6

I have an old iMac G5 (without a webcam) that I would like to get running Ubuntu. The iMac has no hard drive in it, and I would like to get a live CD running so I can test out Ubuntu before I buy a hard drive to boot from, but I'm having trouble running the live CD.

I downloaded the Ubuntu 12.04 PowerPC live desktop build from here (http://cdimage.ubuntu.com/releases/precise/release/, 5th link down) and burned on to a DVD-R at the lowest speed.

When I put it in my iMac and held down the 'C' key to boot from a CD/DVD, the SuperDrive spins up, spins down, and ejects the disk. The iMac then displays a folder with a question mark superimposed on it (the icon for a missing startup disk).

I've read that this means the CD is not suitable to boot on that computer. According to the Ubuntu PowerPC FAQ (https://wiki.ubuntu.com/PowerPCFAQ), my iMac is compatible.

  • Am I downloading the wrong download?
  • Do I need a different CD/DVD?
  • Is my download of Ubuntu corrupted?
  • Why won't can't I get my DVD boot?
Cin316
  • 161
  • 1
  • 5
  • 1
    Can you check the ISO you downloaded was a) downloaded without error and b) was burnt to disk without error. The following page should help you do that: https://help.ubuntu.com/community/VerifyIsoHowto#Check_the_ISO – Oli Aug 12 '13 at 15:46
  • 1
    Are you copying the iso file to the DVD, or installing it? If you are not installing it properly, you will get this error, as the boot sector will take a look at it and think that it's just a file, not an OS. – SimplySimon Aug 12 '13 at 15:47
  • 1
    Yes that's a fair point. It's not enough to just copy the ISO onto a DVD as a file, you have to use something that will unpack it. See: https://help.ubuntu.com/community/BurningIsoHowto and http://www.ubuntu.com/download/desktop/burn-a-dvd-on-windows – Oli Aug 12 '13 at 15:56
  • I burned the .iso to a DVD using Disk Utility on my newer Mac the way https://help.ubuntu.com/community/BurningIsoHowto says to. – Cin316 Aug 12 '13 at 17:38
  • Anyone have any help? – Cin316 Aug 13 '13 at 01:46
  • have you tried a bootable USB ? – AliReza Mosajjal Aug 12 '15 at 17:41

1 Answers1

1

I think you could try this : How do I boot the live CD on a Macbook Pro?

hold alt/opt and select cd,

alternatively, you can install refit on the imac, insert cd and boot from the refit menu

http://refit.sourceforge.net/

It might work, unless the cd is really corrupted

Community
  • 1
Kaelan Mikowicz
  • 148
  • 4