Debian Linux on Amiga 4000 PPC APUS

[Rotzloeffel]

Hi volks,

I installed a working Debian system with APUS on an a 4000 with cyberstorm PPC/ 233 Mhz and upgraded it sucessfully to Sarge. :roflmao:

Now my question: the last known Kernel witch supports APUS is 2.6.15 I am actually working with the last kernel 2.4.17. I am unable to compile an 2.6.15 kernel because it allways ends in an Error-message. Is there anyone out who finaly did this? Or is the old bootstrab able to boot an 2.6.15 kernel?

I am an linux-kernel-compiler-newbee I have no idea what is going wrong.

I want to upgrade my system to lenny at least to use the ultimate collection of software. But this is not possible with this old kernel.

thanks in advance from the Black Forest Germany

Rotzloeffel

[Dandy]

Hi volks,
 
I installed a working Debian system with APUS on an a 4000 with cyberstorm PPC/ 233 Mhz and upgraded it sucessfully to Sarge. :roflmao:
 

Hi Rotzlöffel,

Seems you already had more success than I ever had with respect to Linux.

I have the "Amiga Linux Compendium" CDs, but up to now I haven't succeeded to get a working Linux installed on my Amiga4000 PPC (68060@50mHz/PPC604e@200mHz; 128mB) with Mediator and Voodoo4.

This was mainly because the Kernel on the CDs didn't support the UW-SCSI hostadaptor on my CSPPC.
When looking on the web for a newer kernel that has support for the UW-SCSI I got completely lost given the enormous multiplicity on available kernels.

As I never messed around with linux before, I have absolutely no idea what I need to set up a properly running Linux system on my A4kPPC.

What kernel runs with what bootstrap?
I'm really confused by all that...

thanks in advance from the Black Forest Germany

the same from Cologne...

[skurk]

Now my question: the last known Kernel witch supports APUS is 2.6.15 I am actually working with the last kernel 2.4.17. I am unable to compile an 2.6.15 kernel because it allways ends in an Error-message. Is there anyone out who finaly did this? Or is the old bootstrab able to boot an 2.6.15 kernel?

Figuring the reason why "it doesn't work" requires you to paste perhaps hundreds of lines from the build process.  It could be a long and demanding process.

Rather ask yourself: why do I need the 2.6.15 kernel when the 2.4.17 is working just fine?

(I'd rather ask myself why the hell would I run Linux on an Amiga, but that's another story

[amigagr]

(I'd rather ask myself why the hell would I run Linux on an Amiga, but that's another story

''to use the ultimate collection of software.'' maybe?

[skurk]

''to use the ultimate collection of software.'' maybe?

Sure, but on an Amiga?  I think we all agree that it's much easier and far more convenient to do this on an old PC, which you can probably even get for free.  It will do the job many times better.

And, besides, he can run the "ultimate collection of software" on his current kernel as well.

But, as I said, that's another story, sorry for going offtopic.

[JohnFante]

Hi volks,

I installed a working Debian system with APUS on an a 4000 with cyberstorm PPC/ 233 Mhz and upgraded it sucessfully to Sarge. :roflmao:

Now my question: the last known Kernel witch supports APUS is 2.6.15 I am actually working with the last kernel 2.4.17. I am unable to compile an 2.6.15 kernel because it allways ends in an Error-message. Is there anyone out who finaly did this? Or is the old bootstrab able to boot an 2.6.15 kernel?

I am an linux-kernel-compiler-newbee I have no idea what is going wrong.

I want to upgrade my system to lenny at least to use the ultimate collection of software. But this is not possible with this old kernel.

thanks in advance from the Black Forest Germany

Rotzloeffel

I am sorry to reviwe an old thread but how do you manage to install APUS linux more precisely?

A step by step would be nice. :-) .... if you still remember ;-)

[mfilos]

It's not very easy and not much documentation exists.
Searching forums is your friend (I managed to find many useful advises on aw.net) and I successfully managed to install Debian Sarge into my former A1200D PPC (you can check video here)

Sadly even finding the correct info, you'll realize that some of the repos don't exist nowadays or they changed servers that you have to manually find

It's really fun as experimental procedure, but certainly is not fun to run. Just for example the installation took me a whole weekend with my Amiga on lol (was socked it haven't crashed at all).
Maybe by using command line mode only would be okeish, but X with Gnome... was painful as hell (even on my 330MHz BPPC).

Imho, best Linux distro for our Amigas is NetBSD for those who like to experiment and it's still supported and updated

[JohnFante]

Thank you :-)

I think I will give NetBSD a go then.

Do you know if there is any x-server for NetBSD for Amiga or is it only console based?

[mfilos]

It certainly has X environment and you can check it out from gibs on EAB on a thread here:
http://eab.abime.net/showthread.php?p=833630

[Rotzloeffel]

Just one small question in this old thread
 
Is there any need for a smal "how to install", "upgrad" and "cusomize Debian Linux Sarge on the amiga with Cyberstorm / Blizzard PPC ?
 
works well here and fast
 
Pictures are showing Debian Sarge 3.1 with Gnome-Desktop on my Amiga 1200 Blizzard PPC /240 Mhz and BVision 8 MB runing Open-Office :laughing:

[Dragster]

Is there any need for a smal "how to install", "upgrad" and "cusomize Debian

Not sure if there's a need... but I'd like to see one certainly...

Cheers,
Dragster

[Rotzloeffel]

Not sure if there's a need... but I'd like to see one certainly...
 
Cheers,
Dragster

:-) O.K. then I will write a small and quick guide in a few days:-) it´s easy if you know how to do it:-)

[Dragster]

:-) O.K. then I will write a small and quick guide in a few days:-) it´s easy if you know how to do it:-)

Thank you very much mate, really appreciated

Cheers,

Dragster

[JohnFante]

Just one small question in this old thread
 
Is there any need for a smal "how to install", "upgrad" and "cusomize Debian Linux Sarge on the amiga with Cyberstorm / Blizzard PPC ?
 
works well here and fast
 
Pictures are showing Debian Sarge 3.1 with Gnome-Desktop on my Amiga 1200 Blizzard PPC /240 Mhz and BVision 8 MB runing Open-Office :laughing:

Would be very appreciated :-)

[Rotzloeffel]

O.K:) Let´s go:-) english:-) let´s give it a try! please do not correct any dictionary mistakes....I am german and will do my best :banana:
 
This works on an Amiga 4000/PPC ! If you want to do this on an Amiga 1200 PPC you need special advice and different kernel-files!! please pm me if you want to use a A1200! I will help!
 
please stay cool! It is a lot of work to write such a Tutorial.... so I will start with the basic install and upgrade to the actual distribution known as working with the actual kernel-file! so this first step will bring you to the basic install of Debian Sarge 3.1 RC6! so this tutorial is "to be continued!"
 
first of all we need a harddisc or some free space on an exisiting one. We need at least THREE parititions. One of them must be bootable from Amiga-OS, so it should be locatet at the beginning of the disc in the first 2 GB! The best would be, if you use a blank harddrive for this system
 
boot up in Amiga OS and use HD-Toolbox for creating the following parititions (give them speaking names, will help you in future):
 
everything MUST entered with the RETURN key!
 
- a smal boot paritition (DOSType DOS\3 0x444F5303) 50-100 MB is enough! mark this paritition as bootable! Name it boot for example
- a Linux-partition (DOSType EXT2 0x45585432), this should be the largest parition! at least 2 - 5 GB! more is better! call it usr and uncheck the automount option !
 
- a Swap-parittiion (DOSType SWAP 0x53574150), call it swap (if you allready have one for OS 4.1 you can also use this!
 
 
 
after the reeboot format the boot parition normaly under Amiga-OS.
 
get the latest installation CD-Rom for Debian-Apus form here:
 
http://cdimage.debian.org/cdimage/archive/3.0_r6/powerpc/iso-cd/debian-30r6-powerpc-binary-1_NONUS.iso
 
burn it on a CD!
 
now get the following files:
 
The Kernel-file:
 
http://sourceforge.net/projects/linux-apus/files/2.4%20Kernel/2.4.18-2/kernel-image-apus_2.4.18-2.lha/download?_test=updater&utm_expid=65835818-0&use_mirror=heanet&modtime=1031398423&big_mirror=0&utm_referrer=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.a1k.org%2Fforum%2Fshowthread.php%3Ft%3D27848
 
The Loader for linus:
 
http://sourceforge.net/projects/linux-apus/files/Boothack/010623/bh010623.lha/download?_test=updater&utm_expid=65835818-0&use_mirror=ignum&modtime=993254400&big_mirror=0&utm_referrer=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.a1k.org%2Fforum%2Fshowthread.php%3Ft%3D27848
 
from the Kernel-archive extract the file vmlinuz-2.4.18-apus to the linux boot paritition!
 
create a folder named c on the boot parition and extract from the second archive the files bootstrap and ppcboot_pup (for Pouwerup!) into c also copy the program setpatch from your actual OS installation into the c-folder of the boot parition.
 
from the burned CD-Rom copy the file root.bin to you boot paritition! it is located in cd0:install/apus/
 
now create a drawer called libs on your boot-parititon and copy (if needed) the 68060.library and the ppc.library into it! you can optain them from here:
 
http://phase5.a1k.org/index.php?driverslibraries
 
now create a drawer called s on your boot paritition and create a startup-sequence in it:
 
this bootstrap-command is for a cybervisonppc! if you have another grafigboard please refer to the readme of bootstrap! for example use clgen (and adjust the resolution!) instead of pm2fb if you have a cirruslogic based board like picasso II, picassoIV or spectrum!! For other boards please read the readme!
 
code for installation(startup-sequence):
 

Code: [Select]

c:setpatch NONSD NOROMUPDATE QUIET
[B];for installation[/B]
[B]c:bootstrap --apus -k vmlinuz-2.4.18-apus -r boot:root.bin root=/dev/ram 60nsram nobats video=pm2fb:mode:1280x1024-60 video=amifb:off[/B]
;for booting after installation
;c:bootstrap --apus -k vmlinuz-2.4.18-apus [B]root=/dev/sdax[/B] 60nsram nobats video=pm2fb:mode:1280x1024-60 video=amifb:off
 
 
the entry root=/dev/sdax depends on your HD-setup!!!!!
 
scsi-drives are allway shown as sda, sdb, sdc and so on in the order they are installed in your computer
 
ide-drives are allways shown as hda hdb and so on!
 
the x is the number of the parition on the drive! so if you used hdtoolbox on the second scsi-drive in your system as a whole disk it should look like this
 
sd1a : boot
sd1b : usr
sd1c : swap
 
so you have to use root=/dev/sd1b
 
but you will se this while you instal linux
 
O.K! now you are ready to go....:nervous:
 
start your system from you linux boot parition by choosing it in the early startup-screen.
 
you should see a shell window starting bootstrap and extracting the kernel....starting pup and inhibiting all drives......
 
linux should start now....
 
please! follow the instructions! Dont´t try something else! it will not work and will lead into trouble!!!!! believe me
 
1. choose your language
2. choose keyboard
3. format a swap parititon (linux will find it itself!)
4. inititalize an format a linux paritition
choose ext3 on the next screen and remember the name!!
(for example /dev/sd1b) this is the name for your startup-sequence
later !!!
The parition will be formated now! this will take a while ! When
formating is done, answer the question "mount root filesystem" with
YES
5. choose "Mount a previously-initialized Paritition" select your linux boot
parition and choose /boot as mount point
6. choose "configure the Hostname" and insert whatever you want
7. select configure the network, select your networkcard and let DHCP
configure the network
8. select install the base system and choose the CD-Rom as installmedia
follow the screen there is only one choise (/instmnt) select it and take
a beer :banana:
9. select reeboot the system and go back to Amiga-OS! Gratulations!
first step is done!
 
after returning to Amiga OS some smal additional work must be done:
 
Download the ext2-filesystem from http://aminet.net/package/disk/misc/ext2fs_0.41 and extract the file ext2filesystem from amigaos-folder to l:
 
get: http://aminet.net/dev/c/giggledisk.lha
 
put it giggledisk_AOS68 into c: of your amiga-os paritition.
 
open a shell and type (example cybppc.device unit 1 !!)
 

Code: [Select]

giggledisk_Aos68k cybppc.device 1 to ram:

now you have several files in RAM: copy the file of your linux parititon to devs:dosdrivers/
 
edit the file and correct the line FILESYSTEM with l:ext2filesystem
at the end of the file add the efollowing line:
 
Control = CASESENSITIVE
 
save the file and dobble click on it. you should now see the linux parition on your workbench!
 
now you need to download the following files:
 
The Kernel-header files.
 
http://downloads.sourceforge.net/linux-apus/kernel-headers-apus_2.4.18-2.tar.gz?modtime=1031239550&big_mirror=0
 
extract it to the mounted linux parititon!
 
now extract the allreade downloaded kernel-archive to the linux parition.
this will take a while !!!! approximatly 1 -2 hours!!! the filesystem is usefull but slow!!!! so stay cool have a beer or two watch soccer :banana:
after unpacking go to the linux-parititon, enter the boot directory and move all files to your linux-boot paritition.
 
Download http://downloads.sourceforge.net/linux-apus/kernel-patch-apus_2.4.18-2.tar.gz?modtime=1031239551&big_mirror=0
 
and extract it to the linux-parition.
 
now edit your startup-sequence on your linux-boot parititon and enter the correct /dev/sd1b or whatever you mounted as / while installation!!!
 
change the ";" from bootstrap-command ! for example:
 

Code: [Select]

c:setpatch NONSD NOROMUPDATE QUIET
;for installation
[B];[/B]c:bootstrap --apus -k vmlinuz-2.4.18-apus -r boot:root.bin root=/dev/ram 60nsram nobats video=pm2fb:mode:1280x1024-60 video=amifb:off
[B];for booting after installation[/B]
[B]c:bootstrap --apus -k vmlinuz-2.4.18-apus root=/dev/sdax 60nsram nobats video=pm2fb:mode:1280x1024-60 video=amifb:off[/B]

boot again from your linux boot-parition...to start the post-installation!
 
most of the questions here are "self explaining" but you need some hints!
 
1. choose keymap !
select choose keymap from full list and choos your keymap!
2. time zone! choos no and select your time-zone by yourself!
3. answer all questions with the standard choice! setup passwords
create a user etc. till the question "do you want to security updates!
answer with NO!!!!!!!
4. run tasksel YES select NOTHING go to finish !
5. run deselct NO
 
system installation will procced...answer the questions (self-explaining)
 
the last question is about email-system! select (4) local delivery and enter root as receiptance select Y as last answer!
 
congratulations! you have installed Debian PPC Woody on your amiga :laughing:
 
Now we upgrade it to sage
 
first of all, we need to install aptitude because it is much more better the apt which is allready installed. so let´s go..........
 
login as root!
 
type
 

Code: [Select]

apt-get install aptitude

now we have to change the source from our cd-rom to to sarge
 
edit the source.list !

Code: [Select]

nano /etc/apt/sources.list

delelet everything in it and replace it with:
 

Code: [Select]

deb [URL]http://archive.debian.org/debian[/URL] sarge main contrib non-free
deb-src [URL]http://archive.debian.org/debian[/URL] sarge main contrib non-free

save it by using esc + X
 
enter
 

Code: [Select]

aptitutude update
[code]
 
after downloading and unpacking the sarge dist-files we first have to bring aptitude up to date
 
[code]
aptitutde install aptitude

if this is done you can upgrade to sarge by using
 

Code: [Select]

aptitude -f --with-recommends dist-upgrade

now have a beer or 5.....this takes a while.....
 
to be continued! please stay cool! It is a lot of work!