Installing Linux Ubuntu via USB Flash Drive to Macbook.

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Installing Linux Ubuntu via USB Flash Drive to Macbook.

I have a Macbook 1.1 with OS 10.5.8. The optical drive is faulty so I am unable to instal a Linux Ubuntu OS using Bootcamp and an Ubuntu Install CD. I am trying instead to install it using a 4GB Flash Drive. I have loaded the Ubuntu OS onto it using another Mac running Ubuntu.
My problem is that I do not know how to boot from the Drive. Although it is recognised on the Macbook's Desktop it is not recognised when I restart using the Option key. If I use Refit and try and boot from it I receive the message - 'Boot error'
The only information I have about the Flash Drive and I suspect that this is important is that it is formatted as MS DOS (Fat 32).
I am afraid I am out of my depth !!

mac mini, Mac OS X (10.4.5)

Posted on Sep 27, 2010 9:57 AM

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Answer 1

Kappy

Level 10

362,007 points

Sep 27, 2010 11:25 AM in response to dlowe

To boot from the flash drive you must create it using the Create Startup Disk selection from the Ubuntu Administration menu. Merely cloning the CD to the flash drive will not work. You should first read the docs at the Ubuntu site which can save you a lot of wasted time since you don't know what you are doing.

Perhaps you should ask yourself why you even want to run Linux.

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Answer 2

dlowe Author

Level 1

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Sep 27, 2010 11:56 AM in response to Kappy

Thanks Kappy for your comments. But I think you are being a bit unfair. I am an old man who was 60 when the first PCs appeared so it is all a bit of a struggle.
Anyway, I have installed Ubuntu on the Flash Drive using the Create Startup Disk on the Administration menu but I was not able to find any advice on Ubuntu forums as to how actually to use the programme and what settings to use. That's my problem. I think I should have made sure that the Flash Drive could be read by the Macbook but I don't know how to do that.

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Answer 3

Kappy

Level 10

362,007 points

Sep 27, 2010 12:29 PM in response to dlowe

All you need do is insert the flash drive, restart the computer and after the chime press and hold down the OPTION key until the boot manager appears. If you're lucky the flash drive should appear as a choice. Select it and click on the downward pointing arrow key.

Now, normally you cannot boot a Mac from a foreign OS via a flash drive. You may find that despite what you've done you still cannot startup the Linux live CD from the flash drive. You will have to use an optical drive and boot from the Live CD. The problem is that the OS X bootloader simply will not recognize a foreign OS on a flash drive. Since your optical drive is not working you'll either need to have it replaced or buy an external one you can use.

Now, you may be able to get some different results working from Windows, but I've never installed Linux from Windows, and Windows is even worse about booting from any external device including flash drives. But, you may be able to get Ubuntu installed from Windows using Wubi which is included on the Live CD.

BTW, I'm 68. The first PCs appeared in the '70s. If you were in your 60s then you must be over 100 today. I don't know that I was being unfair, but if you've made it to 100 you deserve an applause.

In any event you still need to put some research time into what you plan to do before you try to do it. You're putting the cart before the horse. And that's a sure-fire plan for screwing up your computer no matter how old you may be.

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Answer 4

Dec 6, 2010 12:32 PM in response to dlowe

I have the same problem and am trying to do the same thing. Apparently, according to http://www.everymac.com/systems/apple/macbook_pro/faq/macbook-pro-boot-from-exte rnal-firewire-or-usb-drive.html, the problem may be the way the partition table on the external drive is formatted--it needs to be in GUID format, which is an option you can select in Disk Utility when the disk is formatted. I'm going to give it a try and see what happens!

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