Creating a Linux Partition on my Mac for Linux from Scratch

you could use the gparted live cd to create an ext2 or ext3 partition on the free space of your drive. i've used it before to manipulate vmware windows images on os x and to claim space for dual boot systems.

it should boot intel macs.

There is a better way: Get a free trial version of Parallels and install linux nested within OS X on a disk image. I've installed Ubuntu that way and it works great. One day I might even find a copy of windoze and try that. No need to partition and reboot.

Using Parallels would create a virtual drive. This is a very good suggestion for things like this. If you screw something up, you don't lose your entire machine. You just delete the VM and start over.

In the case of parallels, you should be ok if you install whatever version you would normally install on say a Dell i386 machine. There might be a way to install the mac-specific version. If it is a ppc-specific version, that would definitely be incompatible.

You could just install say Ubuntu (which I know works) and then remove every package that you can and then build from Scratch. (I'm assuming you want to build from scratch for a reason. If you just need an operable Linux, most of the major distros will install).

This seems to be a common problem on Linux from Scratch. It has something to do with 32 and 64 bit. I don't know any more details than that. Try asking on the Parallels forums. What you are attempting is fairly advanced stuff. I see no reason why it wouldn't work, but I also expect it would require fairly advanced Linux knowledge.

I have no idea at all. Most people who want to run Linux just want to run Linux. What you are attempting is, maybe, 1% of all Linux users. Add to that you are trying to run Linux on a Mac, so take 5% of the previous number. Now you want to do all that in a VM, so take another 60% of the last figure. You are left with probably couple dozen people in the world, if that.

Linux is fundamentally about playing around. The expectation is that you will figure it out and post instructions. I remember there was a bug report a couple of weeks ago written by a certain Mr. Torvalds. It seems he couldn't get his flash player to work. Normally people say YMMV (Your Mileage May Vary), but, with Linux, you are building your own vehicle.

yes. you can use it on a external hard drive. i have BackTrack 2 installed on a 300GB external hard drive. i use gparted to resize my HD. so i can use it for testing.