Install linux on mac only how to#
Install linux on mac only iso#

Install linux on mac only iso#

So, download the network installer of your choice in ISO format.

Install linux on mac only how to#

To know how to boot these in the GRUB config file, I read the isolinux configs included on the install CDs. This basically consists of a kernel, initramfs (which includes the installer). I am using the netboot installers for each distro.

Now you just need to create a GRUB2 config file, which weвЂ™ll do below after getting the kernel and initramfs. DonвЂ™t forget to make sure the directory structure is correct, as laid out above. The efi/ directory now just needs to be copied onto your FAT USB stick. o bootia32.efi part_gpt hfsplus fat ext2 normal sh chain boot configfile minicmd linux loadbios reboot appleldr halt search After lots of wasted time I emailed the GRUB list and had an answer within 20 minutes, which was a big relief. The documentation I was following was not updated and I couldnвЂ™t work out why GRUB2 couldnвЂ™t parse my config (typing it in manually at the GRUB2 command prompt worked however). This was a big stumbling block for me because someone removed the ability to read config files from module вЂњconfigfileвЂќ and put it into вЂњminicmdвЂќ requiring вЂњshвЂќ.

Next we need to create the GRUB2 EFI program, and will specify a bunch of modules to include. Now, make a temporary directory in which to put the GRUB EFI binary. Or get source from Debian (which is more likely to compile): You can cross compile, see the link above for info if you need to. If youвЂ™re using 64bit then use a 64bit OS. Note, my Xserve is 32bit only, so IвЂ™m installing 32bit version. We need to check out GRUB from CVS and build it for EFI systems. If youвЂ™re using Debian or Ubuntu, then run the following: Choose the distro you want to install and away you go! See the вЂњInstallationвЂќ section below and skip the next few.Д«efore we can compile GRUB, we need some dependencies. Boot this and you should see the GRUB menu load. Hold down the Option key (Alt key on non-Apple keyboards) until you see the boot option. You should now be able to plug it into your Xserve and turn it on. If itвЂ™s not right, then re-arrange things and eject the device. Next you can extract my tarball onto the device, ensuring that it maintains the efi/boot/ directory structure on it and not create an extra directories because of the archiver. If not, unplug it and plug it in again, or mount it manually. Su -c 'parted -s /dev/sdz mklabel gpt mkpartfs EFI fat32 0% 100% toggle 1 boot' Please know what device it is youвЂ™re partitioning!! IвЂ™ll use sdz just for example purposes only. Grab a USB memory stick and letвЂ™s prepare it. So, once we understand how EFI works, next we need to get a bootable GRUB happening in order to install Linux. You will still need to partition and format your device, so more on how to do that later. I have made a Debian Squeeze, Fedora Constantine and Ubuntu Karmic installer which you can download and extract onto your USB device ( sha1sum). The kernel and initramfs for the net installer should also be in that directory. This must also be in the efi/boot/ directory of the USB device. The GRUB2 EFI binary I am using looks for the standard GRUB config file, which is called grub.cfg. Else, try choosing the 64bit options when using the 32bit EFI installer (bootia32.efi), but either way your system must have a 64bit CPU. NOTE: Your Mac must have a 64bit EFI to load the 64bit EFI Linux installer (bootењ†4.efi)). The name of the file must match your architecture, so for me it is called bootia32.efi but if youвЂ™re running a 64bit system it should be bootењ†4.efi. Inside that boot directory, EFI looks for a binary EFI file, which it can run. The default is boot and this is what I used. In that directory must be another from the list of approved vendor named directories, such as redhat or apple. Inside this partition it looks for an efi directory. In short, the Apple EFI boots and scans all available drives (including USB drives) for a GPT partitioned device which has a FAT formatted partition on it. To cut a long story short, I had to learn how EFI works in order to get it booting and it wasnвЂ™t an easy thing to discover! Unfortunately, the install media just wouldnвЂ™t work on this device, presumably as it has no BIOS emulation. I knew that Fedora could boot EFI, so thatвЂ™s where I started, with Leonidas (version 11). These machines do not have a BIOS (or even any emulation), they use EFI and as such wonвЂ™t boot the standard Linux install media. Naturally, this meant installing Linux on them. We have a few of these Apple Xserve machines at work which werenвЂ™t doing much, so I thought IвЂ™d make better use of them.