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

[este_el_paz]

Got it more or less done . . . using the "nv" driver had to go thru mintppc repository to get it; thanks to all who helped here. I'll post back with some more details when I get a free moment, and also when it seems like the GUI is fairly stable without the windows dropping down off the page . . . but right now I'm typing this in IW running straight Deb Wheezy in iMac G4 800 MHz.

e.e.p.

[mr-bisquit]

Considering both of you have had a bit of trouble with Linux running on an iMac, I'd like to know what steps you took during installing.

For my installations:
1) I make sure that the partition table is :
apm, hfs-boot, /(root) of ext3 or other fs, swap
followed by another hfs-boot, and partitions according to the OS I want installed.
2) Automatic booting from Open Firmware. It's better to hold down the option button and choose the installation you want booted.
3) Emphasis on what was stated before. Build the system such as:
a) Basic system, no desktop.
b) Minimal Xorg environment is next. You will need to run

Code: Select all

Xorg -configure

or the screen will be grainy.
c) Build the kernel from source. You can run xconfig or gconfig. Once that is done, you can compile with Xorg deactivated.

[lester]]

[...] right now I'm typing this in IW running straight Deb Wheezy in iMac G4 800 MHz.
e.e.p.

I guess it's a matter of opinion, but to me that is the important part.
Congratulations for fixing your first debian install.

Hopefully, a few things become a bit less confusing as one becomes more familiar with the basics,
as I'm certain you've already noticed yourself.

[este_el_paz]

bisquit/lester:

Thanks for the follow-up . . . yes, the basic GNOME-based GUI is up and running, but there are still "issues" so I'm not out of the woods on it yet. After I tried to "suspend" the computer continued to run and after several minutes some scribbled script appeared on the desktop . . . then when I tried to log in, there were several error windows saying "oops, the system could not start, please log out and try again" . . . which without the GUI would have just been the kernel panic--so something is still causing issues. The screen is readable but certainly isn't pin sharp . . . don't know if that is adjustable. The display is said to be "unknown" and the ethernet is working but is "unmanaged" . . . so it's not clear what that means and whether I need to do something about it or not.

It's also not clear what is the difference between using "nv" and what the "xorg.conf" file is doing . . . since over in mintppc the xorg.conf is used for some computers and I think the iMac is one of them--so I'm still not clear why several posters here are suggesting to not use or delete it . . . . But, anyway, it seems that still now with the GUI like before, after a couple kernel panics the system can be booted; and it should give me the ability to copy/paste stuff out of the Terminal, instead of having to hand write it out. Once I get back to the computer and try to do some retro triage on what was done and what did what I'll try to post the details here . . . several times n the past 4 months I've gotten to a GUI system and then it degraded or went away due to one reason or another, such as not having the right xorg.conf file . . . and the windows would drop off the desktop and drop-down menus would stop working. I'm hopeful this system will be somewhat stable and can be worked with . . . also noticed that the "evolution email setup" would crash when I clicked on "add account" . . . . But IW seemed to work just fine going to a few web sites . . . .

e.e.p.

[mr-bisquit]

It would be best for you to compile a kernel with low latency and a 1000hz timer. Why it is limited to 1000hz is a mystery to me. I have a FreeBSD install on a Quicksilver G4 and that kernel runs at 2500hz. It's stable.

Iceweasel/firefox is a hog when it comes to memory and processes. Best to have whatever you can to block scripts from loading. Also, you probably can use a mimimalist/simple browser for half of what you do, I'm guessing.
You can use Xfce or LXDE for the desktop. You'll still have access to the gnome applications.

[JohnDeere630]

It would be best for you to compile a kernel with low latency and a 1000hz timer. Why it is limited to 1000hz is a mystery to me.

I don't mean to be snarky, but you are confusing the chip's physical clock frequency with the time intervals that the kernel polls the CPU I/O registers for interrupts. Imagine it this way: You (the CPU) have a job at an office which entails two duties, the first being to continuously count beans as fast as you can, but you are also required to glance at a bulletin board where your boss (The Colonel ) posts sticky notes telling you which pile of beans to count. If you are a 2.5 Ghz chip with a 1000 hz kernel latency, that means you can count 2.5 billion beans per second but only glance at the bulletin board one thousand times per second.

*Edit* I reread your post and saw that you were comparing a bsd kernel latency with the Linux kernel latency....not clock speed vs. kernel latency. My bad Seriously, I doubt anyone but God would notice the real world difference between 1 and 2.5 khz polling.....

[jheaton5]

Well, I've been up all night sick. All I can say at this point is that's way too many beans for me.

[nadir]

yeah, over my head too.
Anyway, the way i would have put it, what mr-bisquit said:
With a 800Mhz Cpu you have to be happy with what you get
(aka: make use of low-ressources environments, apps, etc).
While kernel-compiling can be fun (and a pain in the ass too), i never realized any difference in speed. That means nothing.

iceweasel works ok on my old machines and on my imac too, btw. If in doubt don't let it load images, that should help a lot.
I don't know evolution, but i guess (!) it uses quite some ressources.

Assuming i remember it correct that said machine has got 800Mhz.

[este_el_paz]

Iceweasel/firefox is a hog when it comes to memory and processes. Best to have whatever you can to block scripts from loading. Also, you probably can use a mimimalist/simple browser for half of what you do, I'm guessing.
You can use Xfce or LXDE for the desktop. You'll still have access to the gnome applications.

Gents: thanks for the comments, I was thinking about Xfce for the DE since I have that in my LMDE MBPro, and I've got LXDE in my iBook running MintPPC11 . . . but I sort of like the GNOME layout . . . . I also have "noscript" running on the iBook IW, but I haven't had too much luck with Midori or even Opera . . . in the iBook . . . where the issue seems to be that the CPU fan will start maxing out if the CPU use goes up, even for stuff like smilies. Are there any other minimalist/simple browsers to try out, indeed I don't look at videos or do too much except research on Pubmed, and check emails, ??? I think in MintPPC there used to be "Epiphany" or something as a web browser, but that seemed to crash a lot--so I went back to IW and overall it seems OK in the 933MHz iBook. Don't know if the 800 MHz iMac will be overtaxed by it, so far there hasn't been any obvious problems.

e.e.p.

[huggybear]

Wow, Midori is too slow? Can you increase your RAM? I think that might help you. Also, mount your hard disks noatime and use a very lean desktop environment like LXDE. You can use LightDM or SLiM as a login manager instead of the heavy ones like GDM or KDM. Use claws mail as a mail client.