I, too have been having trouble with .iso files downloaded over the weekend. I found an old .iso from June that works from USB, and one downloaded today (3 Jan, 2012) that worked up to a point, then the keyboard went dead, but the others I downloaded (including the weekly XFCE/LXDE full cd) give me strange errors, some of which are like yours, others are related to USB being treated as SATA and throwing a flashing screen shortly after boot with a sequentially rising error #.

In short, I think it's a Wheezy issue. I used to be able to find old releases (July, September, October, etc), but can't seem to find the link to those anymore.

SK

Here you find mini.iso files of the past. Tell us which works and I adapt the instructions accordingly.
The mini.iso can always be found at:

http://d-i.debian.org/daily-images/powe ... c/netboot/ (G3/G4)
http://d-i.debian.org/daily-images/powe ... 4/netboot/ (G5)

Interesting update, the power went off while I was away and that woke the iMac up and when I came home the screen had some yaboot error windows and that allowed me to accidently say OK to "disbale xserver" and that got me into a TTY window. It would not accept "Liinux 1" as a log in no matter how I tried, but I could log in, as user, not root, and that got me to a Terminal prompt. I ran apt update/upgrade just to see what would happen . . . and then I tried your suggested "xorg-xserver" combo . . . both with "sudo" in front and without. Each time I got "unable to locate package" . . . tried to shut down the computer and restart to the Yaboot login so I could boot back to OSX so at least I could use the computer, but no such luck . . . . So, any other thoughts about how to get the Xserver back up?? It seems to have been both good (I can log in in Terminal) but it won't let me log in as "Linux 1" or as root, it "didn't find the package" and now . . . can't seem to get past the TTY login prompt to be able to boot into OSX . . . . Terminal says "I have mail" but I can't check it.

e.e.p.

You do not login as Linux 1. Linux 1 is a yaboot argument that boots linux in single user mode without auto-starting gdm/X.

Further update, I actually was able to reboot, log in as "Linux 1" get my root password entered and run the command "apt install xorg-xserver" . . . and I got "unable to locate package" . . . when I did "sudo apt install . . ." I got "bash: apt: command not found" . . . I typed "reboot" and I'm out of the TTY. Also got back to OSX, so at least I can use the GUI that way. And it looks like the kernel is updated to 3.1 . . . I just need to get the xserver working or X, get the X working . . . and all will be up to date and working in the iMac. I'd like to avoid the re-burning of the CD and the hours of re-install if I don't need it. I can get to a prompt and I can enter commands . . . I just need the commands to enter . . . . : - )))))

e.e.p.

theos: OK buddy, I got that I'm not "logging in" as Linux 1 . . . but I did get into single user mode as per JD's instruction and was able to run the command as specified . . . and it comes back, "package not found" . . . . whereas before I couldn't even get to a prompt at all.

e.e.p.

Coming back to my last post, pata_macio was only introduced very recently (28.11.2011). So I would use an iso, which was spinned end of November 2011. People, could you please test this iso:

G3/G4 : http://d-i.debian.org/daily-images/powe ... t/mini.iso

G5: http://d-i.debian.org/daily-images/powe ... t/mini.iso

I installed MintPPC 11 with this build on my iMac G5 without problems.

I semi-successfully installed using this one today. "Semi", because it gave me errors a number of times. I had to redo some steps up to three times (files failed to download and yaboot failed to load properly the first time) and based on previous experience, at the end I went to TTY2, chrooted to /target, and using bash as my shell I set up my fstab with my other partitions, then copied a known working xorg.conf (from Xubuntu LTS) to /etc/X11/xorg.conf.maybe.

After restarting, it wouldn't start X, and upon rebooting again gave me the oops message I've been getting a lot of lately (see above posts). However, while typing this, it has rebooted and X is working at 256colors, but windows are flashing and move down the screen to never be heard from again. Mouse clicks don't do anything, but ctl-alt-bkspace works, and after using it windows don't seem to be acting up the same way.

Wired networking is "not managed", but wireless supposedly connected, even though I hadn't keyed in my password, so that's not quite right, either. When I put in the key, it didn't connect, however it started managing the wired connection. Weird!

But, yes, MintPPC11 is up and running on my 700mhz eMac, using the installer you wanted tested. OS9, OSX, and Xubuntu partitions show up in pcmanfm. Oh no, spoke too soon. Upon rebooting with my "known good" xorg.conf, I keep getting the same "oops" message I mentioned above.

SKi

Edit: I can get into the filesystem from Xubuntu, if anyone wants to see logs.
Re-Edit: After re-setting PRAM, it rebooted properly, but still 256 colors.

swordking:

Ah yes, the infamous "oops" message, which I also have seen recently on the G4 iMac . . . but thanks for that feedback . . . it looks promising . . . very promising. I certainly don't have any chops with linux to do all the various things you did to try to get it to work . . . . Wow . . . I also just need to get X going, looks easier said than done.

e.e.p.

I made up a set of notes for myself (attached) for finishing up when I was tying to install Linux on my Beige G3. You must modify them for your own situation. The Beige G3 is an "Old World Mac", meaning it uses bootX (or Quik, but Quik is not highly recommended) instead of yaboot, which means it requires an Apple OS on a separate partition, so I made these notes based on an Ubuntu Forums thread that I can't seem to find anymore.

On another note, I installed xserver-xorg-video-nv on my eMac and my xorg.conf now works at 1240x960, albeit at thousands, not millions of colors. It was trying to use the nouveau driver.

After commenting out everything in my /etc/network/interfaces dealing with eth0, it shows up properly. Wireless is still not working, though. But there are other threads about that.

JD, I'll be trying out your latest recommendations on my iMac and Beige G3 soon.

SK