Hi I'm trying to boot linux of a thumbdrive but it's not working. I was wondering, what do I have to do? aka how to partition my thumbdrive and get the files on it.
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boot from thumbdrive
- Thread starter chris200x9
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Unfortunately, I don't think you can boot from a USB device on a Mac. As far as I under, the firmware only fully supports firewire.
I've read reports of being able to boot from usb...but I suspect you might be right since NOTHING Im trying is working. 
FYI all new macs support booting from USB and have done for quite a little while now.
In regards to the op, how did you install OS X on the thumbdrive.
What format is the drive?
What mac do you have?
Intel Macs support USB booting. PowerPC Macs, however, do NOT.I've read reports of being able to boot from usb...but I suspect you might be right since NOTHING Im trying is working.
Some do.
Will try and find a list of the ones that are capable.
PowerBook (FireWire)
iMac G5 ALS (possibly all variants)
I'm trying to boot linux I have a macbook and I formatted my thumbdrive as HSF+ with a GUID partition table then I copied the contents of my mounted ISO to the thumbdrive then restarted holding option but it only showed my windows partition and my mac partition not my USB drive.
I suspect this issue is down the specifics of the Linux distro you are using and the correct application to the procedure.
Have you followed any guides for this process as it should be possible.
Failing that you could always burn a live CD of the distro.
Have you followed any guides for this process as it should be possible.
Failing that you could always burn a live CD of the distro.
could anyone post a link to a good distro that I cam boot easily on my mac from my usb thing, oh yea FYI its only 512 MB
Is Linux capable of booting from an HFS volume? I would think that you would need to format the drive in FAT or Unix to boot Linux from it.
I thought macs cant boot from FAT and for some reason there is no option for unix
and btw I think i already tried FAT but I'll try again
and btw I think i already tried FAT but I'll try again
I found out I had to download rEFIt and I did that and installed it but my computer just starts up normally?
I found out I had to download rEFIt and I did that and installed it but my computer just starts up normally?
Are you holding down the Option key during Startup in order to select the boot drive?
I found out I had to download rEFIt and I did that and installed it but my computer just starts up normally?
What macbook do you have as refit as far as i am aware it hasn't been updated for the latest macbooks.
Have you found and guides to help you out in this process, for example this one for ubuntu, there are instructions on that site for different distros as well.
refit brings up the boot menu every time you boot the computer
it seems like it is possible and quick search in the lord google bought up this and this and I am sure there are other guides out there.
Make sure you have a Boot flag set to the thumbdrive otherwise it'll be almost impossible to boot from it.
And the simplest way to get Linux on a thumbdrive is via a LiveCD.
And the simplest way to get Linux on a thumbdrive is via a LiveCD.
ok tried vmware(trial) booting up a live cd then installing on my usb drive but it still won't boot up and when I'm in Mac OS X it says can't read it. I think it doesn't like ext3.
edit: I think I got it, I was deleting the whole thing when installing I think I was supposed to keep the 209 MB thing because that was the partition table...but I could be wrong.... anyway I'm trying i now wish me luck