Groups | Search | Server Info | Keyboard shortcuts | Login | Register [http] [https] [nntp] [nntps]

Groups > linux.debian.user > #239548

Install Debian 10 amd64 onto USB flash drive with and for Macintosh

Show key headers only | View raw

debian-user:

I have an Apple MacBook Pro (Retina, 15-inch, Mid 2015) with an Intel 
Core i7-4770HQ processor, 16 GB memory, and 256 GB SSD:

     https://support.apple.com/kb/SP719?viewlocale=en_US&locale=en_US

     https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MacBook_Pro


The laptop has two USB 3.0 ports.


I would like to install Debian 10 onto a USB flash drive as a 
self-contained, bootable, full, live installation that I use with this 
and other Intel-based Macintosh computers.


I downloaded the following Debian Installer files, verified the 
checksums, and verified the signature:

     https://cdimage.debian.org/cdimage/archive/10.10.0/amd64/jigdo-cd/

     SHA256SUMS*
     SHA256SUMS.sign*
     debian-10.10.0-amd64-xfce-CD-1.iso*
     debian-10.10.0-amd64-xfce-CD-1.jigdo*


I assembled the ISO file, verified the checksum, and burned it to a 
blank USB flash drive:

     debian-10.10.0-amd64-xfce-CD-1.iso


I downloaded the following firmware files, verified the checksums, 
verified the signature, expanded the archive, and copied the firmware 
files to a vfat USB flash drive:

 
https://cdimage.debian.org/cdimage/unofficial/non-free/firmware/buster/10.10.0/

     SHA256SUMS*
     SHA256SUMS.sign*
     firmware.tar.gz*


I powered off the Mac, inserted the Debian Installer USB flash drive, 
powered up the Mac, pressed and held the Option key, selected the left 
"EFI Boot" disk:

         Debian GNU/Linux 10.10.0
         Debian GNU/Linux UEFI Installer menu -> Install
         Language -> C
         Continent or region -> North America
         Country, territory or area -> United States
         Keymap to use -> American English
	Detect network hardware
	    <insert firmware USB flash drive>
	    <install Wi-Fi adapter firmware>
	    <remove firmware USB flash drive>
	    <insert blank USB flash drive>
         Configure the network ->
             Wireless network -> wifi.tracy.holgerdanske.com
             Wireless network type for w1p3s0 -> WPA/WPA2 PSK
             WPA/WPA2 passphrase for wireless device w1p3s0 -> ********
         Hostname -> buster-mac
         Domain name -> localdomain
         Root password -> ********
         Re-enter password to verify -> ********
         Full name for the new user -> debian
         Username for your account -> debian
         Choose a password for the new user -> ********
         Re-enter password to verify -> ********
         Select your time zone -> Pacific
         Partitioning method -> Manual
	    <create partition table on blank USB flash drive>
	    <create "1 GB" EFI System Partition>
	    <create "1 GB" swap partition>
	    <create "13 GB" root partition>
         Use a network mirror -> Yes
         Debian archive mirror country -> United States
         Debian archive mirror -> deb.debian.org
         HTTP proxy information -> <blank>
         Participate in the package usage survey -> No
         Choose software to install ->
	    Debian desktop environment
		Xfce
	    print server
	    SSH server
	    standard system utilities
         Installation complete -> Continue


The machine rebooted into Debian.  I logged in, created a default Xfce 
panel, looked around briefly, and shutdown the machine.


Note that I was not prompted for the location for installing GRUB.


If I now power up the machine with the buster-mac USB flash drive 
installed, Debian starts.


If I now power up the machine without the buster-mac USB flash drive 
installed, I see:

     GNU GRUB version 2.02+dfsg1-20+deb10u4

     Minimal BASH-like line editing is supported. For the first word, TAB
     lists possible command completions. Anywhere else TAB lists possible
     device or file completions.

     grub>


If I now power up the machine without the buster-mac USB flash drive 
installed and hold the Option key, I see the MacBook firmware disk 
window showing the internal SSD.  Selecting the internal SSD starts macOS.


If I now power up the machine without the buster-mac USB flash drive 
installed and hold the Command-R keys, I see the MacBook firmware POST 
screen, then the MacBook firmware utilities window.  Selecting Disk 
Utility and View -> Show All Devices, I see:

     Internal
       APPLE SSD SM0256G Media
         Container disk3
           dpchrist-mbp
           dpchrist-mbp - Data


If I select APPLE SSD SM0256G Media, Container disk3, dpchrist-mbp, or 
dpchrist-mbp - Data and click First Aid, Disk Utility detects no errors.


Booting the buster-mac USB flash drive and looking around, it appears 
that GRUB was installed on the internal SSD and not on the USB flash drive:

2021-08-31 14:56:11 root@buster-mac ~
# fdisk -l
Disk /dev/sda: 233.8 GiB, 251000193024 bytes, 490234752 sectors
Disk model: APPLE SSD SM0256
Units: sectors of 1 * 512 = 512 bytes
Sector size (logical/physical): 512 bytes / 4096 bytes
I/O size (minimum/optimal): 4096 bytes / 4096 bytes
Disklabel type: gpt
Disk identifier: 3B3CDB05-D771-4CA5-A9B0-1C47A5652B20

Device      Start       End   Sectors   Size Type
/dev/sda1      40    409639    409600   200M EFI System
/dev/sda2  409640 490234711 489825072 233.6G unknown


Disk /dev/sdb: 14.9 GiB, 16008609792 bytes, 31266816 sectors
Disk model: Ultra Fit
Units: sectors of 1 * 512 = 512 bytes
Sector size (logical/physical): 512 bytes / 512 bytes
I/O size (minimum/optimal): 512 bytes / 512 bytes
Disklabel type: gpt
Disk identifier: 8F392ECB-7E30-46D7-ABAB-DBBCB659863C

Device       Start      End  Sectors  Size Type
/dev/sdb1     2048  1953791  1951744  953M EFI System
/dev/sdb2  1953792  3907583  1953792  954M Linux swap
/dev/sdb3  3907584 29298687 25391104 12.1G Linux filesystem


2021-08-31 15:09:59 root@buster-mac ~
# mount | egrep '/dev/sd.[0-9]'
/dev/sdb3 on / type ext4 (rw,relatime,errors=remount-ro)
/dev/sda1 on /boot/efi type vfat 
(rw,relatime,fmask=0077,dmask=0077,codepage=437,iocharset=ascii,shortname=mixed,utf8,errors=remount-ro)

2021-08-31 15:13:35 root@buster-mac ~
# df | egrep 'Filesystem|.dev.sd.[0-9]'
Filesystem     1M-blocks  Used Available Use% Mounted on
/dev/sdb3         12140M 3589M     7915M  32% /
/dev/sda1           197M   12M      186M   6% /boot/efi

2021-08-31 15:14:40 root@buster-mac ~
# tree /boot/efi
/boot/efi
|-- BOOTLOG
`-- EFI
     |-- APPLE
     |   |-- CACHES
     |   |   `-- CAFEBEEF
     |   `-- FIRMWARE
     |       `-- MBP114.fd
     `-- debian
         |-- BOOTX64.CSV
         |-- fbx64.efi
         |-- grub.cfg
         |-- grubx64.efi
         |-- mmx64.efi
         `-- shimx64.efi

2021-08-31 15:11:12 root@buster-mac ~
# ls -l /boot/efi
total 2
-rwx------ 1 root root 520 Aug 31 14:16 BOOTLOG
drwx------ 4 root root 512 Aug 31 14:16 EFI


The goal is to have a self-contained Debian installation on the USB 
flash drive.  This means GRUB needs to be installed onto the USB flash 
drive.


Suggestions?


David

Back to linux.debian.user | Previous | Next — Next in thread | Find similar | Unroll thread

Thread

Install Debian 10 amd64 onto USB flash drive with and for Macintosh David Christensen <dpchrist@holgerdanske.com> - 2021-09-01 00:40 +0200
  Re: Install Debian 10 amd64 onto USB flash drive with and for  Macintosh Dan Ritter <dsr@randomstring.org> - 2021-09-01 01:00 +0200
    Re: Install Debian 10 amd64 onto USB flash drive with and for  Macintosh David Christensen <dpchrist@holgerdanske.com> - 2021-09-01 02:40 +0200
      Re: Install Debian 10 amd64 onto USB flash drive with and for  Macintosh Keith Bainbridge <keithrboz@gmail.com> - 2021-09-01 06:00 +0200
  Re: Install Debian 10 amd64 onto USB flash drive with and for  Macintosh didier gaumet <didier.gaumet@gmail.com> - 2021-09-01 10:20 +0200
    Re: Install Debian 10 amd64 onto USB flash drive with and for  Macintosh David Christensen <dpchrist@holgerdanske.com> - 2021-09-02 01:10 +0200
      Re: Install Debian 10 amd64 onto USB flash drive with and for  Macintosh David Wright <deblis@lionunicorn.co.uk> - 2021-09-03 02:40 +0200
        Re: Install Debian 10 amd64 onto USB flash drive with and for  Macintosh David Christensen <dpchrist@holgerdanske.com> - 2021-09-03 07:40 +0200
          Re: Install Debian 10 amd64 onto USB flash drive with and for  Macintosh David Wright <deblis@lionunicorn.co.uk> - 2021-09-09 05:50 +0200
          Re: Install Debian 10 amd64 onto USB flash drive with and for  Macintosh Andrei POPESCU <andreimpopescu@gmail.com> - 2021-09-11 17:40 +0200

csiph-web