[Pkg-mactel-devel] Debian jessie install on a Apple mactel i386 boots debian wheezy system in adjacent partition

Wed Jan 28 22:54:45 UTC 2015

  Package: Debian Installer (most likely)
  Version: debian-jessie-DI-b2-i386-netinst.iso
  Date installed: circa 1/26/2015

The system runs OSX 10.6.8 and identifies itself as:
    Computer- Apple iMac model iMac4,1
    Core Duo, 2GB ram, 250GB hard drive

Partitions:
GNU Parted 2.3
Using /dev/sda
Welcome to GNU Parted! Type 'help' to view a list of commands.

(parted) print
Model: ATA WDC WD2500JS-40N (scsi)
Disk /dev/sda: 250GB
Sector size (logical/physical): 512B/512B
Partition Table: gpt

Number  Start   End     Size    File system     Name                  Flags
 1      20.5kB  210MB   210MB   fat32           EFI System Partition  boot
 2      210MB   50.2GB  50.0GB  hfs+            i386OSX
 3      50.3GB  71.7GB  21.3GB  hfs+            comhfs
 4      71.8GB  74.0GB  2147MB  ext2            aBoot
 5      74.0GB  76.1GB  2147MB  ext2            bBoot
 6      76.1GB  78.3GB  2147MB  ext2            cBoot
 7      78.3GB  78.4GB  157MB   hfs+            Apple_HFS_Untitled_2
 8      78.4GB  78.6GB  157MB                   aBios
 9      78.6GB  78.7GB  157MB                   bBios
10      78.7GB  78.9GB  157MB                   cBios
11      78.9GB  84.9GB  5999MB  linux-swap(v1)
12      84.9GB  140GB   55.0GB  ext4            aRoot
13      140GB   195GB   55.0GB  ext4            bRoot
14      195GB   250GB   55.0GB  ext4            cRoot

lspci:
00:00.0 Host bridge: Intel Corporation Mobile 945GM/PM/GMS, 943/940GML and 945GT Express Memory Controller Hub (rev 03)
00:01.0 PCI bridge: Intel Corporation Mobile 945GM/PM/GMS, 943/940GML and 945GT Express PCI Express Root Port (rev 03)
00:07.0 Performance counters: Intel Corporation Device 27a3 (rev 03)
00:1b.0 Audio device: Intel Corporation NM10/ICH7 Family High Definition Audio Controller (rev 02)
00:1c.0 PCI bridge: Intel Corporation NM10/ICH7 Family PCI Express Port 1 (rev 02)
00:1c.1 PCI bridge: Intel Corporation NM10/ICH7 Family PCI Express Port 2 (rev 02)
00:1d.0 USB controller: Intel Corporation NM10/ICH7 Family USB UHCI Controller #1 (rev 02)
00:1d.1 USB controller: Intel Corporation NM10/ICH7 Family USB UHCI Controller #2 (rev 02)
00:1d.2 USB controller: Intel Corporation NM10/ICH7 Family USB UHCI Controller #3 (rev 02)
00:1d.3 USB controller: Intel Corporation NM10/ICH7 Family USB UHCI Controller #4 (rev 02)
00:1d.7 USB controller: Intel Corporation NM10/ICH7 Family USB2 EHCI Controller (rev 02)
00:1e.0 PCI bridge: Intel Corporation 82801 Mobile PCI Bridge (rev e2)
00:1f.0 ISA bridge: Intel Corporation 82801GBM (ICH7-M) LPC Interface Bridge (rev 02)
00:1f.1 IDE interface: Intel Corporation 82801G (ICH7 Family) IDE Controller (rev 02)
00:1f.2 IDE interface: Intel Corporation 82801GBM/GHM (ICH7-M Family) SATA Controller [IDE mode] (rev 02)
00:1f.3 SMBus: Intel Corporation NM10/ICH7 Family SMBus Controller (rev 02)
01:00.0 VGA compatible controller: Advanced Micro Devices [AMD] nee ATI M56P [Radeon Mobility X1600]
02:00.0 Ethernet controller: Marvell Technology Group Ltd. 88E8053 PCI-E Gigabit Ethernet Controller (rev 22)
03:00.0 Network controller: Broadcom Corporation BCM4311 802.11a/b/g (rev 01)
04:03.0 FireWire (IEEE 1394): LSI Corporation FW322/323 [TrueFire] 1394a Controller (rev 61)

Summary:
    Installed 3 systems on this machine to experiment and track down this jessie boot bug,
    as well as to get a version of wireless firmware not dependent on internet.
    The last install, Jessie i386, booted a Wheezy i386 system.

Context: this iMac is not normally near a hardwired connection. I can lug
the machine next to the wireless router for a hardwired internet, but its
not a very convenient location for me. I want to install Debian 7.8.0 off dvd's with
nonfree firmware and load wireless interface loaded off flash drive.

Have experimented with rEFInd and have not achieved booting success.
Want to avoid being dependent on rEFInd and grub-efi-ia32.

Problem 1(what is being reported):
    Debian Jessie installs but does not always leave the system in a fully bootable state.   
    Option poweron indicates a boot icon that does not always boot.

Problem 2(another problem related to wireless b43 firmware):
    Debian wheezy does not install a functioning Broadcom driver from a hardwired connection.
        It seeks a driver from a URL that does not exist.
    Debian jessie will install a functioning driver. I desire firmware that I can
    put on a flash drive and install with Debian wheezy.

Preparation for debugging both problems led me to install 3 systems in the following order:
    system A: on partitions labeled, aBios, aBoot, aRoot, swap
        Holds Debian 7.7.0 i386 dvd1 install with Debian internet mirror
        grub installed to /dev/sda
    system B: on partitions labeled, bBios, bBoot, bRoot, swap
        Holds Debian 7.8.0 i386 dvd1 install with no internet mirror
        grub installed to /dev/sda
    system C: on partitions labeled cBios, cBoot, cRoot, swap
        Holds Debian jessie netinstall,  i386 architecture.
        grub installed to /dev/sda

Statement of the Jessie boot bug:

    After performing the 3 system installs, and performing poweron with the option key;
        select to boot from the "Windows" icon instead of OSX.
    grub boots, its menu shows up as: 
        System B Debian system (wheezy from 7.8.0 dvd1)
        System B Debian rescue (wheezy from 7.8.0 dvd1)
        System A Debian system (wheezy from 7.7.0 dvd1 + network mirror)
        System A Debian rescue (wheezy from 7.7.0 dvd1 + network mirror)
        various OSX systems,

What I expected was to see was after the grub boot:
        System C Debian system (jessie from netinst)
        System C Debian rescue (jessie from netinst)
        System A Debian system (wheezy from 7.7.0 dvd1 + network mirror)
        System A Debian rescue (wheezy from 7.7.0 dvd1 + network mirror)
        System B Debian system (wheezy from 7.8.0 dvd1)
        System B Debian rescue (wheezy from 7.8.0 dvd1)
        various OSX systems,

My guesstimate of the most likely problem:
    There is an indexing error. 0-origin vs 1-origin in partitions.