Yellow Dog Linux can run on IBM RS/6000 models 7025-F50 and the new B50.
Here's what you do:
1) download Zimage (binary mode)
2) copy zImage onto a blank dos floppy
3) get ramdisk.image.gz from your YDL CD (or the ftp site)
4) put a second floppy into a *nix box and do: dd if=ramdisk.image.gz of=/dev/fd0
5) use "F8" to get to your RS6k's Open Firmware prompt as soon as the LCD reads: E1F1
6) type: boot floppy:,\ZIMAGE root=/dev/fd0 load_ramdisk=1
7) insert the ramdisk floppy when prompted to do so.
8) Install YDL. Be sure to add a small (~3-5 meg) PReP Boot partition as the first partition on the first hard disk. Make this partition as bootable.
9) remember the / (root) of your installation.
10) after the installer, reboot the system and again go into Open Firmware
11) Boot into Linux with the FLOPPY instructions below. If you'd like to boot from hard disk... continue. If not, you're good to go.
(Boot from hard disk steps...)
12) once in, type: mount /dev/fd0 /mnt/floppy (make sure that floppy #1 in is the drive)
13) next, dd if=/mnt/floppy/zimage of=/dev/sda1 (sda1 is my PReP Boot partition and should be yours too. If not, replace sda1 with your PReP Boot: note... we've not tried a PReP Boot other then sda1)
14) reboot your system and then type:
setenv auto-boot true
setenv boot-device disk
setenv boot-file root=/dev/XXXX
setenv boot-command boot
(where XXXX is the partition the Linux root was installed onto)
then, type:
reset-all
BOOT LINUX FROM FLOPPY
at the OF prompt, type:
boot floppy:,\ZIMAGE root=/dev/XXXX(where XXXX is the partition the Linux root was installed onto)
Your system should reboot and load Linux :)
Supported devices
The following adaptors have been tested and are known to work with a supported RS/6000 running Yellow Dog Linux. Please note that we support 43P-150s with the GXT-120P and GXT-130P video devices ONLY:
2830 - POWER GXT130P Graphics Accelerator
2838 - POWER GXT120P Graphics Adapter - PCI
2968 - IBM 10/100 Mbps Ethernet PCI Adapter
