Save an old mac from the scrapyard (intel mac mini)

[clm1919]

The TL;DR of it is I have "inherited" (saved from the scrapyard?) a relative's old Intel based Mac Mini (1.83Gz core duo). I recall people putting Linux on these in ages gone by, but it required a firmware update (1,1 to 2,1) and most of the links I've found are either dead or not really relevant to a machine so old.

The machine boots into snow leopard (10.6.8 - the last MacOS I used) and i bought a 4GB ram kit, because i forgot it needs the firmware update to see the ram...so on a shelf it went for a long while. Not sure if it also HAS to have a CPU upgrade also.

I used to be a heavy mac user/promoter (still have my MacSE/30, 3660 and a PM9??0 in the closet....still dust off the SE/30 every now and then for nostalgia).

I remember suggesting this very mac-mini way back in 2006(?). But by that time I long ago got tired of CPU/OS9/X/windows compatibility issues and just went with the herd...if apple was using x86 it was cheaper to build your own PC and choose your own OS.

Now I'm playing with Linux again after so many years and want to try to put Linux on this little bitty machine (it has an optical drive , but am 100% sure it needs a firmware update. And i can't find the old tutorials regarding the firmware process.

any guidance would be greatly appreciated. I'd hate to "recycle" this thing.

 

[flaubert]

Have you seen this video:

@dosdude1 is a well-trusted member of the macrumors community.

 

[Rainbow Apple]

it needs a firmware update. And i can't find the old tutorials regarding the firmware process.

Have you tried booting up MacOS, and then checking for OS updates? Maybe that's all that's needed to find the firmware update.

 

[carylee2002]

dosdude1 is the standard for firmware that is outdated...I haven't used them for years since I have upgraded but then again I prefer to keep apple out of my way by staying in older os if it is running great.