How the HECK do I install Linux?

tigerwoods99

SO I've got Mandrake 8.2 PPC and I've burned the CD image and the folders are there right. The stuff inside is all just files and stuff that I can't even open on here and when I try to expand some files that are .sit, .img etc. it gives me an error 95. The thing I found which seems to be what I need to install it properly seems to be a binary code document, which I would have no clue of deciphering as I'm only familiar with C++.



Here it is:



#

# quick script to make bootable HFS CD for linux

#

#

#!/bin/sh

#

#mkCD1 <CD tree> <output image name>

#Parameters:



if ! rpm -q hfsutils ; then

\techo 'You need hfsutils installed!!'

\texit 1

fi



if [ -e $2 ] ; then

\techo 'Output image $2 exists, please delete'

\techo 'usage: mkCD1 <CD tree> <output image name>'

\texit 1

fi



if [ ! -d $1 ] ; then

\techo 'CD tree $1 is not a directory!'

\techo 'usage: mkCD1 <CD tree> <output image name>'

\texit 1

fi



# select the appropriate mkhybrid binary depending on if

# we are on x86 or ppc



ARCH=`uname -m | sed -e 's/i.86/i386/' -e 's/sparc.*/sparc/'`



if [ "$ARCH" == "ppc" ]; then

MKHYBRID=mkhybrid-1.12b5.4

else

if [ "$ARCH" == "i386" ]; then

\tMKHYBRID=mkhybrid-1.12b5.4-x86

else

\techo "Sorry, no mkhybrid binary for $ARCH..."

\texit

fi

fi



#Change these when you build the CD..

ApplicationID="Linux-Mandrake"

PublisherID="MandrakeSoft"

PreparerID="[email protected]"

SystemID=PPC

volid=ppc

hfsVolid=Linux-Mandrake

curPwd=`pwd`



$curPwd/$MKHYBRID -part -hfs -r -l -J \\

-A $ApplicationID \\

-P $PublisherID \\

-p $PreparerID \\

-abstract "README" \\

-sysid $SystemID \\

-V $volid \\

-volset "Update" \\

-volset-size 2 \\

-volset-seqno 1 \\

-hfs-volid $hfsVolid \\

-map $curPwd/mapping \\

-magic $curPwd/magic \\

-m "*.orig" \\

-hide '*.MacOS' -hide '*.DOS' \\

-hide-joliet '*.Unix' -hide-joliet '*.MacOS' \\

-hide-hfs '*.Unix' -hide-hfs '*.DOS' \\

-pad \\

-o $2 \\

$1



#Bless boot folder so yaboot can boot

hmount $2

hattrib -b boot

hcd boot

hattrib -t tbxi yaboot

humount

tigerwoods99

Nevermind, I was on the bootup screen but its not letting me install it on any partition of my hard drive.

stimuli

I recommend Yellow Dog Linux 2.3 or 2.2. I personally am running 2.2.



Mandrake is supposedly 'easier' than other distros but keep in mind you are using a PC distro ported to mac, and also keep in mind all distros share 95+% of

their software (GPLed).



Give it a shot Tiger, linux is fresh!



ciao,



stimuli

tigerwoods99

Consensus pick seems to be Mandrake or Debian.

stimuli

Well, this Consensus fellow has mislead you. On a Mac, easiest would be YDL, Debian is more for advanced users, and for the really k-rad ultra-1337, gentoo fits the bill.



But for god's sake, man, don't even think of making gentoo your first distro.



And for PC, redhat 8.0 or Mandrake 9 are prob'ly easiest.

madmax559

go for gentoo



a little thinking wont melt your brains

besides which gentoo has excellent install docs

& the forums are very very good..



be a little patient & you will have 2 fun os's

to play around with

tigerwoods99

Where can I d/l Gentoo? I was just about to trry and install Mandrake 8.2.

thuh freak

what does linux offer that darwin can't already handle? is the kernel really better, or worth the effort? and, if it aint the kernel that your shaggin for, then what?

tigerwoods99

For fun.

thuh freak

you can do probably everything from Terminal, and/or xterm (if u got ur xfree86 goin on), that you can do on gnu/linux, plus from macosx you get iTunes and AIM and shit. i got x11 (with gnome) goin on simul with aqua, and life is grand.



also, the operating system based around Linus' kernel is more properly called gnu/linux. the kernel itself is called linux. the gnu project contributed more to the operating system than Linus.

kecksy

[quote]Originally posted by thuh Freak:

<strong>what does linux offer that darwin can't already handle? is the kernel really better, or worth the effort? and, if it aint the kernel that your shaggin for, then what?</strong><hr></blockquote>



Maybe he wants to experiment? With Linux he can **** around with any setting he wants without fear of breaking something he needs in OS X.

stimuli

Warning, tiger: with Gentoo, you COMPILE the entire operating system. This makes it fully optimized, and lean (only the software you want), but until you have a better understanding of the OS and its architecture, and what software does what, I suggest going with a simpler YDL. Point and click, get it installed, maybe tweak some shizzat if the mood strikes you.



Compiling an OS will take hella long even on hella fast hardware. So unless you are beta testing some GPUL hardware for IBM, I'd go the easy route and snag some Yellow Dog.



Myself, I use YDL 2.2, and plan on triple-booting OpenBSD, Gentoo, and OSX w/ my next hardware purchase (soon!). Maybe get me an iBook or something.



Why learn linux? So you'll know the OS Windows users will be using five years from now! Also, it's cool to see another take on the whole OS thing. Especially an OS that doesn't suck (tm). Like, oh, windows.