[TriLUG] Installing Red Hat 7.1 on RS/6000, type 7046-B50

[Heath Holcomb]

Turnpike Man wrote:
> 
> My challenge is as follows.  We have 2 IBM RS/6000 type 7046-B50 machines, each
> with 375mhz cpu, 2 18GB drives, and 256MB RAM.  At one time, both ran AIX
> 4.3.3, which I do not like very much.  I had decided it is time to leverage
> Linux on this hardware.  I managed to find (about a year ago) SuSE 7.1 boxed
> product which worked on this "CHRP" architecture.  It installs fine, much
> easier than AIX, and functions better with less configuration.
> 
> However, I don't like the SuSE distro.  I have recently acquired the CDs for
> Red Hat Linux 7.1 for the Pseries (RS/6000 is classified as such).  I am having
> trouble getting the RH 7.1 installation started.  At boot, after the keyboard
> icon appears, I hit F1 to enter the System Management Services.  I choose the
> options to get to the point of chosing diskette, CD, or network.  With disc 1
> of 3 in the CD drive, I choose CD!  Well, nothing... that's where I'm stuck.  I
> tried making a boot floppy, and failed at that as well, but I don't think it
> was a ppc boot.img either.
> 
> Any ideas on how to get this installation started??  The documentation CD
> didn't really help me much, so I'm hoping someone out there has the xp!

Check your media. The procedure you're describing should work for 
booting from the CD. I would be hesitant about using RH 7.1, though. I 
don't think Red Hat is supporting PPC anymore, so you may have a 
difficult time finding patches and so forth. Debian has a current port 
as well and there seems to be a lot of documentation for it. I've been 
toying with the idea of trying it out on my 44P 170 at work so I'm 
interested to hear how it goes for you.

Good luck!

Heath

-- 
Heath Holcomb
bluetea at nc.rr.com