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Why does an OSX Upgrade Causes Ubuntu to Call Grub or Crash the Ubuntu Boot Loader? (from a 2017 OS X Sierra 10.12.X to High Sierra)

Dual Boot (OSX/EFI Ubuntu 17) with OSX MacBook Pro 11,3 (Retina, 15-inch, Mid 2014)

Question: Is there a way to update OS X to High Sierra without corrupting Ubuntu? It this a local problem or a global upgrade problem with Apple/OSX?

Asher
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2 Answers2

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A MacOS upgrade will write a new boot loader and overwrite your GRUB/rEFInd boot loader.

There is no way to avoid that. That's unfortunate but remember Apple believes a Mac will only work with MacOS ;-)

If you want to recover your Linux, you can follow these instructions:

  1. Install supergrubdisk2 on a USB key by burning the ISO with Etcher or Unetbootin.
  2. Boot on the USB key by pressing the Option key after a reboot (must be pressed before the "Mac sound")
  3. Select the Orange disk labeled as "EFI boot"
  4. In the text menu select "Detect and show boot methods".
  5. Wait 5 to 10sec for the detection to happen
  6. Look in the grub.cfg section if you can see your Linux. If not then try them all one by one ;-)
  7. Select the one and press enter and it should boot your Linux.

Now if you want your Linux back as the default, you can reinstall GRUB on the MBR once your Linux has booted. HOWEVER, since High Sierra, GRUB cannot start High Sierra via the boot menu. You will have to press the Option Key before the Mac Sound and select 'Macintosh HD' to boot High Sierra. It's unfortunate but I have not found a solution since the upgrade. I also noted my misfortune in this thread (1 answer, 2 comment). I recommend to follow it and hope for an answer.

If you are still keen to have Linux back with GRUB and a broken Grub MacOS entry then do the following, as root :

  1. fdisk -l and look for a disk with HFS entry, very likely to be /dev/sda
  2. grub-install /dev/sd<LETTER> where <LETTER> is a letter from the alphabet. Do not add any trailing number! E.g: /dev/sda is good, /dev/sda3 is NOT good
  3. update-grub
  4. reboot.
  5. You should now have GRUB back but no access to High Sierra via GRUB.

Hope it helps.

Thomas
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"magic" ended up deleting or modifying my boot sector by apple (without my "actual" permission)

My advice to people just experimenting and beginners like me. WARNING: Its maybe too much work to go through all the details of dual booting.

OSX Disk Utility

Disk Utility

Asher
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  • "simplicity helps. except when your not a programmer." – Asher Nov 24 '17 at 18:15
  • WARNING WARNING WARNING apple has some majic that maybe deleted the boot sector during an UPGRADE?? BE VERY CARFUL. – Asher Nov 25 '17 at 00:06
  • DO NOT DUAL BOOT. quote of the year... "dual booting is for men... however, real girls just go ubuntu!" (alll the way!) – Asher Nov 25 '17 at 00:07
  • part of the problem is someone didn't understand that its smarter to have a auto start rather then a boot handler on apple OS. You can just hold the "option" key down and select the boot sector. Grub was always a mistake. However, there are some serious "magic" so don't dual boot if your a "beginner". :) – Asher Nov 25 '17 at 00:09
  • apple doesn't understand. ubuntu girls? ;) I'm just going to single boot this sucka. – Asher Nov 25 '17 at 00:13
  • obviously ubuntu supports the "ubuntu girls" – Asher Nov 25 '17 at 00:19
  • unfortunately I'm very fortunate to be. – Asher Nov 25 '17 at 01:11
  • and the good news is everything is working on my Macbook Air in Ubuntu 17. – Asher Nov 25 '17 at 01:46