Ubuntu 12.04 Mac PowerBook G4 PowerPC

xet7.org In English > Ubuntu 12.04 Mac PowerBook G4 PowerPC

2015-10-22: I got Lubuntu 14.04 working on that PowerBook G4, read more details at Ubuntu Forums discussion.

Copied here from http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=2294789&page=2&p=13360635#post13360635 after I got it working.

First I downloaded Ubuntu PowerPC alternative install, installed in text mode, setup static IP because my DHCP didn't work. I did setup partitions as they were from previous install, dual boot with Mac OS X.

Then I started in boot menu l = linux, and then "Linux single nomodeset" to get to console.

I installed all updates.

To get ssh access for doing copy-paste commands easier, I did install ssh and start it (it's not started automatically on single user mode):

sudo apt-get install ssh

sudo service ssh start

Compile instructions for nv module are here:

http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=2203756&p=12922410#post12922410

I think source is originally from here:

http://cgit.freedesktop.org/xorg/driver/xf86-video-nv/

Anyway, I have previously downloaded source files as working backup here, with compiled deb package:

https://sites.google.com/site/lauriojansivu/nv.zip

And here is just the compiled deb package, that works as of today:

https://sites.google.com/site/lauriojansivu/xserver-xorg-video-nv_2.1.20-3_powerpc.deb

After installing deb package, add xorg settings to /etc/X11/xorg.conf, I got this info from here:

http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=2131644

sudo nano /etc/X11/xorg.conf

There add this text:

Section "Device"

Identifier "Configured Video Device"

Driver "nv"

EndSection

Section "Monitor"

Identifier "Configured Monitor"

EndSection

Section "Screen"

Identifier "Screen0"

Device "nVidia"

Monitor "Monitor"

DefaultDepth 16

SubSection "Display"

Viewport 0 0

Depth 16

Modes "1024x768"

EndSubSection

EndSection

Then blacklist nouveau driver:

sudo nano /etc/modprobe.d/blacklist-framebuffer.conf

And add there at beginning of list add:

blacklist nouveau

And save.

To install WLAN drivers:

sudo apt-get install firmware-b43legacy-installer

Then reboot:

sudo reboot

And boot with l = Linux, and Enter (no boot options)

BTW, if you get black screen when booting in graphical mode, it means that login screen may be visible, so just write your: username TAB password ENTER to continue booting. But anyway, this is not necessary when NV driver is installed correctly.