Boot Ubuntu off external hard drive

[Dharmapunx13]

I have a new macbook and I'm running both os x and Ubuntu. I run OS X from my macbook and Linux from my external hard drive. However my OS X hard drive was corrupted and I'm out of town so I don't have my instalation disks.Usually I can boot my Linux as soon as I turn mu computer on using refit, now refit doesn't kick in due to my OS X failiar. Is there a way to boot my Linux from my external hard drive manually so I can still use my computer while I'm out of town?
Plaese and Thank you.

[pxwpxw]

I have a new macbook and I'm running both os x and Ubuntu. I run OS X from my macbook and Linux from my external hard drive. However my OS X hard drive was corrupted and I'm out of town so I don't have my instalation disks.Usually I can boot my Linux as soon as I turn mu computer on using refit, now refit doesn't kick in due to my OS X failiar. Is there a way to boot my Linux from my external hard drive manually so I can still use my computer while I'm out of town?
Plaese and Thank you.

If you can download and burn a rEFIt CD that restores refit.

[Dharmapunx13]

Thank you.

[ego-sum-deus]

i dont mean to butt in on this thread, but I have yet to talk to someone that was able to boot from external until i cam across this thread. we can start a new one if you want, but how in the world did you get to be able to boot from external?

[cyberdork33]

i dont mean to butt in on this thread, but I have yet to talk to someone that was able to boot from external until i cam across this thread. we can start a new one if you want, but how in the world did you get to be able to boot from external?
Please check the FAQ.

[Dharmapunx13]

I couldn't do so manually. I had to reinstall my mac os x. Then re-download refit. This gives you a screen when you turn on your mac to choose where to boot from. as long as your external is plugged in it should pick it up.

[cyberdork33]

I couldn't do so manually. I had to reinstall my mac os x. Then re-download refit. This gives you a screen when you turn on your mac to choose where to boot from. as long as your external is plugged in it should pick it up.
so you didn't do anything special to get it to boot from the external other than that? That doesn't work for most people.

[ego-sum-deus]

yeah because i have tried that before and i still get nothing. if we could get a concrete method for doing this, that would be awesome (especially for those of us who have to use our one and only computer for work and can't risk a reinstall all the time lol ohhh how i wish i had the money for another comp)

[cyberdork33]

yeah because i have tried that before and i still get nothing. if we could get a concrete method for doing this, that would be awesome (especially for those of us who have to use our one and only computer for work and can't risk a reinstall all the time lol ohhh how i wish i had the money for another comp)
Check the FAQ. There is a thread about booting via EFI.

[decopeland]

My problem is a little different from the one posted here. I want to have choice of booting from external drive (containing Ubuntu 9.10) or internal drive (also with Ubuntu 9.10), or defaulting to external drive when connected. If I remove the internal drive it will boot from external drive. With internal drive installed, and external drive shown in BIOS as first drive, it still boots from internal drive.