[Ubuntu/Mint] Massive issue installing on late 2011 Macbook Pro, black screen after selecting instal

Purdy · 8 Jul 2013 at 13:25

Hi

So basically as per title massive issue installing either of these distros on MBP late 2011 (8.1 I think, 15")

I have followed the guide on ubuntus site of getting the distro in ,IMG/DMG format through terminal and putting on an unmounted USB, I have also tried the direct ISO through unetbootin with the same results.

Once I reboot I hold alt and select the edfi boot with USB logo and I get the chance to select either boot without ibstall / install / check disk for errors(or something to that effect).

When I select any of these screen goes black, 30 secs later keyboard backlight comes on, I can press arrow keys and hear presumably menu noises but screen remains black.

anyone got any ideas spent hours yesterday with no success unfortunately

please ask if any additional info would help

Purdy · 8 Jul 2013 at 13:54

Unfortunately I don't have the thunderbolt(I think thats it) cable to connect a monitor.

I get a weird menu than one described in most posts, I've seen the nomodeset option and removing the quiet splash thing, I press E to edit the options as their is no F6 option, maybe I should take pictures of what I see.

I also tried nomodeset in the actual boot/grub/config file and it gives me a non blank screen but lots of text scrolling and then gets stuck on 'killing' something, I forget current but I'll go look it up and it just repeats that indefinitely (or for 20minutes at least

)

Purdy · 8 Jul 2013 at 14:04

I'm using 12.04 as its the LTS, I'm using Ubuntu because well I read 'if you have to ask which one to use, you should probably use Ubuntu'

. If I'm getting the same issue with Mint isn't it likely the same will happen for Fedora etc?

Purdy · 8 Jul 2013 at 14:08

Ah I've read that Linux Kernels after 3.5(I think this was the number) don't battle with these issues, would that be correct for Fedora?

And on that note is Ubuntu/Mint older than that Kernel then?

Purdy · 8 Jul 2013 at 14:23

Alright I'll give Fedora a whirl later, after all the good things you hear about Linux it isn't half an arse to set up, mind you I guess apples restrictive hardware doesn't help much either

Purdy · 8 Jul 2013 at 14:48

Thanks for the help and explanations mate, will report back later if any success with Fedora.

Purdy · 8 Jul 2013 at 18:30

Okay I've run into the error

i915 invalid rom contents
radeon invalid rom contents
radeon invalid rom contents

and it just hangs at this point after attempting to load Fedora, so again it must be a graphics issue?

I've read this - https://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/MacBook_Pro_8,1_/_8,2_/_8,3_(2011)

Unfortunately haven't got a baldy about adding those Kernel Parameters, do I do it in the EFI Shell when I first boot? (Sorry I'm a bit thick/new at this, first ever Linux boot and Mac probably wasn't the best idea for it.)

Purdy · 9 Jul 2013 at 14:38

, I've had tips from reddit to install from CD, do you think that'll make much difference?

I'll try the noefi in the GRUB cmnd line.

What do you mean by ' if you see the word 'ro', then that is the kernel command line.', when I press e I get command lines looking like 'grub>' and insert my command, when I type the ones I've been given in I get no message.