[conspire] Re: going to CABAL maybe- carpooling from East Bay? + Ubuntu on iMac

[Rick Moen]

Quoting Daniel Gimpelevich (daniel at gimpelevich.san-francisco.ca.us):

> > 
> >> Hey, cool.  If you are doing Mac, maybe I'll come and 
> >> bring my blueberry iMac along and put Ubuntu on it too.

(After some googling, to make me look as if I know more than I really
do:)

I'm guessing that's a 333MHz "Revision D" G3 iMac, marked on the back as
part number M7440LL/A (blueberry).  Tony, it'd be a good idea to verify
that, either before you visit or during.

If my reading is correct, then this is the set of updates to apply
(http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=58174#iMac333):

  iMac CD Update 2.0   Note says:  "The iMac CD Update 2.0 incorporates
      the iMac CD Update 1.0. Apple recommends all iMac users with tray
      loading CD-ROM drives to install the 2.0 update."

  iMac Firmware Update 1.2  Notes say:  "The iMac Firmware Update
      version 1.2 should be installed on all iMac computers used in
      NetBoot client environments. The update also corrects a rare
      condition wherein SGRAM amounts over 2MB may not be properly
      identified at startup. This update incorporates the iMac Firmware
      Update 1.1."  "Before you install Mac OS X, you may need to update
      your computer's firmware"

  Apple Modem Updater 1.3.5  Note says:  "The update installs version
      2.3 of the Conextant firmware, which contains the latest version
      of both V.90 and the K56flex protocols."

I haven't yet pulled those down; I'm posting the information here mostly
for later reference if/when we need to get them.

> So, in preparation for an install onto a Blueberry iMac, I would ask
> what's installed on it now, and what you want done with the current
> hard disk contents.

Tony, right now would be a really good time to backup onto some other
media anything on that hard drive you want to keep.  Also, I suspect
Daniel's going to want to know things like what Mac OS version.  (In
Finder, select "About this Macintosh".)

> There are also issues with the CD drives in some of them that prevent
> reading CD-Rs burned either at higher speeds or onto 700MB media
> rather than 650MB media. This may necessitate a net-install.

Well, we'll try with our regular 700MB CDR distro CD-Rs.  If that
doesn't work, I suppose we can set up dhcp/bootp/whatever for netboot.

> Some older iMacs may also have miscellaneous other hardware issues. If
> installing from CD, you may want to give a little thought as to
> whether you would like to start with the Ubuntu installer or the
> Kubuntu installer. 

OK, I'm pulling down the Kubuntu for PPC v. 5.10 preview installation
ISO, and can grab the live CD image in the morning.

> In this message, gtkspell flagged "shlepping" and suggested "schlepping"
> instead. Despite that, it's still a great little piece of software.

Tsk, tsk.  As Leo Rosten said, that sort of thing won't earn one votes
in Brooklyn.  ;->