael C]

I have exactly the same problem on my iBook G3. The screen looks pretty much the same as scarybook's photo, and the install stops there.

This was with version 5.0.2. Terrasoft states at http://www.terrasoftsolutions.com/support/hardware/others.shtml that iBook G3s were supported through Yellow Dog Linux v5.x, so this ought to work.

I've had similar problems trying to install Ubuntu. I'd certainly like to be able to use Linux, but it seems that I'll have to go back to Mac OSX.

[kge420]

I have the same screen when trying to install YDL 5.0.1 or 5.0.2 from either cd or dvd. Has anyone solved this? Thanks, Keith

[trom]

Hi, I'm new to YDL and this board, so I don't really know how things work around here, although I did grow up on Unix before I went to the dark side (from Unix to Mac, OS/2, Windows... and back again in 20 years)

I'm trying to multi-boot OS X and YDL 5.0.1 Phoenix on my iBook (dual usb). It's fully spec'd, 640M ram + new-ish 100G disk, airport card. I deliberately choose YDL 5 because it says it's supported. I got (and still have) 4.1 Sagitta up and running without any problems. Looked good and slicker than Debian and Fedora which also worked, so I'm pretty sure my partitioning is OK.

I downloaded the ISO (not an easy task - pretty slow mirrors, eh?) checked sha1, and burnt 2 DVDS : DVD+R (DVD-ROM booktype) and DVD-RW. So, after reading the installation guides, I feel pretty frustrated to just get the frozen screen as well described in the above posts. Tried install (without and with text), both sorts of DVDs, wired ethernet in and out, and have just tried waiting, patiently...

Two questions (assuming the answer to the install freeze isn't somewhere I haven't found yet) :

1) Is this "Dead Man's Gulch" here, where questions just hang around for months, unanswered? In other words, does the YDL community only exist for the latest version?

2) Is the clean install the only option or are other upgrade paths available? For example, can I upgrade to YDL 5 from within YDL 4?

Any pointers, or even a confirmation that I'm wasting my time, most welcome. Thank you.

Trom

[ppietro]

Is this "Dead Man's Gulch" here, where questions just hang around for months, unanswered? In other words, does the YDL community only exist for the latest version?

No - but the issue is that most folks here don't have your hardware. There just don't appear to be that many people with iBook G3s trying to run YDL.

Remember - this is a community forum board - not a corporate Fixstars/YDL forum. Fixstars/YDL provides our hosting space, but all of the posters - including yours truly - are volunteers in the community.

And - unfortunately - most of us are using YDL on the PS3, so we're not that much help to you.

Fixstars/YDL does have paid support options. If you need this for corporate use, you might check out the http://us.fixstars.com homepage, and see if there is a satisfactory option there.

Cheers,
Paul

[cellarweasel]

This is the exact same problem I'm having. Just wanted to put it out there.

[aguilarojo]

This is the exact same problem I'm having. Just wanted to put it out there.

Greetings to all on this thread!

I used to have a G3 tower and am familiar enough with those chips and YDL from that era and earlier to make comments regarding what many are experiencing. The issue sadly wasn't Terra Soft Solutions or even Fixstars, but Apple itself and how they developed the different variants of the G3 containing Old World ROMS and New World ROMS. Long story, short -- Apple wasn't consistent in their design choices and Terra Soft in their versions of YDL 2 - 5 made changes accordingly doing their best to allow YDL users continuing life for their computers. From the earliest incarnation of YDL up to version 3/4 one booted into YDL via a utility called BootX - after Apple added their design change then TSS moved to yaboot as their boot medium from about YDL 5. By YDL 6, support for the G3 was dropped entirely.

I can't provide detailed support for BootX or the G3 as I gutted the G3 for parts years ago. I found informative links discussing BootX here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BootX_(Apple) and here: http://penguinppc.org/bootloaders/bootx/.

Regarding learning whether your G3 was supported up to what YDL version refer here: http://www.ydl.net/support/hardware/others.shtml.
Certain people may have to drop down to YDL 3.

Everyone should refer to the YDL installation notes available here: http://www.ydl.net/support/installation/archives/. Please note the language of the document especially as "were officially supported" does not mean is.

Avoiding for the moment the G3 design issue, a common problem which creates installation grief is that quite a few people rush ahead to install YDL and avoid/ignore the preparation process which briefly means using Apple's partition program from it's install CD/DVD to prepare partition for both the Mac OS and the foundation which Anaconda (YDL's installer) will use later. Procedural details exist in the installation notes I provided above. As these partitions are developed (for the Mac OS and YDL) at the same time this means all documents on the Mac side have to be saved, and all Mac applications in use will have to be reinstalled. The process of reinstalling the Mac OS and documents can be postponed until after one has completed the entire YDL installation process. The interesting point, if these procedures are executed in the correct sequence, is that after Apple's partition program has prepared the hard drive as described (for a YDL system which will share the same drive with the Mac OS) then Anaconda can run on that same drive for successive versions of YDL. Stated differently, this means that if one had to one should be able to install YDL 3, 4 or 5 on the same G3 without needing to modify anything on the Mac OS side at all; also Anaconda wouldn't change or destroy anything on the Mac OS side because during the installation process of YDL one has the option to tell Anaconda to operate only on Linux partitions (which were prepared previously by Apple's partition application - a step which only needs to be done once).

A reference determining whether you have an Old World or New World ROM is here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Power_Macintosh.