insights get wheezy distro on iMac G4?[generally solved]

[nadir]

both:
1) downloading a working configuration file (xorg.conf, in this example) and
2) editing an existing configuartion file (say with nano)
is serving the same purpose. To change a configuration file.
Because:
a) it doesn't work
b) it works, but can be enhanced.

Mr. Bisquit could have uploaded the xorg.conf file somewhere, instead of posting it here.
You would have downloaded it and moved it to /etc/X11/xorg.conf, instead of editing the existing file and making it look like his.
If editing is too exhausting (at least for me it is, in the case of the long and confusing xorg.conf), upload it to a paste service yourself and download it (you will need to wget the raw version).

Troubleshooting is a lot of try&error. You don't need to wait for answers. Just try.
If you think: does he mean a) or does he mean b), then first try a), and then try b).
Some people sometimes actually do _know_ what_ is wrong, but often it is try&error to find out what might be wrong.

[este_el_paz]

@nadir: thanks for the reply . . . I have a couple hours this AM so I'll try to fiddle with it, as you suggest. But, considering that I have "wget"-ed the xorg file and "mv"-ed it already I'm not exactly holding my breath on this one. But, it will be interesting to compare, it doesn't seem like the file is that long that it couldn't be manually edited . . . . I'll post back with either the happy success story or the miserable failure of doom story . . . . : - 0

e.e.p.

[este_el_paz]

et al: It shall be doom . . . . I got into a single user TTY after several reboots and "nano /etc/X11/xorg.conf" and basically it was what mr-bisquit had posted except in the section "Module" the order of the items was different, but the same items, I left it alone; but there was NO "HorizSync 59-63" or "VertRefresh 50-160" lines, so I added those and it appears that it has been saved. I rebooted and picked "l" and the system went to a tty1 login screen . . . no X or whatever. So I read through the other suggestions from mr bisquit and tried the "Xorg -configure" command . . . and got a number of lines that began with X.Org X server 1.11.4, then showing a list of 15 "video drivers" including "nouveau" and "radeon" and finishing with "++ using config file: "/root/xorg.conf.new"
"== using system config directory "/usr/share/X11/xorg.conf.d"
"Er=[drm] No DRICreatePCIBusID symbol"
"Number of created screens does not match number of detected devices. Configuration failed.
"Server terminated with error(2). Closing log file."
I shut the unit down for a minute or so and booted up again and ran the "Xorg -configure" command again, with the same results. I may try to boot up in the Lubuntu LiveDVD again using the long list of commands posted with "nosplash, etc" that was posted in a link from the oswald kelso post??? . . . and see if I can get a use-able GUI screen and maybe get to the syslog, and other stuff . . . later today. It was fun, don't know if we are into the "we need to adjust the kernel stuff" that mr bisquit was referring to as far as getting PPC running . . . right now we've got the slightly unreliable TTY, that takes a couple of kernel panics to get to, and then it seems like it is still responding to commands . . . but, now I'm out of ideas to try . . . .

e.e.p.

[este_el_paz]

Tried to boot the Lubuntu LiveDVD with "live-nosplash-powerpc modprobe ide-core video+radeonfb: 1024 x 768-24@60" at the Yaboot prompt . . . it just got me into a nice grainy green display . . . .

e.e.p.

[este_el_paz]

Further effort, looked at the /var/log/Xorg.0.log in nano . . . as well as looking back at /etc/X11/xorg.conf where it looks like "nv" is selected as "driver" but in the Xorg.0.log list and the other place where the drivers are listed "nv" is not there. Tried to run "apt-get install xserver-xorg-nv" and came back with "E: unable to locate package xserver-xorg-nv" which I think is pointing to the issues with ethernet not working in this installation . . . that has been one of the bug-a-boos that has interfered with getting any of these installs fixed . . . over in OSX ethernet is working . . . .

e.e.p.

[jheaton5]

A great tool for moving around and viewing files in a terminal environment is Midnight Commander, package name mc. It's in the debian repositories.

[este_el_paz]

A great tool for moving around and viewing files in a terminal environment is Midnight Commander, package name mc. It's in the debian repositories.

@jheaton5: precerate the info . . . but right now, even if I knew how to get "mc" the ethernet seems to be part of the vast conspiracy to mess with my peaceful life of Linux . . . it's another case of SNAFU . . . . I'm assuming since I couldn't "apt-get install x-x-nv" I won't be able to apt-get mc either. I tried "ping google.com" and got "host not found." I'm in OSX partition right now posting this post . . . .

e.e.p.

[este_el_paz]

I
First, remove the config file /etc/X11/xorg.conf as well as that osX config file. ( save copied in your home directory and make sure they are not in /etc/X11. Than reboot.
If you get a working GUI
next is posting two files here:
/var/log/Xorg.0.log
and
/var/log/dmesg
.

Gents: just to follow up, I tried to boot the iMac in target mode and opened it on my iBook running MintPPC and it looks like I can access the var/log files . . . looking for a place for attachments to be uploaded . . . they are compressed into .arg files . . . is there a way to attach files here??

e.e.p.

[este_el_paz]

Gents:

I got the ethernet connection working and did an update/upgrade but still had a problem getting the "nv" driver installed by the Terminal . . . . I posted the X.0. ??log, the syslog, and the desmg log over on the MintPPC forum, if anyone can give me an idea about how to get the "nv" driver installed that might get the job done . . . . You could look at the logs there by looking at this link:

http://www.mintppc.org/forums/viewtopic.php?f=15&t=706&p=5994#p5994

Any ideas to get the GUI back into the iMac would be great.

e.e.p.

[lester]]

[...]
I have a debian based distro running on my iBook G4 and I upgraded it to the wheezy based distro without a problem--added myself to sudoers and that was about it. However, that has not been the story when using the same mini.iso to load my iMac G4 800MHz . . . the same mini.iso that worked on the iBook seemed to "successfully" install the OS, but after a week or so windows stopped working and pages started sliding down off the desktop. The forum moderator, suggested that the xorg.conf file should be installed, but when I tried to "wget" it I would get a "file not found" or something like that. And then after a few weeks more I couldn't log in to the desktop . . . booting up would go to "kernel panic" . . . . So, I went to a fresh mini.iso of wheezy, again same issues. That was end of December, then somebody said, oh, only November mini.iso was good and to wait until Jan, so January 29, 2012 I downloaded and burned that mini.iso and did the 3 or 4 hour installation once again . . . this time the desktop didn't seem to go beyond a unicolor. Many posts later on the forum got me to trying to log
[...]

quote is from the original post.

I'm wondering if you might be expecting a bit too much given your time limits and commandline experience, to make the necessary adjustments needed
by the ole iMac G4 800MHz
If you really want to run Linux on the iMac G4 800MHz may I suggest "try try again"

"the story when using the same mini.iso to load my iMac G4 800MHz . . .
the same mini.iso that worked on the iBook seemed to "successfully" install the OS, but after a week or so windows stopped working"

and this time document everything you do during the time between the ole mac working till it starts not working.

Good Luck.