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I am trying to install Ubuntu 12.04 (Precise Pangolin) on a mid 2009 Macbook Pro. I am attempting to follow the instructions here: https://help.ubuntu.com/community/MactelSupportTeam/AppleIntelInstallation (1)

I am using the PC (Intel x86) desktop CD iso which I burned to a flash drive using the instructions here: https://help.ubuntu.com/community/How%20to%20install%20Ubuntu%20on%20MacBook%20using%20USB%20Stick (2)

I then proceeded to restart my mac, boot from the USB, start up Ubuntu, partitioned the drive using Gparted and install Ubuntu on my computer. I am confident the installation was complete. Afterwards, I was not able to restart the computer and was forced to do a hard reset.

The instructions say to restart your computer and fix a partitioning bug using rEFIt (which I have installed) As expected from (1), rEFIt gives me the error message "GPT partition of type 'Unknown' found, will not touch this disk" when I try to run the partitioning tool. I see that I need to install gptsync_0.13-10 but now when I try to boot from the USB, Ubuntu stalls for at least 20 mins at a blank screen with only a small white cursor in the upper left hand corner. I tried formatting my USB and re-burning the image to it, but have not been able to boot from the USB since.

Any suggestions or tips? Is my best bet just formatting everything and trying to reinstall again?

wyverniv
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2 Answers2

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rEFIt is no longer maintained. It is a better idea to use rEFInd instead. Also, why don't you try to install Ubuntu 14.04? It is also an LTS release and has many kernel improvements.

There are two ways of installing Ubuntu on a Mac.

  1. Legacy Boot - Use the Mac variant of Ubuntu which you can download from here.

Install rEFInd before you install Ubuntu. Now, create a partition for Ubuntu using either Disk Utility or GParted and install normally. When you reboot after the installation finishes, rEFInd will load and give you an option to select either OS X or Ubuntu.

This is the easier method and is convenient if you are dual booting.

  1. EFI Boot - Use the normal variant of Ubuntu.

This method is slightly tough because you will have to delete the grub partition created by the Ubuntu installer (on a FAT partition) and install grub on an HFS partition, failing which your mac will not boot. However, this method works better if you want to completely replace OS X with Ubuntu.

Refer to this post for steps to the EFI Boot method.

Community
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Rohith Madhavan
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As the guy who boots ALL of his computers to external flash media, I'd like to point out that making external media boot a mac is significantly easier than installing Ubuntu to the mac, and significantly less risky. This is not to say that I will never aspire to have three or even four operating systems on a mac, if only for geek points, but when it comes to safety, it's generally a bad idea to put all of your eggs in one basket.

That said, the last time I booted my mac to Ubuntu flash media I used a refind cd and the time before that I used refit. It has been on my todo list for some time now to install refind to a clone stick to see if it works with the mac and if it interferes with booting other computers.

gyropyge
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