Boot Linux, Recovery and rEFIt

Brand new to mac. I am a long-time linux programmer and want to be able to
dual-boot both lion and unbuntu.
I want to partition and set up a linux dual-boot.
But first of all, I'd like to get informed about a recovery scheme.

I see from Apple - OS X Lion Recovery - Introducing Lion Recovery that I should be able to initiate
such a process if my ubuntu installation hoses everything. I have already installed rEFIt.
To test, when I reboot, I press the 'windoze' key + r. I do not see anything like
the Lion Recovery screen as illustrated at the page above,
just the rEFIt menu. Note - I am not using a mac keyboard.

What else do I need to do? Or has the rEFIt installation created a whole new situation?

thanks
tim

Your post was moved to the correct forum, title was edited for clarification.

If you installed rEFIt you should not have to hold down the command + R key to boot to the Recovery partition. rEFIt detects any bootable partitions on the drive and will give you a menu item for it which should appear each time you boot the machine.

And yes, you need a Mac keyboard as a Windows keyboard is not mapped correctly for the same boot keys. The Windows + R key isn't going to work the same as command + R.

chscag said:

Your post was moved to the correct forum, title was edited for clarification.

Click to expand...

Thank you.

chscag said:

If you installed rEFIt you should not have to hold down the command + R key to boot to the Recovery partition. rEFIt detects any bootable partitions on the drive and will give you a menu item for it which should appear each time you boot the machine.

Click to expand...

I'm revisiting my experience. Upon reboot, using command(widows) + R causes the
rEFIt screen to refresh and the 'countdown' to reset. I note the menu items and from
you input, it appears that all is as it should be.

chscag said:

And yes, you need a Mac keyboard as a Windows keyboard is not mapped correctly for the same boot keys. The Windows + R key isn't going to work the same as command + R.

Click to expand...

Thus far, I am finding that all keyboard shortcuts seem to work 'as advertised' using
the windows key as the command key. The owner's manual for the Mac Mini indicates
that I should find the windows key an acceptable substitute.
I would be very disappointed to find that I needed a mac keyboard to use a mac.
Having said that, I would consider the following
Amazon.com: Apple Wireless Keyboard: Electronics
If it worked in ubuntu also...

Thanks again. I would marked this as solved if I can figure out how.
tim

I have both a wireless keyboard (same as on Amazon) and an Apple wired aluminum keyboard. Either one is acceptable. However, if you have a Win keyboard that's working for you, continue using it. Same advice for mice. I use an inexpensive Logitech optical mouse rather than the more expensive Magic Mouse that came with my iMac.

Also... don't overlook the many options that rEFIt offers for boot menu style and action. It takes a bit of reading and experimenting to get everything the way you like. It took me several days of experimentation and commenting out various options before my boot menu looked and acted the way I wanted it to.

I'm currently using a logitech optical trackball. No problems at all that I can see.

chscag said:

Also... don't overlook the many options that rEFIt offers for boot menu style and action. It takes a bit of reading and experimenting to get everything the way you like. It took me several days of experimentation and commenting out various options before my boot menu looked and acted the way I wanted it to.

Click to expand...

Ah! Got any links for such reading?
thanks again
tim

Yep. Here you go: LINK