Install Linux on MacBookPro(10,1) with external drive (USB-HDD)

[Nikita]

Ok, let's start with what I have. MacBookProRetina(10,1) with OS X 10.8.4 and external storage for 120GB (USB-HDD). I want to install two or more linux distributions, only linux on this device.

I tried many FAQ and ways of install linux, like Arch, Ubuntu, Debian i.e.g. But for conclusion part I tried something like that.

First of all, I can't understand how I have to create a partitions. The second – should I install rEFInd to my mac SSD or I can do it with "live" USB-FLASH?!

I tried to do like this: format hard in OS X with hfs+ filesystem, then load some linux distribution (arch for example) and parted hard drive (remind, all operations I did with external USB-HDD!!!)

sdb1 - fat32 - 200MB - EFI
sdb2 - ext4 - 100 GB - /
sdb3 - swap

Then mount "sdb1" to "/mnt/boot/efi/" ("efi" folder was created by me), "sdb2" to "/mnt", "swap on sdb3" and install base system, then I "chroot" to my installed system and install "grub-efi", run "grub-mkstandalone" with parameters

grub-mkstandalone --directory="/usr/lib/grub/x86_64-efi/" --format="x86_64-efi" --compression="xz" \ --output="/boot/efi/EFI/arch_grub/grubx64_standalone.efi" "boot/grub/grub.cfg"

and get one file – "arch_standalone.efi".

I find it in /mnt/boot/efi/EFI/grub_arch/grubx64_standalone.efi as I expect (remember that this EFI partition isn't on SSD of Mac, It's on external drive), than reboot system with "alt" button, enter to rEFInd (on the USB-FLASH) and try to launch this "grubx64_standalone.efi", but only I see is console of grub and that's all.

What I did wrong or what I need to do?! Maybe I need to edit some .conf?! Or compile .efi image with special grub.cfg (for my experiment I took auto-generate grub.cfg).

[Roderick W. Smith]

If you have GRUB questions, I recommend you post them elsewhere. GRUB configuration is extremely complex, and this forum isn't about GRUB; it's about rEFInd.

Fortunately, you should be able to boot your Linux kernel directly from rEFInd. The main thing you need in your case is a driver for whatever filesystem you used on your Linux root (/) partition. With that in place, rEFInd should be able to detect and launch your kernel. With the setup you describe, rEFInd should be able to figure out the correct boot options without further adjustment, although you may need to create a /boot/refind_linux.conf file to hold options if you need anything unusual. Also, Arch has a weird system of naming its kernels, so you might want to look into creating a manual boot stanza rather than rely on its auto-detection.