I searching for old linuxdistro, in the official websites of the linuxdistro i cant find old linuxversions, it is always yhe latest 1 or 2.
Recent distro requires min 16 Mb GPU, so the imac i have here can not run an recent dostro.
Where kan i find a list of linuxdistro for powerpc, and where can i download old linuxdistro.
I tried for example debian 3 here, but the link is dead, it is debian 4 now.
To heavy for this powermac.

You don't really need any video memory with any Distro (that's just for 3d stuff).
I use Debian 4 on such a system as well.

Agreed.. I think Debian 4.0 will run on that system w/o to much fuss.

How much RAM does that system have?

IGF

It is 8 mb and i tried debian 4.0 already.
By the second boot it run with errors and corrections.
I found a mirror where i can get debian 3.12.
I try that too.
I'll let you know howmany of this solutions woring.

I heard that from the big linuxdostro just slackintish good is for an older imac, the others (in the first place ubuntu) are heavyer for a low end.
I try that soon and let you know how it ends.

An other solution is to install bootx (http://penguinppc.org/historical/benh/), then install open suse 10.0.
Boot x let suse installing the right kernel vor an old mac.

A third solution i found in a blog is following:


Problem with iMac solved
The problem with my graphical interface freezing on the iMac (mentioned in the article) has been solved. Searching around I stumbled upon this post in the Ubuntu forums: http://ubuntuforums.org/showpost.php...92&postcount=8

The complete solution is:

First off get to a prompt (ctrl-alt-F1)

at the prompt type

sudo nano /etc/X11/xorg.conf

look for the modules section in there insert a # before all but

load “dri”
load “dbe”
load “extmod”
load “freetype”
load “glx”

Then find the section about the graphics card in there type

Option “useFBdev” “false”
Option “SWCursor” “true”
Option “ForcePCIMode” “true”

That should get you a working DRI and GLX.

And it did work ;-). I now have a fast and responsive desktop
davemc Says:
April 9th, 2007 at 7:05 pm

I tried out the amd64 version last night and it locked up soon after hit enter at the “boot” prompt. Not a very impressive beginning for such an old distro that has had much more time to work out very simple bugs like these that I never experience on its spinoffs like Ubuntu or Mepis. First impressions = all!


If someone try this solutions and it won't work, let me know, then i can edit this post (or an admin can.
When i find a solution that worked for me i let you know.
If somebody had an other suggestion, let me know please.
I respond allways till the problem is solved.
Mean time here are 3 eventually solutions, maybe it help other person with the same problem.

How could it?
Non of the above has anything to do with your original question (...and if you quote something, place it between quote tags).

Are you sure you only have 8mb ram?
That doesn't make sense. Old mac systems don't run with that either.
My slowest iMac3 has 128mb and it's a *really* old one.
8mb seems impossible if it ever ran anything.
How old is it?
Does it have a mouse and keyboard?

With only 8mb system ram, don't bother trying anything (even a plain cell phone needs more).

PS: Your GPU (=your video card, has nothing to do with this).

That's impossible, Debian can't even boot once with only 8mb ram.

Sorry, my foult.
Misunderstanding here.
The Graphic card is 8 MB ram.
The imac had original 64 MB, is upgraded with another 256 MB.

The 3 solutions i received are to make it possible to run recent linux with that graphics.

You think that will not solve my problem?

I am installing slackintosh right now.
He was copying packages, now he ask me if i want to install svgalib 4 etc.
Yhis is to see pictures in full screen mode etc.
Is this question coused bij the detection of my graphic card?
Yhen maybe better to say no?

Debian runs fine for me on such a system without all that fancy graphics stuff.
Those instructions are only for getting 3D acceleration to work.

You're system memory is high enough for any modern Linux distribution.
The amount of GPU memory is irrelevant.

...so what exactly _is_ your problem?

Slack isn't the easiest for new people, if unsure, go with the defaults (that's mostly pressing "yes").

I have a little experienc with linux.
The 1st i used was red hat 9(?), fedora core 2, lindows, mandrake 9 and much easyer; the modern ubuntu.
Linux is familiar with the old dox, just other commands (that's sometimes an issue), for the rest...
1 time linux is running i can always handle it.
And i know the reputation of slacs.

But what you wrote that 'The amount of GPU memory is irrelevant' i disagree.
I ran debian 4, i gonna try with debian 3.
By the 1st run it doesn't start in graphical mode.
I restart and debian gave errors, but repaired some of them.
I don't remember what the errors exactly are, it's couple of weeks ago.
I tried before with ubuntu, that won't start in graphic mode, ubuntu hangs, i dont remember the exact error, but it was something with the graphic card.

Later i started with fedora, i used an old one core 4 and a new one core 9.
Fedora will not boot in graphic mode and will not make a account.
In textmode red hat based systems (like fedora and yellow dog (i tried that too) don't make an account in text mode, that is normal.
So for some reason i assumed that 8 MB graphics is not enough.
It is a fact that most of the modern great linuxdistro needs 16 MB graphic memory or more.
The videocard works good in mac os 9.2, that is not the problem.

If you know an other problem with this imac that maybe couses the problem, i like to know.
And if you have a dolution i try it out.

By the way, i see that your location is in Belgium to.

Instead of adding extra 3D stuff, try removing some(in /etc/X11/xorg.conf).
If I enable DRI, it doesn't work for me either (without any tweaking).

I use the ati driver (the one that comes with xorg) with Option "UseFBDev" "true" (as configured with dpkg-reconfigure in Debian).

All I changed was commenting out "dri" in Section "Module".

If that doesn't work, just boot in single user(text) mode and post your /etc/X11/xorg.conf file.
(and all relevant parts of the log file X created if possible).
Once you have it(X11) running, it's easy to tweak.

PS: any distro should work, but do stay away from GNOME/KDE on the desktop (try Fluxbox, Icewm or even Windowmaker)

I don't think that's allowed here

This is not true.

I use Debian 4.0 on all of my computers, including a very old Toshiba Libretto 70CT--which has only 1MB of video RAM! Debian 4.0 is able to run the graphical X Window system and utilize the best graphics resolution it is capable of (640x480x16bit).

If Debian is not able to boot into graphical mode on your computer, then it's because X has not been successfully configured properly (it might even be impossible, if no working drivers exist). It is NOT because there is insufficient video RAM.

When it's not the memory of the videocard, the question still is what couses the behavior of most linuxdistro.
I have trief slackintosh (with the kde desktop) and the result is the same like with red hat fedora, yellow dog.
I needed 3 cd, burned 4, configuring the system, installation successfull, but the system didn't ask for username or password.
Starting up in text and log in as root.
Well Jens, i don't have debian for this moment, that.s for next month.
You know the problem in Belgium, with trafficlimits by the webproviders.
I post here again next month, if you like i send you a e-mail at the same time, then we can try to tweak debian here.

I had many systems like that. I'm still assuming your using an iMac G3?
These things just have very weird video cards (ati-based).
Most of them just fail to provide enough information to make all the auto install stuff working. A few edits in xorg.conf is all that is needed.

Well, I didn't even know it still existed.
If it's anything like Slackware, that's just normal.
First add a normal user with the "adduser" command and try to start X typing "startx".

If you're indeed using an Imac 3g, getting X to work can indeed be a pain.

First look at section "Device", it should similar with this:
Next make sure section "Monitor" has values like these:
If it still doesn't start, uncomment "dri" (and everything GL related) in section "Module".

Some also only work with "DefaultDepth 16" in section "Screen"

Eventually, it will work

When slacintosh ask to try some screenfonts the screen stay blue.So even in the setup i have no picture.

adduser is ok
passwd is ok

When i type 'startx' nothing changed (= blue screen)
Same for the screen vith 'device and monitor was never displayed, xwindow doesn't start.

I have the same with redhat fedora and yellow dog.
Same for the screen vith 'device and monitor was never displayed, xwindow doesn't start.

Omly debian and ubuntu seem to have the required driver.
Ubuntu hangs (guess caused by the 'kde desktop')
Debian starts in 2 times, the 2nd time debian disabled something (can't remember what exactly.

Maybe the problem can be solved wih the right drivers, but i have no idea how that can be done in textmode, and even then stays the question whert to find the right driver.
I try next month again with debian and ubuntu (gnome and kde disabled, like you already suggested.

Ps i allready told that the hardware functioned well with the original harddisk, contains the original mac os 9.2, but it's the french version end is full with passwords i don't knowing, so i must change that.

I still have fedora core 4 here on rewritable discs, but it's even worse.
i try that again with your commando's add user, but i was not able to set the passsword there, so to type 'startx or something was not possible.