Boot on MacBook hard-drive impossible

l0f4r0 · 08-02-2018, 08:51 AM

Hello,

I've installed stable Slackware 14.2 on my old MacBook dating from 2008 or something close.
I've created a Linux main partition (sda2) + a SWAP one (sda1).
Then I did a "slackpkg upgrade-all" which,I believe, changed the kernel.
Problem: EDIT: I cannot boot anymore kernel huge.s from hard-drive since that upgrade. I cannot boot on my hard-drive (I never could, even before the "slackpkg upgrade-all"). Indeed, GRUB is loading itself, then displays:

Code:

GNU GRUB version 2.00
Slackware 14.2 huge.s kernel
Slackware 14.2 huge.s kernel (use KMS console)
Detect/boot any installed operating system

and when I select choice 1, it states:

Code:

Loading huge.s kernel and installer initrd. Please wait...

but nothing happens.

Actually, the only thing I can do currently is booting from the install DVD. At the prompt, I can either:

type "huge.s root=/dev/sda2 rdinit=ro"
or type nothing but <ENTER>, select my keymap, login as root, chroot and so on...

I don't know why GRUB is taking the lead on the hard-drive as I want LILO and I've never specified something related to GRUB anywhere...

Please note that I've migrated to generic kernel 4.4.132 manually since then.

Can somebody help me booting my computer with LILO please?

Below are some configurations/outputs regarding my boot/kernel/LILO:

Code:

#ls -l /boot/

total 19412
drwxr-xr-x  3 root root    4096 Jul 23 05:00 .
drwxr-xr-x 22 root root    4096 Jul 25  2018 ..
lrwxrwxrwx  1 root root      38 Jul 14 22:34 README.initrd -> /usr/doc/mkinitrd-1.4.10/README.initrd
lrwxrwxrwx  1 root root      23 Jul 14 22:26 System.map -> System.map-huge-4.4.132
-rw-r--r--  1 root root 2742676 May 21 22:28 System.map-generic-4.4.132
-rw-r--r--  1 root root 3976823 May 21 22:39 System.map-huge-4.4.132
-rw-r--r--  1 root root     512 Jul  6 09:50 boot.0800
-rw-r--r--  1 root root     168 Jul  6 09:50 boot_message.txt
-rw-r--r--  1 root root     426 Apr 21  2016 coffee.dat
lrwxrwxrwx  1 root root      19 Jul 14 22:26 config -> config-huge-4.4.132
-rw-r--r--  1 root root  160097 May 21 22:28 config-generic-4.4.132
-rw-r--r--  1 root root  160097 May 21 22:39 config-huge-4.4.132
-rwxr-xr-x  1 root root  215987 Nov 20  2017 elilo-ia32.efi
-rwxr-xr-x  1 root root  237749 Nov 20  2017 elilo-x86_64.efi
drwxr-xr-x  2 root root    4096 Jun 13  2016 grub
-rw-r--r--  1 root root   22578 Apr 21  2016 inside.bmp
-rw-r--r--  1 root root     432 Apr 21  2016 inside.dat
-rw-------  1 root root  107008 Jul 23 05:00 map
-rw-r--r--  1 root root    6878 Apr 21  2016 onlyblue.bmp
-rw-r--r--  1 root root     424 Apr 21  2016 onlyblue.dat
-rw-r--r--  1 root root   15634 Mar 27  2011 slack.bmp
-rw-r--r--  1 root root   33192 Apr 21  2016 tuxlogo.bmp
-rw-r--r--  1 root root     423 Apr 21  2016 tuxlogo.dat
lrwxrwxrwx  1 root root      20 Jul 14 22:26 vmlinuz -> vmlinuz-huge-4.4.132
lrwxrwxrwx  1 root root      23 Jul 14 22:26 vmlinuz-generic -> vmlinuz-generic-4.4.132
-rw-r--r--  1 root root 4429168 May 21 22:28 vmlinuz-generic-4.4.132
lrwxrwxrwx  1 root root      20 Jul 14 22:26 vmlinuz-huge -> vmlinuz-huge-4.4.132
-rw-r--r--  1 root root 7697200 May 21 22:39 vmlinuz-huge-4.4.132

Code:

# ls -l /var/log/packages/kernel-*

-rw-r--r-- 1 root root   62119 Jul 14 22:26 /var/log/packages/kernel-firmware-20180518_2a9b2cf-noarch-1
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root     976 Jul 14 22:26 /var/log/packages/kernel-generic-4.4.132-x86_64-1
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root   25089 Jul 14 22:26 /var/log/packages/kernel-headers-4.4.132-x86-1
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root     972 Jul 14 22:26 /var/log/packages/kernel-huge-4.4.132-x86_64-1
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root  253534 Jul 14 22:27 /var/log/packages/kernel-modules-4.4.132-x86_64-1
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 3479145 Jul 14 22:32 /var/log/packages/kernel-source-4.4.132-noarch-1

Code:

# cat /etc/lilo.conf

# LILO configuration file
# generated by 'liloconfig'
#
# Start LILO global section
# Append any additional kernel parameters:
append=" vt.default_utf8=1"
boot = /dev/sda

#compact        # faster, but won't work on all systems.

# Boot BMP Image.
# Bitmap in BMP format: 640x480x8
  bitmap = /boot/slack.bmp
# Menu colors (foreground, background, shadow, highlighted
# foreground, highlighted background, highlighted shadow):
  bmp-colors = 255,0,255,0,255,0
# Location of the option table: location x, location y, number of
# columns, lines per column (max 15), "spill" (this is how many
# entries must be in the first column before the next begins to
# be used.  We don't specify it here, as there's just one column.
  bmp-table = 60,6,1,16
# Timer location x, timer location y, foreground color,
# background color, shadow color.
  bmp-timer = 65,27,0,255

# Standard menu.
# Or, you can comment out the bitmap menu above and 
# use a boot message with the standard menu:
#message = /boot/boot_message.txt

# Wait until the timeout to boot (if commented out, boot the
# first entry immediately):
prompt
# Timeout before the first entry boots.
# This is given in tenths of a second, so 600 for every minute:
timeout = 200
# Override dangerous defaults that rewrite the partition table:
change-rules
  reset
# Normal VGA console
vga = normal
# Ask for video mode at boot (time out to normal in 30s)
#vga = ask
# VESA framebuffer console @ 1024x768x64k
#vga=791
# VESA framebuffer console @ 1024x768x32k
#vga=790
# VESA framebuffer console @ 1024x768x256
#vga=773
# VESA framebuffer console @ 800x600x64k
#vga=788
# VESA framebuffer console @ 800x600x32k
#vga=787
# VESA framebuffer console @ 800x600x256
#vga=771
# VESA framebuffer console @ 640x480x64k
#vga=785
# VESA framebuffer console @ 640x480x32k
#vga=784
# VESA framebuffer console @ 640x480x256
#vga=769
# End LILO global section
# Linux bootable partition config begins
image = /boot/vmlinuz-generic-4.4.132
  initrd = /boot/initrd.gz
  root = /dev/sda2
  label = Linux-Generic
  read-only
image = /boot/vmlinuz-huge-4.4.132
  root = /dev/sda2
  label = Linux-Huge
  read-only
# Linux bootable partition config ends

Code:

# lilo-v

LILO version 24.2 (released 22-November-2015)
  * Copyright (C) 1992-1998 Werner Almesberger  (until v20)
  * Copyright (C) 1999-2007 John Coffman  (until v22)
  * Copyright (C) 2009-2015 Joachim Wiedorn  (since v23)
This program comes with ABSOLUTELY NO WARRANTY. This is free software 
distributed under the BSD License (3-clause). Details can be found in 
the file COPYING, which is distributed with this software.

Warning: LBA32 addressing assumed
Reading boot sector from /dev/sda
Warning: Unable to determine video adapter in use in the present system.
Using BITMAP secondary loader
Calling map_insert_data
Mapping bitmap file /boot/slack.bmp
Warning: Video adapter does not support VESA BIOS extensions needed for
  display of 256 colors.  Boot loader will fall back to TEXT only operation.
Calling map_insert_file

Boot image: /boot/vmlinuz-generic-4.4.132
Mapping RAM disk /boot/initrd.gz
The initial RAM disk will be loaded in the high memory above 16M.
Added Linux-Generic  +  *

Boot image: /boot/vmlinuz-huge-4.4.132
Added Linux-Huge

Writing boot sector.
/boot/boot.0800 exists - no boot sector backup copy made.
3 warnings were issued.

RadicalDreamer · 08-02-2018, 02:16 PM

I usually use liloconfig and recycle lilo.conf. Otherwise I don't know.

l0f4r0 · 08-02-2018, 04:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RadicalDreamer

I usually use liloconfig and recycle lilo.conf. Otherwise I don't know.

I didn't know about liloconfig but I've just given it a try. I've used the expert mode and asked it to reinstall LILO:

first try: on the MBR
second try: on the root (superblock)

...but to no avail so far (GRUB is still loading to a dead-end)...

RadicalDreamer · 08-02-2018, 04:31 PM

I wonder if its using EFI?

khronosschoty · 08-02-2018, 04:58 PM

When you boot the dvd are you booting from efi mode or from legacy mode?

l0f4r0 · 08-02-2018, 08:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RadicalDreamer

I wonder if its using EFI?

According to https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT201518#macbook, it's using EFI indeed.

Quote:

Originally Posted by khronosschoty

When you boot the dvd are you booting from efi mode or from legacy mode?

Hmm...How can I know that please?

khronosschoty · 08-02-2018, 09:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by l0f4r0

According to https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT201518#macbook, it's using EFI indeed.

Hmm...How can I know that please?

Look for something like a /sys/firmware/efi after you boot into the install media

Quote:

Originally Posted by https://itsfoss.com/check-uefi-or-bios

The easiest way to find out if you are running UEFI or BIOS is to look for a folder /sys/firmware/efi. The folder will be missing if your system is using BIOS.

qunying · 08-02-2018, 11:11 PM

It is better to use refind to boot from Macbook.

khronosschoty · 08-02-2018, 11:32 PM

I also vouch for using refind, however, the last time I installed I just said to heck with it, and used lilo in legacy mode.

RadicalDreamer · 08-02-2018, 11:57 PM

I use refind too. I use this slackbuild:
http://slackbuilds.org/repository/14...?search=refind

Then I

Code:

sh /usr/share/refind-0.11.2/refind-install

Then I

Code:

eliloconfig

Then I

Code:

efibootmgr

to see what number refind is.
Then I

Code:

efibootmgr -o "refind's number"

brobr · 08-03-2018, 07:10 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by khronosschoty

I also vouch for using refind, however, the last time I installed I just said to heck with it, and used lilo in legacy mode.

But by booting with lilo, you're not using uefi any longer; refind is exactly for that, a

Quote:

boot manager for computers based on the Extensible Firmware Interface (EFI) and Unified EFI (UEFI).

It helps choosing from different kernels, be it on the EFI partition (is that present/used-before at all?), inside folders (like /boot) or on an external USB stick. There is a good slack howto on this

Quote:

According to https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT201518#macbook, it's using EFI indeed.

Is the computer still set up for using uefi, for which elilo (NOT lilo) -with or without refind- would work?

So maybe there is the bottle neck, could grub be looking for a kernel on the EFI partition (which would bypass the kernelimage put by lilo on the MBR); on top of that, the 'bios' probably is not set in legacy mode (needed for lilo).

Assuming that uefi mode is activated; mount the EFI partition (/dev/sd?; fat formatted for EFI) under /boot/efi. Copy kernel images over to the /boot/efi/EFI/SLACKWARE/ incl initrd.gz; edit the elilo.conf to point to new kernel; This can possibly be accomplished with elilo.config as well (but I tend to use the former method and do not have experience with eliloconfig)

You could do this copying/editing after booting using the install dvd and mounting the computer partitions with the already installed / and EFI under /mnt and /mnt/boot/efi respectively and then reboot.

hth

khronosschoty · 08-03-2018, 09:51 AM

I still want to see hard proof efi is being used.

bassmadrigal · 08-03-2018, 10:48 AM

Based on our previous discussion, EFI is not being used to boot Slackware. OP does not have an EFI partition, just a swap and root partition.

Best as I could tell in the previous discussion (3 pages, so I'd understand if people wouldn't want to read over it) is that grub has been installed to the GPT boot code and lilo was installing to the legacy MBR boot code. But the MacBook is booting the system using the GPT boot code and I didn't know how to proceed from there. I have no experience with grub and my only booting experience with GPT was when I switched to booting with UEFI, so I wasn't sure what to tell OP to do since s/he is using GPT without UEFI. I'm not sure if lilo supports that, and if it doesn't, I'm not sure the best route from there. Would refind support that or would s/he need to get grub up and running?

khronosschoty · 08-03-2018, 11:11 AM

Lilo can boot a GPT partition; this can all be done in legacy mode with lilo and GPT. One of the easiest methods of course is to just use efi mode with refind. The question only is how to help and instruct the poster in this regard.

Maybe the original poster might seriously consider using alienBOBs slackware-live, I've found it to be the easiest way to boot a macbook.

brobr · 08-03-2018, 12:13 PM

Yes you are right; the GPT filesystem leaves the MBR intact; you can have both with GPT: booting lilo from MBR with bios set to legacy OR efi with bios set to uefi but then -normally- you need a EFI partition. When I was changing over my system from lilo to uefi booting I came in the weird situation that I could boot either way depending on those bios settings. So maybe the OP needs to check how this is set up (press F1 or F2 during boot to get in the bios). All conditions for uefi needs to be there for the Slackware installer at the time to use uefi for booting instead of lilo. Since then grub came along and I never lookied into that as refind/elilo or lilo did the job.

As it looks that grub is set to boot the computer, can the OP change some settings for grub to make this happen correctly? Could it be possible that the bios is set to efi, then the bootloader used is grub that needs to find the new kernel (in say the /boot folder and not a specific EFI-partition - refind is able to do something like this; I dunno about grub) but is not yet set to do so (after the semi-controlled kernel upgrade)?

Maybe easiest is to wipe the system and do a complete 14.2-reinstall and upgrade from /patches

PS I was not aware of the 3-page prelude to this (a lot of effort in there @bassmadrigal!), thus swap (and not EFI) will be sda1 and / sda2 in:
from dmesg

Quote:

4.313692] sda: sda1 sda2

from lsblk

Quote:

sda 8:0 0 465.8G 0 disk
|-sda1 8:1 0 4G 0 part
`-sda2 8:2 0 461.8G 0 part