Net-install and setup Debian PPC on New World Imac g3

Got an old nice looking mac your girlfriend can't resign to refurb ?
Like Linux running on it to serve as a juke / web / bittorrent client
box instead of your deprecated and slow MacOSX 10.3 ?

Debian is a nice Linux distribution for PPC systems (YellowDog,
Net/OpenBSD should be OK as well).
As those old Imac CD drives are most of the time out of order, let's
try a netboot install ; macs are shipped with OpenFirmware, which,
since v4.1, can netboot using bootp/tftp. If unsure, try to upgrade
your firmware (called "Internal program" by Apple update manager).

Requirements :
============

- Imac G3 400Mhz - 256M
- any unix box than can provide bootp/tftp


Setting up a netboot server
======================

On your Debian server box :

1. install "tftpd-hpa" and "bootp" servers
$ atp-get install tftd-hpa bootp

2. create "/tftpboot" folder
$ mkdir /tftpboot

3. check /etc/inetd.conf for these lines and edit accordingly :
...
bootps dgram udp wait root /usr/sbin/bootpd
bootpd -i -t 120
tftp dgram udp wait root /usr/sbin/in.tftpd
/usr/sbin/in.tftpd -v -v -v -s /tftpboot
...

4. check /etc/bootptab and edit accordingly :
...
client:\
hd=/tftpboot/:\
bf=tftpboot.img:\
ip=192.168.1.20:\
sm=255.255.255.0:\
sa=192.168.1.21:\
ha=003065A6C878:
...
where :
sa=.21 is my debian server IP
ip=.20 is the imac IP
ha= is the MAC (hardware address) of the active ethernet device

5. monitor logs in a different shell/window
$ tail -f /var/log/daemons

6. restart inetd service
$ /etc/init.d/openbsd-inetd restart

7. change to /tmp/ ang fetch Debian PPC netboot image
$ lftp ftp://http.us.debian.org/debian/dists/lenny/main/installer-powerpc/current/images/powerpc/
> mirror netboot
> exit
$ mv /tmp/netboot/* /tftpboot/

Netbooting the Imac
================

1. Start and hold "CMD + OPT + O + F" until you can see the OF (Open
Firmware) prompt

2. type :
> boot enet:192.168.1.21,yaboot
where 192.168.1.21 is the IP of my Debian-bootp-server,

3. you should face the yaboot prompt (boot.msg) : just read the
instructions (press enter)

Installing
=======

Be careful at DHCP config time, if your BOOTP server is still active,
the Debian installer might have some problems to get an IP from the
DHCP. You can safely disconnect the bootp/tftp server during this
phase

Nothing special here, just install Debian the way you like it.


Final words
==========

- The iMac is a decent desktop as a net/juke box even with Gnome loaded.
One could try some lightweight environments to speed it up a little.

- Power management doesnt't work at all for now (s2ram or s2disk).

- 2D performances are correct, refresh is a bit slow.