installing on mac mini without cd

podosinovik · 2010-02-27 15:44:10

Greetings, everyone!

So i've been trying to install Arch on intel mac mini. The problem is booting the installation image.

1.I can't manage it through the cd as it seems to be broken (auto ejecting every disk i insert into).

2.I've tried booting from usb with image file and that "dd" copy. Refit see the usb but print a lot of 'can't load' after booting from it, also it states that it probably would't work.

3. My another attempt was to put the same image by the means of "dd" on hdd partition. Well, refit see this partition as possible boot variant, but simply hangs when booting with no messages.

4. Finally, i try to copy all files from archlinux.iso to /efi/archlinux and put there elilo.efi and elilo.conf like this:

image=boot/vmlinuz26
        label=linux
        initrd=boot/archiso_pata.img

This time i've got "Loading elilo.efi" and it hangs again.

Now, i have no ideas for further attemps. Simply have not enough knowledge. I suspect that slightly modified 3th or 4th solutions may work, but what that modification? Any ideas?

Last edited by podosinovik (2010-02-27 20:45:50)

lifeafter2am · 2010-02-27 15:59:33

Why are you using rEFit to boot the usb? I just hold down 'option' during boot and it shows up and boots. Though it probably won't make a lick of difference. What type of system are you using dd on to write the image, as I know there are extra steps to doing it on OS X?

podosinovik · 2010-02-27 16:15:56

Well, i've installed just to see what it is, then without it i should "bless" elilo for standard loader, thus it is simplier.

It 3th attempt i copy archlinux-2009.08-core-x86_64.img on /dev/disk1 after unmounting /dev/disk1s1(as it was shown in mount output) by the means of GUI. (First time i dd'd right to disk1s1 - with the same result)

lifeafter2am · 2010-02-27 16:20:36

So you did this:

# diskutil list

found the disk that is the usb device, then:

# diskutil umountDisk /dev/diskX

with X being the usb device, then:

# dd if=Arch.img of=/dev/diskX bs=1m

podosinovik · 2010-02-27 16:38:42

1. i use mount, it gives me disk1s1 so i have disk1
2. GUI unmount
3. bs was different ( AFAIK it affects only on copy speed )

lifeafter2am · 2010-02-27 16:48:00

What do you mean by GUI unmount? There is an eject on OSX, which is NOT THE SAME as an unmount.

podosinovik · 2010-02-27 16:51:08

I did't know that. Do you think this may the the issue?

lifeafter2am · 2010-02-27 16:52:58

Yes, it most likely is as I was having the same problems until I followed the above commands.

podosinovik · 2010-02-27 17:14:11

Ehhh, same stuff - just tried it.

mianka · 2010-02-27 20:14:32

For the sake of clarity : is this an Intel-based or a PPC - based mini?

podosinovik · 2010-02-27 20:44:33

intel (initial post updated too)

Last edited by podosinovik (2010-02-27 20:46:57)

Arch Linux

#1 2010-02-27 15:44:10

installing on mac mini without cd

#2 2010-02-27 15:59:33

Re: installing on mac mini without cd

#3 2010-02-27 16:15:56

Re: installing on mac mini without cd

#4 2010-02-27 16:20:36

Re: installing on mac mini without cd

#5 2010-02-27 16:38:42

Re: installing on mac mini without cd

#6 2010-02-27 16:48:00

Re: installing on mac mini without cd

#7 2010-02-27 16:51:08

Re: installing on mac mini without cd

#8 2010-02-27 16:52:58

Re: installing on mac mini without cd

#9 2010-02-27 17:14:11

Re: installing on mac mini without cd

#10 2010-02-27 20:14:32

Re: installing on mac mini without cd

#11 2010-02-27 20:44:33

Re: installing on mac mini without cd

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