[Resolved] Arch ISO won't boot on Mac

sophismo · 2012-07-30 17:52:46

Hi!

I have Ubuntu, XP and OsX up and running on a MacBook Pro from late 2007 (Intel Core 2 Duo); works with reFit.
Cause on VM my Arch runs like Bolt, i want to replace Ubuntu for Arch!

I've read the UEFI and EFI entrys on the wiki, but don't get them in any way.. (or at least I cant find any clue, what I need to use).

Can I just replace Ubuntu - delete and reinvoke partitions with Arch usb - and then install Grub 2 (this is possible, right?).

Where do I have to invoke the Grub2 (put the install sector on the HDD normally? like /dev/sda?).

And last but not least: after setup, can I resync reFit and how?

I'm quite a noob, but did some work in Terminals and got used to setting up Arch on the VM.

Last edited by sophismo (2012-08-11 08:32:14)

WonderWoofy · 2012-08-03 15:21:30

I am not sure what you mean by delete and reivoke partitions, but I think youmean that you want to delete that actual patitions and create them again? I think it woul dbe easier to leave your patitions in place and simply choose those as the partitions to install on (consequently deleting your ubuntu install).

You will definitely want to install grub2, it is now the default. You should read the [Grub2] wiki page, it includes details on how to install via uefi. You know you can also just use your Mac's bios emulation mode as well (choose normal grub rather than grub-uefi).

I have found that the gptsync tool included with refit is kind of ghetto. I think a better alternative would be to use gptfdisk (gdisk). When I used to use a MacBook, I alwasy just chose to use the interactive mode of gdisk. Simply run it like you would fdisk and use the "?" for a list of available commands. It will also create a fresh hybrid MBR in the event that you choose to go the route of bios emulation. rEFIt should automatically detect available bootable patitions, so you should not have to mess with that really.

I say just back up what you need and go for it. If you have more questions, post em, but try to be a bit more specific so it will be easier to help you with exactly what you need. Generalizations tend to lead to guessing about what it is that you actaully are having issues with.

The initial struggle and intense learning curve with Arch is totally worth it. Good Luck!!!

sophismo · 2012-08-04 14:38:55

Thanks for this extensive advise - that was totally what I needed!!

But this thing leads to another bunch of things (yes more specific; now, that I know what I need):

First off I want to specify the exact way I want to try: I have an iMac at home for work and so on, so this MacBook Pro 3.1 (late 2007) is kind of playbook for this cause- will be a test for switching in a while, though. So the plan was: as it appears EFI is far more complicated and not worth the extra complexity I want to use the Bios-comp. And yes: Grub 2. I've tried to install Arch 64bit on a VM with gdisk and it went well (needed a 2mb Bios Partition though / gdisk ef02). At the Install Grub step I have to get grub-bios with pacman, make a cfg file and then grub-install, right? The question is, where? grub-install /dev/sdaX with X being the partition 128 ef02, or if I dont need that one the "/" partition? (I just want "/" and swap, so no extra boot, user or anything if not needed!).

If I get you right, I can do the same game on the mac and gptfdisk will "tell" rEFIt where to look for the new stuff? Sounds the most convenient solution to me!

And now for the most problematic thing: I wanted to try the upper method yesterday but with the USB with refit it gave me: "The firmware doesn't allow to boot from..". And I thought about USB incompatibility and burned the ISO to CD: it is 15.07.2012 dual netinstall which worked fine for the emulation with Virtual Box. The thing is, that not even the CD gets it to the arch terminal! To be more specific:
I have 4 options: the least promising ones beeing: "Boot Linux from CD" and "Boot Legacy Os from " (!sic) which both end up in:
1.
2.
Select CD-ROM Boot Type : _
Where the keyboard doesnt react.

This looks like 32 bit or old Grub versions to me, but correct me if I'm wrong: I'm new^^.

The more interesting options in more detail:
"Boot EFI/archiso/vmlinuz.efi from " (!sic)
this ends in a black screen with the following:

[ 0.229360] i8042: No controller found
[ 0.231257] Kernel panic - not syncing: VFS: Unable to mount root fs on unknown-block(0,0)
[ 0.231207] Pid: 1, comm: swapper/0 Not tainted 3.4.4-3 ARCH #1
[ 0.231340] Cakk Trace:
[ 0.231362] [<ffffffff814606cc>] panic+0xba/0x1c6
.
.
.
and another few of these lines with numbers and codes like the last with the text:
mount_block_root+0x25c/0x287
mount_root+0x57/0x5b
prepare_namespace+..
? release_tgcred.isra.5+---
kernel_init+0..
? do_early_param+0..
kernel_thread_helper+0..
? start_kernel+0x..
? gs_change+0x..

and thats it. Black screen, this text and nothing you can do, and nothing happens.

Last bootable sign at rEFIt is:
"Boot EFI/boot/bootx64.efi from "

This one gives a lot of code after a blue sign saying efi booting..
code with yellow at the left: blk9.. :BlockDevice -Alias (null)
Acpi (...)/Pci (..)/Sata(0,0,0)

as a sample line.
after this comes:
Press ESC in .. seconds to skip [in yellow font again] startup.nsh, any other key to continue.

ESC gives me a shell, as expected: Shell> _

and the other option to let it go gives:
Launching Arch linux ISO Kernel fs2:/EFI/archiso/vmlinuz.efi
_

and then switches screen to:

[ 3.176759] i8042: No controller found
:: running early hook [udev]
:: running hook [udev]
:: Triggering uevents...

and thats it. At this point its dead end to: no keyboard or mouse reaction, no forgoing.

Edit:
Same with starting up with the "C" button holded. Just results in same behaviour.

Any advise for this? I just want to start Arch from CD/USB to net-install a 64 bit version.

Thanks again!!
Mike

Last edited by sophismo (2012-08-04 18:46:40)

sophismo · 2012-08-05 19:14:17

Update:
I've tried 2012.08.05 the x86_64 version iso on USB Stick. Same like the other one: Legacy boot and "Firmware refuses to boot"... bla bla.
Ok, so now I know, that the legacy thing is the Bios-emulation, if I'm right. And with the EFI boot it should have gone well.. but nahh.

I wonder how anyone can boot Arch on Mac. Anyone help? Any advice would be highly appreciated!
Mike

WonderWoofy · 2012-08-06 01:09:03

I just tried both the new installer discs on my mac, and I get the same thing. Fortunately for you though, the new installation procedure no longer requires the installer (Arch Installation Framework or AIF). It is now a chroot process, which is superior... or maybe the developer of the installer just abandoned it

So you can install from really any other linux installation or live media. See this page:

Install from Existing Linux

I have successfully used the first set of instructions to install arch a few times. It is really just like the new normal install procedure, just manually rather than using pacstrap and genfstab. But it should provide a better understanding of what you are doign anyway.

So just find a live disc that will boot on your mac and do it like that. Again, Good Luck!

Edit: don't forget to run the pacman-key commands for signing as those instructions don't mention them. you could also set the SigLevel = Never in pacman.conf

Last edited by WonderWoofy (2012-08-06 01:18:17)

sophismo · 2012-08-07 08:13:45

I will try it. Thanks for the idea, didn't think of that^^.

ArchVillian · 2012-08-08 02:21:32

Thanks for this, but Im having a difficult time trying to get pacman to work. Were you able to get pacman installed correctly?

WonderWoofy · 2012-08-08 15:52:19

For me, I had an existing Arch install, so Pacman was already going. I know that Gentoo actually has Pacman in their repositories, so that might be a good way to go if you are confortable using a source based distro. Also, I would imagine that using an Arch Bang live cd would do the trick as well. Unfortunately I would also imagine that you may run into the same booting problems if they have had any recent updates to their installer.

Maybe your pacman was not working because of signing issues (pacman-key --init... etc). If that is the case, in /etc/pacman.conf, you can simply put "SigLevel = Never" to ignore the signing keys. Though package signing is a great security measure and I would recommend waiting for enough entropy with the pacman-key steps. See this:

Pacman-key

sophismo · 2012-08-09 09:29:12

Hey!

Yes, actually I've got it to install (I have Grub dificulties now though - will open a new thread, cause this goes another way).
I've used:

Ubuntu amd64 version (64bit Live CD Desktop).
Booted with Option Key - Chose to EFI boot,
pressed "e" for edit boot parameters (some claim it's f6 though).
Edit so it looks like:
"quiet splash nomodeset --"
so nomodeset (no graphics).
continue to boot (for me f10, for you maybe something else).

On Ubuntu console reinvoked graphics through:
sudo nano /etc/X11/xorg.conf (this is empty on here, don't worry)
and add the following:
Section "Device"
Identifier "Configured Video Device"
Driver "fbdev"
EndSection

then continue to boot. For me this was done with f10, but should read it at bootom of the page.

So Ubuntu 64bit live! Start Network at first.
Go with gdisk or parted to partition your Disk (better done before, because you have to reboot, and this means lot of work, as you saw).
Make the Filesystems with # mkfs.ext4 -L <label> /dev/sdXY or something like that, and mkswap... see wiki.
And then came the trick!
https://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/In … ion_method
The alternate method worked out great!
(Just run it more than once, if it stops. It didn't dl all of the files on first invoke..)

Then again on Ubuntu the mount commands at the end are a bit different, see ubuntu wiki or ubuntuusers (just google proc mount etc.)

Have fun

Last edited by sophismo (2012-08-12 16:08:16)

the.ridikulus.rat · 2012-08-11 07:19:52

https://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/Un … t_from_ISO

WonderWoofy · 2012-08-11 08:22:31

I am glas to see you got it moving along... @rats suggestion above should also do the trick, as it will create a uefi only usb installer. Assuming that the newer 64-bit macs will adhere to the basics of the UEFI standard, it should boot.

sophismo · 2012-08-11 08:31:31

As far as I understand, it produces a BIOS only CD which then will boot in bios-comp mode. Anyway, this is a real Solution I missed. Thanks! Now I just need to get that nvidia driver to do its thing.

Last edited by sophismo (2012-08-11 08:35:12)

ArchVillian · 2012-08-11 21:14:46

sophismo wrote:

Hey!
Yes, actually I've got it to install (I have Grub dificulties now though - will open a new thread, cause this goes another way).
I've used:
Ubuntu amd64 version (64bit Live CD Desktop).
Booted with Option Key - Chose to EFI boot,
pressed "e" for edit boot parameters (some claim it's f6 though).
Edit so it looks like:
"quiet splash nomodeset --"
so nomodeset (no graphics).
then reinvoked graphics through:
sudo nano /etc/X11/xorg.conf (this is empty on here, don't worry)
and add the following:
Section "Device"
Identifier "Configured Video Device"
Driver "fbdev"
EndSection
then continue to boot. For me this was done with f10, but should read it at bootom of the page.
So Ubuntu 64bit live! Start Network at first.
Go with gdisk or parted to partition your Disk (better done before, because you have to reboot, and this means lot of work, as you saw).
Make the Filesystems with # mkfs.ext4 -L <label> /dev/sdXY or something like that, and mkswap... see wiki.
And then came the trick!
https://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/In … ion_method
The alternate method worked out great!
(Just run it more than once, if it stops. It didn't dl all of the files on first invoke..)
Then again on Ubuntu the mount commands at the end are a bit different, see ubuntu wiki or ubuntuusers (just google proc mount etc.)
Have fun

Hey man how did you edit the xorg.conf via nano in grub. It says error: unknown command 'sudo'. I booted to Ubuntu terminal without editing xorg.conf and edite it in their, but when I try to startx it fails. Am I doing it right?

Edit: I figured it out guys.

Last edited by ArchVillian (2012-08-11 21:48:26)

sophismo · 2012-08-12 16:07:08

This is a far more convenient solution!

the.ridikulus.rat wrote:

https://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/Un … t_from_ISO

I consider this to be Resolved and it can be closed.

Arch Linux

#1 2012-07-30 17:52:46

[Resolved] Arch ISO won't boot on Mac

#2 2012-08-03 15:21:30

Re: [Resolved] Arch ISO won't boot on Mac

#3 2012-08-04 14:38:55

Re: [Resolved] Arch ISO won't boot on Mac

#4 2012-08-05 19:14:17

Re: [Resolved] Arch ISO won't boot on Mac

#5 2012-08-06 01:09:03

Re: [Resolved] Arch ISO won't boot on Mac

#6 2012-08-07 08:13:45

Re: [Resolved] Arch ISO won't boot on Mac

#7 2012-08-08 02:21:32

Re: [Resolved] Arch ISO won't boot on Mac

#8 2012-08-08 15:52:19

Re: [Resolved] Arch ISO won't boot on Mac

#9 2012-08-09 09:29:12

Re: [Resolved] Arch ISO won't boot on Mac

#10 2012-08-11 07:19:52

Re: [Resolved] Arch ISO won't boot on Mac

#11 2012-08-11 08:22:31

Re: [Resolved] Arch ISO won't boot on Mac

#12 2012-08-11 08:31:31

Re: [Resolved] Arch ISO won't boot on Mac

#13 2012-08-11 21:14:46

Re: [Resolved] Arch ISO won't boot on Mac

#14 2012-08-12 16:07:08

Re: [Resolved] Arch ISO won't boot on Mac

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