Ok this is an established problem with "OLD" Intel Macbooks
These machines apparently RELY on some very specific hardware locations on bootup and REQUIRE a 32 bit installer to then install a 64 bit OS which will run fine as a 64 bit system once its installed.
Apparently Linux used to support this, but at some point everybody abandoned the 32 bit installers, and now everybody is using 64 bit installers which no longer work with these old machines.
I did install 32 bit LMDE 6 on one of them, and immediately started bumping into software that no longer supports 32 bit OS's (Chrome Browser) was the first thing.
So does anybody have any good resources for for how to create a live usb with a 32 bit installer and a 64 bit version of Linux?
Or do I just have to bite the bullet and throw away some "Nice" old Macs, I have 2 Macbooks and a Macbook Pro 17 I really hate to just throw away, and probably some mac mini's of the same era as I keep cleaning up around here.
I wish I could remember more specifics about this early uefi implementation Apple built, its hard to google for it
Happy New Year Everybody
Old Macbooks
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Re: Old Macbooks
hmm, I run exclusively on old macbooks, imacs, macbook pros, and can't say I've had this issue. Everything seems to work fine and I've always chosen the 64bit downloads.
Re: Old Macbooks
Hello ddivine01
I know almost nothing about Macbooks, so I will not be able to help.
However recently my GF was in the same situation, i.e. a Macbook she wanted to throw in the bin.
She was having a Macbook Pro 13" from mid-2010 which was in perfect state however completely obsolete because running Maverick (and Apple does no longer provide upgrades for this machine since 2015).
With the help of the 2 web sites below I could first install High Sierra (and convert the disk to APFS) and then install Catalina.
https://github.com/dortania/OpenCore-Install-Guide
https://dosdude1.com/catalina/
PS: One other option is to contact the OpenCore team.
W.O.
I know almost nothing about Macbooks, so I will not be able to help.
However recently my GF was in the same situation, i.e. a Macbook she wanted to throw in the bin.
She was having a Macbook Pro 13" from mid-2010 which was in perfect state however completely obsolete because running Maverick (and Apple does no longer provide upgrades for this machine since 2015).
With the help of the 2 web sites below I could first install High Sierra (and convert the disk to APFS) and then install Catalina.
https://github.com/dortania/OpenCore-Install-Guide
https://dosdude1.com/catalina/
PS: One other option is to contact the OpenCore team.
W.O.
For my daily use a CLEVO laptop with LM20.1 booting Legacy
And for my testing a Dell laptop with W10, LM20.1 and Manjaro booting UEFI
And for my testing a Dell laptop with W10, LM20.1 and Manjaro booting UEFI
Re: Old Macbooks
Not 'everyone' has abandoned 32-bit, and IF your macbook has a 32-bit uefi, you should install a 32-bit version of linux.
From 2007, most, if not all macs will boot 64-bit uefi, and any 64 bit linux should work. I've installed 64 bit Mint on laptops all the way back to 2008 release. Most of my computer hardware is apple that is out-of-support and running linux.
https://everymac.com/mac-answers/snow- ... -mode.html
Puppy linux has a 32 bit version, and I think the default browser is Palemoon. Been a while since I installed puppy.
AntiX or MX are also possibilities.
You might, maybe, get one of them to install. Depending on the gpu of the mac, you could have other problems, and specifically if the gpu is a Radeon. Those simply will not work because there are no drivers available, at least none for any kernel newer than 3.x. The only choice is to run with the built-in VESA driver, which uses the cpu for screen rendering.
Some of those old systems had only 1GB of ram. I think either fluxbox or iceWM will run, there's only one way to find out. . Xfce needs 2GB
Whether the system will be useable with a spinner drive can only be determined by trying.
From 2007, most, if not all macs will boot 64-bit uefi, and any 64 bit linux should work. I've installed 64 bit Mint on laptops all the way back to 2008 release. Most of my computer hardware is apple that is out-of-support and running linux.
https://everymac.com/mac-answers/snow- ... -mode.html
Puppy linux has a 32 bit version, and I think the default browser is Palemoon. Been a while since I installed puppy.
AntiX or MX are also possibilities.
You might, maybe, get one of them to install. Depending on the gpu of the mac, you could have other problems, and specifically if the gpu is a Radeon. Those simply will not work because there are no drivers available, at least none for any kernel newer than 3.x. The only choice is to run with the built-in VESA driver, which uses the cpu for screen rendering.
Some of those old systems had only 1GB of ram. I think either fluxbox or iceWM will run, there's only one way to find out. . Xfce needs 2GB
Whether the system will be useable with a spinner drive can only be determined by trying.
Re: Old Macbooks
Well this is the Blk Macbook I have that has the 32 bit installer requirement,
https://everymac.com/systems/apple/macb ... specs.html
I have not actually tried to run an install on this Macbook Pro 17, but it appears to be a 2011 era machine so once I backup the old win 7 ultimate bootcamp install on it I may just give it a spin, Having read your guys success stories with the newer ones, I feel better about trying it
https://support.apple.com/kb/sp646?locale=en_US
The Blk one has a working copy of LMDE 6 32 bit installed on it right now, but I hadn't realized Chrome had already dropped support for 32 bit OS's and I'm sure more will follow suit that way. The Blk one and the Wht ones may well be to far old to try and keep up n running.
https://everymac.com/systems/apple/macb ... specs.html
I have not actually tried to run an install on this Macbook Pro 17, but it appears to be a 2011 era machine so once I backup the old win 7 ultimate bootcamp install on it I may just give it a spin, Having read your guys success stories with the newer ones, I feel better about trying it
https://support.apple.com/kb/sp646?locale=en_US
The Blk one has a working copy of LMDE 6 32 bit installed on it right now, but I hadn't realized Chrome had already dropped support for 32 bit OS's and I'm sure more will follow suit that way. The Blk one and the Wht ones may well be to far old to try and keep up n running.
Re: Old Macbooks
Hello
I'm not enough expert in Macbooks but I tought on the back of each Macbook is printed model ID, ex. in the link you gave it is A1181. This ID should allow you to identify your model and thus find its specs.
Remark: if your Macbook is really a "Early-2008" model, it seems it was shipped with 2Gby RAM (but can support up to 4 GBy).
W.O.
The link you provided is for a "Early-2008" Macbook Pro and it says both architecture and EFI are 64-bit. Did you provide the correct link?ddivine01 wrote: ⤴Tue Jan 02, 2024 3:51 am Well this is the Blk Macbook I have that has the 32 bit installer requirement,
https://everymac.com/systems/apple/macb ... specs.html
I'm not enough expert in Macbooks but I tought on the back of each Macbook is printed model ID, ex. in the link you gave it is A1181. This ID should allow you to identify your model and thus find its specs.
Remark: if your Macbook is really a "Early-2008" model, it seems it was shipped with 2Gby RAM (but can support up to 4 GBy).
W.O.
For my daily use a CLEVO laptop with LM20.1 booting Legacy
And for my testing a Dell laptop with W10, LM20.1 and Manjaro booting UEFI
And for my testing a Dell laptop with W10, LM20.1 and Manjaro booting UEFI
Re: Old Macbooks
The 2008 macbook will boot 64 bit, if that's what your have.
Unless you have one of those 2007 and before 32-bit macbooks, you should be fine booting 64 bit.
I can say for certain that I can boot 2008 and 2009 WHITE macbooks, with Mint 64 bit. The efi is 64 -- it boots linux 64 -- and is listed as 32 bit boot, with an asterisk. I have a 2008 white macbook (A1181), core2 duo, that has Mint 21.2 installed and running, dual boot with MXlinux 21. For this reason, I'm almost positive that any one of the macs listed as 64-bit processor and 64-bit EFI will boot 64 bit linux, even if the 'boot' is listed as 32 with an asterisk.
https://everymac.com/mac-answers/snow-l ... -mode.html
Boot a live usb and see what happens. One thing -- some of those older macbooks do not like usb sticks larger than 8GB and will refuse to boot with them, or if they do manage to boot, will start showing errors and install will fail. Not all -- some. It may have something to do with the firware installed, which will depend on the last macOS that was installed.
Unless you have one of those 2007 and before 32-bit macbooks, you should be fine booting 64 bit.
I can say for certain that I can boot 2008 and 2009 WHITE macbooks, with Mint 64 bit. The efi is 64 -- it boots linux 64 -- and is listed as 32 bit boot, with an asterisk. I have a 2008 white macbook (A1181), core2 duo, that has Mint 21.2 installed and running, dual boot with MXlinux 21. For this reason, I'm almost positive that any one of the macs listed as 64-bit processor and 64-bit EFI will boot 64 bit linux, even if the 'boot' is listed as 32 with an asterisk.
https://everymac.com/mac-answers/snow-l ... -mode.html
Boot a live usb and see what happens. One thing -- some of those older macbooks do not like usb sticks larger than 8GB and will refuse to boot with them, or if they do manage to boot, will start showing errors and install will fail. Not all -- some. It may have something to do with the firware installed, which will depend on the last macOS that was installed.
Re: Old Macbooks
utilizing the 32 bit installer and system would be wasting your cpu ability.
the better option would be to find a 32 bit grub bootloader.efi file , place it inside the linux usb folder that says efi ,
then try booting into the installer .
it makes no sense running 32 bit instead of the 64 bit because very little things are supported in 32 bit anymore.
also theres a difference between having to boot using a 32 bit efi, compared to running or booting the 32 bit system instead of the 64 bit.
you can install and run a 64 bit linux, provided you know how to get the 32 bit generic efi file and use that .
try downloading kali linux ,
it contains a 32 bit boot option , copy that efi over into your fav distro that you have on usb.
you are not dealing with any 32 bit distro or installers,
were talking about a 32 bit efi boot file .
the better option would be to find a 32 bit grub bootloader.efi file , place it inside the linux usb folder that says efi ,
then try booting into the installer .
it makes no sense running 32 bit instead of the 64 bit because very little things are supported in 32 bit anymore.
also theres a difference between having to boot using a 32 bit efi, compared to running or booting the 32 bit system instead of the 64 bit.
you can install and run a 64 bit linux, provided you know how to get the 32 bit generic efi file and use that .
try downloading kali linux ,
it contains a 32 bit boot option , copy that efi over into your fav distro that you have on usb.
you are not dealing with any 32 bit distro or installers,
were talking about a 32 bit efi boot file .
Re: Old Macbooks
I've just installed Linux mint-21.3-Xface-64 bit on my old MacBook without any issues.
My mac system configurations:
- MacBook Pro 17 inch Core 2 Duo (Early 2008)
- Model Identifier: MacBook Pro4,1
- Generation: 41
- CPU speed: 2.6 GHz
Note that If your computer was manufactured after 2007, you probably have a 64-bit processor.
My mac system configurations:
- MacBook Pro 17 inch Core 2 Duo (Early 2008)
- Model Identifier: MacBook Pro4,1
- Generation: 41
- CPU speed: 2.6 GHz
Note that If your computer was manufactured after 2007, you probably have a 64-bit processor.
Re: Old Macbooks
And even if your efi is listed as 32 bit, it WILL boot with a 64 bit efi.Note that If your computer was manufactured after 2007, you probably have a 64-bit processor.
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