Installing Linux on a late 2007 iMac without CD-ROM Drive?

[Hugh]

I have a Late 2007 iMac that doesn't have a CD-ROM drive in it (it was pulled years ago, it kept scratching discs). Is it possible to install Linux using a Jump Drive, if so which Distro is good for this? I want to be able to install a Full Distro on this Mac?

=Hugh

 

[Altemose]

I have a Late 2007 iMac that doesn't have a CD-ROM drive in it (it was pulled years ago, it kept scratching discs). Is it possible to install Linux using a Jump Drive, if so which Distro is good for this? I want to be able to install a Full Distro on this Mac?

=Hugh

You can install Ubuntu or any other distro using the numerous guides on Google, but keep in mind that you are going to have to use a bootloader like rEFInd to make Linux work on a Mac. Ubuntu and Linux Mint are the two most popular distros for people looking for an end to end install, but for those who want to "build" the OS exactly like they want by trying GUIs and what not then Debian is a good way to go.

 

[Hugh]

I have actually found an enteral optical drive and was able to install Ubuntu, Mint, Centos, and Solydx. Solydx was actually the easiest for me to install and setup <I don't know why, people do tell me Mint is not only you.>. EFI install made the install a lot easier for me to select by holding down the OPTION key at boot up without using a Boot loader. Sure a boot loader make it easier, but I mostly use Mac OS and wanted Linux as something to mess around with.

-Hugh

 

[supermariofan25]

I have had luck with making Linux (or at least GRUB) show in the 'hold down alt' boot menu using EFI installs of Ubuntu and even Linux Mint, I even made a post on how this could be used to make boot-able external USB drives with Linux on Mac Rumors Forums not long ago.

 

[Hugh]

I have had luck with making Linux (or at least GRUB) show in the 'hold down alt' boot menu using EFI installs of Ubuntu and even Linux Mint, I even made a post on how this could be used to make boot-able external USB drives with Linux on Mac Rumors Forums not long ago.

Well this is what I am doing, I'm holding down the option key to start EFI installs, no problem. I would like to see it on the Startup Panel but beggars can't be choosy. (NOTE: I have no idea what I am doing at this time other then having fun learning! LOL).

Now something interesting has happened, I now see my EFI partition and Recovery HD partition. Anyway to for me to re-hide the Recovery HD?

Thanks.

=Hugh

 

[supermariofan25]

Anyway to for me to re-hide the Recovery HD?

Other then removing the Recovery HD, none that I know of.

 

[Hugh]

Fair enough, not that big a deal to be honest, I thought I would ask.

=Hugh

 

[lowendlinux]

Where don't you want to see it?

 

[Hugh]

Never mind now that I think about it, I can just unmount it, and then I wouldn't see it until next startup.

=Hugh

 

[supermariofan25]

Never mind now that I think about it, I can just unmount it, and then I wouldn't see it until next startup.

=Hugh

Wait... I must have miss read your post. Do you mean that both the EFI and recovery partition have shown up once booted into OS X? If so then Linux might have been screwing around with the partition table on your hard drive and OS X might complain that it is corrupt if you do a verify and restore in Disk Utility. It's a pain in the ass and I have seen it a couple of times my self but only when installing Linux on the internal drive, it only happened once I tired to remove the Linux partition with Disk Utility that they started showing up and Disk Utility complained that the drive was messed up and suggested that I should backup my files and re-initialize.

 

[Hugh]

Linux is installed on a external drive but I think it edited the EFI drive because I have to pick the EFI partition to boot into Linux, and it complains if the external drive is offline or isn't there. (Understandable).

As for it playing with the partition table on the internal drive even though it wasn't installed there doesn't matter to me at this point. I'm going to re-do the internal drive anyways, it was more an experiment anyways.. :/

=Hugh