Ubuntu & OS X Dual Booting-WITHOUT OS X Reinstallation

[GilGrissom]

I'm getting real tired of not being able to afford a MBP, so I need to get Ubuntu onto my PowerBook...BUT...without reinstalling OS X. Theres plenty of ways out there to get Linux onto the Mac along side OS X, but they all include reinstalling OS X, or just only using Linux and loosing OS X.

I know the linux community are always one for a good challenge, and I'm wanting to contribute something to the community of Ubuntu etc, so I thought I'd try and get Ubuntu onto my PowerBook G4 12" without reinstalling or otherwise screwing up OS X. However...as with a community effort I need help! I'm blogging everything I learn, hear and try on this project over at my blog at andyjshaw.com, you can read about this particular project directly here.

Anyone know how to do this? Any helpful words or insights? Post back here or on my site, I don't mind! I'm totally open on this and really want to learn as much as I can!

[Osarkon]

Wouldn't virtual pc work for this?

[GilGrissom]

Originally Posted by Osarkon

Wouldn't virtual pc work for this?

Yes but I wanted a fast, cheap option. My blog explains the options that I think I have.

If I had virtual PC, then ye! Great!...not that it would run well on my PowerBook!

[spicyapple]

Oh, Ubuntu is awful. It reminded me so much of Microsoft, I uninstalled it after a day of playing around, but couldn't see myself using it for anything serious.

I had trouble following the Ubuntu installation instructions regarding dual-boot so I gave up. Hope your experience will be better than mine.

[vi2867]

I tried using Ubuntu on my pc, but once I realized I could not use iTunes, I uninstalled it.

If you have to use Ubuntu, why not use Ubuntu Boot Disk instead. Here is a link on how to do this...

Ubuntu Boot Disk

This way you won't have to comprimise your system...

[GilGrissom]

Could you explain this to me in a little detail?

What is different about this Boot CD? Is it the Live CD? Do you install Ubuntu onto a partition, but not include it in the bootloader, so you just use a CD to kick start into Ubuntu from the hard drive?

Sorry if this all sounds dum! I'm wanting to get as much of the details as possible, from as much of a dum beginner perspective as possible!

[MacRumorUser]

It's the live CD

Basically it installs nothing to your HD

[GilGrissom]

Originally Posted by MacRumorUser

It's the live CD

Basically it installs nothing to your HD

Ta, just thought I'd check what they meant!

I already have the Live CD and that works, but obviously very slow, as it has to load every single time off the CD and runs slowly once loaded anyway.

I've also noticed that the trackpad does not work properly when using the Live CD. It is very VERY unsensitive, taking you ages to simply get the cursor from one end of the screen to the other!...mouse settings don't make any difference.

How easy is it to boot off a USB hard drive with a Mac? Can I simply install to a bus powered USB hard drive and have the Mac detect it on boot up and boot off it? Would that be any quicker than a CD boot up?

[XNine]

*cough*THUMBRIVE*cough*

[GilGrissom]

Originally Posted by Onizuka

*cough*THUMBRIVE*cough*

Getting Ubuntu onto a USB drive is not very easy and straight forward at all.

Luckily I have managed to do what I desired, and are now posting this from Firefox booted into Ubuntu on my PowerBook fully partitioned etc, without touching OS X!

The only change to OS X is a slightly smaller hard drive space.

Thanks everyone here who posted, and a big thanks to those over at the Ubuntu Forums for providing the tutorials.

UPDATE:

Read my blog about it here. I will soon do a full write up on what I did. Keep checking back for updates on things.

The challenge however does not end there.

I still need to smooth a few things out, especially with the trackpad driver. My key aim is to make it as simple as possible (for people like me! hehe!) so that other people who may struggle can really understand the steps I write down.