What Linux will run on a Performa 5200?

[phantomreaper]

What Linux will run on a Performa 5200?

[dkeav]

2.6.17 probably does, read the documentation section to make sure

[Darkbolt]

I had debian running on a 6500, and let me tell you, it's a pain, but its doable, and once its done its pretty solid

The main problem is that it doesn't boot from a cd for one thing, and the native bootloader is a bit picky.

Your best option is probably to leave a very small mac os 8.6 installation on it (I'm pretty sure you can do that with <200m, but dont take my word for it, read the docs). Theres a program that'll allow you to start booting os8.6, and then have it switch over to a linux boot process (you can do this after runtime aswell).

You'll have to go with boot floppies, so have 4 of them ready.

Start reading the ppc documentation for debian, and it'll lead you in the right direction. You might need to make sure certain display variables are set correctly too.

Really though, between the netbsd ppc and debian ppc docs, and some spare time, and you can get a solid box running.

edit --
after doing some searching, I think that there might be some complications with your model
http://netbsd.org/Ports/macppc/models.html#no.sysdisk
http://www.us.debian.org/releases/stable/powerpc/ch02s01.html.en#id2516623
See item #2.1.2.2. Power Macintosh (pmac) subarchitecture

So you might have to use the nubus sources http://nubus-pmac.sourceforge.net/

[Davy]

mklinux will work

http://www.linuxtoday.com/developer/2000080401404OSHWKN

http://www.mklinux.org/