[gentoo-user] macbook pro boot from usb

[gentoo-user] macbook pro boot from usb

[Valmor de Almeida]

Hello,

I would like to experiment with Gentoo on a Mac but I don't seem to
get past step 0, namely, booting from a gentoo usb stick
(systemrescuecd). The Mac does not recognize the usb stick. I don't
know much about Macs and searching the web has not been fruitful. In
other computers without a Mac bios, it is a matter of changing the
boot device order to the usb port. I don't know if such a thing exists
in a Mac. If you have a gentoo mac I would appreciate inputs.

Thanks,

--
Valmor

Re: [gentoo-user] macbook pro boot from usb

[Paul Hartman]

On Wed, Aug 24, 2011 at 4:36 PM, Valmor de Almeida <val.gentoo@gmail.com> wrote:
> Hello,
>
> I would like to experiment with Gentoo on a Mac but I don't seem to
> get past step 0, namely, booting from a gentoo usb stick
> (systemrescuecd). The Mac does not recognize the usb stick. I don't
> know much about Macs and searching the web has not been fruitful. In
> other computers without a Mac bios, it is a matter of changing the
> boot device order to the usb port. I don't know if such a thing exists
> in a Mac. If you have a gentoo mac I would appreciate inputs.

I have never used a MacBook, and haven't used any Mac since they had
black & white screens, but I believe the problem is that its firmware
uses EFI for booting, and not the usual BIOS/MBR boot like a normal PC
would use. and your system rescue CD probably doesn't have the
necessary files. If you google "macbook efi linux usb boot" or
something, maybe there will be more specific info about how to solve
it.

There are some tools that may help, for example take a look at:
http://refit.sourceforge.net/

I seem to recall reading that booting from USB flash drive/external
hdd is not normally supported on a Mac, but it may be possible to make
it work.

good luck :)

Re: [gentoo-user] macbook pro boot from usb

[Stroller]

On 24 August 2011, at 23:33, Paul Hartman wrote:
> ...
> I have never used a MacBook, and haven't used any Mac since they had
> black & white screens, but I believe the problem is that its firmware
> uses EFI for booting, and not the usual BIOS/MBR boot like a normal PC
> would use. and your system rescue CD probably doesn't have the
> necessary files.

Yes, I suspect OP needs to run the Boot Camp Assistant (in Applications > Utilities).

I think that does something like enable a BIOS compatibility mode in EFI - after installation I have certainly been able to boot from conventional bootable CDs. It talks about inserting a Windows CD, but I don't think there's any difference in the booting methods of a Windows XP install CD and a systemrescueCD. I believe both emulate a floppy in the first 2meg of the CD image. I'm pretty sure I've been able to boot using systemrescueCD on a dual-boot (XP / OS X) Mac system.

> If you google "macbook efi linux usb boot" or
> something, maybe there will be more specific info about how to solve
> it.

You're fundamentally right, although I would go for "install linux Mac" myself. The results may refer to installing other distros, such as Ubuntu, but it's surely just a matter of adapting the instructions to get partitions and a systemrescueCD root prompt.

I think there are alternative methods, besides Boot Camp, to get multi-boot. Boot Camp sets up a second partition, but I don't believe it can do a third. I believe it's possible to get triple-boot (for example) on a Mac, but you're obliged not to use Boot Camp in this case.

Stroller.

Re: [gentoo-user] macbook pro boot from usb

[Valmor de Almeida]

On Thu, Aug 25, 2011 at 2:27 AM, Stroller
<stroller@stellar.eclipse.co.uk> wrote:
[snip]
>
> You're fundamentally right, although I would go for "install linux Mac" myself. The results may refer to installing other distros, such as Ubuntu, but it's surely just a matter of adapting the instructions to get partitions and a systemrescueCD root prompt.

I have the most recent version of systemrescueCD on a usb stick and it
is not recognized at boot time (holding option key down). Will try to
get a Ubuntu CD. It seems to work on my particular macbook pro (6,2)

https://help.ubuntu.com/community/MacBookPro

Thanks for the inputs.

--
Valmor

>
> I think there are alternative methods, besides Boot Camp, to get multi-boot. Boot Camp sets up a second partition, but I don't believe it can do a third. I believe it's possible to get triple-boot (for example) on a Mac, but you're obliged not to use Boot Camp in this case.
>
> Stroller.
>
>
>

Re: [gentoo-user] macbook pro boot from usb

[Valmor de Almeida]

On Thu, Aug 25, 2011 at 11:06 AM, Valmor de Almeida
<val.gentoo@gmail.com> wrote:
> On Thu, Aug 25, 2011 at 2:27 AM, Stroller
> <stroller@stellar.eclipse.co.uk> wrote:
> [snip]
>>
>> You're fundamentally right, although I would go for "install linux Mac" myself. The results may refer to installing other distros, such as Ubuntu, but it's surely just a matter of adapting the instructions to get partitions and a systemrescueCD root prompt.

Just for the record. I tried an old Gentoo Minimal CD I had sitting
around (2009) and was able to boot the Mac from the CD. It seems this
particular Mac (OS maybe) is preventing any boot from the USB port.

I will burn a systemrescueCD and try that.

--
Valmor

>
[snip]
>>
>>
>>
>

[SOLVED] Re: [gentoo-user] macbook pro boot from usb

[Valmor de Almeida]

On Thu, Aug 25, 2011 at 12:21 PM, Valmor de Almeida
<val.gentoo@gmail.com> wrote:
> On Thu, Aug 25, 2011 at 11:06 AM, Valmor de Almeida
> <val.gentoo@gmail.com> wrote:
>> On Thu, Aug 25, 2011 at 2:27 AM, Stroller
>> <stroller@stellar.eclipse.co.uk> wrote:
>> [snip]
>>>
>>> You're fundamentally right, although I would go for "install linux Mac" myself. The results may refer to installing other distros, such as Ubuntu, but it's surely just a matter of adapting the instructions to get partitions and a systemrescueCD root prompt.
>
> Just for the record. I tried an old Gentoo Minimal CD I had sitting
> around (2009) and was able to boot the Mac from the CD. It seems this
> particular Mac (OS maybe) is preventing any boot from the USB port.
>
> I will burn a systemrescueCD and try that.

A CD worked. Booted into the rescue64 kernel. Now I am cloning the Mac
HD for future firmware updates if needed. Assuming that in the future
I will be able to boot from the external USB drive that has the Mac OS
in it.

--
Valmor

>
> --
> Valmor
>
>>
> [snip]
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>
>

Re: [gentoo-user] macbook pro boot from usb

[Nick Gotsinas]

I'm going to state the obvious and say did you try to hold ALT during boot? 

I made a systermrescue on USB stick and it works just fine on my MacBook.

I also have Gentoo installed with Bootcamp and had no issues. Just make sure you partition with Guid

On 2011-08-24, at 5:36 PM, Valmor de Almeida wrote:

> Hello,
> 
> I would like to experiment with Gentoo on a Mac but I don't seem to
> get past step 0, namely, booting from a gentoo usb stick
> (systemrescuecd). The Mac does not recognize the usb stick. I don't
> know much about Macs and searching the web has not been fruitful. In
> other computers without a Mac bios, it is a matter of changing the
> boot device order to the usb port. I don't know if such a thing exists
> in a Mac. If you have a gentoo mac I would appreciate inputs.
> 
> Thanks,
> 
> --
> Valmor
> 

Re: [gentoo-user] macbook pro boot from usb

[Valmor de Almeida]

On Wed, Aug 24, 2011 at 6:56 PM, Nick Gotsinas <darf@gameforce.ca> wrote:
> I'm going to state the obvious and say did you try to hold ALT during boot?
>
Yes.

> I made a systermrescue on USB stick and it works just fine on my MacBook.

Maybe my systemrescue is old. Will update and try.

>
> I also have Gentoo installed with Bootcamp and had no issues. Just make sure you partition with Guid

Thanks,

--
Valmor
>
> On 2011-08-24, at 5:36 PM, Valmor de Almeida wrote:
>
>> Hello,
>>
>> I would like to experiment with Gentoo on a Mac but I don't seem to
>> get past step 0, namely, booting from a gentoo usb stick
>> (systemrescuecd). The Mac does not recognize the usb stick. I don't
>> know much about Macs and searching the web has not been fruitful. In
>> other computers without a Mac bios, it is a matter of changing the
>> boot device order to the usb port. I don't know if such a thing exists
>> in a Mac. If you have a gentoo mac I would appreciate inputs.
>>
>> Thanks,
>>
>> --
>> Valmor
>>
>
>
>

Re: [gentoo-user] macbook pro boot from usb

[Valmor de Almeida]

On Wed, Aug 24, 2011 at 7:39 PM, Valmor de Almeida <val.gentoo@gmail.com> wrote:
> On Wed, Aug 24, 2011 at 6:56 PM, Nick Gotsinas <darf@gameforce.ca> wrote:
>> I'm going to state the obvious and say did you try to hold ALT during boot?
>>
> Yes.
>
>> I made a systermrescue on USB stick and it works just fine on my MacBook.
>
> Maybe my systemrescue is old. Will update and try.

I updated systemrescuecd to version 2.3.1 on a usb stick and rebooted
holding the alt key. The only option I am given is the Macintosh HD.

Thanks,

--
Valmor
>
>>
>> I also have Gentoo installed with Bootcamp and had no issues. Just make sure you partition with Guid
>
> Thanks,
>
> --
> Valmor
>>
>> On 2011-08-24, at 5:36 PM, Valmor de Almeida wrote:
>>
>>> Hello,
>>>
>>> I would like to experiment with Gentoo on a Mac but I don't seem to
>>> get past step 0, namely, booting from a gentoo usb stick
>>> (systemrescuecd). The Mac does not recognize the usb stick. I don't
>>> know much about Macs and searching the web has not been fruitful. In
>>> other computers without a Mac bios, it is a matter of changing the
>>> boot device order to the usb port. I don't know if such a thing exists
>>> in a Mac. If you have a gentoo mac I would appreciate inputs.
>>>
>>> Thanks,
>>>
>>> --
>>> Valmor
>>>
>>
>>
>>
>