Newbie with Power Mac G5.

[Brian Durant]

On 22. jan 2006, at 0.49, Brian D. Carlstrom wrote:

> Brian Durant writes:
>> If the above works more or less as described, would there be any
>> problems with the OpenFirmware and yaboot if I installed Linux with
>> the OS X drive unplugged, just in case - up in space?
>
> with linux on drive "b" with the "a" drive unplugged? the only  
> concern I
> would have is that it might make the /etc/fstab mount tab assuming  
> that
> since its the only drive that its the "a" drive. Then again, it should
> know what drive it is from the controller. I don't think you'll break
> anything, and at worst I can imagine that you could just boot and fix
> the /etc/fstab after the fact.
>
> -bri

OK, copy that. I am at this moment writing from my G5 with the  
Macintosh HD in the bottom bay (sdb in Linux):

   Capacity:	152.67 GB
   Model:	Maxtor 6Y160M0
   Revision:	YAR51HW0
   Serial Number:	Y47HLC5E
   Removable Media:	No
   Detachable Drive:	No
   BSD Name:	disk0
   Protocol:	ata
   Unit Number:	0
   Socket Type:	Serial-ATA
   Bay Name:	"B (lower)"
   OS9 Drivers:	No
   S.M.A.R.T. status:	Verified
   Volumes:
Macintosh HD:
   Capacity:	152.54 GB
   Available:	112.89 GB
   Writable:	Yes
   File System:	Journaled HFS+
   BSD Name:	disk0s3
   Mount Point:	/

You have to press control-O at the start chimes to get a graphical  
interface in OpenFirware and then you can chose which drive to boot  
from. I don't know yet if this change "sticks", but I have also gone  
into the system prefs and chosen the  OS X folder under "startup  
disk", just to be on the safe side. I'll try to install Fedora Core 4  
PPC with both drives plugged in, in a little while. Hopefully I'll  
reply that everything is OK ;-) BTW, the drive switch went OK without  
a hitch, but it is a little fiddly until you learn the system. The  
drive for the "op" bay has to go in first. You place the back pins in  
a track with a roller coaster shape that goes from down to up and  
push, until you can lift the front of the drive and slide it into the  
top track. The "bottom" drive goes straight in. No sign of "slave" or  
"master" pins being used with SATA on my G5 :-)

Cheers,

Brian