Ubuntu 9.04 + macbook = no boot

Hi, I installed ubuntu 9.04 last night. After using GPARTED to create an msdos partition table, it installed fine. Oh, I had to use "maxcpus=1" on the boot options to get the livecd to boot.
After shutting down and restarting (restart doesn't work), it couldn't boot. It just shows:

Code:

Grub stage1.5
Loading grub...
>_

and it hangs there with a blinking cursor. After rebooting into the livecd, I reinstalled GRUB, and in the menu.lst I disabled hidemenu. After rebooting, it shows the bootmenu, you know, generic, recovery mode, etc, but it just hangs, totally locks up. No keyboard, nothing, and the fans start to kick on really high, so I know it's hard locked. I'd like to point out, I want to run a solo boot, ubuntu only, and when I hold down ALT at boot, it does show the "windows" option, so my macbook is seeing the boot partition.
Any ideas? And please, do not suggest refit. If there's nothing that can be done either on the livecd, or through the terminal, then I guess I'll be waiting for 9.10.

 

Well if anyone has any ideas to help me get it running, I'd like to hear. I really want to like ubuntu, just tired of problem after problem with each iteration (8.04 > 8.10 > 9.04). I even bought $120 worth of software for ubuntu ($30 Nero Linux 3, $50 fluendo complete playback pack, $40 PowerDVD Linux)! I really miss 8.04, that seems to be the best version I ever used. :cry:
I just can't understand why Mac support is still so terrible in linux.

 

Maybe it's something to do with GPT and GRUB... stage 1.5 doesn't give an error code?

There's something about having to bless the ext3 partition from Mac OS, not sure if that's relevant...

Edit: Have you seen https://help.ubuntu.com/community/MactelSupportTeam/AppleIntelInstallation

There's also model-specific help:
https://wiki.ubuntu.com/MactelSupportTeam/CommunityHelpPages

 

In the Ubuntu livecd, I went to gparted, and created an msdos partition table, so it was no longer GPT.
When I tried 8.10 before, I had to bless the partition, but then the windows partition never showed up while holding ALT during boot, like it does now.
There were no errors after stage 1.5, it just said "grub loading..." or something like that, and just hung with a blinking cursor.
I really have no idea what it could be.
Really I spent like 2 hours last night searching google, and I read over those mactel pages as well, and couldn't find a cause or cure to this problem.

 

Let's stay on-topic in here, I had to delete several posts. Thank you.

 

Again.. what's the model ID for your macbook?

 

Macbook 5,2. Ugh, now I forgot what else I wrote.
Edit: Oh, I was just explaining that if it were a partition problem, wouldn't GRUB not even load? It gets just past stage 1.5, then freezes.
My macbook sees the boot partition (it labels it as "windows"), so I don't think that's the problem, but of course I could be wrong.

 

Did you turn off ACPI?

 

No. I will try that. I was reading about the issues with the latest macbooks and 9.04. One solution was to either to include "nosmp" or "maxcpus=1" on the boot options, or "noacpi". Since the livecd booted with "maxcpus=1", I thought all was well with that. I will give that a try and see, and report back tomorrow.

BUT, if that means noacpi will work, then I wont be able to adjust screen brightness, sound or anything, and that will not really be an option. We'll see. Thanks for the idea.

 

Noacpi still allows you to do that stuff. I turned it off for my desktop, it only has an effect in Windows and Mac. =P

 

Well, I reinstalled ubuntu, with acpi=off. Of course it booted from the livecd and installed fine. When I shutdown and restarted, the same thing, it just hangs after stage 1.5.
I booted from the OS X install disc, and "blessed" the partition, same thing. I tried to reinstall grub from the livecd, same thing.
So I'm stuck.

 

Wait. Have you tried using Ubuntu 8.10...I think Ubuntu 9.04 is bugged up.

 

I don't have it any more. Maybe I'll try it again. I did try 8.10 when I had my previous macbook, and it worked fine.

 

There you go, 8.10 is the solution. I might switch back to it myself. Gonna miss the notify-osd.

 

I didn't like the fact that kubuntu 8.10 was so incomplete (although I'd rather they just stuck with kde 3.5 anyway ). Do you know if 8.10 will be compatible with the early 2009 macbook? It has the latest nvidia chipset.
I'll have to see if I can find out.

And a little off-topic (but it's my thread, so nah ), is that pic in your sig from an anime show? And if so, what?

Edit: It would appear I'm not the only one with this issue.
Here and the bug report here.
It appears this problem exists all the way back to 8.04, so getting 8.10 again wouldn't do any good.

 

Install 7.10? No that wouldn't be a viable option. You use a macbook you say? tried using the Ubuntu version for powerpc? And no it's not really from a new anime, it's a kind of old one. Sayonara Zetsubou Sensei. You will love it.

http://ubuntuforums.org/forumdisplay.php?f=328

 

It's intel based, not powerpc. It just looks like I'll have to stick with OS X.
I'll check out that anime.
Thanks Calvin.