On Tue, Sep 30, 2003 at 10:07:32PM -0400, Zachary Brewster-Geisz wrote: > Hello. I'm a new subscriber, so please kick me in the right direction > if my question has been answered before (I have done a good deal of > searching). > > I'm trying to install Debian GNU/Linux onto an external FireWire drive, > using the files from debian-imac.sourceforge.net (woody 3.0r0). > > I partitioned my external drive with a small HFS (non-extended) where I > put yaboot, root.bin, linux.bin, etc., leaving the rest of the drive > empty for Linux. > > I managed to get Open Firmware to boot into yaboot, I started the > installer, and I get as far as the "partition a hard disk" step. The > problem is that the installer only recognizes my internal HD > (/dev/hda), and doesn't list the Firewire drive (even though it's > booting from it!). I've confirmed this with fdisk--it's definitely > listing the partition map of the internal drive.
I believe the powerpc installation kernel doesn't include drivers for Firewire. You would need to obtain or compile a kernel that does, and substitute it for the linux.bin you are using, or load the module separately (I'm not quite sure how this is done). The reason it boots, is because the boot loader uses OpenFirmware to load the kernel and OpenFirmware supports the Firewire. > Is there any way to get the installer to recognize the firewire drive? > (Do I need a different linux.bin and/or root.bin, and if so, where can > I get them?) Failing that, is there any way to install on that drive > manually? > > This is my first Linux installation, though I do have experience with > Darwin, so I can understand some Unix-speak. :) This is the hard way to go for your first installation. Do have a few hundred meg available on an ide drive? -- Debian GNU/Linux Operating System By the People, For the People Chris Tillman (a people instance) toff one at cox dot net
