Mac mini not recognizing linux boot CDs

antiphon · #1 February 5th, 2007, 01:59 AM

Hi,
I have an Intel Mac mini and I try to install Linux (Kubuntu) onto it. I used instructions found here http://sowerbutts.com/linux-mac-mini/ . Bootcamp installs fine, partitioning goes well, rEFIt installs and boots, but then when it is supposed to start the alien boot cd the machine tilts. Just "no signal" on the LCD and I have to powerdown with 5sec power button press.

I tried six different linux liveCD/installCD:s, burned either with my Mini (diskutils) or my laptop (k3b in KDE), in slow (x4) up to fast (x24) speed, verified all of them by booting succesfully on a PC computer. All this I tried with the three booting methods: rEFIt, <c> and <option>.

Weird thing is that apple's own OSX boot disc works just fine, it gives a correct name for the disc on the boot menu and boots. All other discs are just named "windows"

I thank for any kind of help in advance.

Greets from Finland,
Tuomas

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Intel Core Duo 1.66Ghz (late2006)
Boot ROM version: MM11.0055.B08
SMC: 1.3f4

nixgeek · #2 February 5th, 2007, 07:46 AM

Have you tried using the Alternate Installation discs for Ubuntu/Kubuntu? I've had better luck with those in general, although I still haven't attempted an install on an Intel Mac.

antiphon · #3 February 5th, 2007, 08:27 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by nixgeek

Have you tried using the Alternate Installation discs for Ubuntu/Kubuntu? I've had better luck with those in general, although I still haven't attempted an install on an Intel Mac.

Yes, I tried the "alternate" ISO of Ubuntu, with the same problematic result. I'm going to try the rEFIt bootable CD today, and maybe an official Windows CD if I can find one. If nothing works, I have to assume it's a hardware problem and send the mini for repairs. After all, Apple officially supports dualbooting with WinXP, don't they?

-t

nixgeek · #4 February 5th, 2007, 10:33 AM

Well, they do with Boot Camp but it's still in beta. It won't be final until Leopard comes out and they will probably charge a small fee for Boot Camp for users of 10.4.x and earlier.

In all honesty, I don't think that it's your mini. I've heard a good number of reports that installing Linux/x86 on the Intel Macs is no easy chore. You're probably better off running it in Parallels for now until the official support is there from Apple and Linux developers.

antiphon · #5 February 6th, 2007, 09:37 AM

Well, unfortunately I hope that there is something wrong with the mini... OSX seemes just fine operating system, but for my needs and preferences I would like to use native linux, especially debian based distro. It is just so much more flexible than *BSD.

Tomorrow I'll go to the local Apple service center to test the linuxCDs with other macs and try out original Windows cd on my mini. If that doesn't give results... well, I guess I just have to start learning OSX

Thanks for being interested,
Tuomas