Just a thought: does Startup Disk pref pane "see" a 64 bit distro? If so, try a restart, using the distro to boot.
Got a tip for us?
Let us know
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.
Can I install Linux on my iMac?
- Thread starter 2012Tony2012
- Start date
- Sort by reaction score
Fedora burned ok and READABLE DVD after. Yet around 2 minutes into running the Fedora DVD, it just stops and dies and sits there and does nothing
So it seems 64bit is definitely not going to work on this iMac 2007.
----------
Sorry I have no idea what you just said
----------
But why does the Mint 32bit ISO work then? It burns and is READABLE and I was even able to load Mint from the DVD.
The only reason I can't use the 32bit Mint though is that it doesn't seem to detect the iMac lan card, hence, no ability to wireless my router to get onto the internet
Sorry I have no idea what you just said
(
If you click on Apple Menu and highlight System Preferences, you will see a Startup Disk pref pane. Click on that - with a 64 bit distro loaded, and check if it is shown as a startup option. If it does, you can restart with it.
If it does not show up, then, for some reason, your Mac doesn't like 64 bit.
Fedora burned ok and READABLE DVD after. Yet around 2 minutes into running the Fedora DVD, it just stops and dies and sits there and does nothing
So it seems 64bit is definitely not going to work on this iMac 2007.
I don't think that's a 64 bit issue. There are two things you can try
1.) Wait about 10 minutes and see what happens. Fedora generally takes a long time to boot the live CD before you install it. 10 minutes is much longer than necessary, so if it hasn't booted by then, you have a problem with the CD.
2.) Try a bootable USB instead. I had to do this once when I could not get the CD to get past the Fedora logo in the center. This was on a 64 bit Intel powered Asus, not a Mac, so it is probably not your computer's problem or related to 64 bit hardware. I think there may be issues with how they generate their ISOs because a USB worked fine. Make sure you follow their instructions for creating bootable media exactly as they say, because not all methods will result in a bootable device. I found that out the hard way too.
Two questions please:
1. Can I install Linux on my iMac 2007?
2. Which Linux distro is the best at the moment?
Reason? Because my Mac is running on 4GB RAM but slow as a snail with Maverick
Thank you
I think you need to format drive and install clean copy of Mavericks. There is no reason it should run slow..
Fedora ISO burned ok and was READABLE by Mac, but during loading it stops a few minutes into it and sits there frozen screen and nothing happens, even after waiting for ages.
And Ubuntu 32bit or 64bit becomes UNREADABLE on Mac.
So I tried MINT 32bit ISO as 64bit doesn't work, and I am now running 32bit MINT Linux and it runs smooth, fast and great So much smoother and faster than Maverick, my Mac is flying along and in Maverick I was always waiting and waiting for Apps to open and hard drive grinding away, but in Mint Linux the hard drive doesn't grind and Apps open super fast.
Even on a clean Maverick install with a few essential Apps. it runs like a pig on my Imac 2007 and 4GB RAM, so I am happy I was able to install and run MINT Linux
And Ubuntu 32bit or 64bit becomes UNREADABLE on Mac.
So I tried MINT 32bit ISO as 64bit doesn't work, and I am now running 32bit MINT Linux and it runs smooth, fast and great
So much smoother and faster than Maverick, my Mac is flying along and in Maverick I was always waiting and waiting for Apps to open and hard drive grinding away, but in Mint Linux the hard drive doesn't grind and Apps open super fast.Even on a clean Maverick install with a few essential Apps. it runs like a pig on my Imac 2007 and 4GB RAM, so I am happy I was able to install and run MINT Linux
Fedora ISO burned ok and was READABLE by Mac, but during loading it stops a few minutes into it and sits there frozen screen and nothing happens, even after waiting for ages.
And Ubuntu 32bit or 64bit becomes UNREADABLE on Mac.
So I tried MINT 32bit ISO as 64bit doesn't work, and I am now running 32bit MINT Linux and it runs smooth, fast and great
Even on a clean Maverick install with a few essential Apps. it runs like a pig on my Imac 2007 and 4GB RAM, so I am happy I was able to install and run MINT Linux
Glad to hear you have it working. Mint is a great OS. It has easily overtaken Ubuntu in terms of usability and stability in my experience.
UPDATE: May have to go back to Maverick, as running Mint Linux makes my iMac run really hot, hot to touch the monitor, especially on top.
I read some people experience their laptops etc running really hot once Mint was installed.
I read some people experience their laptops etc running really hot once Mint was installed.
Try installing TLP. It's a power management tool designed for Linux laptops that may help.
First update all your software.
Code:
sudo apt-get update && apt-get upgradeThen install TLP.
Code:
sudo add-apt-repository ppa:linrunner/tlp
sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get install tlp tlp-rdw
sudo tlp startThese commands will add the necessary repository to get TLP, update the repository list so apt-get knows to look there, and will install it. The last command starts TLP; there is no configuration necessary.
Lots of info about TLP here: https://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/TLP and here: http://linrunner.de/en/tlp/docs/tlp-configuration.html
This tool is aimed at laptops, but the AC power management settings might work for a desktop too, though I have not tried it. You may also want to open up the system monitor and see how much CPU you're using.
Last edited:
Tried that, made no difference. I notice the internal fan on the iMac is a lot louder when running Mint.
Oh well back on Maverick
Maverick is SO SLOW running compared to how Mint was running. Real shame I had to go back to Maverick.
Do you know what I can do to try to speed up my Mac as it grinds away when loading Apps etc. It's iMac 2007 and 4GB RAM. When I check free RAM after a reboot, it says 2.2GB FREE, but then it slowly starts going down and down and gets slower and slower. But even when I run a RAM cleaning app which says I now have more than 2GB free RAM again, Maverick starts getting slower and slower again after awhile. It's crazy! Any ideas?
Hey.
The OP may be long gone at this point, but search engine results often contain forum (or mailing list) threads like this one. It's just a stab in the dark, but it might help others, even on different hardware.
After reading through all this, a really simple, and perhaps even a bit silly thought struck me: Perhaps the unit is full of dust and being powered down by Maverick. The absence, or perhaps misconfiguration of power management features during the Linux Mint attempt might have caused the unit to run at its normal performance, in which case the overheating could have been a result of encumbered airflow.
The OP may be long gone at this point, but search engine results often contain forum (or mailing list) threads like this one. It's just a stab in the dark, but it might help others, even on different hardware.
After reading through all this, a really simple, and perhaps even a bit silly thought struck me: Perhaps the unit is full of dust and being powered down by Maverick. The absence, or perhaps misconfiguration of power management features during the Linux Mint attempt might have caused the unit to run at its normal performance, in which case the overheating could have been a result of encumbered airflow.
Old forum posts with random helpful bumps are where I get most of my help with problemsHey.
The OP may be long gone at this point, but search engine results often contain forum (or mailing list) threads like this one. It's just a stab in the dark, but it might help others, even on different hardware.
After reading through all this, a really simple, and perhaps even a bit silly thought struck me: Perhaps the unit is full of dust and being powered down by Maverick. The absence, or perhaps misconfiguration of power management features during the Linux Mint attempt might have caused the unit to run at its normal performance, in which case the overheating could have been a result of encumbered airflow.
I've found that now that Windows 10 & most updated Linux distros can better integrate with EFI, the hardware on my Macs runs much cooler; the fans spin like under OS X instead of waiting until the computer is burning hot to suddenly blare at full speed. No more needing fan control. If I use MBR for compatibility I get the same old problems.
Could be unrelated and just due to improvements in software, but it might be good for people to make sure they hold alt/option down on boot and select Efi boot when they go to install Windows/Linux on a Mac as it often doesn't work automatically.
[doublepost=1469891879][/doublepost]I love linux on my older iMac with a intel core2 I'm just going to answer to the pain of not booting..UPDATE: I just burned the 32bit Ubuntu and the DVD is READABLE!
Can someone please explain to me, why when I burn any 64bit Linux ISO the Mac complains the DVD is UNREADABLE after burning process completes, however when burning the 32bit ISO, the DVD is READABLE after the burning process.
I tried multiple ISO's, Mint Linux 64bit, Ubuntu 64bit etc, and they all turn out UNREADABLE!
I thought my iMac 2007 can read 64bit burned DVDs, so how come it says it's UNREADABLE?
So does this mean I have to install 32bit Ubuntu or 32 Mint Linux, and that I cannot install the 64 bit version?
I have to say that the .ISO standard is really quite "perfect" and
while Mac is assembled with very good hardware there is still a
process of troubleshooting an "unreadable" situation..It sounds
like you were trying to "read" the DVD while in an operating OSX?
environment. Linux distributions are not used that way. On your
MAC, with the option key depressed, turning the machine ON, almost
ANY DVD should be readable.. is that where the errors occur? is that
no-go at start-up occuring?
If you burn a CD/DVD (ISO) assume it will start your MAC OK and if
it does NOT...
Test it on another PC/Laptop/Whatever (Your burner may be a bit konkey)
Burn the DVD on another nmachine (IF yours is konkey, it may still refuse to boot)
If all fails, get an external drive at the Goodskill Thrift store.
(the external may boot where others wont)
Make the next DVD on your $4 external DVD, then try booting.
[doublepost=1469892471][/doublepost]
Hey.
The OP may be long gone at this point, but search engine results often contain forum (or mailing list) threads like this one. It's just a stab in the dark, but it might help others, even on different hardware.
After reading through all this, a really simple, and perhaps even a bit silly thought struck me: Perhaps the unit is full of dust and being powered down by Maverick. The absence, or perhaps misconfiguration of power management features during the Linux Mint attempt might have caused the unit to run at its normal performance, in which case the overheating could have been a result of encumbered airflow.
I once cleaned a twin 386 CPU/dell server in a pizza parlor..as it went from the bleeping box to wide open as I pulled greasy dust muffs out of the fan(s) but I doubt it here. Apple quit supporting certain OS's (can anyone say XP?) Debian is a GREAT OS for Apple hardware, detsined for the aluminum scrap pile. .\
The problem is, people get faster (at least the expectations do) a solid state hard drive is absolute best one time shot at perking up.