[SOLVED] MacBook Pro Unibody - No OS Found

lifeafter2am · 2009-06-26 15:53:55

So I am trying to get Arch installed on this MacBook Pro that I picked up. I have been following the guide on the Wiki page and have tried the install a few times now. It seems no matter what I try when I go to boot into Arch from rEFIt, I get a "No OS Found" message. I am pretty lost at this point.

Happens with both the x86 and x68_64 versions of Arch.

Last edited by lifeafter2am (2009-06-26 22:59:02)

lifeafter2am · 2009-06-26 22:58:37

Okay --- so I solved this and here is what I had to do, just in case anyone else runs into it.

1) Install rEFIt in OSX
2) Use Bootcamp to resize the OSX partition to your liking
3) Reboot into the Arch LiveCD
4) Run setup program, but only to set up your network
5) Install parted - pacman -Sy parted
6) Use Parted to partition the disk the way you want it
6a) If your like me and have 2 Mac partitions already, then you will likely only have a swap and /
7) Reboot the machine
8) From the rEFIt boot select screen, run the partition manager tool
8a) It will ask you if you want to change the partition tables to allow for booting, select yes
9) Reboot the machine and run the Arch LiveCD again
10) Install normally as per the MacBook Wiki article

Basically for my machine I had to do everything the wiki article suggested, but I had to add the step of changing the partitions with rEFIt before I installed Arch.

Hope this helps other people!

zenlord · 2009-07-06 17:03:41

Are you satisfied with it, now that you solved this problem?

My gf wants an apple for our new laptop, and I'm not against it. I love learning new stuff and OSX is on my list of stuff to tinker with

Yesterday I got the opportunity to use it for the first time on an iMac of a friend of mine and it has kind of scared me. It's completely new and I felt confined to what Apple gave me - I had no control over it. So i'm only buying this thing if I'm absolutely positively sure I can install archlinux on it.

Is installing linux on a macbook roughly the same as on a 'regular' pc (apart from what you described above of course)? I can live with f.e. sound not working for a little while, but it would have to be fully working when it comes to internet, email and office applications. Otherwise I'm going to look stupid in front of my gf

THX!

lifeafter2am · 2009-07-06 17:42:10

I have no complaints with it. OSX isn't that bad, especially because you have to remember that you can open up a console and feel right at home again. It's a sh command line, and the internals remind me of playing around on *BSD systems (which it is built off of).

Apart from getting the stupid EFI stuff working, there is absolutely no difference between installing stuff on the MBP and my other Dell laptop. The only thing I don't have working right now are the speakers, but I don't use them anyway. This machine pretty much doesn't leave my desk, and when it is on the desk it is plugged into a surround sound system. I have dual screens setup via the nvidia drivers, wireless, wired, hotkeys work, backlight on the keyboard ... everything I need.

zenlord · 2009-07-06 17:48:40

Thx for your very fast reply!

It was the EFI-thing that made me a little reluctant. If you mess up your BIOS on a regular pc, it is possibly damaged beyond repair (ok, ok, that won't happen easily, but still ).

I think we will be ordering tonight. Thx again

Arch Linux

#1 2009-06-26 15:53:55

[SOLVED] MacBook Pro Unibody - No OS Found

#2 2009-06-26 22:58:37

Re: [SOLVED] MacBook Pro Unibody - No OS Found

#3 2009-07-06 17:03:41

Re: [SOLVED] MacBook Pro Unibody - No OS Found

#4 2009-07-06 17:42:10

Re: [SOLVED] MacBook Pro Unibody - No OS Found

#5 2009-07-06 17:48:40

Re: [SOLVED] MacBook Pro Unibody - No OS Found

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