Linux Mint Forums

Hello,
[Let me just tell you that I am portuguese so english is not my native language so the text may have some errors I apologize in advance]
I need some help installing Linux Mint on my Macbook. It is a (2007) Macbook 2,1 - 2,16 Intel Core 2 Duo Processor - 4 GB RAM (I made an upgrade)
So I am try to create a MintBook so I will like to not keep the OSX I have in that laptop (is Snow Leopard btw)
I spend the last week try every possible tutorial I find and only one kind work because I could not install the OS grub fatal error.

I am here asking if anyone knows or try to install it and if is possible and I will appreciate any help that you can give me.

First of all I could not boot the liveCD USB from macbook direct I only can boot if I use refit/refind I don't know why but it is impossible so far.
Second I try in liveCD USB remove all disk partitions and create one 100mb boot partition with refind it work the first time the I got some problems with grub as I said and know I try to create that partitions but some how mac doesn't boot from that anymore.
Third even if I manage to put the refind partition in a disk to work again with the LiveCD USB I cannot complete the rest of linux installation because when the installation gets to the part that is installing grub always give me a fatal error I already try to install it in that boot partition (sdX1) and in sdX that is the supposed place to be install in a "normal" installation I try some command that I find in some forum that I think is use for arch linux installation but doesn't work ether.

I don't know what to do anymore and really giving up on the idea of having a mintBook.

Hope some one can help or at least know something.

Best Regards, skinvic23

You may need to change your settings in Open Firmware (Mac's version of a BIOS) to get it to boot from USB or CD.

I have no experience with Mac, so that's all I can do.

What 'options' do you get when you get the grey bootscreen? 2007 Macs have 32bit efi so you can only boot 32bit Mint in efi mode (that can dual-boot with osx). If you boot non-efi you can install 64bit Mint (but no osx dual-boot).

How to boot non-efi? On my 5.4 MBP all I need to do is boot from DVD (this might be a bug) or use any option that doesn't start with 'efi', like 'windows', 'dvd' or 'usb'.

If, after booting, you're not sure which mode your Live medium is booted in (and which mode it will therefore install if you start the installer), run

Following the specs here : http://www.everymac.com/systems/apple/m ... _1.83.html
the processor is also 32-bit. So even non-efi you have to install 32-bit.

I think the simplest is to burn a live DVD and install in Legacy/BIOS mode.
You will probably need to reformat the hard drive to use a MBR/msdos partition table. You can do that easily with gparted when you have booted the live linux : Menu > Administration > gparted, then Peripheric > create a new partition table and choose msdos. After the reformatting, you can proceed to a standard install.

Se é melhor pra você, eu posso escrever um pouco portuguese.

Good call, fabien85, however, we are both wrong:

It is a (2007) Macbook 2,1 - 2,16 Intel Core 2 Duo Processor

which isn't actually a Macbook 2,1 but a Macbook 4,1:

Apple MacBook "Core 2 Duo" 2.1 13" (White-08)
Identifiers: Early 2008 - MB402LL/A* - MacBook4,1 - A1181 - 2242
processor 64bit and efi 64bit
http://www.everymac.com/systems/apple/m ... specs.html

That changes what I posted before, 64bit should definitely work efi and non-efi. However, since the disk may still be setup as gpt booting efi might be easier to get to work.

According to some people there might be the case that this model due to some Usb bug can only boot efi via DVD, so that would be worth a try. It's important, as fabien85 said, that the disk setup matches the install mode, so if you manage to boot efi, partitioning table should be gpt as it was when osx was on it (there must be a small 'efi' boot partition). If you do not manage to boot efi then follow fabien85:

Menu > Administration > gparted, then Peripheric > create a new partition table and choose msdos

After that you should even be fine to use the 'use the whole disk' option.

Oops, I searched for A1181 and took the first reply, but apparently there is more than one A1181 model...
With all 64-bit, it would indeed be easier to install EFI mode.
Several of this early models had only partial support for booting via USB. In case needed, the easiest way to boot on the DVD is to press C during boot.

I went looking for answers last night, and I found this article that says even when Apple went to a 64 bit EFI that they continued to restrict booting to 32 bit software for several years.

http://www.everymac.com/mac-answers/sno ... -mode.html

I think installing the 32 bit version of Linux Mint will relieve your frustration.

Good one, yep, the 'hack' here:
http://netkas.org/?p=189 mentions the macbook 4,1 in 2012 as doable but with screen brightness and sleep/resume issues on 64bit that they didn't have on 32bit.

Better to try a 32bit system first maybe; I used to have 32bit Mate 17 on a 2007 Imac Core2Duo 2.0Ghz, very similar to macbook 4,1. It worked so well, it won me over ...

I am learning so much from you folks!

The "2,16" makes me think that is 2.16 GHz, and that this is the OP's machine...

http://www.everymac.com/systems/apple/m ... specs.html

From the article I previously linked, all of the listed MacBooks with 64 bit EFIs were crippled by Apple to only boot 32 bit.

I inherited...

"Apple MacBook Pro "Core 2 Duo" 2.33 15" Specs
Identifiers: Core 2 Duo/Late 2006 - MA610LL - MacBookPro2,2 - A1211 - 2120"

...from my son after the MagSafe cord did not prevent it and a cup of coffee from crashing to the floor. I had replaced the original damaged HD with a 1 TB. An old GF gave me hers when her GPU died, and I have combined them. It is not pretty, but at 10+ years old, it is lucky to be alive.

It actually has a 32 bit EFI! I thought the 64 bit CPU was going to make life wonderful before I spent days like the OP trying to follow the directions of many articles. I finally have 32 bit LM 18.1 MATE, and Ubuntu 16.04.2 and 16.10 running on it.

I'm so glad to have some experienced Mac users to help with our special problems! Apple/Linux seems like an especially difficult way to begin.

I picked up a scraptop last week MacBook 2.1 (white) I did a shortcut and installed 2 GIG of ram and Linux Mint 18.1 Cinnamon 64. I installed the hard drive in a Toshiba L305 and then reinstalled it in the Macbook. I gave the computer install in the little box in the install password page that it was a Macbook2. it accepted it!
I reinstalled the HD in the Macbook and it is running Linux OK. The camera does not work yet, and the Macbook thinks it has 2 ac adapters connected. The battery and charging system does not appear to be working but everything else is happy. The DVD plays also. I tried putting in 2-2GIG ram cards but one was bad. The display wouldn't light up and the HDD kept running.

If you still got an osx you need to install and run isight-firmware-tools to extract the isight firmware, more here:
https://help.ubuntu.com/community/Macte ... ppleiSight

As far as I remember you can also point isight-firmware-tools to isight.fw if you manage to get the file from somewhere else ...

I installed "isight" by the "ubuntu site". Did not get the camera to work yet. The software manager acknowledged the install from the app in LM. The battery function in the power statistics disappeared and the battery icon is gone now. Only the brightness icon like on a desktop. Laptops typically share the battery icon with the brightness control. in the Power statistics tables the only table is the "Details" with no controls or history now for controlling the charge rate.

I installed "isight" by the "ubuntu site"

Not clear what that is. The package you should be looking for in package manager is isight-firmware-tools but it will only help if you got either:
- an osx install on the system or
- downloaded the file isight.fw from the net somewhere or
- you can find and copy the file from an osx dvd

After installing the package run it in terminal: it will try to find the firmware on the osx install or ask you to point to the isight.fw and it will then install it to your Mint.

I cannot log onto this site yet with the MacBook. The isight I installed was through the LM software manager. The battery icon and the tables in Power Statistics table disappeared when the battery gave up it's last gasp. I put in another one today and the 2 functions including control of how fast it charges seems to work now. I am still working on fixing the DVD ( internal PIA). The OSX is missing but next week I will be putting together a flash drive with LM live and the apple OSX drivers for this series computer. This will make the camera work and also work directly as a flash live boot for this series MacBook. The LM live Flash drives I have for PC based laptops are not seen by the Apple boot screen.

karl@karl-MacBook2 ~ $ inxi -Fxzd
System: Host: karl-MacBook2 Kernel: 4.4.0-53-generic x86_64 (64 bit gcc: 5.4.0)
Desktop: Cinnamon 3.2.7 (Gtk 3.18.9-1ubuntu3.1)
Distro: Linux Mint 18.1 Serena
Machine: System: Apple product: MacBook2 1 v: 1.0
Mobo: Apple model: Mac-F4208CA9 v: PVT
Bios: Apple v: MB21.88Z.00A5.B07.0706270922 date: 06/27/07
CPU: Dual core Intel Core2 T7200 (-MCP-) cache: 4096 KB
flags: (lm nx sse sse2 sse3 ssse3 vmx) bmips: 7979
clock speeds: max: 2000 MHz 1: 2000 MHz 2: 1667 MHz
Graphics: Card: Intel Mobile 945GM/GMS 943/940GML Express Integrated Graphics Controller
bus-ID: 00:02.0
Display Server: X.Org 1.18.4 drivers: intel (unloaded: fbdev,vesa)
Resolution: 1280x800@59.91hz
GLX Renderer: Mesa DRI Intel 945GM
GLX Version: 1.4 Mesa 11.2.0 Direct Rendering: Yes
Audio: Card Intel NM10/ICH7 Family High Definition Audio Controller
driver: snd_hda_intel bus-ID: 00:1b.0
Sound: Advanced Linux Sound Architecture v: k4.4.0-53-generic
Network: Card-1: Marvell 88E8053 PCI-E Gigabit Ethernet Controller
driver: sky2 v: 1.30 port: 1000 bus-ID: 01:00.0
IF: enp1s0 state: up speed: 1000 Mbps duplex: full mac: <filter>
Card-2: Qualcomm Atheros AR5418 Wireless Network Adapter [AR5008E 802.11(a)bgn] (PCI-Express)
driver: ath9k bus-ID: 02:00.0
IF: wls1 state: up mac: <filter>
Drives: HDD Total Size: 320.1GB (2.5% used)
ID-1: /dev/sda model: WDC_WD3200BEKX size: 320.1GB
Optical: No optical drives detected.
Partition: ID-1: / size: 291G used: 5.8G (3%) fs: ext4 dev: /dev/dm-0
ID-2: /boot size: 472M used: 61M (14%) fs: ext2 dev: /dev/sda1
ID-3: swap-1 size: 2.01GB used: 0.00GB (0%) fs: swap dev: /dev/dm-1
RAID: No RAID devices: /proc/mdstat, md_mod kernel module present
Sensors: System Temperatures: cpu: 63.0C mobo: N/A
Fan Speeds (in rpm): cpu: N/A
Info: Processes: 179 Uptime: 30 min Memory: 737.7/1969.3MB
Init: systemd runlevel: 5 Gcc sys: 5.4.0
Client: Shell (bash 4.3.461) inxi: 2.2.35
karl@karl-MacBook2 ~ $
Logged in with MacBook!

I am still without DVD drive as the original one crashed because 2 of the 3 mounting screws were missing and the DVD I had put into the drive would not eject.
Aside from that The Macbook seems to be working pretty good. I it is a bit slower than I would have expected with an intel dual core processor running at 2 GHZ.

Cool, it's the first time that I read that someone installed Mint on a second machine, then transferred the drive back into a MB and it works.

Out of interest, you must have installed non-efi at the Toshiba, right? On your MB's Mint could you run: Does it return 'BIOS'?

it is a bit slower than I would have expected with an intel dual core

Since you're good at getting the disk out swap it for an ssd, that is probably the main bottle neck.

No it does not yet. I volunteer at a non profit recycling computers ans installing LM17.1 Cinnamon. I install newer distros. This is the first time I have tried a Mac or an apple product. We received a large number of old MacBooks from a large school district. Many are used for parts to recover laptops or desktops. They are then sold as Scraptops, (like this one) with no HDD or Supply. The hard drives are wiped and sold as options if the HDD checks OK in the shop. Wall Warts are sold as an option but batteries are not. Some batteries are usable. Scraptops are also the ones with at least a dual core and have 2 GIG of RAM included. Most have VDV burners. They sell for about $20. Wall Warts are also about $20 except for the Apple mag connector supplies at $30. HDD are $20-$30.
Higher end laptops are in the $120 - $270 range for quad core third gen i7's with 4-8 GIG of DDR3 ram and all the rest of the bells and whistles.
Desktops complete are in the $100 - $240 range.
When refurbishing laptops we install preformatted drives after setting up the Bios. Things are checked out and parts replaced as necessary. If the unit does not look and run like new it never hits the floor for resale. Stickers and ex-owner ID is removed. They are warranted.
The MacBook I am working on is/was a scraptop that no one else was able to get running.
BTW the use of the terminal command sudo apt-get install linux-firmware worked well I think! it seems to run faster than it did once it was rebooted.

Hi guys, and OP (sou português tás com sorte eheh), ive just finished a deployment on a A1181 with mint 18.1 cinnamon as DE and several virtual machines within, running smooth (windows 10, windows 7).

Was a fight but got it all to work accordingly! Including the camera, all goes at 100%! Since I'm new to the forum, and private messaging isn't active at the time as it seems, I couldn't message the OP with same language tutorial since im PT too ahah, but I'll leave this here, and for what I read, seems that no solution yet so, first I'd like to point out that no one mentioned Rufus as the USB media creation tool, if under windows, or with a computer runnin windows, boot happens without any hassle, always at first, formatted this baby like 9 times till I got it all right ahah.

So let me know if you still need help!

Cheers

x3n0m0rph wrote: ↑

Wed Jun 28, 2017 12:49 am

formatted this baby like 9 times till I got it all right ahah.
Cheers

Hi,
I'm going to buy one and installing Linux is must for me. Could you please provide more details. How did you formatted it using Rufus, what options? Like, GPT with UEFI, MBR with UEFI, MBR with BIOS and UEFI? Was it 32 or 64 bit linux?

Okay, I will share my experience here. I was using Rufus.
For Ubuntu\Mint:

• In Rufus use GPT with UEFI option and FAT32. You will need 64bit version use GPT with UEFI. After select ISO mode.

• After installing you probably will have WiFi issue. firmware-b43-installer fixes it. https://medium.com/@david.pena.sf/i-ins ... e25278bf5a

• After installing you may want fix F1..F12 keys help.ubuntu.com/community/AppleKeyboard

For Manjaro:

• Instead of ISO select DD mode.

• To fix WiFi b43legacy and b43-firmware-classic https://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/broadcom_wireless

• To fix F1...F12 https://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/Apple_Keyboard

If you want 32bit you might try DVD instead of USB - but I have no experience with it.

UPD: need to remove WiFi broadcom-wl driver https://forum.manjaro.org/t/solved-newb ... ssue/35153