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I've got the following:

  • a late 2013 MacBook Pro
  • an external ssd
  • a USB stick

I would like to install Ubuntu 16.04 into the external ssd and boot my MacBook into it. I successfully created the ubuntu live USB and boot into it via the boot menu, and successfully install ubuntu into the external ssd. Everything works fine until I reboot the MacBook and try to boot into ubuntu, and the external ssd with ubuntu installed just won't show up in the boot options. I've tried unplug and repluging the ssd, and reboot my MacBook but none of these works. So how can I solve this? Any help would be appreciated.

2 Answers 2

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Ubuntu installs grub and other files in the first EFI System partition on the external drive. The process of making the Ubuntu appear on the Startup Manager is a fairly trivial. The steps are given below.

  1. Open a Terminal application window and enter the command given below.

    diskutil list

    From the ouput, determine the name and identifier of the EFI partition on your external drive. I will assume the name will be NO NAME and the identifier will be disk1s1. Make the appropriate substitution if necessary.

  2. Mount the EFI System partition by entering the command given below.

    diskutil mount disk1s1 
    
  3. Create a folder named Boot in the folder /Volumes/NO NAME/EFI. You can use the Finder application or enter the command given below.

    mkdir "/Volumes/NO NAME/EFI/Boot"
    
  4. Copy the file grubx64.efi from the

    /Volumes/NO NAME/EFI/ubuntu
    

    folder to the

    /Volumes/NO NAME/EFI/Boot 
    

    folder. Next, rename this file bootx64.efi. This step can be accomplished by using the the Finder application or by entering the command given below.

    cp "/Volumes/NO NAME/EFI/ubuntu/grubx64.efi" "/Volumes/NO NAME/EFI/Boot/bootx64.efi"
    
  5. (Optional) Download a collection of icons from the sourceforge web site Mac icns. Use the Finder application to open the downloaded file mac-ices.dmg, then enter the command below to copy the Ubuntu icon file os_ubuntu.icns to the EFI System partition.

    cp /Volumes/mac-icns/os_ubuntu.icns "/Volumes/NO NAME/.VolumeIcon.icns"
    

    This will add the following Ubuntu icon to the Startup Menu.

    os_ubuntu.png

    Note: When finished, you can use the Finder application to eject the mac-icns volume.

  6. Use the Finder application or enter the command below to unmount the EFI System partition labeled NO NAME.

    diskutil unmount disk1s1
    
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you need to hold down the option key while it starts to boot and you will get a menu listing the drives you can boot from.

http://www.idownloadblog.com/2015/09/14/how-to-start-up-mac-from-bootable-media/

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  • Thanks for answering. That's what I've been doing but the ssd just won't show up in the list.
    – hklel
    Sep 8, 2016 at 16:46
  • sounds like its not set as a bootable partition or is not GPT with UEFI
    – Amias
    Sep 8, 2016 at 16:57
  • Or your running into Apple making booting from arbitrary USB media (that aren't OS X installation media) difficult again. Sep 8, 2016 at 17:30

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