Re: [Mactel-linux-users] Booting GNU/Linux CDs from an external optical drive

[Tino K. <tin...@ti...>]

On Sun, Jan 09, 2011 at 18:33:06 +0000, Sebastian Tennant wrote:
> Hi all,
> 
> I have an aluminium Macbook Pro (Jan 2008) with a broken internal optical
> drive.
> 
> I can boot from the Snow Leopard install DVD using the external optical drive

I think you mean a USB drive.

> without any problem whatsoever but it simply will not boot from any of the
> GNU/Linux boot CDs I have at my disposal (Debian Squeeze, Debian Lenny, Ubuntu
> 9.0, I've even tried a GParted Live CD).
> 
> The result is always the same - rEFIt identifies the CD as a GNU/Linux boot CD,
> I select it, hit Enter, smile at Tux in the middle of my screen...  but then
> everything goes black and I'm presented with the depressingly unhelpful error
> message "Missing operating system".
> 
> I've synced the partition tables, the EFI firmware is as up-to-date as it can
> be, I've even tried a bootable USB flash drive or two - again rEFIt identifies
> the media correctly - but then... nada.
> 
> Any advice/tips/pointers/suggestions very much appreciated.

AFAIK booting from USB media is not supported in the legacy BIOS
emulation.  This is used if you try to boot from a DOS bootblock. You
need an EFI boot media to be able to boot from USB media.

Regards,
Tino