[TriLUG] debian + ibook + usb hard drive

[Matt Bidwell]

Michael Hrivnak wrote:
> Folks,
>
> I want to install debian for use on my ibook on an external USB hard drive.  
> The installation goes smoothly until it tries to install yaboot.  It fails 
> with no explanation, and I can't figure out why.
>
> The only relevant messages I see look like this:
>
> yaboot-installer: info: probed: /dev/discs/disc0/part3:Mac OS X:MacOSX:macosx
> yaboot-installer: debug: mapped: /dev/hda3
>
> I created the NewWorld boot partition as part of my manual partitioning, and 
> it is the first partition on the drive.  All other partitions are part of lvm 
> (home, root, swap).  I also tried letting debian auto-partition with the same 
> results.
>
> I'm used to linux on PCs, so my knowledge of how macs boot is slim.  Can you 
> help me diagnose this?  Hopefully it's a simple problem.  I've googled and 
> such with no luck.
>
> FWIW, this is the latest debian-ppc install cd with an ibook G4 and a 160GB 
> external usb2.0 hard drive.
>
> Thanks a lot,
> Michael
>   
Michael,
 From what I understand installing is a big no no with a firewire drive.
I did an Ubuntu install on my mac laptop and even though I wasn't
installing on the firewire drive, just having it hooked up with a no no.
It kept balking at the point when yaboot was being installed.
Eventually I found through googling that this is a known issue
with no known fix.  You might want to query to the Debian PPC
list to see if some fix been found.
Matt