[geeks] Ubuntu on iMac 450 DV+ model, APC UPS question

[Lionel Peterson]

Hello all,

Today I scored an Indigo iMac 450 MHz w/hd & 640 Meg RAM for $28 at Princeton University, but the O/S was scrubbed. I tried to install Ubuntu for powerpc, but it wouldn't quite run from the CD image. It would boot, prompt me for a command (in grub?) to select a boot image, grind away for a while, then just sort of hang, without any meaningful display on the screen. During boot up, I saw the Ubuntu logo animatiuon in glorious color, but never the login/desktop.

ANyone have any ideas?

I did install OSX 10.4 without incident (except my DVD has a bad spot in the "additional fonts" package, so I can't install that "option"), but the OS seems a bit "big" for the machine.

I saw with interest the machine only draws 150 watts, and the screen is in pretty good condition, just have to supply my own keyboard/mouse...

Also got a G3/350 for $21, but much less RAM (did have SCSI add-in card though) - it has OS 9 installed.

Oh, and a dead APC SmartUPS 1500 for $5, I want to see if I cna bring it up with fresh batteries. Right now the unit just sits there with no display when plugged in to wall socket... WOuld a dead battery do that, or did I buy a big doorstop? (this is a shoebox design, not a rackmount unit)

Lionel