Powerbook 1400 support is present in MkLinux. However, there are several traps
and pitfalls that you should know about in the latest version of the Mach Kernel
(GENERIC #07).

1. Installation.

Just follow the directions, with a few changes. You'll need to download the
latest kernel from globegate.utm.edu. Un-gzip it in binary mode, rename it to
Mach Kernel, and put it in the extensions folder. Forget about the old one, it
won't work. Set your monitor to 256 colors and HD install people, you're ready
to roll. If you are installing from the CD, put the line

mach_options = pb1400_expbay = true

in your lilo.conf. That's pretty much it. If you are going to install from the
CD, please SERIOUSLY CONSIDER installing onto the PB as a SCSI HD. This will
allow you to go off and do other things while it is installing. You will have to
change a file in /etc, though, according to the directions in this FAQ.
Somewhere undeer something like "How do I Change SCSI IDs?" [Note: I'll probally
comeback later and put that info in here. If someone else would like to do it,
feel free.] But it will work perfectly after that. From the CD, however, is a
hellishly long, tedious, and mind-numbing process. See below for details.

2. {IDE TIMEOUT}s.

Unfortiunatly, the Mach Kernel does not like not having DMA around. I'm not sure
of the exact details, but basically the computer is missing interrupts for some
reason. [Note: correct me if I'm wrong...] When an IDE interrupt gets lost, it
will print an error message at the bottom of the screen saying, {IDE TIMEOUT}
(sometimes along with some other gobbeldy-gook). This is fine, nothing bad will
happen. All that you need to do is press Command-Power, and it will find its
interrupt and get back to work. The message, however, will *not* go away unless
you have the screen redrawn. It would seem that this happens most often running
X in a low memory situation (16 MB), mainly because it uses more memory then
just the console, forcing it to go to the swap space, causing it to have to
constantly juggle things in and out. Also, you will notice that it most often
happens when you move the mouse and the HD is being accessed. The interrupt
thing again.

3. CD-ROM support.

CD ROMs almost, kinda, sorta work. First put this line in your lilo.conf:

mach_options=pb1400_expbay=true

That will enable the expansion bay. NowFor some strange reason, some CD-ROMs
work, some of them don't. It may be related to the speed (I have a 12x in mine,
and it works. Maybe the old 8x or 6x drives are incompatible.) Once you think
you know if the drive will work, then you have to deal with {IDE TIMEOUT}s. They
seem to happen like crazy with the CD-ROM drive, which is why I highly reccomend
SCSI HD installations. I was chained to my PB for over two hours pressing
Command-Power whenever it came up. Not exactly fun. :)

4. Other little miscalaneous pieces of advice.

Serial Ports work. They tend to cause an {IDE TIMEOUT} about once every 20-30
seconds when in use, though, so if you want to download something, you'll have
to babysit. ADB ports work, same thing with the mouse movement causing {IDE
TIMEOUT}s though. SCSI ports don't work. I know nothing about monitor/ethernet
cards for the expansion slot, e-mail me at my address below if you have info on
that. PCMCIA slots are non-functional. So no PC card modems, ethernet cards will
get you online. A very strange thing though: on my PB when running Netscape,
whenever I push one of the PC-card eject buttons, the window acts like I clicked
in the page-up area of the scroll bar. Make sure you set the monitor into 256
colors, thousands doesn't work correctly yet. Sound doesn't work either, mine
spews stuff about awacs_ops.c or something before I log in.

5. Notes.

I don't mean to discourage you from trying out Linux. If you want to, then
please do. I only mean to inform about the problems and suggest workarounds, so
that you'll know what to expect. If this Q&A seems incoherent, please let me
know. I wrote this at 7 AM after I pulled an all-nighter, and I'm bone tired.
Send your questions/comments/sugestions to rufo@netacc.net. Thanks.
--Rufo Sanchez

I dn know for sure but i think that the pcmcia, serial and adb are all 
somewhere on the IDE chain or something.
 NOTE: Taking out an Expansion bay module will cause an 
unrecoverable IDE timeout. Same goes for putting in a PCMCIA card.
 Seeing that mice and serial (can anyone thell me how i would go
 about setting up a serial modem under linux caus i have no idea) I have
come to the probably wrong conclusion that they are all linked or use
the same controller chip or something. I am using a PB1400cs/166 with
16 meg of ram and a 1.3g toshiba hd. I have the 12x CD module but i 
cant mount anything (i get "error: /dev/hdc is not a vaild drive" or 
something similar.If anyone can help here it would be great too) On 
MkLinux i am using the Generic 08 revisoin 12 alpha and it runs alot faster
than Gen 07. I am also using the newest VMLINUX.

Any help on my problems would be great.

Michael