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Yes rEFit does start and I even get the 'Linux Penguin" icon after I "fix" the bootloader using the steps I mention earlier in this thread, but nothing except a frozen screen with the Penguin (I believe this is something wrong with the rEFit boot manager) or the word "Grub" and nothing else (a hung system).
While the CD's installer formatted the drive automatically I believe it formatted it ext3, and when I formatted it manually I configured it to use the free space, as this is how I prepped the drive using the Apple disk utility. So I guess in both cases I let the CD's installer format the volume. I also tried Apple's bootcamp utility to prep the drive but ran into the same problem as if I did not use it. I hope this makes sense.
I am extremely sorry to ask , but what kind of application you can't run virtually???
If the application needs more than 12 GB of RAM then surely it won't run virtually.......
As I mentioned earlier in this thread, the Package is called Schrodinger Suite. It is a package that helps biologists and chemists work with macromolecular modeling and simulations, and yes we are using more then 12GB of RAM.
Yes rEFit does start and I even get the 'Linux Penguin" icon after I "fix" the bootloader using the steps I mention earlier in this thread, but nothing except a frozen screen with the Penguin (I believe this is something wrong with the rEFit boot manager) or the word "Grub" and nothing else (a hung system).
Well atleast refit still works. Are you still able to boot Os x?
Quote:
While the CD's installer formatted the drive automatically
Automatically? Does this mean you didn't use the advance partition option in the installer? You need to do this with Macintosh computers as the Ubuntu installer will attempt to install grub onto the mbr. Grub is a bios based boot loader. This makes the operation hard for a mac because a Macintosh doesn't use a bios like other computers, they use an efi bootloader; this is why you need refit.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Knightron
Lastly, did you make 3 separate partitions for linux, one for root, one for swap, and one bootloader? Because, if you did, the boot loader should have gone on the the root partition, "/"?
Knightron, I have partitioned the drive "automatically" using the CD's installer utility, and since this did not work I also formatted the drive manually as recommended by other Linux sites. Please read my earlier posts more thoroughly I answered your questioned about how I manually formatted the drive earlier.
Ok, during the process of reading the 'earlier posts more thoroughly' i must admit i had missed a couple things, including this part.
Quote:
Originally Posted by ag2231
again into three separate volumes, the /boot volume, /the swap/ volume, and the main volume for the OS.
This is why it's not working, you only need two linux partitions, one for the os (ubuntu, redhat or what ever you like), and one for the swap. The boot loader doesn't need a separate partition, it should be installed on the same partition that you install the os on. You will probably have to specify this in the installation process as many linux distros will by default install it onto the mbr which you don't want.
start the installer again and install things in the right places, and during this process make sure you also reformat the original partition you had specifically for the bootloader. This is to remove all data on it and things won't get confusing. After doing so, you may even combine the partition so you don't have wasted space.
Hi Knightron, I tried to set it up exactly as you suggested I created two volumes, one a /SWAP and the other /, using the CD's manual format utility from the installer. When the installation was complete I reboot the computer, the 'rEFit' boot manager loaded and I actually saw the Penguin (got really excited here), I clicked on the Linux icon and the word "GRUB" filled the screen, about a dozen words across and down. The computer hung at this point or continually displaying the word "GRUB", leaving me with only one option and that is to perform a cold shut down.
ok then, have you tried a second time, because sometimes things do stuff up. If the problem repeats, then it's obviously not a one time thing. Try to note what it says on the screen and repeat the messages here; it's not normally this difficult.
... In both instances I tried repairing the bootloader using the command I mentioned in my original post;
1) Command 1: chroot /mnt/sysimage
2) Command 2: grub-install /dev/sda3
where are you running these commands (from a live-usb session) ?
what makes you think /boot is in /sda3 (could it possibly be /sda1, sdb1 or sdc1) ?
what is on all 3 of your disks (can you show us the output of fdisk -l, df -h, mount )?
Hi Schneidz, Please read the complete posting and you'll find it explains where I am "running these commands from", and since I formatted the drive I am pretty sure I know where to point the instruction to repair the GRUB-Install. If the machine has frozen or stuck with a single word splashed across the screen, the only way to show the out-put is to take picture with my phone. But that being said, if I am describing how it only one word "GRUB" is being show on the screen, how would a picture help.
Hi Schneidz, Please read the complete posting and you'll find it explains where I am "running these commands from",
i read the whole thread; you don't specify in what environment you are running the commands (is it in a live-cd/dvd or live-usb, is it while you are in the grub prompt ?)
Quote:
Originally Posted by ag2231
and since I formatted the drive I am pretty sure I know where to point the instruction to repair the GRUB-Install.
did you reformat all 3 drives ? which drive are you trying to install linux on; what device does the system assign to that drive (/dev/sda, /dev/sdb, /dev/sdc1, /dev/sdc2, /dev/sdc3, ...) ?
Quote:
Originally Posted by ag2231
If the machine has frozen or stuck with a single word splashed across the screen, the only way to show the out-put is to take picture with my phone. But that being said, if I am describing how it only one word "GRUB" is being show on the screen, how would a picture help.
i didnt ask for a picture; you mentioned typing commands at some prompt, why cant you show us the output of the commands i recommended. if you read the responses in the thread you will read that many people asked you to describe your partition setup.
your response doesnt help me help you,
unsubscribed
Hi Schneidz, I don't mean to be smart but I have found that some are doing cursory scans of the thread and missing some of the points and answers to the questions they are asking. Please read the full the thread.
In my very first post I mentioned that I could only boot from the CD, so I could only run the commands from the "Live CD" using the "Linux Rescue" option.
You did not ask in your first question if I formatted all three drives, and no I did not; and I knew which formatted volume I was working with, and which to apply repair instructions.
How would I show you the output of the commands of a frozen system? Maybe you meant something else, please try and ask this question differently if you did.
Lastly, Linux is a new environment for me but not computers as a whole. I am not trying to be difficult, I am trying to get an answer to a problem and am open to suggestion.
Hi Schneidz, I don't mean to be smart but I have found that some are doing cursory scans of the thread and missing some of the points and answers to the questions they are asking. Please read the full the thread.
In my very first post I mentioned that I could only boot from the CD, so I could only run the commands from the "Live CD" using the "Linux Rescue" option.
in your first post you mentioned you could only boot into the install cd's but i guess i shouldve assumed you meant live-cd's ?
Quote:
Originally Posted by ag2231
You did not ask in your first question if I formatted all three drives, and no I did not; and I knew which formatted volume I was working with, and which to apply repair instructions.
for the sake of crossing out variables, we could effectively unplug the other 2 drives (we can always re-attach them later when the system is up and running).
also, i dont know which formatted volume you are working with. maybe if you tell us what system device is assigned to it maybe i can give you more specific help.
Quote:
Originally Posted by ag2231
How would I show you the output of the commands of a frozen system? Maybe you meant something else, please try and ask this question differently if you did.
i'm confused, how did you type in these commands on a frozen system:
Quote:
Originally Posted by ag2231
I tried repairing the bootloader using the command I mentioned in my original post;
1) Command 1: chroot /mnt/sysimage
2) Command 2: grub-install /dev/sda3
type these into the same prompt and share your results:
Command 3: fdisk -l
Command 4: df -h
Command 5: mount
Quote:
Originally Posted by ag2231
Lastly, Linux is a new environment for me but not computers as a whole. I am not trying to be difficult, I am trying to get an answer to a problem and am open to suggestion.
i dont have any experience with mac hardware so maybe apple put something in there to make it difficult to use non-apple software... i know they have done arbitrary stuff to ipods so that it is difficult to use any other music organizer other than itunes (like gtkpod or rythmbox).
From my first post, and the mentioned URL will take you to the site I have been referencing for instructions that provided the commands below:
"The trouble I have been having is with the bootloader, I think. After having completed the Linux OS installation on the computer, trying different Linux flavors, it refuses to boot into Linux. I have tried making the Linux OS the only operating system on the computer and it still refuses to boot. I have also tried using the boot manager “rEFit” and as I have also tried what I found from some sites, (link to one example) ([URL="http://consultancy.edvoncken.net/index.php/HOWTO_Install_CentOS_on_a_MacBook_Pro") to use the “Linux Rescue” to redirect the loader using the following commands;
1) Command 1: chroot /mnt/sysimage
2) Command 2: grub-install /dev/sda3 "
As two the drives, this is a good idea for troubleshooting and will try it, but I know the drive I am trying work with, especially after having attempted this installation on all three drives and being aware of for example, the mount devices; SDA, SDB, and SDC, and their subsections sda1,sda2, and sda3.
Your third question is also answered in the quoted section of my original quote.
I 'll try the commands you recommend:
"type these into the same prompt and share your results:
Command 3: fdisk -l
Command 4: df -h
Command 5: mount"
Can I assume you want me to try these commands after I have attempted the repair of the GRUB with the first two commands, since you've listed them as Command 3,4,5. Also are you suggesting I use these commands with the other two drives removed.
Lastly, I am not sure if Apple has put some kind of restriction since others have said on other sites, as well as this that they have successfully installed various flavors of Linux using Apple's Bootcamp and formatting drives independently and using rEFIt as boot manager. You may be right though since Apple has done worst things in the past, they could have made it so the latest macs will not boot at all into another OS without Bootcamp, and bootcamp is designed for windows.
ok then, have you tried a second time, because sometimes things do stuff up. If the problem repeats, then it's obviously not a one time thing. Try to note what it says on the screen and repeat the messages here; it's not normally this difficult.
Hi Knightron, I tried what you suggested and it still gave me a display of the word GRUB (repeated until everything frooze). I then thought to try and repair the GRUB install as I have using the following commands again;
1) Command 1: chroot /mnt/sysimage
2) Command 2: grub-install /dev/sdc2
but this time I get a different message (I have attached a jpg iamge of a picture I took of the message).
Last edited by ag2231; 07-07-2011 at 12:53 PM.
Reason: formating
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