Arch Linux

benoror

Member

Registered: 2009-07-20

Posts: 66

Website

MacMini Grub problem during Installation

Hi Archers,

I have a 2GHz Mac Mini 1GB RAM Core Duo. I'm trying to install Arch on it, I have follow this guides:

http://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/MacBook
http://blog.costan.us/2009/03/ubuntu-81 … -mini.html

I splited the HD with Boot Camp then installed rEFIt and booted to Arch CD, I had to make the partition table manually with GNU Parted, the partitions schema is as follows:

/dev/sda1    EFI boot (for rEFIt)
/dev/sda2    HFS+ (OS X)
/dev/sda3    ext3                    /boot
/dev/sda4    swap
/dev/sda5    ext4                    /
/dev/sda6    ext3                    /home

I installed the packages, configure the system, etc. But the problem raised when installing bootloader, as the Wiki said "install GRUB on whatever partition that /boot is on", I tried on /dev/sda3 . I even tried on /dev/sda , but it says it can't be installed. I tried to install it manually with 'grub-intall', but the following error raises:

$ grub-install --root-directory=/mnt /dev/sda3
The file /mnt/boot/grub/stage1 not read correctly.

$ grub-install --root-directory=/mnt /dev/sda
The file /mnt/boot/grub/stage1 not read correctly.

I've checked menu.lst and fstab and both seems correct. I even tried installing from grub CLI manually with no luck:

grub> root (hd0,2)

Error 22: No such partition

I don't know if this is specific for the mac mini, but I haven't found a solution yet, any ideas ?

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ArchLinux :: Awesome WM :: dotfiles

grey

Member

From: Europe

Registered: 2007-08-23

Posts: 679

Re: MacMini Grub problem during Installation

The partition table that you are showing is impossible. If you have > 4 partitions, one of them must be logical.

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Good ideas do not need lots of lies told about them in order to gain public acceptance.

benoror

Member

Registered: 2009-07-20

Posts: 66

Website

Re: MacMini Grub problem during Installation

Since I can't use cfdisk I had to use parted, what could be a correct partition schema for this situation? And how could be done? Thanks!

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ArchLinux :: Awesome WM :: dotfiles

steve___

Member

Registered: 2008-02-24

Posts: 452

Re: MacMini Grub problem during Installation

You could just stick everything on /dev/sda3 and use a swap file.

rusty99

Member

Registered: 2009-03-18

Posts: 253

Re: MacMini Grub problem during Installation

I'd use an extended partition and slice it up for /boot, swap, /var, /tmp, / and then put /home on the last available primary partition.

benoror

Member

Registered: 2009-07-20

Posts: 66

Website

Re: MacMini Grub problem during Installation

I've tried to create an extended partition but it says GPT doesn't support extendes nor logical partitions.

I made a single root and a swap partition and installed everything there, no separate /boot

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ArchLinux :: Awesome WM :: dotfiles

+Holic

Member

Registered: 2010-02-17

Posts: 3

Re: MacMini Grub problem during Installation

I've tried to create an extended partition but it says GPT doesn't support extendes nor logical partitions.

I made a single root and a swap partition and installed everything there, no separate /boot sad

I had this same problem when I installed Arch to my macbook.  I kept wondering why parted would error out and not make my partitons.  I found out why when I booted with a ubuntu disk I had lying around and ran gparted. 

My only concern with one partition was grub not reading off the ext4 partition correctly for booting (usually /boot is an ext2 partition, and / is ext4) but it appears that it works fine.