The PowerPC Debian Wiki

[sparty411]

I don't have an iBook G3, so I can't offer any tested solutions.

If you're on Yaboot, what happens if you append with 'radeon.agpmode=-1', like at the boot prompt, 'Linux radeon.agpmode=-1'?

Failing that, and aside from not using the non-free Radeon driver (which is not a very good option), I would just revert back to Debian 8. I've heard it works well with iBooks. It's still got Arctic Fox, was last updated in 2018, and should respond faster due to the (probably) lighterweight kernel and userspace, especially with Xfce.
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I originally tried 8, and it has never worked properly. I was hoping that the problem with Radeon would have been fixed by now. Is it still under development?

 

[z970]

As far as I remember one of the problems stemmed from my device - its the last of the Powerbooks with the higher resolution, so X config did not detect it.

I've got the same model. Ubuntu 16.04 or Debian Sid should treat it fine.
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I originally tried 8, and it has never worked properly. I was hoping that the problem with Radeon would have been fixed by now. Is it still under development?

To the best of my knowledge, yes. It's still under active development.

What didn't work, and did you try Debian 7 or Ubuntu 14.04?

 

[swamprock]

Less-Than-Fresh Tracking: Do you have an Early 2005 PowerBook or newer? Do you notice the trackpad responsiveness to be spotty at best? Let's fix that.

1. sudo nano /etc/modules
2 Add:

appletouch

3. Crtl + X ---> Y ---> Return
4. sudo reboot

Never thought that module even existed. I'll have to give sid another try on my 12" Powerbook. I'd reinstall it on my 15", but adding i2s_bus to /etc/modules to activate the keyboard lighting causes the system to stutter on my 6,8, and that particular Powerbook just isn't the same without the keyboard lighting...

 

[Raging Dufus]

Could one of you Linux gurus update the Operating Systems for PowerPC Macs wiki? The Linux section is seriously out of date. MintPPC isn't even a thing anymore, and other more recent options for PowerPC aren't there at all.

And, until this thread gets stickied - which I hope eventually happens - there should be something in that Operating Systems thread that points people here. New people will see that before they see this.

You're doing good things here, and your work should be noticed. I'd edit the wiki, but I know you guys could provide more pertinent and up-to-date info than me. Just a suggestion.

 

[z970]

Had a quick look. It's so out of date, it's at the point of misinformation. Even when it was originally posted.

Thanks, RD. I'll get on that the moment I can.

And thanks for the compliment. As is pretty much my motto at this point, "It takes guts, skill, and moxy."

 

[z970]

Okay, patched its Linux section, and removed irrelevant distributions and other operating systems (they can still be accessed with the history button).

I'll update our wikipost to at least include the other distributions, namely the new ones, very soon.

EDIT: Quick check to their websites, found out the other ones are incomplete and difficult to set up. Nix that, let's just refine what we know.

 

[z970]

Ladies and gentlemen, the sheer power of the Xfce desktop environment:

A guide on getting the icon theme has been added to the wiki, under Appearance.

 

[09872738]

Raspbian? This not running on a Mac?

 

[z970]

Raspbian? This not running on a Mac?

Yeah, this was on my Raspberry Pi.

However, it would be the exact same on PowerPC.

 

[swamprock]

Update on installing sid on my 12” PowerBook G4 1.5 ghz...

I had to install synaptics and the configuration file, THEN remove libinput (xserver-xorg-input-libinput) to get a usable, non-jerky trackpad. Not doing it in this order renders the keyboard unusable, although I didn’t think to plug in an external. The kernel module for appletouch didn’t seem to do anything; must already be in the kernel for sid, as it shows up in hardinfo.

Once again, the Luddite comes to the rescue- http://ppcluddite.blogspot.com/2013/06/getting-usable-trackpad-on-aluminum.html

Pics later. It’s working quite well...

 

[z970]

Update on installing sid on my 12” PowerBook G4 1.5 ghz...

I had to install synaptics and the configuration file, THEN remove libinput (xserver-xorg-input-libinput) to get a usable, non-jerky trackpad. Not doing it in this order renders the keyboard unusable, although I didn’t think to plug in an external. The kernel module for appletouch didn’t seem to do anything; must already be in the kernel for sid, as it shows up in hardinfo.

Once again, the Luddite comes to the rescue- http://ppcluddite.blogspot.com/2013/06/getting-usable-trackpad-on-aluminum.html

Pics later. It’s working quite well...

That's strange. It helped tremendously on my 12" running Sid, and I didn't have to preconfigure anything...

 

[galgot]

Ladies and gentlemen, the sheer power of the Xfce desktop environment:

View attachment 834563 View attachment 834578

Nice ! If i may make a suggestion, add small empty space on the left of the Apple on the panel. I always find the default app menu icon in Xfce panel is too sticked to the left screen border , compare to the MaOS Apple menu icon...
Did you managed to have a global menu. I never could make it work in Xfce.

 

[z970]

Nice ! If i may make a suggestion, add small empty space on the left of the Apple on the panel. I always find the default app menu icon in Xfce panel is too sticked to the left screen border , compare to the MaOS Apple menu icon...
Did you managed to have a global menu. I never could make it work in Xfce.

Thank you very much. Updated my post.

According to packages.debian.org, it should be available in Sid. Nothing older, unfortunately.

 

[swamprock]

Thank you very much. Updated my post.

According to packages.debian.org, it should be available in Sid. Nothing older, unfortunately.

Is it this guy here? https://github.com/rilian-la-te/vala-panel-appmenu/blob/master/README.md

I’ve thought about giving this a try since I run xfce4-panel on my DEs...

 

[z970]

Is it this guy here? https://github.com/rilian-la-te/vala-panel-appmenu/blob/master/README.md

I’ve thought about giving this a try since I run xfce4-panel on my DEs...

https://packages.debian.org/sid/xfce/xfce4-appmenu-plugin

 

[swamprock]

https://packages.debian.org/sid/xfce/xfce4-appmenu-plugin

Looks like I would need a full xfce4 installation for that to work properly. I just run the panel, and no menus appear. It must require certain types of apps, or there's a configuration issue that I'm missing. I'll have to mess with it more when I have more time.

 

[sparty411]

Update on installing sid on my 12” PowerBook G4 1.5 ghz...

I had to install synaptics and the configuration file, THEN remove libinput (xserver-xorg-input-libinput) to get a usable, non-jerky trackpad. Not doing it in this order renders the keyboard unusable, although I didn’t think to plug in an external. The kernel module for appletouch didn’t seem to do anything; must already be in the kernel for sid, as it shows up in hardinfo.

Once again, the Luddite comes to the rescue- http://ppcluddite.blogspot.com/2013/06/getting-usable-trackpad-on-aluminum.html

Pics later. It’s working quite well...

I installed synaptics, setup the synaptics.conf file, and removed libinput, yet, my cursor still twitches all over the place. Ugh.

 

[amagichnich]

What about mirror servers for debian? I'm trying to install Debian 8 netinstall (to fit it to a CD) to an unused iBook and the installer asks me for a mirror server. The ones I randomly pick report to not have support for my architecture. What's your default mirror in a full install of Debian8?

 

[galgot]

Here is an official list of servers , with available arch specified :
https://www.debian.org/mirror/list

I sometime use this sources.list generator :
https://debgen.simplylinux.ch

 

[amagichnich]

Here is an official list of servers , with available arch specified :
https://www.debian.org/mirror/list

I sometime use this sources.list generator :
https://debgen.simplylinux.ch
though doesn't seems to be possible to choose a mirror by country from there lately...

Found that list before, even if I type an entry letter by letter i get the error That's why I came here to ask

For now I continue the install with just the cd packages and then have a look at the syslog for the exact reason of my error. And then have a look at your sources gererator, thanks for that link btw

 

[amagichnich]

After messing around a bit and running into various errors I now get an error that the release file for http://archive.debian.org/debian/dists/jessie-backports/InRealease is not valid anymore sinve 74 days... anyone else experiencing this?

To make a confession: At first I did not apply the correct mirror as mentioned in post #1

 

[z970]

After messing around a bit and running into various errors I now get an error that the release file for http://archive.debian.org/debian/dists/jessie-backports/InRealease is not valid anymore sinve 74 days... anyone else experiencing this?

To make a confession: At first I did not apply the correct mirror as mentioned in post #1

1. sudo nano /etc/apt/apt.conf.d/00aptitude
2. Add:

Acquire::Check-Valid-Until "false";

3. Ctrl + X ---> Y ---> Return
4. sudo apt update

What other errors? Make sure your sources.list is exactly as described in the wiki's installation section.

 

[amagichnich]

1. sudo nano /etc/apt/apt.conf.d/00aptitude
2. Add:

Acquire::Check-Valid-Until "false";

3. Ctrl + X ---> Y ---> Return
4. sudo apt update

What other errors? Make sure your sources.list is exactly as described in the wiki's installation section.

Already did that, but then I get the error. Only not when I comment out the second repo

Other errors were timeouts, missing gpg keys and my display going to sleep and not waking up again. I shut down the machine and hope it did all its updates correctly before I lost patience

 

[z970]

Already did that, but then I get the error. Only not when I comment out the second repo

That makes no sense... That append was specifically put there to stop that error. Make sure it's spelled correctly.

Other errors were timeouts, missing gpg keys and my display going to sleep and not waking up again.

The timeouts were likely caused by your internet connection. The GPG keys are supposed to be automatically downloaded when the repos are updated, so again, I suspect internet.

To be sure, what happens when you input: 'ping 1.1.1.1'?

I shut down the machine and hope it did all its updates correctly before I lost patience

Yes, this may happen once in a while. Linux on PowerPC requires an independent will to pursue, and takes guts, skill, and moxy to conquer. Meanwhile, this thread will do what it can to assist the user in solving possible problems along the way.

What iBook is this?

 

[amagichnich]

That makes no sense... That append was specifically put there to stop that error. Make sure it's spelled correctly.

Everything was spelled correctly. After installing lightdm and LXDE I out-out-commented the line with the backports and it just worked. Could that be caused by an incorrect time and date setting? This iBook has no battery, so it may use the time that comes with the cd? Sounds stupid but what other time should it use?

Yes, this may happen once in a while. Linux on PowerPC requires an independent will to pursue, and takes guts, skill, and moxy to conquer. Meanwhile, this thread will do what it can to assist the user in solving possible problems along the way.

I'm typing this from another linux notebook running KaOS - runnig linux on supported and tested x86 hardware is so much easier, I seldomly have problems. Though it gets tricky when using pro Pentium 4 hardware like my "proof of concept fileserver" at home, a PIII 500 E (damn slow compared to any of my PowerPC Macs)

What iBook is this?

This is a 12" 1.2GHz one