malekith: bootdisk README.ppc,NONE,1.1

[Michał Moskal]

Module name:    bootdisk
Changes by:     malekith

 

--- NEW FILE: README.ppc ---
This documents contains some advice about installation of PLD Linux on
PPC (NewWorld iMac to be precise).

1. Parted is not able to resize hfs partitions yet, so if you would like to
   keep your MacOS, and you didn't leave free disk space for it, you will have 
   to either backup your data somewhat, or install Linux on new hard disk.

2. You will need small (800k, make it 2m to be sure :) bootstrap hfs 
   partition. This partition has to have number 2. Pdisk has option to
   renumber partitions. I wouldn't recommend using pdisk for anything else,
   though.

   This partition has to have the `boot' flag on in parted.

3. When making partitions with parted make sure you do not leave gaps 
   between them. E.g. if last partition ends at 123.343, then try to make
   new starting from 123.344, parted should shrink them together.
   If you will leave gaps between partitions, you will end up with new
   partition for each gap.

4. I've never seen an iMac...

Written down session of partition creation follows. Parted prompts with 
(parted).

#v+
GNU Parted 1.4.24
Copyright (C) 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002 Free Software Foundation, Inc.
This program is free software, covered by the GNU General Public License.

This program is distributed in the hope that it will be useful, but WITHOUT ANY
WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A
PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the GNU General Public License for more details.

WARNING: unlike other partitioning software, parted does *NOT* wait for
exit to write changes to partition table, you're experimenting on your
disk's live body.

Using /dev/hdd
Error: Unable to open /dev/hdd - unrecognised disk label.
Information: The operating system thinks the geometry on /dev/hdd is 8126/16/63.Therefore, cylinder 1024 ends at 503.999M.
(parted) mklabel mac
(parted) p
Disk geometry for /dev/hdd: 0.000-3999.515 megabytes
Disk label type: mac
Minor    Start       End     Filesystem  Name                  Flags
1          0.000      0.031              Apple                 
(parted) mkpart primary hfs 0.032 2
(parted) p
Disk geometry for /dev/hdd: 0.000-3999.515 megabytes
Disk label type: mac
Minor    Start       End     Filesystem  Name                  Flags
1          0.000      0.031              Apple                 
2          0.031      2.000              untitled              
(parted) mkpart primary linux-swap 2.001 300
(parted) p
Disk geometry for /dev/hdd: 0.000-3999.515 megabytes
Disk label type: mac
Minor    Start       End     Filesystem  Name                  Flags
1          0.000      0.031              Apple                 
2          0.031      2.000              untitled              
3          2.000    300.000              swap                  swap
(parted) mkpart primary ext2 300.001 1000
(parted) p
Disk geometry for /dev/hdd: 0.000-3999.515 megabytes
Disk label type: mac
Minor    Start       End     Filesystem  Name                  Flags
1          0.000      0.031              Apple                 
2          0.031      2.000              untitled              
3          2.000    300.000              swap                  swap
4        300.000   1000.000              untitled              
(parted) set 2 boot on
(parted) p
Disk geometry for /dev/hdd: 0.000-3999.515 megabytes
Disk label type: mac
Minor    Start       End     Filesystem  Name                  Flags
1          0.000      0.031              Apple                 
2          0.031      2.000              untitled              boot
3          2.000    300.000              swap                  swap
4        300.000   1000.000              untitled              
(parted) q
#v+