Linux on a beige G3

[5300cs]

Has anyone else out there put Linux on a beige G3? I have one sitting around doing nothing, and I thought it might be time to fool around with it, specifically, installing Debian.



Also on a side note, I have a B&W G3 that I've tried installing Linux on, but it just will not boot off a CD. Any ideas? Does it need to have an Apple-installed CD drive in it? (I swapped the original since it was busted.)

Thanks for any help!

 

[grapes911]

I've installed Gentoo on both machines you've listed. If you've used linux before, I really urge you to try Gentoo. It takes some more time to install and is a lot more work, but the end result is much better than any other distro (IMO). It is extremely fast and responsive if you optimize it. If you haven't used linux before, I'd try something easier than Debian.

 

[Lord Blackadder]

I've installed Gentoo on both machines you've listed. If you've used linux before, I really urge you to try Gentoo. It takes some more time to install and is a lot more work, but the end result is much better than any other distro (IMO). It is extremely fast and responsive if you optimize it. If you haven't used linux before, I'd try something easier than Debian.

I tried putting Gentoo on my 266Mhz G3 iMac and it was a titanic pain in the a**. I later realized that Gentoo is a bad choice for a Linux newbie, so I can't blame the OS - but one must realize that not all distros are created equal. It would be nice to see a Knoppix-based distro for Macs.

I have since played around with Gentoo on a Linux-guru friend's computer. It is very fast, probably one of the fastest distros available. But you need to work for it.

 

[kalisphoenix]

I tried putting Gentoo on my 266Mhz G3 iMac and it was a titanic pain in the a**. I later realized that Gentoo is a bad choice for a Linux newbie, so I can't blame the OS - but one must realize that not all distros are created equal. It would be nice to see a Knoppix-based distro for Macs.

Gentoo's very helpful for n00bs, imho... good way to learn Linux from the ground up. Granted, X is a goddamned pain in the ass to get working on some machines.

There is a KNOPPIX PPC version. Don't have a link. It might be abandoned.

Ubuntu has a PPC liveCD.

Bootable CD drives are a pain in the ass. My honest advice is to download a utility to resize the partitions on your hard drive, then create a 800MB or so partition at the end, and use Disk Utility to "restore" the ISO onto the partition. That's how I've installed stuff on a few painful machines in the past.

 

[5300cs]

I've used Linux before. I was actually a Linux user before coming to the Mac
I used mostly Mandrake & Debian. I used Debian as a server machine, http, ftp, irc, pop & smtp and ssh. From what I've read & heard, Gentoo gives you a command prompt and the source code and you're on your own in compiling everything. While I have a 3 day weekend coming up, compiling is not how I'd like to spend it.

So in terms of actually installing Linux though, it's not too hard? I mean like configuring hardware like video, etc? Any hoops I should know about? And just how does one eject floppies with PPC Linux? I know the 'Eject' command, but isn't that only used for CDs?

 

[grapes911]

From what I've read & heard, Gentoo gives you a command prompt and the source code and you're on your own in compiling everything. While I have a 3 day weekend coming up, compiling is not how I'd like to spend it.

Actually, with gentoo you can start any any of three stages.

"A stage1 is used when you want to bootstrap and build the entire system from scratch. Starting from a stage1 allows you to have total control over the optimization settings and optional build-time functionality that is initially enabled on your system. This makes stage1 installs good for power users who know what they are doing. It is also a great installation method for those who would like to know more about the inner workings of Gentoo Linux."
I can do this in about 10 hours. It takes so long because you have to wait for it to compile. You start each compile, then walk away. Now I say 10 hours, but I have done this about 5 times. I first time I was so overwhelmed, it took me a couple of days. Coming from debian, gentoo was the lest GUI install I've ever seen. At least debian had a nurces install (I think that is what is was). Gentoo you have to install from the command prompt.

"A stage2 is used for building the entire system from a bootstrapped "semi-compiled" state. Stage2 installs allow you to skip the bootstrap process; doing this is fine if you are happy with the optimization settings that we chose for your particular stage2 tarball."
I've never done this.

"A stage3 installation contains a basic Gentoo Linux system that has been built for you. You will only need to build a few packages of which we can't decide for you which one to choose. Choosing to go with a stage3 allows for the fastest install of Gentoo Linux, but also means that your base system will have the optimization settings that we chose for you (which to be honest, are good settings and were carefully chosen to enhance performance while maintaining stability). Stage3 is also required if you want to install Gentoo using prebuilt packages or without a network connection."
I've done this in under 20 mins. Not very optimized, not too bad on a newer, faster system. Sort of like most other distros.

 

[grapes911]

And just how does one eject floppies with PPC Linux? I know the 'Eject' command, but isn't that only used for CDs?

You could try:
eject /mnt/floppy


Does it have a physical button to eject it. If so, you can unmount it and then physically eject it.
umount /mnt/floppy

 

[Lord Blackadder]

Actually, with gentoo you can start any any of three stages.

This is where I screwed up - I went for the stage 1, but it was well over my head. I finally built the system with help from a friend, and set the machine to compile. I can't remember how long it took, but it was certainly more than 10 hours on a 700MHz Celeron (not as bad as compiling a Debian kernel on my IIci though ).

The worst bit was shortly after the compile was complete we had a power outage that b0rked the whole system. I gave up on Gentoo and installed Damn Small Linux, which took no time at all, but doesn't do much other than surf the web. I think I'll try Gentoo again when I get my hands on a faster machine.

My Linux guru buddy showed me how Gentoo ran on his Pentium M laptop - it was much faster than Win XP on the same machine, I was impressed by the extra speed the optomized stage 1 install was able to find.

 

[5300cs]

Ah, I didn't know there were 3 options. It's honestly been a while since I've played with Linux. To be honest it's always been a project for me. I've never just tossed in an install CD, run the installer and went on my way. I've always had to jump through hoops: network installs, floppy installs, fiddling with PCMCIA CD rom drives and other fun hurddles

I'm having a wisdom tooth taken out today (FUN! ) and I have a 3 day weekend coming up. If it's not too much strain, I might fire the Beige up and try it out.

Thanks for everyone's help!

 

[5300cs]

I'd like to use the Beige as a server. Httpd, ssh, FTP and irc most likely (anyone know a good ircd for OS X?) Since I only played with the Beige once since getting it, I don't remember how loud it is. I'd like a quiet or semi-quiet server (wouldn't we all? ); something that I can keep on the floor next to my desk without keeping the neighbors up all night. My current B&W is good since it can run OS X Server, but it's too noisy compared to my G5. I'd like another G5 to use as a server, but we all know that's not gonna happen Linux is also good because it can be administered completely from the command line, whereas OS X cannot, in my experience.