Arch Linux

gen2arch

Member

Registered: 2013-05-16

Posts: 207

Help on setup: refind+kernel on usb; encrypted partition on macbook

Hi

I would like to install arch on a MacBook Pro8.2 (early 2011).
This is what I'm trying to do:
1) I want to use Rod Smiths's excellent refind fork as an efi boot manager and
2) to install refind on a usb thumbdrive
3) the kernel should be started as an efi application (efi stub in the kernel)
4) the kernel and the initramd reside also on the thumb drive
5) the main partition is a dmcrypt/luks partition on the harddrive

Ideally, the boot would then go like this:
0) stick thumb drive to macbook
1) power on the machine
2) start efi boot manager (refind)
3) let refind start the kernel
4) the kernel/initramd decrypts the local partition
5) OS is started

Is this setup possible?
1) Can I install refind on a thumb drive
2) can the ESP (with efi stub kernel and ramdisk) reside on a thumbdrive; what file system to use on the thumb drive
3) Is the Macbook bootloader capable of starting refind on a usb thumb drive and finally
4) can I pass some kernel options to the kernel via refind?

Thanks for your help!