Is Linux the Solution for an Old & Slow Mac

I had forgotten about partitioning the hard drive to add a Linux system, as I need to have access to some legacy files from my Mac Mini. Thanks for this!

Your need for an external monitor cable saved me. Been trying to figure out why I couldn’t boot for most of the day. That was the ticket!

I installed Linux Mint 21.2 Cinnamon on an old 2007 24in 2,4 GHz Core2Duo iMac (model iMac7,1) with 4 GB RAM and its original 320 GB hard disk. I'm blown away by how FAST it is! I didn't think it would work, but it even played x265 encoded movies smoothly without a hitch. A modern, capable, secure operating system with current software (LibreOffice, Firefox, etc) running on a 16 year old Mac like it is a brand-new computer - I'm VERY, VERY impressed. There is the occasional driver to install (eg my Wifi wasn't recognised) but a quick search found a suitable driver.

Why would you pick Cinnamon for such a weak device?

Stop showing your face ( every 1 knows it is your YT channel ! ) & put that camera infront of that screen zoomed in so that your audience can see the screen and what's going on in it !

From this far even i can't guess what the heck is going on

Spent way too long explaining mac stuff. The fact it is a mac, is the best reason to swap it to Linux lol. Don't dual boot though, just erase that shtty mac OS. And you had it easy. I tried this on a macbook pro of the same year and it froze on the live screen. Then after that it was all down hill. Wouldn't even read the USB after that. I hate all that is MAC and apple.

Yes.
I have a 2011 Mac mini running Ubuntu (basically just for writing and browsing) and it’s turned a throw away machine into all I need.

I will be doing the same thing on my iMac. It has an 1TB mechanical harddrive as a secondary storage, can I split that between mac and linux aswell?

Why linux?

you did not answer the question really whether linx is the solution and if you face any hardware limitations with it

HEY
i have this exact computer and i already removed the spinning disk hdd for a similar sized SSD.
BUT when i tried installing debian i had problems logging in
SO i installed elementry os instead and now similar log in problems.
I STILL get the apple ON SOUND so i suspect some firmware is borking my linux log ins.
i was able to use both linux installs for several log ins and ownloaded browsers , updated both systems
BUT now a week later it keeps asking me for my root or username login while still in terminal and then it just leaves me hanging at a terminal bash flashing cursor and i have no idea what to do?

AM i supposed to modify the firmware to use linux w/o any problems?
i honestly have no insterest in ever using mac os as we have a ten yr newer mac thats actually already slower than this one since my bro just reinstalled mac os on here before i started this.

My 2008 iMac has been my daily driver since 2009 and about four years ago once it couldn't run macos I switched to mince and it's been running perfect ever since never a glitch always fast like a brand new computer I use it everyday all day basically as it works so good I wouldn't even consider buying a newer iMac until the price has dropped dramatically to do with no problem including games

What should I do with a Mac mini mid 2010 ?

Thanks. That is exactly what I want to do.

Interesting, thanks. What the actual installer you used? I usually download a minimum installer for PCs (i386) and install over the network.

Hey, thanks for the great video! I installed Linux mint on my old imac, and it runs great, but I'm having some really not cool fan problems with it. Sometimes, the fans just go crazy for no reason, and if I install something like mbpfan, it's fine, until the machine heats up too much and shuts down by itself... would appreciate if you have any tips for this

Don't partition it bro. Just commit to Linux!

I am so have a Mac Pro 1,1 and 2,1 running as Debian 12 servers one with Jellyfin and one as a web server

Yes it is the solution I have Linux Debian with KDE plasma and cinnamon desktops on Debian 12 and it works awesome as a Jellyfin media player machine

I have a 2012 iMac and just spent forever trying to install Manjaro FXCE and then Manjaro GNOME, and in both cases it stopped up because apparently the Linux world doesn't think there's any point in including drivers for Wi-Fi in operating systems. Because who needs wi-fi, right? Can Mint handle this? I watched this wonderful video (and subscribed) but I missed if he commented on whether Linux Mint lets Linux users actually access the Internet via Wi-Fi.

Terrific video. Thanks. I'm trying to convince my son to load a Linux distro on his dated iMac. This video could help.

I put Linux Mint on an original Core2 Duo MacBook from 2008. I did the installation to a new SSD. It rocks. Mint, with its MATE desktop on a MacBook is light years ahead of Zorin OS on a Lenovo LS510. I'm considering either formatting over Zorin or opening both machines and swapping drives.

I installed ubuntu on my old mac Pro. Everything else is fine but I'm struggling getting the keyboard to work as it did on mac. I've tried the tweaking app too but still doesn't work for example the slash key, dash etc

I have been wanting to install Zorin Pro on to my old 2011 iMac, the only problem I have is no sound... Do you have a Fix for this please.. Thank You.

Will mint work on Mac mini 2007 upgraded dou core 2 cpu 3gig memory SSD hd 6 if so where is the download link
thanks

I'm new to Linux Mint and a bit of a newbie on an iMac. I've got the 2013 iMac running Linux Mint fine but with a wired keyboard and mouse. I'd like to use the original wireless iMac keyboard and mouse any pointers?

I have a 2008 iMac and Linux runs great but it's on an old version of Cinnamon 3.2.7 so it looks like I may need to upgrade it to the latest version.

Yeah let me get my display port HDMI adapter out of the dishwasher that I used last night..

Just bricked it and can't see anything on the screen ..
I guess I have to go to the store and buy the adapter..

Its to far away next time put the camera right in front of computer

I did this myself a few months ago. I installed Linux Mint on a eight year old iMac. Everything works fine except the sound. Apple must have some proprietary components to its sound card. No drivers available. Otherwise is works fine

Great video, I have installed Linux Mint on a MacBook Air including a Mac Pro, few hiccups with some windows programs, otherwise all good.

Hey everyone ! I was wondering about the fan control once you switch to Mint. I did it already BUT the fan are always at high speed and it is a SSD. However, the guy that changed the drive never installed the digital therman sensor. Does it have any impact once you switch to Linux or should I open the machine and do it ? Many thanks

Macos is so annoying, I installed unbuntu and I'm never going back.

I just got a Mac and using the terminal works but only simple commands I cannot update or upgrade from terminal even things like git clone , why can’t it work like Linux.

Is Parrot OS an option?

From Iraq - I installed OS Ventura, OS Monterey and Big Sur on this Mac and it works at a good speed. You can choose which version to run at startup

I installed Ubuntu on my iMac, but can get no sound or Wi-Fi. I can get internet via a direct cable to the router.

Thanks for the content. This video helped encouraging me to wipe out my 2011 macmini. Nice to know your Bluetooth keyboard worked out of the box in mint!

If you're doing this just and you want linux on your drive- make sure that you either buy a brand new drive to install Linux onto. If you want to install to an older drive, you'll have to use any partitioning software to delete all the partitions on the old drive. If you don't, you'll most likely experience some kind of hang effect with your bootable flash drive with your chosen distro. You may have your install menu options show up on screen - and after clicking on any your multiple choices - you'll get the same effect - kernel panic notice or just a frozen on screen boot up process from the "Live Disk" media on your flash drive.

But I can’t install linux on macbook pro 17 no driver for trackpad and the screens resolution is mismatched 😮

Is it possible to have 3 systems? Mac os, linux and windows 10 on a single ssd?

When you first use the USB drive to run Mint, before installing to the HD....use this time to see if all your hardware works properly or is at least recognized. You don't want to install just to find out your NVIDIA card is not supported, or the wifi doesn't work. Wifi is easy, you can just plug in a usb dongle. But video is another matter. Integrated graphics (shared memory) work flawlessly.

OpenCore Legacy Patcher and Linux are the best options. I do prefer OCLP as it will let me run Ventura on my 2011 iMac

does wifi work on yours? it doesnt on me and I have a similar mac ?

How did you get Catalina on it?! Opencore Legacy Patcher?

So... to be clear... I'm trying to do this with Fedora on a similar Mac now. Did you only create 1 partition for the linux install?

how to you make linux to default and not boot to mac os when I turn on my pc

great I've done this but the nets not working installing Linux is not easy