rEFInd runs before OS X runs, so compatibility with any given version of OS X is irrelevant -- at least in theory. In practice, features like whole-disk encryption can cause problems or require changes to the way rEFInd is installed.
If you like, you can test rEFInd by using the CD-R or USB flash drive version without installing it on your Mac. This sometimes fails even when a full installation would work, though, because of EFI quirks or because of problems with drivers that you wouldn't ordinarily install. Still, if the external medium does work, you can be pretty sure that a regular installation to your hard disk will also work.
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I upgraded to OS 10.9 Mavericks and now my iMac won't boot into the Linux Mint or Windows 7 partitions. I had to reinstall rEFInd to get the other OS screen to come up on boot, but when I select Windows or Linux I get "error: unknown file system grub rescue>". I assume grub is on the same partition as 10.9 and needs to be reinstalled? can I to this from 10.9?
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The error you're getting is clearly a GRUB error, so this is probably a GRUB problem. If I had to guess, I'd say that you were using BIOS/legacy mode to boot both Windows and Linux, and that upgrading OS X has altered the hybrid MBR, which is critical in booting these OSes. If so, creating a fresh hybrid MBR with the gptsync utility or with gdisk may fix the problem. It might also be necessary to re-install GRUB, though.
Another possibility is to switch to EFI-mode booting of Linux. To do this, you'll need to install an EFI filesystem driver for whatever filesystem holds your kernel. This is usually ext4fs, but not always. If you have a separate /boot partition, you'll also need to pass a root=/dev/{whatever} option to the kernel by pressing F2 or Insert twice, at least the first time you boot. (Running rEFInd's mkrlconf.sh script should generate a configuration file that will obviate this need for subsequent boots.) This approach won't help you restore Windows to bootability, though; for that, you'd need to either re-install the BIOS-mode GRUB or use a Windows recovery disc to restore the Windows boot loader to the MBR.
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same issue here - no access to Mint on boot...anyone know whether I can just re-install rEFInd and go from there, or do I need to fix the grub problem before that??? L
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IMHO, most Linux/OS X dual-boots are messed up because they rely on BIOS-mode booting of Linux. This creates a reliance on hybrid MBRs, which are ugly, dangerous, and prone to failure (as in this case). Thus, IMHO it makes sense to get rEFInd working again and then install an EFI filesystem driver for whatever filesystem holds the Linux kernel. This will enable booting without using a BIOS-mode GRUB (or an EFI-mode GRUB, for that matter), as described in the rEFInd documentation.
That said, sometimes BIOS-mode booting is necessary because something doesn't work right in EFI mode. In that case, restoring the hybrid MBR (via my separate gdisk program or via the gptsync_{arch}.efi program that comes with rEFInd) will be necessary.
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Hi @Stuart - installation of Mavericks has nixed my rEFInd install on boot - did you have a chance to test 10.9 installation over a rEFInd install, or just installed it atop an existing Mavericks install?
Last edit: lucasmacad 2013-10-23
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I upgraded and got the grey screen with a spinning circle. when I go verbose it says /dev/rdisk0s2 (NO WRITE) and hangs after that. I booted into recovery and renamed the efi and efi blesser folders but this continues to appear. tried booting from the efi cd as well but continues to spin. help!
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The reference to /dev/rdisk0s2 means that this is an OS X error. It sounds like the OS X kernel is loading but it's having problems writing to the /dev/rdisk0s2 partition. Unfortunately, I'm not an expert on the OS X boot process or boot errors so I can't help beyond this, at least not without a clearer description. You might want to try posting to a Mac forum, but when you do, provide more details, such as how rEFInd is installed, whether you're currently seeing a rEFInd screen, and what other messages you see in your verbose boot. (Taking a photo with a digital camera and posting it may be necessary -- but be sure the text in the photo is legible.)
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Hi,
Is refind is compatible with OS X 10.9. Since there are a lot of applications that are not supported I wanted to check to refind.
Best,
rEFInd runs before OS X runs, so compatibility with any given version of OS X is irrelevant -- at least in theory. In practice, features like whole-disk encryption can cause problems or require changes to the way rEFInd is installed.
If you like, you can test rEFInd by using the CD-R or USB flash drive version without installing it on your Mac. This sometimes fails even when a full installation would work, though, because of EFI quirks or because of problems with drivers that you wouldn't ordinarily install. Still, if the external medium does work, you can be pretty sure that a regular installation to your hard disk will also work.
I can confirm that rEFInd works fine under OS X Mavericks 10.9 DP 7. Shouldn't be any issue under the full release of 10.9 in the coming weeks.
I upgraded to OS 10.9 Mavericks and now my iMac won't boot into the Linux Mint or Windows 7 partitions. I had to reinstall rEFInd to get the other OS screen to come up on boot, but when I select Windows or Linux I get "error: unknown file system grub rescue>". I assume grub is on the same partition as 10.9 and needs to be reinstalled? can I to this from 10.9?
The error you're getting is clearly a GRUB error, so this is probably a GRUB problem. If I had to guess, I'd say that you were using BIOS/legacy mode to boot both Windows and Linux, and that upgrading OS X has altered the hybrid MBR, which is critical in booting these OSes. If so, creating a fresh hybrid MBR with the
gptsyncutility or withgdiskmay fix the problem. It might also be necessary to re-install GRUB, though.Another possibility is to switch to EFI-mode booting of Linux. To do this, you'll need to install an EFI filesystem driver for whatever filesystem holds your kernel. This is usually ext4fs, but not always. If you have a separate
/bootpartition, you'll also need to pass aroot=/dev/{whatever}option to the kernel by pressing F2 or Insert twice, at least the first time you boot. (Running rEFInd'smkrlconf.shscript should generate a configuration file that will obviate this need for subsequent boots.) This approach won't help you restore Windows to bootability, though; for that, you'd need to either re-install the BIOS-mode GRUB or use a Windows recovery disc to restore the Windows boot loader to the MBR.same issue here - no access to Mint on boot...anyone know whether I can just re-install rEFInd and go from there, or do I need to fix the grub problem before that??? L
IMHO, most Linux/OS X dual-boots are messed up because they rely on BIOS-mode booting of Linux. This creates a reliance on hybrid MBRs, which are ugly, dangerous, and prone to failure (as in this case). Thus, IMHO it makes sense to get rEFInd working again and then install an EFI filesystem driver for whatever filesystem holds the Linux kernel. This will enable booting without using a BIOS-mode GRUB (or an EFI-mode GRUB, for that matter), as described in the rEFInd documentation.
That said, sometimes BIOS-mode booting is necessary because something doesn't work right in EFI mode. In that case, restoring the hybrid MBR (via my separate
gdiskprogram or via thegptsync_{arch}.efiprogram that comes with rEFInd) will be necessary.Hi @Stuart - installation of Mavericks has nixed my rEFInd install on boot - did you have a chance to test 10.9 installation over a rEFInd install, or just installed it atop an existing Mavericks install?
Last edit: lucasmacad 2013-10-23
I upgraded and got the grey screen with a spinning circle. when I go verbose it says /dev/rdisk0s2 (NO WRITE) and hangs after that. I booted into recovery and renamed the efi and efi blesser folders but this continues to appear. tried booting from the efi cd as well but continues to spin. help!
The reference to
/dev/rdisk0s2means that this is an OS X error. It sounds like the OS X kernel is loading but it's having problems writing to the/dev/rdisk0s2partition. Unfortunately, I'm not an expert on the OS X boot process or boot errors so I can't help beyond this, at least not without a clearer description. You might want to try posting to a Mac forum, but when you do, provide more details, such as how rEFInd is installed, whether you're currently seeing a rEFInd screen, and what other messages you see in your verbose boot. (Taking a photo with a digital camera and posting it may be necessary -- but be sure the text in the photo is legible.)