can't boot yaboot on a G3 B&W

[sithlord48]

i am trying to install xubuntu on my g4 b&w (400mhz g3 ppc w/ 512 mb ram).

i have burned many disks to boot this computer, including the ppc versions of kubuntu, ubuntu and xubuntu, debian (lenny), source mage linux, gentoo. but i can not seam to get the computer to boot from any of them. i have tried the following with each disk:

1. put disk in drive turn on computer hold 'C' key. (how it should work)(also used several different kbds including the one that comes with that mac)
1a. attempted to force boot from cd in open firmware several diffrent ways including
[code=open firmware 3.1.1]
>boot cd:
>boot cd:,\install\yaboot
>boot cd::,\\tbxi <=that one causes a quick dump of text (very fast and hard to read) then boots the hd.
[/code]

2. booted to mac os and attempted to select the cd(s) from start up disk (it is mounted by the finder when the os boots)
2a. tried to run yaboot from mac os's terminal

3.searched the cd for an installer package.

4. set up netboot and attempted to boot the machine via, yaboot from another machine on the network (following the debian install guide instructions for doing it)
[code=open firmware 3.1.1]>boot enet:0[/code]
5. put the needed files (according to debian install guide) on my hd in an attempt to boot it from the hd.
[code=open firmware 3.1.1]>boot hd:,yaboot
[/code]

i still have os 10.4.11 on this mac and i before i end up doing something that might dammage the machine i figured i would see if any one know the secret to booting this on my mac

p.s: back when the 6.xx series of ubuntu was current, i used item 1 on the above list to install it..

forgot to mention i have tried two different drives (both i know work)

[arochester]

Re: can't boot from cd on a G3 B&amp;W

I had a G3. Because it only had 128Mb of RAM I used Xubuntu. It could boot versions which where a couple of years old, but it just would not work with any of the more recent versions.

As you said, it was just a case of pressing the "C" key to boot from the CDRom.

[sithlord48]

Re: can't boot from cd on a G3 B&amp;W

i wonder then if i can upgrade from an older version to a more recent version.

[sithlord48]

Re: can't boot yaboot on a G3 B&amp;W

do you remember what version of xubuntu you used?

[arochester]

Re: can't boot yaboot on a G3 B&amp;W

I can't really remember what version it was. 7.04 or 7.10? I did try to upgrade to a newer version but ended up with a broken system.

Flash never worked. I ended up Freecycling the computer.

An interesting experiment, but not a very satisfactory outcome I'm afraid.

[sithlord48]

Re: can't boot yaboot on a G3 B&amp;W

just recently helped my friend get debian on his G3 imac (green w/ tray), its got a 333 ppc G3 proc , w192 mb of ram and a 6 gb hd , working great as a portal to the web, using gnash for flash, although it far from perfect.

the disks used to install on that machine don't boot my machine at all.