Linux on mac external firewire HDD
 

Hello,

I have an Apple Macintosh iBook G4 ( 1Ghz - early 2004 model ) with
a Lacie External FireWire400/USB2 160GB Hard Drive.
It's running Mac OS X 10.3.8 ( latest version ).

The external HDD was partitioned into 5 separate Volumes (partitions )
using the Apple OS X Disk Utility.
First Volume- OS X Volume clone backup ( using intego backup )
Second Volume- working data , temporary space , ( like /tmp )
*Third Volume- Space for YDL to be installed ***
Fourth Volume- Space for NetBSD or OpenBSD ( I haven't decided yet )
Fifth Volume - Space for something else...

I would like to install YDL4 on the external Hard Drive third partition
and NOT on the iBook's internal HD. I don't want the
iBook G4's internal HD to be touched by YDL during the
installation. And I want to be able to boot from the
YDL Linux Volume (partition ) on the External HDD.
I'm also not familar with OpenFirmware.
How do I do this ?? What are the steps for complete
mac and linux newbie??

I'm referring to YDL 4.0 Orion version...
If YDL4 would not work then which linux distro
for mac w/ external HDD would work??


Thanks,
CHF

Why install linux on mac? The base of Mac is modified FreeBSD kernel. They call it darwin and even released the source code and a lot of the mac base at http://www.opensource.apple.com/darwinsource. A unix derative, close to linux. Did you know you could install Xorg, KDE, gcc, etc and just about any gnu package on a mac without to much difficulty. A truelly wonderfull system. I'd use it if apple would make it run on a x86 platform. I don't know of any distro besides ydl that will run on a mac. Unfortantely, I can't help you with install as I don't own a mac. Sorry

well..
 

First, I would like to have Linux on my resume...


Second, I have a mac now. I don't have a PC now to install linux on.

I don't want to have multiple machines because:
a) headache of maintaining multiple computers.
b) gets to be expensive. two memory chips, two hard drives, two monitors, etc..
even with a KVM. HW duplication.
c) maintaining the user data consistency between machines and OSes.
d) no more money..
e) saving money for the next major computer upgrade.
f) I don't have space in my room.
g) one computer is enough for me to worry for now.
h) why not use the mac for some linux stuff??

yes, there are good and bad reasons to own multiple machines.
a) in case one machine fails or lost or stolen, you got another.
b) multitask between machines.
c) each machine can be dedicated to one or two purposes.
d) one machine does not affect the other(s).
e) both machines become obsolete together however.
There are pros and cons to both ways.

Third, x86 emulators ( Virtual PC, bochs ) on Macintosh is too Damn slow
especially for iBook G4 ..


Fourth , I got plenty of disk space on my external Lacie firewire hard drive...
Plenty enough for a Linux distro or two.