0

I'm trying to install any debian-based version of linux (ie, Ubuntu) on my Mac Pro 7,1 but am unable. All boot security features are off (csr off, external boot on, etc). I tried resetting the nvram to no avail.

I ran the Ubuntu desktop live-usb one time and managed to get ubuntu mostly installed on a separate nvme drive in a PCIe slot, albeit ruining my windows bootcamp partition on the Apple internal SSD. I deleted the Linux and bootcamp partitions and recreated the bootcamp partition and try to install again without grub this time. Now I get a series of error and the live-usb won't boot. I took some picures on my phone of the what's being reported. I pulled all devices and drives except the ssd on which I want to install linux, the Apple MPX RX580 and a RTX 3090. I get some error messages using Ubuntu (see below). Using PopOS just gives me a blank screen after selecting "try or install popos".

I get this before the grub bootloader initializes. Not exactly sure what any of this means, but the errors about not finding /boot or grub_platform are intriguing. Grub does indeed load and I pick Ubuntu, safe mode, etc...

enter image description here

Picking either Ubuntu or Ubuntu(safe) briefly brings this up:
enter image description here

I get several lines of apple-properties stuff and then some readout on device detection. It seems like some kind UEFI troubles here: enter image description here

The last thing it spits out is the rc-core line before shutting off, ie powering down. Not sure why this is the last thing to be reported, as the monitor has worked just fine with other Linux machines. This is as far as I can get. Any ideas? enter image description here

Improve this question
4
  • 1
    Does this answer your question? My computer boots to a black screen, what options do I have to fix it?
    – Pilot6
    Jan 18, 2021 at 19:25
  • It helped. Adding nomodeset got me further, but now I’m stuck at [sda] Attached SCSI. It’s the usb stick I’m using. I tried a different usb stick but no different result.
    – SciGuy
    Jan 18, 2021 at 21:03
  • The 2019  devices use a T2 chip to control access to the local storage devices. Getting anything that is not macOS on that device is going to be incredibly difficult, then getting all of the unsupported firmware and driver packages for the audio, camera, wifi, Bluetooth, and keyboard will be a challenge. For these newer machines, it is generally better to run a non-Apple OS in a VM, giving it as many resources as possible, and use macOS only as a host 😕
    – user1091774
    Jan 18, 2021 at 22:50
  • Not anymore. Turning off secureboot, disabling CSR, etc allows access if you can reverse engineer drivers, which people are working on. I cobbled together a guide on getting almost everything working on the 16-inch macbook pro. Also, I don't even want to install linux to a T2 controlled device. I have a nvme ssd in a PCIe adapter.
    – SciGuy
    Jan 19, 2021 at 2:05

1 Answer 1

Reset to default
0

I’m not sure if this is true for all Apple T2 machines, or even all 2019 Mac Pro’s, but the boot parameter I need to pass was intel_iommu=on.

Now it’s on to getting grub to play nice...

Improve this answer

You must log in to answer this question.

Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged .