You are not logged in.

#1 2011-04-19 22:59:34

silencer
Member
From: Buenos Aires / Argentina
Registered: 2006-09-01
Posts: 102
Website

Installing Archlinux on a Macbook Pro (mid 2010)

Hi!

I'm trying to install Arch Linux on a Macbook Pro (mid 2010), and having a couple of issues.

First I tried booting the regular ArchLinux installation CD (the core version, for x64), but it would never finish booting, so I tried with Archboot.

Archboot went just fine (with the regular x86 boot, not the EFI one), so I could access the installation program. As I had 2 partitions previously created by MacOS, I created two more, one ext3 for the system and one for Swap. Installation went ok until I had to install a boot manager:

Which boot manager should I install? 

Grub2 asks me for an ext2 partition for it, and grub_legacy doesn't seem to like the lack of MBR on the macbook pro. sad

Should I have an extra partition for the boot manager?

(why is it so hard to install arch on a macbook pro? sad )

thanks a lot!

truly desperate,
silencer

Offline

#2 2011-04-19 23:48:10

RobSoko315
Member
From: Long Island, NY
Registered: 2009-07-15
Posts: 9

Re: Installing Archlinux on a Macbook Pro (mid 2010)

I have Arch running fine on an older generation Macbook Pro, its a pretty laborious process.

First, I did a clean install of Mac OS. Although I'm not sure that this is completely necessary, for some reason I wasn't able to do it without this step. Next, using Disk Utility, I partitioned my hard drive, it doesn't really matter what type of partition you do, because you're going to be erasing it later anyway, just note how big you made it.

Next, (from Mac OS) install rEFIt.

http://refit.sourceforge.net/

This lets to choose on boot up which OS you want to go into first.  (After everything is done, if you want to change the default OS to linux, from Mac edit the file /efi/refit/refit.conf and uncomment the line "#legacyfirst"

Now boot into the Arch Live CD

I don't exactly remember what I did, but I know at some point you have to run "parted", and you must manually partition your hard drive. Run help once in parted and you should be able to figure out where to go from there. You'll have to think ahead here, I have four partitions, root, home, boot, and swap. The Mac partition scheme limits how many partitions you can create, so I think two of my partitions are logical. You'll have to define their sizes manually, you should write down what you do, (the size and which partition.  for example /dev/sda3 49000MB).  Be very careful not to overwrite the TWO mac partitions (one is efi, the other has all the Mac OS X stuff).

Then the installation pretty much follows as in the beginner's installation guide. Make sure to carefully read all of the NVIDIA related information, it can get a bit confusing.

Once you're done installing and getting everything right. install "pommed" from the AUR.  This handles all mac specific stuff, like hot keys and the keyboard lights for caps lock.

Offline

#3 2011-04-19 23:57:21

silencer
Member
From: Buenos Aires / Argentina
Registered: 2006-09-01
Posts: 102
Website

Re: Installing Archlinux on a Macbook Pro (mid 2010)

Hi Rob!

Thanks a lot for your answer. I was considering doing a clean mac os install and yours was a push in that direction, I'll do that. Do you have grub legacy or grub2? did you install it on /dev/sda? (/dev/sda or its equivalent, I mean, not in /dev/sda#)

thanks a lot!

Last edited by silencer (2011-04-19 23:57:41)

Offline

#4 2011-04-20 00:04:27

RobSoko315
Member
From: Long Island, NY
Registered: 2009-07-15
Posts: 9

Re: Installing Archlinux on a Macbook Pro (mid 2010)

I installed grub2 on /dev/sdaN, where N is my boot partition.  If I recall, the macbook arch wiki has a warning about this.

Offline

#5 2011-04-20 00:08:37

silencer
Member
From: Buenos Aires / Argentina
Registered: 2006-09-01
Posts: 102
Website

Re: Installing Archlinux on a Macbook Pro (mid 2010)

Great, I'll try that, then. Thanks a lot! smile

Offline

#6 2011-04-20 14:35:40

silencer
Member
From: Buenos Aires / Argentina
Registered: 2006-09-01
Posts: 102
Website

Re: Installing Archlinux on a Macbook Pro (mid 2010)

Hi!!

I tried again (haven't made a clean OSX install yet). I created, using gdisk, thee partitions, /dev/sda3, /dev/sda4 and /dev/sda5.

I told the installation program to use /dev/sda4 for swap, /dev/sda5 for /, and /dev/sda3 for /boot.  /dev/sda3 in an ext2 partition with the bios_grub flag on.

Everything goes as smooth as silk, and when prompted, I choose to install Grub2 Bios, but, when asked where to install it, all partitions show on the list, except for the /boot one, /dev/sda3.    So, frustrated, I selected /dev/sda and prayed for it to work.

It didn't. sad

When grub tries to load, it displays "GRUB Loading." And then freezes the system.

I have understood that I have to install GRUB on the /boot partition, but, as it doesn't show up... how do I do it? Maybe I should make a clean OSX install and try from there.

I'm sorry for so many questions,
thanks a lot guys! smile
silencer

Last edited by silencer (2011-04-20 14:36:07)

Offline

#7 2011-04-22 15:43:49

The_infinite_loop
Member
From: México
Registered: 2009-04-10
Posts: 16
Website

Re: Installing Archlinux on a Macbook Pro (mid 2010)

Hi silencer.
I reinstalled Arch in my MacBook (not Pro/mid 2007) a few days back.
Here's what I did:
1. Made a clean install of OS X. This is not necessary, but I wanted to do it because the old installation was all bloated. Altough the first time I installed arch I just had to make some room so that bootcamp could create the partition, but again, making a new install is not necessary.
2. Create Partitions. Booted from Arch CD (32 bit), then I created two partitions, root and home, I have 3 GB of ram so didn't care about a swap partition. You can create them with parted or any other app, and create the filesystem while creating the partitions. Then you have to reboot and have rEFIT to fix the partition table or you won't be able to install GRUB on the installation process.
3. Boot live CD again and install. Follow the MacBook wiki. When you are in the "prepare hard drive" section make sure to only choose the mount points. I made the mistake to re-create the filesystem and had to resync the partition table with rEFIT. Then I had to install GRUB manually by booting the live CD and chrooting into the new install.
4. Install GRUB. When you get to the Install bootloader section choose to install it on the /boot partition, since the wiki and the installer specify this. And it works!. My old arch install also had GRUB installed on /dev/sda3 (my root/boot partition).

Notes:
- My Partition scheme.
/dev/sda1 efi partition (not visible on Mac).
/dev/sda2 Mac
/dev/sda3 Arch
/dev/sda4 Home

- Important.
Before installing Arch I installed ubuntu 10.10. Ubuntu installed GRUB2 on my Mac's MBR, then the first time I installed Arch, the installation process ended up fine with GRUB in /dev/sda3, but when I selected Linux on rEFIT it booted with GRUB2, that still was on MBR. Then I had to erase it, I used lilio for this , just to leave my MBR free from GRUB2, after that I could boot GRUB on my root partition.

Hope this helps.


MacBook 2,1, 3GB RAM.

They say it changes... When the Sun goes down.

Offline

#8 2011-04-22 19:56:38

silencer
Member
From: Buenos Aires / Argentina
Registered: 2006-09-01
Posts: 102
Website

Re: Installing Archlinux on a Macbook Pro (mid 2010)

The_infinite_loop wrote:

Notes:
- My Partition scheme.
/dev/sda1 efi partition (not visible on Mac).
/dev/sda2 Mac
/dev/sda3 Arch
/dev/sda4 Home

Hi and thanks, infinite loop! (I never thought I was ever going to say that tongue)

Your boot partition is /dev/sda3, right? (I was expecting an ext2 partition with grub_bios on)

Offline

#9 2011-04-23 07:19:28

rwd
Member
Registered: 2009-02-08
Posts: 664

Re: Installing Archlinux on a Macbook Pro (mid 2010)

I posted my experiences installing in bios legacy mode (non-EFI) on a Macbook pro 7,1 here:
https://bbs.archlinux.org/viewtopic.php?pid=829072

Offline

#10 2011-04-23 20:59:39

The_infinite_loop
Member
From: México
Registered: 2009-04-10
Posts: 16
Website

Re: Installing Archlinux on a Macbook Pro (mid 2010)

silencer wrote:
The_infinite_loop wrote:

Notes:
- My Partition scheme.
/dev/sda1 efi partition (not visible on Mac).
/dev/sda2 Mac
/dev/sda3 Arch
/dev/sda4 Home

Hi and thanks, infinite loop! (I never thought I was ever going to say that tongue)

Your boot partition is /dev/sda3, right? (I was expecting an ext2 partition with grub_bios on)

Yes, it's an ext3 partition with default archlinux GRUB (grub1?) installed. It just works, with or without rEFIT. So if I press Alt key while booting I can choose /dev/sda3 to boot arch, which will show up grub menu. rEFIT is only needed for the installation process.


MacBook 2,1, 3GB RAM.

They say it changes... When the Sun goes down.

Offline

#11 2011-04-23 21:33:21

silencer
Member
From: Buenos Aires / Argentina
Registered: 2006-09-01
Posts: 102
Website

Re: Installing Archlinux on a Macbook Pro (mid 2010)

Hi! Thanks guys! I have an exam this monday (my last exam to get my Computer Science degree smile) and I'll try all this,

¡thanks a lot! smile

Offline

Board footer

Powered by FluxBB