No you can't. Linux won't even see the firewire drive. The current linux kernel (version 2.4) doesn't have support for firewire. Version 2.5 is supposed to add support for the firewire interface, but you probably won't be able to install it on a firewire hard drive. Until version 2.5 comes out there is NO support for anything firewire in linux.
I have already put my opinion on whether you will be able to boot linux off a firewire hard drive, but that's just my thoughts. I doubt that the Linux community would spend the time doing this, but it could happen. Just don't hold your breath.
There are a lot of technical boundaries to being able to boot off of a firewire disc and it may not be possible/too dificult to make linux boot from a firewire disc. I'm not sure whether the necessary code would be in the darwin project (my guess is that it is there) but Linux can't use Apple's source code because the APSL is incompatable with the GPL (The mozilla public licence is incompatable with the GPL too so it isn't just Apple who isn't compatable). The fact that Linux uses a monolitith kernel vs. OS X's microkernel could make this a complete imposibility. Neither system is "better" they are just different. The only reason it could make it an impossibility would be when the drivers are loaded, size, etc. which usually isn't a problem on traditional interfaces. To get back to the differences there is no advantage to a monolithic kernel as some have sugested and the only advantage to a microkernel is that more can be programed at higher levels making it easier to add features and such for less skilled programmers. The microkernel also means that since there is less in the lowest level of the OS there is less that can go wrong at the lowest level of the OS. Linux combats that possible problem with a monolithic kernel due to its huge tester base and open source nature (as well as the quality of people maintaining the Linux kernel - they're skilled guys).
Nothing is impossible for them to do. My usage of that just means that it would take too much of a rewrite of the kernel that they couldn't handle it. I don't really think there is demand for firewire bootability, but if there is a lot it will certainally be added.
Top