Linux on Power Mac 5500/225

[kendall14]

I don't know much about linux or mac but I want to install a linux operating system to a old mac. The system is a mac 5500/225 with a 2GB HDD and all downloading will be done on a windows xp computer. The mac does not boot, it will just put a floppy on the screen. I have a CD burner and no floppy drive but once in a while I can use one on a computer that has a cd-rom drive and a floppy drive with windows xp. I need to to use minimum floppies and if at all possible none (doubt) or one floppy. So my question is , what operating system should I use for it and how can do the install?


P.S.
(MOST OF ALL) If you know how I can make a boot floppy for it (and you know it would work making it on windows xp) then please tell me by posting or IM me.

[farslayer]

There are several Distributions that will run on the Mac which is a PowerPC Architecture also refered to as PPC. you can read abou thte various distributions here: http://www.distrowatch.com

Some of hte Distributions that will run on a Mac are:


Debian
http://www.debian.org/ports/powerpc/



Ubuntu - A Debian derivative There is also a LIVE CD available for Ubuntu, which will allow you to boot the OS from the CD to see if you like it before you decide to install the the Hard Drive
http://us.releases.ubuntu.com/releases/5.10/

Ubuntu will also MAIL you Live and Install CD's for FREE if you ask.. https://shipit.ubuntu.com/




Suse
http://en.opensuse.org/Released_Version#PPC





Yellow-Dog Linux - Recompiled Fedore Core 4 specifically designed for Macs
http://www.terrasoftsolutions.com/re...ownloads.shtml





Fedora Core 5
http://fedora.redhat.com/Download/




Download the .iso images for your prefered distro and burn the image (not the file itself) to a CD. You should then be able to boot from the CD to start the install.

If you are not sure how to properly burn an image to CD there are plenty of resources availabel to explain it ..
http://iso.snoekonline.com/iso.htm
or
http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&l...ge&btnG=Search

[kendall14]

It's "old world", won't boot from a disc. (I tried, I made a mac os 7.5.5 bootable disc with a cd-r and cd-rw).

[farslayer]

Check the Install guides for the various flavors of Linux for directions on the install methods for each..

http://www.debian.org/releases/stabl...h05s01.html.en

OldWorld PowerMacs will not boot a Debian CD, because OldWorld computers relied on a Mac OS ROM CD boot driver to be present on the CD, and a free-software version of this driver is not available. All OldWorld systems have floppy drives, so use the floppy drive to launch the installer, and then point the installer to the CD for the needed files.

Floppy images are typically located on the CD, directions for creating floppys from the images on the CD using Windows, Linux, or Mac are in the install manual as well.

Creating Floppies from Disk Images
http://www.debian.org/releases/stabl...h04s03.html.en