Debian/InstallationPPC/yaboot

There are currently three utilities provided to save install the yaboot boot-loader on the bootstrap: ybin: copies yaboot, yaboot.conf and the CHRP script to the bootstrap and performs the necessary blessing.

mkofboot: initializes the bootstrap partition, then runs ybin.

yabootconfig: creates a working yaboot.conf and then runs "mkofboot -f". Yabootconfig will read the location of the kernel and the 800k bootstrap from the file /etc/fstab of the running system. If you are installing Linux it is likely that you are in a ramdisk installer environment, with the sytem being mounted on /target or /mnt. In that case you can run yabootconfig and specify the path with -t option, like

yabootconfig -t /target
yabootconfig -t /mnt/name_of_mounted_system 

depending on where your system is mounted. It is also possible to use the --chroot option instead of the -t option. The key to success is an up-to-date /etc/fstab file. Be aware that yabootconfig only sets up yaboot to boot the linux system in which it was created. To boot MacOS or to add other options, you will need to edit the yaboot.conf file.

yaboot.config

## /etc/yaboot.conf
##
## run: "man yaboot.conf" for details. Do not make changes until you have!!
## see also: /usr/share/doc/yaboot/examples for example configurations.
##
## For a dual-boot menu, add one or more of:
## bsd=/dev/hdaX, macos=/dev/hdaY, macosx=/dev/hdaZ

# Location of the bootstrap partition:
boot=/dev/hda9
# The device wher the kernel lives
device=hd:

# Globally identified root partition
partition=11
root=/dev/hda11

# Amount of seconds to wait at the OS boot menu
delay=5

# OS to boot by default
defaultos=macosx

# How long to wait at the boot-prompt (tenths of a second)
timeout=100
install=/usr/lib/yaboot/yaboot

# CHRP script spec
magicboot=/usr/lib/yaboot/ofboot

# In this example the boot menu will have three linux boot options.

####
image=/boot/vmlinux
      label=linux
      read-only
####

####
image=/boot/vmlinux-2.2.17pre20-ben3
      label=linux-old
      read-only
      append = "video=atyfb:vmode:24,cmode:32"
####

####
image=/boot/vmlinux-novideo
      label=no-video
      read-only
      append = "video=ofonly"
####

macos=/dev/hda13
macosx=/dev/hda12
enablecdboot
enableofboot