<---- template headericclude ----->
Fedora on a Macbook
FedoraForum.org - Fedora Support Forums and Community
Results 1 to 7 of 7
  1. #1
    Join Date
    Jun 2012
    Location
    India
    Posts
    3
    Mentioned
    0 Post(s)
    Tagged
    0 Thread(s)

    Fedora on a Macbook

    Hi Everyone

    I am using a Macbook .The original white one not the Pro(MacBook7,1).It has a Intel Core 2 Duo 2.4Ghz.I have been trying to get a fedora installed on it because the RHEL 6 Installation failed.I downloaded the Fedora-17-x86_64-Live-Desktop.iso and ran it but it dint boot.After which I used Fedora-16-x86_64-DVD.iso and booted into Anaconda .Using the use free space option I completed the installation.Besides the 30GB Mac Partition, I also had two 45 GB partitions one for Ubuntu and one for Mint now after installing Fedora 16 they both dont work.Only Mac OS X works , How do I get fedora to work on my machine?

    Attached is a link of The current partition table in GParted.
    (http://www.freeimagehosting.net/vmisz)
    Last edited by MannaK209; 18th June 2012 at 09:08 PM. Reason: Adding a link to a screenshot

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Jan 2010
    Posts
    43
    Mentioned
    0 Post(s)
    Tagged
    0 Thread(s)

    Re: Fedora on a Macbook

    Try downloading the final release of Fedora 17 (if you haven't already). With a few exceptions I've managed to get F17 to boot on a 7,1 macbook. Send me a PM if you still doesn't boot.

    KL

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Jun 2012
    Location
    India
    Posts
    3
    Mentioned
    0 Post(s)
    Tagged
    0 Thread(s)

    Re: Fedora on a Macbook

    Tried doing that.Installation says it sucessful but no boot.Even after using rEFIt No boot.

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Jul 2012
    Location
    austin
    Posts
    2
    Mentioned
    0 Post(s)
    Tagged
    0 Thread(s)

    Re: Fedora on a Macbook

    wow you have various linux distro on your mac. do you mind sharing which one works the best with macbook pro? I just installed fedora 17 on my macbook pro 2009 and it keeps crashing ... So I'm wondering if i should get some other distro

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Jan 2011
    Location
    Woonsocket, RI
    Posts
    521
    Mentioned
    0 Post(s)
    Tagged
    0 Thread(s)

    Re: Fedora on a Macbook

    Unfortunately, getting Linux to boot on a Mac can be tricky. Macs use EFI, which is weird, but Macs use their own variety of EFI, which is weirder. It can be done, though. Broadly speaking, you have two choices:

    • Google around or wait for somebody to reply with instructions and try them. Stare at a blank screen if it doesn't work. Repeat until you stumble across an approach that does work. Don't ever modify the way the computer boots, lest you end up unable to get it to boot again.
    • Learn enough about EFI, CSM (EFI's BIOS compatibility layer), and various boot loaders to create a working configuration in spite of whatever your distribution has set up. You'll then be able to get it to work in the future, too, if/when you modify the setup.


    The second approach will probably take longer in the short term, but it'll serve you better in the long term. Unfortunately, Web resources are few and far between. Many Linux-on-Mac tutorials simply provide a "recipe" to get it to work, often involving BIOS compatibility, without providing much in the way of background information.

    If you care for some background information, my Managing EFI Boot Loaders for Linux page provides information on EFI boot loaders; however, it's not very Mac-specific. I've got my own Linux-on-Mac tutorial, but it's geared toward Ubuntu, so many of the details will differ for a Fedora installation. Still, between the two, that should help you understand what's going on and how to get it to work for you.

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Jun 2012
    Location
    India
    Posts
    3
    Mentioned
    0 Post(s)
    Tagged
    0 Thread(s)

    Re: Fedora on a Macbook

    Quote Originally Posted by sabio0
    wow you have various linux distro on your mac. do you mind sharing which one works the best with macbook pro? I just installed fedora 17 on my macbook pro 2009 and it keeps crashing ... So I'm wondering if i should get some other distro
    Ubuntu and Mint work like a charm.Fedora is really hard.

  7. #7
    Join Date
    May 2010
    Posts
    1,058
    Mentioned
    0 Post(s)
    Tagged
    0 Thread(s)

    Re: Fedora on a Macbook

    Fedora doesn't officially support Macs, in particular the CSM-BIOS method of booting used for Windows compatibility, because it depends on creating a hybrid MBR. And Fedora Project is unwilling to support hybrid MBRs. So that's the likely explanation for the difference.

    Fedora 17 now supports post-install structures needed to get many Mac models to EFI boot, meaning only the GPT is needed, not a hybrid MBR. It also presents a Startup Disk selection for Fedora as well. For F17, GRUB Legacy EFI is the installed bootloader, and is place not on the EFI System partition, but on a 200MB HFS+ partition which is what Startup Disk is finding.

    Some newer Mac models need video driver (kernel module) support that's not yet finished, in order for the startup process to complete. I have had native EFI booting with F17 working since April on a MBP 4,1.

Similar Threads

  1. [SOLVED]
    Fedora 14 on Macbook Pro 13'' 7,1
    By a lemming in forum Installation, Upgrades and Live Media
    Replies: 7
    Last Post: 17th November 2010, 07:24 PM
  2. Live CD failed to run on MacBook, now MacBook won't boot
    By noname in forum Installation, Upgrades and Live Media
    Replies: 3
    Last Post: 4th November 2009, 04:19 PM
  3. Replies: 3
    Last Post: 8th March 2009, 05:33 PM
  4. Replies: 0
    Last Post: 7th March 2009, 01:49 AM
  5. Fedora 9 on Macbook Pro
    By avedeler in forum Mac Chat
    Replies: 1
    Last Post: 29th October 2008, 03:45 PM

Tags for this Thread

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •  
[[template footer(Guest)]]