Hi. I will have an opportunity in the very near future to inherent a older model 27" dual core 8gb MAC. Yes, it may be old and slow by today's standards but so am I so no problem there! I think I might want to try and eventually install Linux Cinnamon or Mate on it.
Is this a good forum for advise on live booting and eventually installing Linux mint Cinnamon or Mate on a MAC? I'm just now starting to research the pros, cons & pitfalls and would appreciate any advise, questions ( like why ?), links to articles, videos, tutorials, other forums, etc. Any thing would be appreciated!
Thank you.
(SOLVED)Linux Mint on a MAC
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There are no such things as "stupid" questions. However if you think your question is a bit stupid, then this is the right place for you to post it. Stick to easy to-the-point questions that you feel people can answer fast. For long and complicated questions use the other forums in the support section.
Before you post read how to get help. Topics in this forum are automatically closed 6 months after creation.
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1NEWLINUXUSER
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(SOLVED)Linux Mint on a MAC
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catweazel
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Re: Linux Mint on a MAC
Yes.1NEWLINUXUSER wrote: ⤴Fri Nov 08, 2019 6:22 pm Is this a good forum for advise on live booting and eventually installing Linux mint Cinnamon or Mate on a MAC?
https://google.com1NEWLINUXUSER wrote:... would appreciate any ... links to articles, videos, tutorials, other forums, etc.
"There is, ultimately, only one truth -- cogito, ergo sum -- everything else is an assumption." - Me, my swansong.
Re: Linux Mint on a MAC
Download Linux Mint and create a live version on a USB flash drive. Plug the drive into the new machine, boot from USB, then experiment. There are lots of online pages on creating a live Linux Mint USB flash drive. When you have booted Linux, there are things you can do to check the hardware.
If the disk is fast, say SSD, and the processor clock speed is fast and you have a GPU, every GUI is fast. Without a GPU or a fast clock speed, you might look at a lighter weight GUI.
What size is the disk? Can you upgrade or add a second disk? When you have LM booted, open the Disks program and display the SMART data for the disk. If there are errors listed in the disk SMART data, buy a new disk.
The other thing for used machines is to vacuum all the lint out of the fans.
If the disk is fast, say SSD, and the processor clock speed is fast and you have a GPU, every GUI is fast. Without a GPU or a fast clock speed, you might look at a lighter weight GUI.
What size is the disk? Can you upgrade or add a second disk? When you have LM booted, open the Disks program and display the SMART data for the disk. If there are errors listed in the disk SMART data, buy a new disk.
The other thing for used machines is to vacuum all the lint out of the fans.
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absque fenestris
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Re: Linux Mint on a MAC
This should be an iMac and therefore have a DVD drive.
On (older) Macs the USB thing is too stupid for me: I burn a Linux ISO onto a DVD, insert the thing into the drive and reboot with the C key pressed.
That's it and it's foolproof.
On (older) Macs the USB thing is too stupid for me: I burn a Linux ISO onto a DVD, insert the thing into the drive and reboot with the C key pressed.
That's it and it's foolproof.
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Portreve
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Re: Linux Mint on a MAC
Holding down the Option key on boot will always present a graphical list of available boot options based on what's presently connected to the machine.
Flying this flag in support of freedom 🇺🇦
Recommended keyboard layout: English (intl., with AltGR dead keys)
Podcasts: Linux Unplugged, Destination Linux
Also check out Thor Hartmannsson's Linux Tips YouTube Channel
Recommended keyboard layout: English (intl., with AltGR dead keys)
Podcasts: Linux Unplugged, Destination Linux
Also check out Thor Hartmannsson's Linux Tips YouTube Channel
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1NEWLINUXUSER
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Re: Linux Mint on a MAC
Thank you all very much for the replies. Per catweazle's suggestion I've found a number of helpful articles & videos.
It is an iMac, 1tb drive, dual core, 64bit, 8gb, w/a dvd drive & sd card slot (don't think it's ever been used), it was pretty quick when new & for it's day, but now so loaded down w/my wife's stuff it's a slug! Her stuff will come off later, certainly don't want to do anything that would jeopardize it before she can get it off and on to her new machine (interesting that her new one has neither a dvd or sd slot!), would never here the end of that!
Question is/are: do you think I can use my current live boot usb drives to live boot the mac or do I have to recreate them on the mac itself; same question for the installed os on external usb drives, do you think they will work or should they recreated on the mac as well?
Thanks again.
It is an iMac, 1tb drive, dual core, 64bit, 8gb, w/a dvd drive & sd card slot (don't think it's ever been used), it was pretty quick when new & for it's day, but now so loaded down w/my wife's stuff it's a slug! Her stuff will come off later, certainly don't want to do anything that would jeopardize it before she can get it off and on to her new machine (interesting that her new one has neither a dvd or sd slot!), would never here the end of that!
Petermint, this may be a stupid question but I'll ask it anyway: I already have both Mate & Cinnamon 19.2 on separate live boot usb drives as well as each os installed on their own separate external usb stick drives. These were all done on a windows 7 pc and is what I've been using for the past 8-10 weeks on both my win7 & win10 laptops.Petermint wrote: ⤴Sat Nov 09, 2019 7:04 pm Download Linux Mint and create a live version on a USB flash drive. Plug the drive into the new machine, boot from USB, then experiment. There are lots of online pages on creating a live Linux Mint USB flash drive. When you have booted Linux, there are things you can do to check the hardware.
Question is/are: do you think I can use my current live boot usb drives to live boot the mac or do I have to recreate them on the mac itself; same question for the installed os on external usb drives, do you think they will work or should they recreated on the mac as well?
Thanks again.
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absque fenestris
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Re: Linux Mint on a MAC
The option/alt-key is not very useful for an ISO-DVD (...the startup sequence for Linux is not stored anywhere on the hard disk...).
With the C-key you force the Mac to start from the inserted medium - the built-in hard disk will be bypassed. Accordingly, the hard disk will not be changed.
The whole Linux live system is only in RAM - with 8GB built-in it works surprisingly well.
With the C-key you force the Mac to start from the inserted medium - the built-in hard disk will be bypassed. Accordingly, the hard disk will not be changed.
The whole Linux live system is only in RAM - with 8GB built-in it works surprisingly well.
Last edited by absque fenestris on Tue Nov 12, 2019 9:28 am, edited 1 time in total.
Re: Linux Mint on a MAC
You should be able to boot them on the Mac.1NEWLINUXUSER wrote: ⤴Sun Nov 10, 2019 11:41 am do you think I can use my current live boot usb drives to live boot the mac or do I have to recreate them on the mac itself
If your issue is solved, kindly indicate that by editing the first post in the topic, and adding [SOLVED] to the title. Thanks!
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1NEWLINUXUSER
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(SOLVED)Re: Linux Mint on a MAC
I really do appreciate all the input from everyone. As soon as I'm sure she's transferred all her important stuff to the new mac and is comfortable with me doing experimental things with the old one I'll start playing around with it.
Thanks again.
Thanks again.