Hi!
Well, o.k.! I Know, this is an english Mail list. Unfurtunately I'm not
as good in english as a should to describe my problem. If anyone can
understand the german language, it's better to have a look at the
"debian-user-german" mailing-list ("DICKES Problem mit Debain-Bootloader
für PowerPC (Mac)"), where I wrote to several hours ago. This is a try
of translation:
I fucked up my system!
Problem: I ain't got no root-password for my (old-world) apple powermac
7500/100, but this debian 3.0 with the missing password is the only
(bootable) OS on the mac's harddisc. This is how the story goes:
I installed the install program with a floppy disc. Every time, the
program asked for the keyboard layout (and I gave an answer), the
keyboard messed up. The letters and funktion keys all weren't at their
place or no more on the keyboard. Though I managed to get along with the
installing procedure - I noticed that I could use "R" for tab and "F5"
for enter. I finally got to the password-input. I tried to cancel this
input and several times I tried to input nothing, but I failed. With
that messed up keyboard I had no chance to input a combination of
letters that I could reproduce. So I reset the machine.
Then I tried to skip the "keyboard layout" and my keyboard worked fine!
I skipped some other parts of the installation e.g. the partitioning of
the harddisc. Unfortunately I must have skipped the input of the
root-password as well, cause the install program didn't ask for it any
more. Eventually I agreed installing the bootloader (I thought it was
named "quick") and rebooted.
Now, I'm in a mess! I certainly got a system that's booting completely,
but I haven't got a password! Over and above that, the computer refuses
to boot from cd or floppy?! But: why? Before I installed Linux, my apple
did ask for a install-disk if there was no harddisc to boot with!
I don't know a thing about the boot-loader (I'm even not sure about the
name) and I don't know anything about Linux on a Mac! The bootloader
somehow seems to be written in the flash-rom of the motherboard. As a
matter of fact the computer refuses ANY service (except the starting
sound). Only, if I have all the harddiscs running, the computer boots,
but it boots the system I can't use!!! AAAAHHH!
On the debian support-pages I found nothing about this bootloader. But I
do believe, there's always way to start a rescue-system or another
boot-floppy on a linux-system, at least. The question is how!
Can anyone tell me more about this botloader?
Is there any HowTo for my problem?
Can I reactivate the original apple-bootloader?
Thanks a lot for those people, who want to help me!
Mitsch
