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The "I might need to change mine" Thread

MultiFinder

Well-known member
I might need to change my retro challenge...

As you may or may not know, mine was to install Linux on my Classic II. Well, it's on there and booting reliably :D

I just need to tack on some more stuff to the challenge. Next step is to figure out how the heck to get software packages onto there to make it a little more useful. That should be fun on a computer with no network connection, no optical drive, and a floppy drive that Linux refuses to recognize :p

I'd like to add that to my official challenge. Up the ante and make mine "Install Linux on a Macintosh Classic II, and then make it useful".

BTW, As far as I know, I'm the only person in the world to ever get Linux running on a B&W compact besides the SE/30! This is really exciting! :beige: EDIT: I might be wrong

P.S., if you wouldn't mind adding in there that I'm gonna be installing Linux on my Power Macintosh 6500/225 to help and assist in this project. Should be fun, eh?

 
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LCGuy

LC Doctor/Hot Rodder
I hate to burst your bubble, but from what i hear, the Classic II is a common choice for m68k Linux users.

 

MultiFinder

Well-known member
I hate to burst your bubble, but from what i hear, the Classic II is a common choice for m68k Linux users.
Really? Hmmmm, I haven't seen anything about them and Linux. All I've ever seen are people and their SE/30's.

 

MacMan

Well-known member
It is pretty impressive to get Linux on a 68K though. I'm currently looking into getting Linux onto a PowerMac 4400 that I have kicking about, as I have never had a Linux machine before. I've used them at Uni though and it's a cool platform.

 

Ruik

Member
I know this is an old topic, but could you tell me how you were able to install Linux on your Mac68k? I have been mulling it over and I am having a hard time figuring out what I want to do. I only have a floppy drive, and no way to network the machine..

Thanks for your time.

 

MultiFinder

Well-known member
I've been working on a detailed installation guide for some time now, and I plan to finish it up over christmas break. Unfortunately, until then, I'm gonna be totally socked in with papers and finals :-/

So, I'll keep you posted, and I'll definitely contact you when I get it done :)

 

II2II

Well-known member
I know this is an old topic, but could you tell me how you were able to install Linux on your Mac68k? I have been mulling it over and I am having a hard time figuring out what I want to do. I only have a floppy drive, and no way to network the machine.
Which model, and how large is your hard drive?

 

Ruik

Member
I was going to attempt to install on a PowerBook 165, I know its not supposed to be supported by most of the distros but I figured I'd at least try it. Its only a 50mb hdd, but then again I really don't need a GUI I wouldn't mind if I could only get a command line. I know on PC I have installed from a floppy distro before.

Thanks for replying so quickly, glad the forum is so active..

:b&w:

 

II2II

Well-known member
If you can do it, that is going to be a tricky machine to get up and running.

Do you have a second Mac to assist in the process. (A Mac that can support LocalTalk networking?)

 

SiliconValleyPirate

Well-known member
I was gonna make some crass diaper joke, but I couldn't think of one ;)

I've done NetBSD on a SE/30, Mystic Colour Classic, Q605 and a IIci. I've never tried Linux as it seems to be much the same but less well documented and supported for the most part.

 

wgoodf

Well-known member
I was going to attempt to install on a PowerBook 165, I know its not supposed to be supported by most of the distros but I figured I'd at least try it. Its only a 50mb hdd, but then again I really don't need a GUI I wouldn't mind if I could only get a command line. I know on PC I have installed from a floppy distro before.
Thanks for replying so quickly, glad the forum is so active..

:b&w:
is that even possible? - very cool if you manage it mind you.

i cant say i have ever seen anyway attempt it either.

nothing better than a who dares wins for a challenge.

 

II2II

Well-known member
is that even possible? - very cool if you manage it mind you. i cant say i have ever seen anyway attempt it either.
nothing better than a who dares wins for a challenge.
The NetBSD site suggests that the PB165 works if you access it via a serial console.

 

wgoodf

Well-known member
specifically the 165 - or would the 180s work too.

kinda cool that - i dont remember seeing anyone wave one about before. and you know thats generally what folk do in the circumstance.

go go Ruik!

 

paws

Well-known member
is that even possible? - very cool if you manage it mind you. i cant say i have ever seen anyway attempt it either.
nothing better than a who dares wins for a challenge.
The NetBSD site suggests that the PB165 works if you access it via a serial console.
Booh - it would be much more useful AS a serial console:)

 

II2II

Well-known member
Booh - it would be much more useful AS a serial console:)
That's pretty much what I did way back in the mists of time: I wanted NetBSD on my Quadra 950 (no keyboard support), so I used a Duo 230 as a serial console.

 

Ruik

Member
Whats the size of the NetBSD Distro? I much prefer BSD over Linux, but I use either. I am sort of limited on space as I just realized that my PB 165 only contains a 50MB Hdd.

Oh for the three or four Duo's I scrapped when I moved.

I do have an older PowerMac running OS8.1, and I think a Grape iMac running OS9. But I never tried to use LocalTalk.. So this should be a learning experience.

:p

 

II2II

Well-known member
The first thing you should do is setup localtalk networking between the laptop and the older powermac (since the iMac won't support serial based localtalk). You will need to do this since there isn't a prayer of fitting the distro files and installation partition on 50 MB.

I'm trying to figure out how much space an old install of NetBSD would take (you only need base and etc packages), but their ftp server is timing out on me. On a particular directory. Weird.

 
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