Sidebar Sidebar
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.

I Can't Boot Into Linux

Z

z970

macrumors 68040
Original poster
Jun 2, 2017
3,592
4,547
OK, so, after I install Ubuntu (it could theoretically be Lubuntu, or Kubuntu as well), and everything is all supposedly well and good, it doesn't show up in the boot menu, it doesn't show up in Startup Disk, and I don't even know any commands or anything to manually start yaboot from Open Firmware mode. I have been attempting to fix this for days with no luck. Help!

PS: If it helps, I'm running off a (Late 2005) Power Mac G5.
 
Some tips for Yaboot

https://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=994882

https://www.debian.org/ports/powerpc/inst/yaboot-howto/ch6.en.html

I would boot from a Live CD and then :
  1. sudo gparted in a Terminal , check if you have a bootstrap partition (this is where Yaboot resides)
    Alternative is fdisk -l /dev/sda(x)
  2. try to mount that partition , mount /dev/sdax (x being the drive number) /mnt
    and see if it has a valid yaboot.conf file
  3. if that is the case ybin -v -b /dev/sdax might be the solution to your problem ??
Post your findings here and I'll try to help, have been editing Yaboot for AOSC OS for the past 3 days so it's pretty fresh knowledge.

Do you have a single OS install or dual ( OS X + Linux ) ?
 
Last edited:
I actually have Tiger and Leopard on one hard drive, and Linux with a file server partition on the second.

I will try doing what you suggested later. I look forward to working with you, btw. :D
 
I tried mounting it through Terminal, through the Live CD like you said, but it said "Permission denied".

It replied with "bash: /dev/sdb5: Permission denied" after I put in "/dev/sdb5 /mnt", to be exact.

Help?
 
I tried sudo, and when I tried "mount /dev/sdb5 /mnt", It told me that was an incorrect path. Not even sudo helps. Or chown.

And I am sure sdb5 is the bootstrap partition, unless I should try to reinstall again.
 
Just booted a live CD , can you give me the output when you try these commands :

ls -l / ( need to know wether mnt exists and who is the owner and group )

sudo fdisk -l /dev/sdb

sudo parted /dev/sdb
then p(rint partition table) , q to quit parted again

Normally you shouldn't chown anything , what error message do you get after the above when you do a

sudo mount /dev/sdb5 /mnt

?
 
Last edited:
Lastic said:
Just booted a live CD , can you give me the output when you try these commands :

ls -l / ( need to know wether mnt exists and who is the owner and group )

sudo fdisk -l /dev/sdb

sudo parted /dev/sdb
then p(rint partition table) , q to quit parted again

Normally you shouldn't chown anything , what error message do you get after the above when you do a

sudo mount /dev/sdb5 /mnt

?
Click to expand...
ubuntu 1.jpg

ubuntu 2.jpg

ubuntu 3.jpg

ubuntu 4.jpg


I'm probably just going to reinstall, anyway. I want everything to be perfect with no chance of failure due to missing files, or damaged components.

Don't mind me, just carry on. We'll do this the exact same way.

I really appreciate your help so far, btw. Thank you.
 
If it's worth noting as well, when I'm in GParted, and I right-click the sdb5 bootstrap partition, there is a button that says "unmount", so, at least from Linux's point of view, it *seems* to be already mounted. However, it is still in question if it is still mounted when I'm in OS X, or in the G5's firmware "IE: Boot Menu, Open Firmware".

I hope this bit was helpful to you.
 
You haven't said, so I ask - have you started and held the option/Alt key until you get the Open Firmware graphic boot selector menu?
 
gsahli said:
You haven't said, so I ask - have you started and held the option/Alt key until you get the Open Firmware graphic boot selector menu?
Click to expand...

I have said. I've tried it multiple times.

Maybe I should have been including the "hold option at boot" bit, but what else could the boot menu be?
 
Well there is a few bizarre things in your screen outputs.

I thought the bootstrap partition should be hfs not hfs+.
Also your order of partitions has an OS X partition at 2 ,bootstrap at 5 , swap at 2, ext4 at 4.

On my systems the linux partitions usually follow each other

bootstrap
ext4
swap

Like you said doing the Linux reinstall cleaning up all Linux related partitions first should be the cleanest option.
 
Lastic said:
Well there is a few bizarre things in your screen outputs.

I thought the bootstrap partition should be hfs not hfs+.
Also your order of partitions has an OS X partition at 2 ,bootstrap at 5 , swap at 2, ext4 at 4.

On my systems the linux partitions usually follow each other

bootstrap
ext4
swap

Like you said doing the Linux reinstall cleaning up all Linux related partitions first should be the cleanest option.
Click to expand...

...And making the partitions cleaner would make it bootable how?

I did the reinstall, and it's more or less the exact same. I feel much better about it now, though.

Reinstalling it did nothing as far as booting goes... Do you think I should partition the bootstrap as non journaled? Because that might be what the "+" is.
 
z970mp said:
...And making the partitions cleaner would make it bootable how?

I did the reinstall, and it's more or less the exact same. I feel much better about it now, though.

Reinstalling it did nothing as far as booting goes... Do you think I should partition the bootstrap as non journaled? Because that might be what the "+" is.
Click to expand...

hfs+ is indeed journaled and hfs non journaled.

What does your sudo parted /dev/sdb show now ?

Did you let the install setup new partitions or re-use the existing ones ?
Normally the automatic partitioning would also take care of your yaboot config.
 
Dronecatcher said:
Have you installed as per instructions here:

http://ppcluddite.blogspot.co.uk/2012/03/installing-debian-linux-on-ppc-part-i.html

These worked for me when a dual booted Debian and Leopard on my Powerbook.
Click to expand...

No... I'm using Ubuntu, not Debian. The methods would differ, would they not?
[doublepost=1497208393][/doublepost]
Lastic said:
hfs+ is indeed journaled and hfs non journaled.

What does your sudo parted /dev/sdb show now ?

Did you let the install setup new partitions or re-use the existing ones ?
Normally the automatic partitioning would also take care of your yaboot config.
Click to expand...

After the reinstall? Or after the reformatting? Should I reformat it (again), and put that command in?

I made the main Linux file partition in OS X, and then I created a 1GB bootstrap partition off of the main Linux partition. When I went into Linux and got into the installer, I deleted the main 450GB file partition into free space, I made a 4096MB swap partition from some of the free space (because I have 4GB of RAM), and used the rest of the free space as the main 430(?)GB file partition.

Ubuntu saw the hfs+ boot partition, swap partition, and main Ex4 file partition, and accepted it.

All I know now is that I can't get into what I installed on my disk. Was that helpful?
 
Last edited:
Dronecatcher said:
It's years since I've installed Ubuntu but I thought there were manual partitioning options in there (same as Debian installer)?
Click to expand...

There are.

Only, I just don't want to follow a Debian guide, only for me to get stuck deep into it because there is something amiss because I am running Ubuntu. It just wasn't written for it, and I don't want to take my chances. It's happened before.
 
z970mp said:
No... I'm using Ubuntu, not Debian. The methods would differ, would they not?
[doublepost=1497208393][/doublepost]

After the reinstall? Or after the reformatting? Should I reformat it (again), and put that command in?

I made the main Linux file partition in OS X, and then I created a 1GB bootstrap partition off of the main Linux partition. When I went into Linux and got into the installer, I deleted the main 450GB file partition into free space, I made a 4096MB swap partition from some of the free space (because I have 4GB of RAM), and used the rest of the free space as the main 430(?)GB file partition.

Ubuntu saw the hfs+ boot partition, swap partition, and main Ex4 file partition, and accepted it.

All I know now is that I can't get into what I installed on my disk. Was that helpful?
Click to expand...

So if I understand correctly after the outputs of the commands you supplied, you split part of your OS X partition to create a Linux partition. How did you create the 1GB bootstrap partition ? In OS X , using the Ubuntu Live installer ?

Then in the Ubuntu Live installer you manually partitioned and erased/created a / (root) partition and swap partition ?

Then you let Ubuntu do the install ?

You don't see these partitions if you boot from a Ubuntu Live CD/DVD ?

I'm trying to picture how your partitions look now .

Also might I propose that you reinstall wiping all your Ubuntu partitions and let the automatic partitioner setup your partitions ?
 
Lastic said:
So if I understand correctly after the outputs of the commands you supplied, you split part of your OS X partition to create a Linux partition. How did you create the 1GB bootstrap partition ? In OS X , using the Ubuntu Live installer ?

Then in the Ubuntu Live installer you manually partitioned and erased/created a / (root) partition and swap partition ?

Then you let Ubuntu do the install ?

You don't see these partitions if you boot from a Ubuntu Live CD/DVD ?

I'm trying to picture how your partitions look now .

Also might I propose that you reinstall wiping all your Ubuntu partitions and let the automatic partitioner setup your partitions ?
Click to expand...

No, OS X was completely separate. Remember, this was on a completely different hard drive. I selected the main Linux partition, and drove it down to 1 GB, like this.
Picture 2.png


I just made a big Linux partition, and a 1GB bootstrap partition in OS X. I tinkered with the main partition all in Linux.

That is correct, out of the main Linux partition.

Yes.

If I actually go back into the installer on the Desktop CD I will.

I can't. I still have a Data partition for OS X on the same drive as Linux. Linux will think it can use the whole drive, and then the entire drive will basically go to no use while in OS X. Besides, I'm not giving Linux a terabyte of space. If you can tell Ubuntu *what* partition to install in using the automatic partitioner, that might be an option. I could try that.

I'm sorry for the ABSOLUTELY HORRIBLE presentation, but hopefully you'll understand it. This is pretty much what all the partitions look like now. Again, writing/drawing with a mouse is not my best skill. Please forgive me.

Untitled.png
 
Actually your drawing cleared things up for me , I had already noticed that you had a big HFS+ partition on /dev/sdb and thought it was OS X , not pure data.

Now I also understand why you can't clean reinstall using the automatic partitioner.

Unfortunately I don't have a clue how to resolve this since I kept my data on the same partition/disk as OS X.

I would suggest either

  1. Copy the data to an external disk, wipe /dev/sdb , automatic partition and leave free space at the end to recreate your HFS+ data partition after the Linux install and copy the data back to it
  2. If you do want to keep your current partition setup, have a try on the Ubuntu Forums ,they might be more knowledgable in this dual-disk split partition setup

    https://ubuntuforums.org/forumdisplay.php?f=328
 
Lastic said:
Actually your drawing cleared things up for me , I had already noticed that you had a big HFS+ partition on /dev/sdb and thought it was OS X , not pure data.

Now I also understand why you can't clean reinstall using the automatic partitioner.

Unfortunately I don't have a clue how to resolve this since I kept my data on the same partition/disk as OS X.

I would suggest either

  1. Copy the data to an external disk, wipe /dev/sdb , automatic partition and leave free space at the end to recreate your HFS+ data partition after the Linux install and copy the data back to it
  2. If you do want to keep your current partition setup, have a try on the Ubuntu Forums ,they might be more knowledgable in this dual-disk split partition setup

    https://ubuntuforums.org/forumdisplay.php?f=328
Click to expand...

If I let it install Ubuntu on the whole second drive using the automatic partitioner, will I be able to boot into it from the boot menu or Startup Disk?
 
z970mp said:
If I let it install Ubuntu on the whole second drive using the automatic partitioner, will I be able to boot into it from the boot menu or Startup Disk?
Click to expand...

If by boot menu you mean Option key, no .

Linux can only be started from the yaboot menu on PowerPC or you can boot into open firmware also to do this but then you need to know the exact openfirmware paths of your drives/partitions.

On Intel Mac's you can get around this with Refind but not on PowerPC.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.
Top Bottom
Back