FC5 on Mac mini - boot option vanished

[deltaclipper]

I installed Fedora Core 5 (FC5) on my Mac mini which went very smoothly and worked well. I installed it so that I could chooses Mac OS X (10.4) or Linux at boot time.

I have used it for a couple of months, but the last time I booted into it, the boot option had vanished and it went straight into Mac OS X.

The only thing I think could be related to the boot option vanishing is that I used yum & yumex to update my system including my kernel etc. that time. However, I have done this several times before and the boot option has never disappeared before.

How can I get the boot option back to boot into FC5 or Mac OS 10.4 ?

I'm greateful for any help, thanks! :)

[leonpmu]

Use your FC5 first cd or DVD boot into rescue mode. Mount your partitions locally and re-install your boot loader from the cli...

[deltaclipper]

Thanks, I boot into the rescue mode using the DVD as you say, but what boot program is installed on the Mac mini with a normal Fedora install?

What cli options should I use to check and restore the boot program?


PS. Why would the boot program go and disappear in the first place anyhow?

[Modorf]

apple re-writes the boot loader after os updates. Blessing the drive.
If this mac mini is PPC based, you should be able to get into the OpenFirmware and pick the linux partition to boot from. I have no experiance with the Intel Macs.

[StarKnight83]

yeah if its a ppc based one then just hold the option key and select the linux drive from the openfirmware gui once it boots to linux just run "ybin -v" as root and it should be fine (unless you made some changes to yaboot.conf that you shouldnt have)

[deltaclipper]

Yup, its a PPC Mac mini.

On bootup, a screen of options used to come up, with X for Mac OS X, L for Linux (I think) etc. But now that screen has gone.

I have touched any yaboot.conf or grub.conf manually. I have updated the kernel before but the boot screen of options has never vanished before.
Maybe as Modorf says that the Apple rewrites the boot loader after OS updates.

I'll try what you say StarKnight83, thanks. But do I have to that everytime? How do I get my boot options screen back. What commands do I need to run from the FC5 DVD in rescue mode?

Cheers for all your help!!!

[deltaclipper]

OK, thanks, I'm back in to Linux on my PPC Mac mini (via 'option' key on boot). Is a relief - FC5 is way way way faster and more responsive than Mac OS X (10.4.x). My comp feels so fast again and I can run the same applications and more without 'Spinning Rainbow Wheel Hell'! :)

(Its strange though, the mouse doesn't respond in the Apple boot menu (via 'option'), and the keyboard doesn't respond until it gives up looking for the mouse)

Lets hope the next step works...

# /sbin/ybin -v

ybin: Finding OpenFirmware device path to `/dev/hda2'...
ybin: Finding OpenFirmware device path to `/dev/hda3'...
ybin: Installing first stage bootstrap /usr/lib/yaboot/ofboot onto /dev/hda2...
ybin: Installing primary bootstrap /usr/lib/yaboot/yaboot onto /dev/hda2...
ybin: Installing /etc/yaboot.conf onto /dev/hda2...
ybin: Setting attributes on ofboot...
ybin: Setting attributes on yaboot...
ybin: Setting attributes on yaboot.conf...
ybin: Blessing /dev/hda2 with Holy Penguin Pee...
ybin: Updating OpenFirmware boot-device variable in nvram...

I'll reboot later and report back to tell you what happens on boot up. :D

[StarKnight83]

all looks good; and as long as yaboot has a valid target to boot then all is well