[arch-ports] [ArchPPC] Help regarding the install procedure

Alexander Baldeck kth5 at archlinuxppc.org
Fri Jun 30 14:16:34 EDT 2006


Tate Johnson wrote:
> On Fri, 2006-06-16 at 16:15 -0400, James Turner wrote:
>   
>>> On Fri, Jun 16, 2006 at 02:53:12PM -0400, James Turner wrote:
>>>       
>>>>>>> james at nullstudios.com wrote:
>>>>>>>               
>>>>>>>>> James Turner wrote:
>>>>>>>>>                   
>>>>>>>>>> Hi, I'm a new archlinux user and new to this mailing list, so
>>>>>>>>>> please
>>>>>>>>>> take it easy on me.  I am having a hell of a time getting
>>>>>>>>>> archlinux
>>>>>>>>>> installed on my 12in PowerBook 1.33 GHz.  I have followed the
>>>>>>>>>> steps
>>>>>>>>>> under "*Installation on newworld machines" numerous times with
>>>>>>>>>> various
>>>>>>>>>> success.  Most recently quickinst seems to stale for no reason
>>>>>>>>>> while
>>>>>>>>>> downloading packages.  The one time I managed to get archlinux
>>>>>>>>>> completely installed the kernel would not boot.  If anyone has
>>>>>>>>>> more up
>>>>>>>>>> to date instructions or any ideas why the quickinst script
>>>>>>>>>> might be
>>>>>>>>>> stalling please help.  Once I get the base system installed I
>>>>>>>>>> can always
>>>>>>>>>> compile my own kernel.  I appreciate any help anyone might be
>>>>>>>>>> able to
>>>>>>>>>> offer.*
>>>>>>>>>>                     
>>>>>>>>> Except for the devfs vs udev issues, the guide still fully
>>>>>>>>> applies. It
>>>>>>>>> may be that you run into problems if you use the sample
>>>>>>>>> yaboot.conf.
>>>>>>>>> Did you use ofpath to determine your "device" and "partition"
>>>>>>>>> lines?
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>> You may try the latest snapshot which is here:
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>> ftp://ftp.archlinuxppc.org/iso/snapshots/
>>>>>>>>> 2006-06-14_archppc.iso.bz2
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>> It still has a few flaws which need to be fixed:
>>>>>>>>> * does not create device nodes for harddrives use instead:
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>  cd /dev
>>>>>>>>>  mknod hda b 3 0
>>>>>>>>>  mknod hda1 b 3 1
>>>>>>>>>  mknod hda2 b 3 2
>>>>>>>>>  mknod hda3 b 3 3
>>>>>>>>>  mknod hdb  b 4 1
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>> a.s.o
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>> Cheers,
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>> Alex
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>                   
>>>>>>>> Alex, Thanks for your help.  I did manage to get ArchLinux
>>>>>>>> installed
>>>>>>>> just fine last night.  I followed the above procedure.  I also
>>>>>>>> had to
>>>>>>>> mknod nvram c 10 144, so yaboot would install correctly and I
>>>>>>>> had to
>>>>>>>> run modprobe loop so the kernel would install correctly.  I can
>>>>>>>> proudly
>>>>>>>> say I am writing this from ArchLinux on my 12in PowerBook.
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>                 
>>>>>>> Glad to hear you were successful! :D
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> Just now I uploaded yet another snapshot:
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> ftp://ftp.archlinuxppc.org/iso/snapshots/ 
>>>>>>> 2006-06-16_archppc.iso.bz2
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> The hardware detection should work fine plus /dev is now properly
>>>>>>> filled. What's left is to modify the "graphical" setup script,
>>>>>>> which I
>>>>>>> am in the middle of doing right now. So whenever you feel like it
>>>>>>> try
>>>>>>> the newer ones too.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> Cheers!
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> Alex
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>               
>>>>>> I tried the new iso with out much luck.  It detected all my  
>>>>>> hardware
>>>>>> correctly and populated /dev just fine.  My problem was trying  
>>>>>> to run
>>>>>> quickinst.  Since wget isn't installed I tried the version located
>>>>>> in /arch.  For whatever reason it was unable to resolve
>>>>>> ftp.archlinuxppc.org.  I double checked my /etc/resolv.conf and it
>>>>>> had the correct nameservers listed.  I used dhcpd to configure my
>>>>>> network device if that means anything.  I tried manually setting it
>>>>>> but route is also not installed.  Anyone have any ideas?
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>>             
>>>>> The latest iso should come with the default quickinst script as in
>>>>> i686,
>>>>> so it uses snarf instead of wget now. I will check what may have
>>>>> produced the problem. Though I'll doubt the iso doesn't have the
>>>>> required symbols in its libc, like it used to on some of the other
>>>>> isos.
>>>>>
>>>>> Alex
>>>>>
>>>>>           
>>>> After trying out the iso again, I am able to ping ip's outside my
>>>> network just fine, but still nothing is resolving.  Let me know if
>>>> there's anything I can run on my machine to better help you find the
>>>> problem.
>>>>         
>>> You're still running quickinst right? I'll put strace on the next disk
>>> to debug it a little more. Can only be something in pacman or snarf.
>>> Unfortunatley I won't have much time tonight as I have to prep an art
>>> show. :)
>>>
>>> Alex
>>>
>>>       
>> In hopes to better help you out with the debug, here is the procedure  
>> I am following with the new iso.
>>
>> dhcpd eth0
>> mac-fdisk /dev/hda
>> mkfs.ext3 /dev/hda4
>> mkswap /dev/hda5
>> mount -t ext3 /dev/hda4 /mnt
>> /arch/quickinst ftp /mnt ftp://ftp.archlinuxppc.org/current/os/ppc
>>
>> Then these errors are outputted:
>>
>> mount: can't find / in /etc/fstab or /etc/mtab
>> Downloading pacman...
>> ftp.archlinuxppc.org: Unknown server error
>> error: Download failed
>>
>> And here is my /etc/resolv.conf
>> nameserver 68.87.77.130
>>
>> Take your time, like I said I was able to get archlinux installed  
>> with the previous iso and old walkthrough.  If you need any help with  
>> anything let me know.
>>
>>
>> _______________________________________________
>> arch-ports mailing list
>> arch-ports at archlinux.org
>> http://www.archlinux.org/mailman/listinfo/arch-ports
>>     
>
> Hey guys,
>
> I am also experiencing similar issues to James with my G4 iBook. I'm
> using the latest ISO (2006-06-16) and following the steps from the
> previous E-Mail. I'm unable to resolve any domain names, however, I can
> still ping IP addresses. I had entered various different nameservers
> in /etc/resolv.conf and it doesn't seem to have any effect. 
>
> At any rate, I tried to issue the following command (IP for the FTP
> server)
>
> /arch/quickinst ftp /mnt ftp://83.246.120.33/current/os/ppc
>
> Initially this was successful, except that pacman is unable to sync it's
> database. In addition, I also get complaints.
>
> Mount: can't find / in /etc/fstab or /etc/mtab
>
> Any help would be greatly appreciated. I'd love to see Arch PPC on my
> iBook.
>
> Cheers,
> Tate
>   
Sorry for the late reply but here goes:

Just a while ago I experienced exactly the same problem as you did. It 
was as simple as using snarf instead of wget in quickinst on the CD. I 
have yet to work on it so that I can upload a fixed ISO.

The problem is a result of a - as it seems - PowerPC specific issue with 
GCC. Pacman includes 2 binaries, one that is dynamicly linked against 
the system and the other - called pacman.static - that is linked 
staticly. Now, this works great on i686 and x86_64 but the function 
gethostbyname() which is part of glibc cannot be staticly linked into 
binary nor can klibc provide a replacement.

What you do is simple. Boot the CD, partition your harddrive and mount 
the rootfs to say /mnt. Then use this quickinst instead:

http://kth5.archlinuxppc.org/quickinst

You can get it with snarf which hopefully is on the CD. ;)

Good luck!

Alex




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