Y e l l o w D o g S o l u t i o n s
How to Install YDL on NuBus Power Macs
Hardware Requirements
In writing this HOWTO, I installed onto a NuBus PowerMac 6100/66. This unit has builtin ethernet, graphics and audio, 40 MB RAM, SCSI CD-ROM, and a 1.2 GB Quantum SCSI Disk. (The standard 540 MB Quantum drive that comes as standard equipment is not big enough to do the install). With this hardware, system performance in graphics mode is somewhat sluggish, probably due to the amount of swapping required.
Note the latest KDE audio drivers require a 16 bit audio chip. (The onboard audio is only 8 bits, so YDL 2.2 may be a better choice if your interest is in playing MP3 files). The method described here is applicable to all NuBus Power Macs: 6100,7100,8100, as well as the Performa Series.
The X architecture was designed to permit the running of applications on a more powerful host (e.g., mainframe) and displaying the results on a less powerful machine. In this paradigm, the mainframe perfoms as a client to the local X server. Using the Mac as the X server and a more capable machine as the client works well, requiring that the Mac have only the basic system software, and the XFree86 server software. Further simplification is possible, in that the root filesystem can be offloaded to the host machine and shared via NFS among many clients.
Software Requirements
The following software is required:
- MacOS 7.5.3, available from the Apple web site
- MkLinux Booter, availble from the NuBus-Pmac web site
- Linux Nubus kernel 2.4.19-rc2 with YDL 2.3 installed
- Current Linux Nubus kernel for MkLinux Booter
- YellowDog 2.3 Install CD
- AladdinSys Stuffit Expander
Installing YDL
There are three methods for installing YDL onto a NuBus Power Mac:
- Networked Mac is very handy;
- Download required software to my Linux workstation which runs 'netatalk'. I then download & decompress the .gz files onto my Mac from theLinux workstation; or
- Create HFS CDs on the Linux workstation and load software from the CD (a bit of a pain, but makes it much simpler for additional installs).
For this project, Mac OS 7.5.3 was chosen. This version can be downloaded from the Apple web site and unpacked to create a virtual volume, which can then be used for network installation. A network boot disk for the client can also be downloaded.
Prepare the drive ... install Mac OS
- Boot from the Mac OS CD. Follow the YDL Guide to Installation, using the Mac OS Drive Setup application to create your Mac OS and YDL partititions, sub-dividing the YDL partitions within the YDL installer.
- If you are using the MacOS 7.5.3, install the OS using Easy Install. If you are a minimalist, you need to include the following items:
The minimum kernel
Appleshare
Open Transport
CD Support
Chooser
Startup Disk
Memory applet in Control Panel
Date/Time applet
- Reboot the Mac and turn off memory management using the Memory Control panel.
Install Stuffit Expander
Stuffit Expander is used to decompress files which have a ".gz" extension, under Mac OS. If you
use a YDL box as file server, you may expand the kernel image before distributing it to the
Mac(s). Obtain Stuffit Expander, version 5.5 or better, from Aladdin.
Install the MkLinux Boot Loader
At this point, it helps to have a Macintosh with a web browser and access to the Internet. Obtain the MkLinux Boot Code from the Nubus-Pmac web site. The package consists of four files:
- A file that goes in the Control Panel
- A file that goes in the Extensions Folder
- Two files that go in the Preferences Folder.
Open the Preferences Folder and double click on MkLinux.prefs. Edit the file so it looks like this:
bootos=MkLinux # Boot to either "MacOS" or "MkLinux"
bootdelay=10 # Seconds to pause at boot dialog
Open lilo.conf and check that it looks like this:
# 'rootdev' defines the location of the root device
# After install use these with YDL 2.3
#rootdev=/dev/sda5
#mach_options= video=ariel2fb:bpp:8,vmode:13
# Use these for initial YDL 2.3 install
rootdev=/dev/ram
mach_options= ramdisk=16384 video=ariel2fb:bpp:8,vmode:13
After installation, remove the "#" from the first set of "rootdev" and "mach_options" and place "#" in front of the second set.
With the boot delay set to "10", you will have ten seconds to select the desired boot OS. The extra settings for vmode and bpp put the chip in 832x624 mode. By default, the device operates in 640x480.
Install the Linux kernel(s)
Conceptually, this is involves placing a copy of the Linux kernel plus ramdisk (initrd) in the Extensions folder on the client, then changing its name to "Mach Kernel". Either download the file to a YDL box acting as a file server, or download directly to the Mac.
You need to download two kernels from Etsushi's web site ftp://ppc.linux.or.jp/pub/users/ekato/nubus-pmac/: The one with the installer is in the YDL 2.3 directory, and the post installation kernel is located in the current directory. Please check the web site for the latest versions, as they do change from time to time.
Post Installation Steps
On the reboot, boot to the MacOS. In the extensions folder, delete the file Mach Kernel and rename the other kernel Mach Kernel. In the Preferences folder, open Lilo.conf, comment out the two lines used during the installation, and uncomment the two lines to be used after the installation. Close the file and reboot to YellowDog Linux 2.3. There are two things that need to be fixed in /etc/X11/XF86Config-4: Near the top of the file there are about 11 lines that contain font paths in case the X Font Server doesn't work. Below them is a second copy of the same lines, commented out. Delete the uncommented lines. If you are using the builtin video adapter, go down to the Display section of the file, and change "800x600" to "832x624" and 800 600 to 832 624. This will then configure the X server to run at 832x624x8, the highest resolution possible with the builtin video. Save the file and exit. Test the changes by typing "X". You should get a grey background and the mouse should appear as a large x. Type control+alt+backspace to exit the X server.
This HOWTO was written by Skip Gaede
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