Linux on a PowerPC

TheMailMan78 · Feb 27, 2013, 07:05 PM

My father has an old PowerPC G5 that of course no longer has OS support from Apple. Hes been running into a lot of issues lately online and I was thinking of installing Ubuntu on his G5 since its still supported with security updates and such. Has anyone any experience with this kinda thing? I was gonna install 12.10 Quantal Quetzal unless someone has a better suggestion.

brandonwh64 · Feb 27, 2013, 07:08 PM

I believe Ubuntu will work.

http://cdimage.ubuntu.com/lubuntu/re...op-powerpc.iso

TheMailMan78 · Feb 27, 2013, 07:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by brandonwh64

I believe Ubuntu will work.

http://cdimage.ubuntu.com/lubuntu/re...op-powerpc.iso

Yeah I know. 12.10 should work but I was wondering if anyone had tried it yet.

brandonwh64 · Feb 27, 2013, 07:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TheMailMan78

Yeah I know. 12.10 should work but I was wondering if anyone had tried it yet.

Not many people have older PowerPC G5's it would be cool though

TheMailMan78 · Feb 27, 2013, 07:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by brandonwh64

Not many people have older PowerPC G5's it would be cool though

Im thinking the 12.04 Ubuntu (LTS) might be better for him as it has longer support.

Chevalr1c · Feb 28, 2013, 02:56 AM

Best go for the LTS version because it tends to be less shaky too (some software components not being the latest but something slightly more tried & true).

Wrigleyvillain · Feb 28, 2013, 03:03 AM

Wow. You know the power savings alone after 6 months would pay for a netbook or something like that.

Aquinus · Feb 28, 2013, 08:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Wrigleyvillain

Wow. You know the power savings alone after 6 months would pay for a netbook or something like that.

Thanks for the suggestion but I get the impression that TMM won't be getting rid of it and that we wants suggestions that will make it work rather than how to spend more money in the short term. I would want to use a G5 over a netbook more often than not.

Quote:

Originally Posted by TheMailMan78

Im thinking the 12.04 Ubuntu (LTS) might be better for him as it has longer support.

LTS all the way, even more so for people who aren't as tech savvy. When updates get pushed out you want to make sure that they're solid and LTS helps with that.

fisheater · Feb 28, 2013, 02:22 PM

Links:
http://sourceforge.net/projects/iwhack/
http://www.debian.org/ports/powerpc/
I'm no

for ubuntu; why not go with something designed for PowerPC?

Easy Rhino · Feb 28, 2013, 02:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Wrigleyvillain

Wow. You know the power savings alone after 6 months would pay for a netbook or something like that.

this is very true. a lot of people want to keep their old machines running to save money but in all reality a more efficient netbook would save the most money over time.

Mindweaver · Feb 28, 2013, 03:03 PM

Nothing wrong with a G5 it has plenty of power. In it's time, it was considered so fast that it should be illegal to have that much power in a mac. Jokingly of course.. But if it was me I would get him a atom base pc, and be done with it. You can build one pretty cheap.

Atom

Atom board - $79
Ram - $20
ITX Case w/ powersupply - $60
Hardrive - $40-$60

Wrigleyvillain · Feb 28, 2013, 05:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Aquinus

Thanks for the suggestion but I get the impression that TMM won't be getting rid of it and that we wants suggestions that will make it work rather than how to spend more money in the short term. I would want to use a G5 over a netbook more often than not.

Yeah well I actually had a G5 from work that was a relative dog for needing to eat 450 watts. Of course he doesn't want to swap it out but he should.

TheMailMan78 · Feb 28, 2013, 09:15 PM

This is for a 66 year old disabled veteran guys. He like the big screen I gave him and the big keyboard. A netbook just aint gonna work for him. This old G5 works fine. Its just got a dated OS and I want to try and help him. If he or I could afford a new computer for him I would. But I need something in reason.

Wrigleyvillain · Feb 28, 2013, 09:25 PM

I hear ya...I guess I am still just pissed that thing used so much power and as a result I had to get rid of mine. The latest Ubuntu that will install is probably the way to go. Keep it as user friendly as possible.

Jstn7477 · Feb 28, 2013, 09:29 PM

I ran Ubuntu on an iMac G3 350MHz boat anchor about 5 years ago because I managed to crash the OS 9.1 within a few hours of even having the computer, and it needed some stupid prom update to run OS X >10.1 and it could only be done from 9.1 which was pretty retarded. Never was able to obtain a copy of 9.1 so I tried whatever PowerPC Ubuntu release was out 5 years ago and it worked extremely slow and of course there was no proper video driver support for the ATI Rage 128 it had. Perhaps you'll have better luck with your G5.

Chevalr1c · Mar 1, 2013, 05:21 AM

Graphics support has improved vastly over the last 5 years in Linux land.

Feb 27, 2013, 07:05 PM	#1
TheMailMan78 Banstick Dummy Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Crystal River, FL Posts: 15,142 (6.86/day) Thanks: 1,337 Thanked 6,861 Times in 3,752 Posts System Specs	Linux on a PowerPC My father has an old PowerPC G5 that of course no longer has OS support from Apple. Hes been running into a lot of issues lately online and I was thinking of installing Ubuntu on his G5 since its still supported with security updates and such. Has anyone any experience with this kinda thing? I was gonna install 12.10 Quantal Quetzal unless someone has a better suggestion.

System Name:	The Mailbox 3.5
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Feb 27, 2013, 07:08 PM	#2
brandonwh64 Addicted to Bacon and StarCrunches!!! Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Chatsworth, GA Posts: 13,663 (9.89/day) Thanks: 2,165 Thanked 5,382 Times in 3,729 Posts System Specs	I believe Ubuntu will work. http://cdimage.ubuntu.com/lubuntu/re...op-powerpc.iso __________________ Cruncher's: All GPU's GPU's: 7970 3GB = 8 Threads 5770 1GB OCed = 2 Threads

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System Name:	The Mailbox 3.5
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Motherboard:	ASUS Maximus IV Gene-Z
Cooling:	Stock
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Hard Disk:	256gb M4 SSD, 500Gb WD (7200)
Optical Drive:	LG - 24x Double-Layer DVD±RW/CD-RW Drive
CRT/LCD Model:	24" ASUS 1920 x 1080
Case:	Cooler Master 922 HAF
Sound Card:	SupremeFX X-Fi 2 with Bose Companion 2 speakers.
PSU:	SeaSonic X Series X650 Gold
Software:	Windows 8 Pro w/Media Center 64bit
Benchmarks:	Benching is for bitches.

Feb 28, 2013, 02:56 AM	#6
Chevalr1c Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: Tilburg, Netherlands Posts: 2,099 (2.06/day) Thanks: 5,193 Thanked 813 Times in 549 Posts System Specs	Best go for the LTS version because it tends to be less shaky too (some software components not being the latest but something slightly more tried & true). __________________ My FS/FT thread (EU only) \| DynMap of the TPU Minecraft server \| Quick monitor calibration guide \| Boot Failure Troubleshooting Chart \| Solar Team Eindhoven Family Car Project Using BOINC I crunch numbers for World Community Grid, Climateprediction, Free Rainbow Tables (currently on hold) and POEM@home; hence assisting research.

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Feb 28, 2013, 03:03 AM	#7
Wrigleyvillain Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Chicago Posts: 4,556 (2.20/day) Thanks: 1,540 Thanked 1,595 Times in 1,136 Posts System Specs	Wow. You know the power savings alone after 6 months would pay for a netbook or something like that. __________________ “i dont care what consoles have they dont have mouse and keyboard” -crazyeyesreaper

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Feb 28, 2013, 02:22 PM	#9
fisheater Join Date: Feb 2013 Location: WA \| Inland PNW Posts: 8 (0.07/day) Thanks: 0 Thanked 4 Times in 2 Posts	Linux for PowerPC Links: http://sourceforge.net/projects/iwhack/ http://www.debian.org/ports/powerpc/ I'm no for ubuntu; why not go with something designed for PowerPC?

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Feb 28, 2013, 03:03 PM	#11
Mindweaver Moderato®™ Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Statesville, NC Posts: 3,887 (2.55/day) Thanks: 4,379 Thanked 2,363 Times in 1,183 Posts System Specs	Nothing wrong with a G5 it has plenty of power. In it's time, it was considered so fast that it should be illegal to have that much power in a mac. Jokingly of course.. But if it was me I would get him a atom base pc, and be done with it. You can build one pretty cheap. Atom Atom board - $79 Ram - $20 ITX Case w/ powersupply - $60 Hardrive - $40-$60 __________________ “As long as I feel the warmth from the sun and breathe precious air…. I must ask questions to feed the Mind!” Battletag: Mindweaver#1523

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Feb 28, 2013, 09:15 PM	#13
TheMailMan78 Banstick Dummy Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Crystal River, FL Posts: 15,142 (6.86/day) Thanks: 1,337 Thanked 6,861 Times in 3,752 Posts System Specs	This is for a 66 year old disabled veteran guys. He like the big screen I gave him and the big keyboard. A netbook just aint gonna work for him. This old G5 works fine. Its just got a dated OS and I want to try and help him. If he or I could afford a new computer for him I would. But I need something in reason.

Feb 28, 2013, 09:25 PM	#14
Wrigleyvillain Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Chicago Posts: 4,556 (2.20/day) Thanks: 1,540 Thanked 1,595 Times in 1,136 Posts System Specs	I hear ya...I guess I am still just pissed that thing used so much power and as a result I had to get rid of mine. The latest Ubuntu that will install is probably the way to go. Keep it as user friendly as possible. __________________ “i dont care what consoles have they dont have mouse and keyboard” -crazyeyesreaper

Feb 28, 2013, 09:29 PM	#15
Jstn7477 Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: Sarasota, Florida, USA Posts: 3,248 (2.34/day) Thanks: 397 Thanked 1,249 Times in 840 Posts System Specs	I ran Ubuntu on an iMac G3 350MHz boat anchor about 5 years ago because I managed to crash the OS 9.1 within a few hours of even having the computer, and it needed some stupid prom update to run OS X >10.1 and it could only be done from 9.1 which was pretty retarded. Never was able to obtain a copy of 9.1 so I tried whatever PowerPC Ubuntu release was out 5 years ago and it worked extremely slow and of course there was no proper video driver support for the ATI Rage 128 it had. Perhaps you'll have better luck with your G5. __________________ Intel Crunchers (34 threads): 4770K 4.3G (7t), 2x 3770K 4.3G (14t), 2600K 4G (7t), X3210 (3t), P-M 735A, P4 HT 3G AMD Crunchers (12 cores):1100T 3.6G (3t), 1045T 3.4G (2t), X4 640 3.2G, X2 4200+, T64 ML-37 AMD Folders (6272 GCN cores): 2x 7950 1125/1475, 7970 1150/1650, 7770 1100/1200 NV Folders (2336 GF10x + 1344 GK104 cores):GTX 470 & 465 720/1715, 4x 460 768MB 825/2000, GTS 450, 660Ti 1228/6000 HEATWARE

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Mar 1, 2013, 05:21 AM	#16
Chevalr1c Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: Tilburg, Netherlands Posts: 2,099 (2.06/day) Thanks: 5,193 Thanked 813 Times in 549 Posts System Specs	Graphics support has improved vastly over the last 5 years in Linux land. __________________ My FS/FT thread (EU only) \| DynMap of the TPU Minecraft server \| Quick monitor calibration guide \| Boot Failure Troubleshooting Chart \| Solar Team Eindhoven Family Car Project Using BOINC I crunch numbers for World Community Grid, Climateprediction, Free Rainbow Tables (currently on hold) and POEM@home; hence assisting research.

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