How to dual boot Mac OSX and openSUSE 11.4

English Install/Boot/Login
1

Hello,

I just got a Mac and I waited the Gnome 3.2 version to install it.

I followed the tutorial How to Dual Boot Mac OS X and Linux - Install Linux on Your Intel-based Mac.

During installation, I check that GRUB will be installed on root (/) partition.
When I reboot, I get a black screen saying something like:
NO BOOTABLE DISK - INSERT A BOOTABLE DISK AND PRESS ANY KEY.

When I put the dvd on the device and start my mac, it starts the live dvd and I choose BOOT FROM HARD DISK.
It opens my gnome 3.2 installation.

Is there something I can do?
Thanks.

2

Did you install rEFit as suggested by the article? It sounds to me as if you installed grub to the mbr instead of the Linux partition. rEFit is supposed to boot both Mac OSX and Linux, not grub.

3
  1. Do not install Grub in MBR!
  2. Do not let openSUSE write a generic boot code in MBR! (it does that by default)
  3. Install Grub in openSUSE partition.

… and of course, install rEFIt first!

4

OK. Here what I did:

  1. I installed rEFIt as described.
  2. I used bootcamp to make partitions.
  3. I started the computer with the liveDVD (press c).
  4. I installed openSUSE. I made sure that it’s enabled the boot on the root partition (/) and disable the MBR.
  5. When I try to reboot, rEFIt shows me 2 OS. OSX is OK. I choose Linux and I get a black screen says NO BOOTABLE MEDIA-INSERT A BOOTABLE MEDIA AND PRESS ANY KEY.
  6. I put the live dvd in the device, restart and choose Linux. It gives me the live dvd screen to choose Gnome 3.2…Boot from hard disk. I choose Boot from hard disk and then it goes to the GRUB screen and logins to openSUSE.

I made installation 2-3 times but nothing.
I also made installation on MBR but I still open OSX correctly.

I think something is wrong but I don’t know what…
Can someone help me?

5

When boot from root partition is enabled (forget about “Boot from Master Boot Record” as in this example), then Write generic Boot Code to MBR is set. You have to uncheck this option.

6

Look at this (recent) howto: Triple Booting Mac OS X.6, openSUSE, and Windows XP on Macbook Pro 7,1. Except for the Windows (triple boot) part, you can apply the same method. bootcamp is intended to set up Windows dual boot. For Linux, splitting your OS X partition with disk utilities is sufficient - although I don’t think bootcamp would hurt.