Help MBP 10,1 boot/reboot problem

[maraven2001]

Hi,

First off, I´m a real newbie with Linux, so please bear with me. I just installed Debian on a 2012 MBP. What I did was reinstall Catalina, resized the drive and formatted two ms-dos partitions, one for swap and one for debian. So far so good. I then went on to install Debian, which went well, I assigned the swap and Debian partitions correctly and it rebooted perfectly after install.

I then installed rEFInd, and can see my Catalina and Debian boot choices. All good so far, no problem booting into Catalina, but .... I can´t boot directly to Debian.

I hit Debian GNU/Linux option on Grub, boot starts, then 5 seconds after the booting process begins, the screen dies and the computer does not respond after that at all.

I can only get into debian using recovery mode, then startx for the GUI, and once in I managed to set b43 drivers, get basically everything going, but then when I rebooted it would not boot. I got in using recovery mode again updated everything once more, but still there seems to be a problem I can´t solve, as booting or rebooting simply does not work.

Looking for answers on google I stumbled on an old post for a MBP 2012 (10,1) installation that says:"Reboot, If I try to reboot I got a “invalid ROM content” error when the laptop restarts. The kernel options “i915.modeset=0 radeon.modeset=0” solve this problem."

I understand that i915 and radeon are the settings for the two video cards the MBP has, but after doing some digging I still do not understand how to change those settings or options, all I could understand is that they can be changed temporarily on Grub when booting or permanently, apparently from root. This would seem to be my problem, as the screen dies on me, and the MBP is unusable after that, tried with a second (external monitor) screen, but it also dies.

I honestly have no idea how to change those kernel options, and have not found a detalied (i.e. for dummies) version or walkthrough.

If someone could please help me with this, I would really appreciate it.

Thanks

Manuel

[maraven2001]

Hi,

UPDATE !!

I keep searching and read that these two parameters should go in the Linux line of Grub, typed them in, F10 and voilá booted properly. Now how to I make them permanent for booting ??

Thanks

Manuel

[Deb-fan]

Know almost nada about Mac's so just going to try and answer your other question. Edit the /etc/default/grub file to add kernel boot parameters, you'll need to be using root or sudo, the affected lines are up right near the top of the file. Also as it's says in the file itself always run the "sudo update-grub" command after editing it for changes to take effect. Check a user here named Head_on_a_stick's post history, he just recently did something for another person with a MBP. Believe he ended up putting together a custom image that had a newer kernel and firmware. In the same vein, there's also the unofficial Debian install iso that comes with nonfree out-of-box. Might give these a try and see if you get favorable results.

[p.H]

What I did was reinstall Catalina, resized the drive

I doubt you resized the drive. If it was possible, we would not have to buy bigger drives, we would just resize existing ones to our needs.

formatted two ms-dos partitions, one for swap and one for debian

What are you calling "ms-dos partitions" ? Partitions with FAT filesystems ? Debian cannot use FAT for either swap or the system.

The kernel options “i915.modeset=0 radeon.modeset=0” solve this problem."
I understand that i915 and radeon are the settings for the two video cards

i915 and radeon are kernel modules, not settings. They are low-level drivers for Intel and AMD/ATI GPUs. modeset is a parameter to these modules. modeset=0 basically means to disable any optimisation. Note that you could disable kernel modesetting globally with the kernel parameter "nomodeset". Also note that disabling kernel modesetting is not a solution but a workaround which often degrades performance and available resolutions so you should test whether you really need modeset=0 for both modules or only either one.

Also as it's says in the file itself always run the "sudo update-grub" command after editing it for changes to take effect.

No, /etc/default/grub does not say to run sudo. It says :

Code: Select all

If you change this file, run 'update-grub' afterwards to update /boot/grub/grub.cfg.

Editing the file requires root privileges by any means (sudo, su, root login...) so the user will use the same method to run update-grub with root privileges. Saying "run sudo <command>" instead of "run <command> with root privileges" is a bad habit. Not everyone uses sudo.

[Deb-fan]

Tend to give people some credit for not being dumber than a box of rocks. If they see a cmd mentioned which has sudo and their install doesn't, surely a person even anywhere around avg intelligence can reason it out. As for rest of it ... why advised trying install media with nonfree already included. Only ever skimmed info on dualbooting a Mac, seems to indicate there's not much difference vs the process on a pc. At least now, system involved here is from 2013(may've been different then.) Ah either way sounds like OP is making progress and gains.

Always heard Mac/Apple hardware is really good quality and knew something was lacking on pc's, turns out yep, that something is called gnu/Linux.

[p.H]

Tend to give people some credit for not being dumber than a box of rocks. If they see a cmd mentioned which has sudo and their install doesn't, surely a person even anywhere around avg intelligence can reason it out.

A person with average intelligence can understand most poorly worded sentences. This is not a valid reason to write poorly worded sentences on purpose when giving instructions or advice.

Always heard Mac/Apple hardware is really good quality

I have seen enough Macs to know I'll never want to have one.

[Deb-fan]

Bad deb-fan, bad, bad!

Op just keep it up, progress you've already made makes things pretty clear there's not much further to go in getting your system setup. When you do complete it ... would be nice if you'd do a decent write-up on the topic detailing the process and any obstacles you encountered.

[maraven2001]

Hey guys, I managed to modify the /etc/Default/grub file to what I need, but now I have been unable to update /boot/grub/grub.cfg.

Right now in terminal, root privileges and in the folder /usr/sbin/update-grub, trying to run that but no luck.

What would be the correct command to run it from root, in that folder ??

Or the correct way to run the grub update file ??

Thanks,

Manuel

[maraven2001]

UPDATE !!!

Never mind just did it, works flawlessly !!! Thanks for the help !!!

MBP 2012 10,1 working with Debian Buster.

Thanks

Manuel

[Deb-fan]

You're welcome, good to hear.

Might still want to consider what's been said about potentially missing modules/firmware. The unofficial install media which contains nonfree already on it. Any way it goes glad your system is setup.

[maraven2001]

Hi, well now that I have it working, there´s a few kinks still but nothing really serious I guess:

1.- refind sometimes will not show any icons when i turn on the MBP. anyone knows how to fix this permanently ??

2.- refind shows mac os preboot as option which is a bit annoying, but livable, still i would like to get rid of it if at all possible. tried documentation, but the solutions don´t work (deleting with minus or del, etc. won´t work, for some reason it seems to try to show a confirm delete menu but it goes away immediately). any suggestions are highly appreciated.

3.- This is my first foray in Linux, so I chose to install it on a MBP with a broken display I had lying around. Booting into refind works well with the lid closed, so does going into osx, where the login window displays fine. But when I choose debian, it assumes two displays, where the working one (external monitor) is an extension of the damaged display. I need to open and close the lid to get the login menu on the external monitor. Does anyone know if there is any setting in grub or elsewhere that I can use so it chooses the external monitor by default with the lid closed ??

4.- finally i am having some issues with the desktop environment I´m using, which is Mate. It´s similar to windows and mac, and for a newbie like me it´s a lot friendlier. anyway, when I login, half the time it won´t load completely and the menu bars on top and bottom are not there (the other half of the time it works well). everytime i login to mate, my mouse pointer is huge, and only goes back to normal when i open the mouse control settings.

I am looking into maybe reinstalling using the mac ready debian version, but would definitley try to fix it myself (with some help if at all possible) as I think this is a really good way to learn how linux works.

If there are any suggestions on how to solve or workaround any of these issues, i would really appreciate the help.

Thanks

Manuel

[Deb-fan]

https://askubuntu.com/q/831161

Would explore things like that. Just cause it's Ubuntu oriented in that thread, grub2 is grub2 whichever distro's in use. Only very briefly used rEFInd when 1st encountering uefi/gpt booting. Until getting more familiar with what's involved in booting w uefi(secureboot etc.) Which Mac's apparently have their own similar security feature too mentioned in that link. Not sure if that applies to a 2012 Mac though. I ended up quickly finding a way to put grub2 permanently in charge of handling boot selection. Was a dualboot windows + gnu/nix affair. Though as that link mentions are more direct alternatives for Mac's as well. REFInd isn't the only game in town.

Bunch of your graphical glitches and woes could easily come down to opting for hacky, poorly understood kernel boot parameters, missing firmware etc. Thus why not try using the install media w nonfree on it and doing it right was repeatedly mentioned. Setting up gnu/nix to handle dual monitors is something no doubt well covered online. As yet have never taken much interest in it or what's involved. Should be well documented regardless. You've made it this far and so far ... so good. Keep at it and ye shall prevail! Show Apple who's boss.

[maraven2001]

Hi, for now I`ll stick with this installation, I think the best way to learn how to use Linux/Debian is by solving problems like the ones I`m encountering, biggest issues so far were getting wifi up and the boot problem. Both solved by now. Will explore other options to refind, although it seems to be behaving lately, so if it's working I'd rather not mess with it.

Definitely some graphics related issues going on, but pretty stable over all. Will dig around see what I find. Will try to do a bit of a write up, maybe it'll help somebody, for me at least this process was non-trivial, and with a really steep learning curve.

I'm sure there must be some setting or parameter that will make it boot to the external monitor, and the mouse pointer thingy seems to me that it happens because it's carrying over the login mouse pointer setting to the desktop environment, again something is off or missing somewhere for sure.

I'll dig around and see what I can find.

Been trying to kicks apple`s ass for a while now, have a couple of Hackintoshes, so yeah. Wish I could load Clover to manage booting, but it's apparently a big no-no on real Macs. BTW in my opinion Macs are generally pretty solid machines, or were up to my last purchase (2015), my best windows laptop was and has been this MBP I'm installing debian on, rock solid. Have had a few Macs (got started with an Apple II, not a mac but well, it was Apple) over time, and only lately have I seen semi comparable non-Mac quality stuff. One can definitely build a better machine for less money, but as for off the shelf stuff they are generally really good. I now have a Lenovo Yoga from work, and it's surprisingly good, plus it's 4k (not that I have ever used that setting) and a few other goodies nice machine.

Thanks again for the advice and help.

Will post as I solve issues, or need more help/advice. and once again any advice/help or hints are very welcome.

Manuel

[Deb-fan]

No worries, though that's what folks have been trying to tell you. One biggie problem many people run into in trying Debian is not understanding how to identify, profile their hardware and install the nonfree software they need for that system to run well with Debian. The way to solve those problems is doing that, installing what is needed. Tons of distro's, including the "Debian based" do such automagically. So people come to and install Debian gnu/Linux thinking-expecting it'll be that same way and it won't. It's a long standing Debian principle and tradition, no proprietary software out-of-box. Thus the never ending I just installed Debian and graphics, networking etc etc doesn't work posts.

Let alone the people with cutting edge hardware who opt to install Debian stable(couple yrs old software on top of the no nonfree.) Expecting it to run great on hardware gnu/Linux as a whole might not have gained good support for yet. These are just fundamental things about the Debian gnu/nix proj folks should know. Also none of this is directed towards you. Just the musings of a guy whose been awake too long and too much coffee. Your system is 8yrs old though, give/take. Never yet owned a Mac, have always heard hardware was good quality though priced to match as well etc. Anyway again, you're off to a good start no matter what. .

PS, oops ... Was also too busy ranting to post something obvious, you don't have to reinstall anything. Your MBP is running well enough as is but should explore adding the contrib and non-free software repositories, looking your hardware over and install any relevant packages from them which can benefit your system and clear up issues.