I’ll start by saying I’m a newbie, or a noob in your jargon, so sorry in advance, and I’m probably not in the right place for my issue.
I’m lost and I can’t move forward.
I wanted to install Gladys, which I had managed to do at some point, but I had to do everything all over again every week, since I had no automatic backup, or if I understood what was said in a post, it’s that my settings/parameters were stored in Gladys, which jumped with every update.
Since I didn’t understand much (or anything) of what Pierre Gilles explained, I tried the Gladys Assistant OS solution, but it didn’t work.
I didn’t even manage to complete the installation.
So either I have a hardware issue: a 2009 MacBook Unibody, and the flashed USB key solution isn’t for me with this machine (too old, not powerful enough, etc.), or the problem (as is often the case in computing) lies between the screen and the chair.
Thanks in advance to whoever finds this message in a bottle.
Hi! The Mac isn’t necessarily too old: a 2009 MacBook is more powerful than a Raspberry Pi. However, the installer was designed for mini-PCs and has never been tested on Mac, which has its own particularities at startup.
To help you, could you tell me:
1. the exact model identifier ( > About This Mac > System Report), the RAM and the disk;
2. how you created the key (tool, system);
3. how far it goes: the key is not seen, GRUB menu then black screen, error during installation, or the Mac does not restart afterwards?
It’s hard to answer you about the exact Mac ID, as I’ve passed it to a Ubuntu server, I no longer have access to the original interface (macOS). However, the SSD is 256GB and it’s new, I replaced it to start with a clean base for Gladys Assistant. For the RAM, I think there’s at least 128GB, maybe 256GB, to be sure I’ll have to open it.
To create the key, I used “balena” on my Windows 11 PC.
For the installation: I insert the key, I keep pressing the option key and I arrive at a screen with the choice between the disk or the key to boot.
I choose the key and I have pages and pages of code scrolling. I’ve tried several times. It doesn’t always do the same thing.
Having had a 2009 MacBook Pro, I can assure you that it’s impossible, at best you can have 16GB (but not at all sure) and usually it’s 4GB or 8GB max.
For your Mac model, you need to look underneath and there should be a number either A1181 or A1342.
To move forward on your issue: have you already managed to install just an Ubuntu server?
If yes, which version?
There might be a lack in the Ubuntu Gladys image but first we need to know if a simple Ubuntu works.
Yes you’re right, I have at least 4GB, I know I added some at one point (I’ll check as soon as possible).
And yes I managed to install an Ubuntu server (26.04.1 LTS gladys tty1), I was able to use gladys a bit but I had to reintegrate/reconnect/reprogram everything after each update.
In my opinion, there is a problem with the command line and the /var/lib/gladysassistant directory, which is either misconfigured or misdeclared, otherwise you wouldn’t lose anything (except after a reformat).
First of all, don’t worry: the problem isn’t your fault
On your first photo, the line irq 17: nobody cared (try booting with the "irqpoll" option) shows the cause. This is a known issue with Linux on 2009 MacBooks: the kernel disables an interrupt used by a USB port. Since the installer runs from your USB key, it loses access to the key and everything eventually crashes. This isn’t a power issue or a network issue.
But I’ll be honest with you: even if we manage to install Gladys on it, I wouldn’t recommend this MacBook for running your smart home on a daily basis.
The battery: A battery of this age, plugged in 24/7, can degrade and swell. That’s not ideal in a corner of your home.
Power consumption: A laptop from this era consumes 3 to 4 times more than a recent mini-PC, which means several tens of euros in electricity per year.
Reliability: The USB bug that’s blocking your installation could also affect your Zigbee or Z-Wave keys once Gladys is running. That’s a problem for a home automation box.
Support: Gladys Assistant OS is designed and tested for mini-PCs, not for Macs. On a mini-PC, the installation takes just a few clicks, without any tweaking.
A refurbished used mini-PC (like a Lenovo ThinkCentre Tiny, HP EliteDesk Mini, or Dell OptiPlex Micro) or a small new mini-PC with an Intel N95-N150 processor (Beelink S12, S13) can be found for around €100-250. It’s silent, consumes very little power, and is exactly the hardware for which the installer was designed. You’ll just need to flash the key, plug in the Ethernet cable, and follow the on-screen instructions.
If you still want to try it on the Mac in the meantime to discover Gladys:
Plug the key into the other USB port on the Mac.
In the blue Install Gladys Assistant menu, press the down arrow ↓ immediately to stop the countdown, then press e.
On the line that starts with linux, add irqpoll at the very end, then start with Ctrl + X.
For your initial issue (losing everything with each update): your Gladys container probably wasn’t saving its data in the right folder. Gladys Assistant OS fixes that automatically, so it will be resolved with the mini-PC.
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