On 08/30/2012 03:00 AM, Rick Thomas wrote: > > Thanks for the explanation. It helps me understand what's going on here. > > What you say is, of course, technically correct. The problem I'm having > is that this is an about-face change from previous practice. > Previously, 32-bit was the default, and 64-bit was the specific option. > Now it's the reverse. > > Has there been a sea-change? Are G5 machines now more common than G4s?
I do not know about the exact prevalence. Newer non-Apple PowerPC machines, i.e. YDL PowerStation (G5) and IBM POWER machines, do not load the Apple specific stage one boot loader at all, and they are all 64-bit machines. Thus the reasoning to make 64-bit option a default option. > > Regardless, I'm trying to write a comprehensive set of notes on booting > Apple PowerMacs from USB drives, and it would be nice to have this part > fully documented. > > Is there something I can tell people to do at the OF prompt that will > load and run the stage-one boot loader? I was not able to figure out how to do it from OF. Apple machines are looking for the blessed file if 'C' key is held pressed during the machine start-up. It is the "official" manufacturer prescribed way to boot a Mac from a CD/DVD. Booting Apple PowerPC machines form USB is undocumented and unsupported by the manufacturer. Thus the troubles an inconsistencies. > > If it's not possible to run the stage-one boot loader, is there > something I can tell them to do that will pass the appropriate arguments > to yaboot to make it do the "right thing" for their machine? > You could, but the line is pretty long to type. If you are loading yaboot on a 32-bit machine directly from OF, it is easier to just type install32 on the boot prompt. Milan -- To UNSUBSCRIBE, email to debian-powerpc-requ...@lists.debian.org with a subject of "unsubscribe". Trouble? Contact listmas...@lists.debian.org Archive: http://lists.debian.org/503f7159.2050...@physics.harvard.edu
