The R4 OpenFirmware Boot
The default boot is straight into KDE, and there is [temporarily] no escape from this. The procedure to establish a boot-to-console and a dual-boot capability (LinuxPPC <-> MacOS) is outlined below:
- Launch the preinstalled File Manager (KDEStart->System->File Manager), which displays a graphical view of the directory tree.
- Navigate to and click on the /etc/inittab file. This will automatically launch kword, the simple KDE editor/word-processor. Make sure the id line reads id:3:initdefault (it will very probably already be set up this way). This line will cause the kernel to boot into runlevel 3, standard for a console login.
- To complete the fix, prevent the inittab script from launching kdm by commenting out the last line of the file, so that neither the x:5:... nor the x:3:... lines will be executed.
- Close all windows (saving file changes as needed). Select logout from the KDE launcher bar menu. Logging out alone may not result in a console prompt yet. That is, you may kick immediately back into the KDE logon screen. If so, reboot (three-fingered-salute style) to get into the console mode as root. Doing this will force fsck during boot, which is OK (just let it do its stuff). As the message of the day (motd) points out, type macos to auto-reboot into MacOS, and startx to start the X-server. Doing the latter of course results in that pesky KDE again, because the default xinitrc file says to do so. To circumvent this you must launch a different window manager.
- From the MacOS, get back into Linux by running the BootVariables control panel, using settings shown in step 18 of the Installation Procedure. Remember, for the 6500, set load-base to 100000 and select the necessary video mode. Configurations can be saved from the BootVariables control panel for quick retrieval.
The MkLinux Boot
Unlike for the LinuxPPC Release 4, the MkLinux DR3 default boot is straight into the console. In addition, there is no "procedure" to establish a dual-boot capability (MkLinux <-> MacOS); it is trivial.
- When you boot the machine, you get the MkLinux splash screen. Select the OS you want.
- If you chose MkLinux, log in. To start the preconfigured KDE, type startx and return.
- To get back to MacOS, log out from KDE and type shutdown -r now from the console.
- The End.
BootX
- BootX is an application by Benjamin Herrenschmidt that allows one to boot either MacOS or LinuxPPC or MkLinux. It is really quite simple to use.
- You must have kernel 2.1.125 or higher to boot LinuxPPC with BootX. I am not sure of the requirements for MkLinux, if any, but the procedure does work for the Generic 05 and Generic 07 MkLinux kernels on the 6500 (the Generic 06 kernel will freeze at boot on the 6500 and a variety of other machines).
- Download BootX from calvaweb.calvacom.fr/bh40/ using MacOS and unstuff. Version 1.02 is the latest release version, although 1.03 is close to release or is indeed final. Both 1.01 and 1.02 work on the 6500.
- Copy the BootX extension to the Extensions folder.
- If you are using LinuxPPC, download the latest vmlinux kernel or build your own kernel.
- If you are using MkLinux, run the MakeMkPlugin app and then remove the MkLinux Booter Extension from the Extensions folder (the MkLinux BootX Plugin will have taken its place).
- Reboot MacOS and when the BootX splash screen appears, select MacOS (default) and allow to boot into MacOS.
- Launch the BootX app. In the device field, enter hda4 and hit save prefs. Recall that hda4 is the boot device for LinuxPPC as per this installation. MkLinux uses the boot device specified in lilo.conf, so no additional settings have to be entered.
- Select the OS you want to launch and away you go. Read the BootX FAQ and Readme (included with the distribution) for more information on the rest of the procedure.