TL;DR
Users experienced issues booting into Asahi Linux after upgrading to macOS 27, as the option disappeared from the boot menu. To resolve this, a small APFS container was created by the Asahi Installer to mimic a valid macOS installation.
✦ Why It Matters
Engineers can ensure compatibility of Linux installations with macOS updates by understanding APFS bootable flags.
Key Takeaways
Full Summary
Asahi Linux 7.1 faced a significant issue when users upgrading to macOS 27 found that the option to boot into Asahi Linux vanished from the boot picker. The Asahi Installer had previously created a 2.5 GB APFS (Apple File System) container that contained minimal macOS files to trick Apple's boot tools into recognizing it as a valid installation.
Investigation revealed that macOS 27's installer sets a bootable flag in the APFS metadata, which was ignored in earlier versions. By manually setting this flag on the Asahi APFS container, it was successfully made visible in the macOS 27 boot picker.
This solution restored access to Asahi Linux without data loss, as all related partitions remained intact. The findings highlight the importance of understanding how macOS manages bootable volumes, which can aid in future compatibility efforts.
Engineers can leverage this knowledge to ensure smoother transitions between macOS updates and Linux installations.
Related