From owner-freebsd-ppc@FreeBSD.ORG Tue Jan 22 20:06:39 2008 Return-Path: Delivered-To: freebsd-ppc@freebsd.org Received: from mx1.freebsd.org (mx1.freebsd.org [IPv6:2001:4f8:fff6::34]) by hub.freebsd.org (Postfix) with ESMTP id 70AFD16A41A for ; Tue, 22 Jan 2008 20:06:39 +0000 (UTC) (envelope-from grehan@freebsd.org) Received: from dommail.onthenet.com.au (dommail.OntheNet.com.au [203.13.70.57]) by mx1.freebsd.org (Postfix) with ESMTP id 0C01713C468 for ; Tue, 22 Jan 2008 20:06:38 +0000 (UTC) (envelope-from grehan@freebsd.org) Received: from excfreebsd.hq.netapp.com (nat-198-95-226-228.netapp.com [198.95.226.228]) by dommail.onthenet.com.au (MOS 3.7.5a-GA) with ESMTP id DMO34601 (AUTH peterg@ptree32.com.au); Wed, 23 Jan 2008 06:06:18 +1000 (EST) Message-ID: <47964CB1.5060401@freebsd.org> Date: Tue, 22 Jan 2008 12:06:09 -0800 From: Peter Grehan User-Agent: Thunderbird 2.0.0.0 (X11/20070525) MIME-Version: 1.0 To: David Frascone References: <681a18e40801220713m4bf11abcx3f463d6ca3729188@mail.gmail.com> In-Reply-To: <681a18e40801220713m4bf11abcx3f463d6ca3729188@mail.gmail.com> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1; format=flowed Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Cc: freebsd-ppc@freebsd.org Subject: Re: Best way to boot / install a mac? X-BeenThere: freebsd-ppc@freebsd.org X-Mailman-Version: 2.1.5 Precedence: list Reply-To: grehan@freebsd.org List-Id: Porting FreeBSD to the PowerPC List-Unsubscribe: , List-Archive: List-Post: List-Help: List-Subscribe: , X-List-Received-Date: Tue, 22 Jan 2008 20:06:39 -0000 Hi Dave, > I think I'm becoming an expert on installing BSD on macs now . . . > I've done it many times :) > > But, I would like some advice from those who are also doing it: > > 1) Is there any alternative to 4-fingering the boot? You can set up a CHRP boot script on the bootable partition to automatically boot into FreeBSD. This is what the install CD does (src/release/powerpc/boot.tbxi). See also: http://marc.info/?l=freebsd-ppc&m=112950480911251&w=2 > Also, why not wipe all partitions and boot from TFTP to get the > loader? Would that work? For a long time there was no native partitioning tool, and even now I'm not sure if g_part can do it. Also, the loader can't read HFS, and that's the usual filesystem used for a boot partition. I think it's possible to use iso9660 as a hd boot partition, though it would require the creating of an iso filesystem image on the fly to populate the partition. > i.e. boot enet:,loader -- and then let loader somehow find the kernel > / filesystems on the disk? As above on loader/HFS support. > 2) If you don't care about OS X, is there any alternative way to > partition the disk? My powermac does not have a DVD drive in it, so > I have to plug in a PC drive to boot off of my OS X dvd. I'd prefer > to repartition more natively -- even if it means getting the loader > via TFTP. My suggestion is to - boot up in firewire target mode (hold down 't' as the system boots), - hook it up to a machine running OSX/OS9/Linux - format a HFS boot partition. Copy the loader (and boot.tbxi) into this. - format the remainder of the disk as you see fit - install from CD or the net. later, Peter.