Installing Linux on MBP

[ACagliano]

Hello! I have a Macbook Pro model 7,1, operating system version 10.8.2. I am trying to create a 120gb partition and install a Linux distribution on it. This Linux OS is preferably BackTrack, but may be Ubuntu as well. I have tried Linux USB Builder for Lion. It creates a bootable install disk for Ubuntu but freezes on BackTrack. Any other procedure that supposedly works, I get a message "the disk you inserted is not readable by this computer" when done.

When using the USB drive, which now has a bootable Ubuntu installer on it, I am able to boot into Ubuntu, use gparted to create my Linux partition. Then, I run the installer and install the operating system. Once it completes, I then attempt to reboot into the Ubuntu partition. I get "No bootable device found. Insert a boot device and press any key".

*** Report for internal hard disk ***

Current GPT partition table:
# Start LBA End LBA Type
1 40 409339903 Linux ext4
2 409602048 940812503 Mac OS X HFS+
3 940812504 942082047 Mac OS X Boot
4 942082048 944130047 Linux Swap
5 944130048 944539647 EFI System (FAT)

Current MBR partition table:
# A Start LBA End LBA Type
1 1 976773167 ee EFI Protective

MBR contents:
Boot Code: Unknown, but bootable

Partition at LBA 40:
Boot Code: None
File System: ext4 with journaling
Listed in GPT as partition 1, Linux ext4

Partition at LBA 409602048:
Boot Code: None
File System: HFS Extended (HFS+)
Listed in GPT as partition 2, type Mac OS X HFS+

Partition at LBA 940812504:
Boot Code: None
File System: HFS Extended (HFS+)
Listed in GPT as partition 3, type Mac OS X Boot

Partition at LBA 942082048:
Boot Code: None
File System: Unknown
Listed in GPT as partition 4, type Linux Swap

Partition at LBA 944130048:
Boot Code: None (Non-system disk message)
File System: FAT32
Listed in GPT as partition 5, type EFI System (FAT)

Please help!!

[monkeybagel]

Have you tried to use dd go write the image to the drive?

Note - I have not tried this on BackTrack so unsure of outcome.

[ACagliano]

Yeah, dd gives me the "the disk you inserted was not readable by this computer". but, i actually got ubuntu working...

[Nermal]

It's normal to get the "disk not readable" message; OS X can't read whatever the Linux format is (ext4?). It should still be bootable as obviously that bypasses OS X.

So Ubuntu works on a 7,1? I tried it just for kicks on my 8,2 and ended up with no AirPort, the keyboard backlight stuck on (even OS X wouldn't turn it back off until I reset the PRAM!) and the trackpad was almost unusable. Does that all work on your 7,1? Are you using the trackpad or an external mouse?