What have you done with an early Intel recently?

[DCBassman]

This week’s challenge. Been working for a while on a Late-2011 13” MBP I’ve been trying to set up as a simple Linux machine for a family member. All the upgrades/hardware fixing is now done, just waiting on a new battery to arrive, but the OS install has been a journey. 😅

Whatever distro I tried (Mint Cinnamon, Mint XFCE, Debian, Lubuntu), the trackpad was misbehaving. Just laggy/jerky in use, or even just stopping/stalling altogether. Made the device basically unusable. Tried the synaptic drivers instead of libinput. Tried swapping the trackpad for one from a donor unit. No difference. Worked fine with a wired mouse. Worked fine when I booted to the live environments on a different MacBook. Just wouldn’t work here, no matter what googled advice I threw at the terminal. 😔

Eventually gave up and started again. Wiped the SSD, reinstalled Sierra 10.12.6 to verify the hardware was fine in macOS (it was). Then tried the Mint Cinnamon live environment again. This time, switching to the synaptic driver seemed to work. 🤷‍♂️ So I re-installed to the SSD, updated the driver and then upgraded to 22.3 via Upgrade Manager. And…it seems to be ok now? Pointer speed is a bit slow even at the fastest setting, but no more stalls/freezing/lag. 😀

The other issue is WiFi. I had an issue with a previous 2011 MBP on Mint where every now and again the WiFi would just drop. And then when I went to toggle the WiFi off and on again to reconnect, the entire device would freeze and I’d have to force a reboot to get it working again. That same issue happened once during my setup of this new device (when running update manager for the first time). I’ve changed some Broadcom driver bits and bobs, so will have to see if that stabilises things, because I don’t want to have the thing disconnecting all the time when the family member takes ownership. 🫣

Fun, fun, fun.

Try MX on these. On all my 2011s, it just works.

 

[Minghold]

Try MX on these. On all my 2011s, it just works.

If it has 8gb ram, put Mojave on it*, then MX in a Parallels 18 VM. (*https://forums.macrumors.com/thread....2121473/page-799?post=34394213#post-34394213)

 

[JulianStaples]

MX has gone onto the Plan B list. At the moment (touch wood 🫣) the WiFi connection on the full clean reinstall and upgrade to Mint 22.3 seems to be holding. By which I mean I've kept the laptop on for 24 hours and checked I can still reach websites every now and again. Pro-level troubleshooting.

And in the meantime, I've made some happy progress simplifying the OS to be out-the-box usable for an elderly relative who will only really need it to look up cake recipes online, figure out how to drive to nearby places and play solitaire. 😊

 

[DCBassman]

If it has 8gb ram, put Mojave on it*, then MX in a Parallels 18 VM. (*https://forums.macrumors.com/thread....2121473/page-799?post=34394213#post-34394213)

Fine if you *must* have some flavour of macOS. Otherwise, why bother? I think @JulianStaples , like me, has lots of play machines. No need for multi-boot or VMs. If you've no particular need for any macOS-centric software, then having macOS is unnecessary...

 

[JulianStaples]

Yes, this machine is destined for my 75 year old mother to replace a dead old Windows 7 laptop. As much as I'd like to think she needs a custom Mojave build dual booting with a Linux VM, it's going to be enough of a technological leap for her to understand that the little orange fox logo is now where the internet is, in the absence of Internet Explorer 11. 😅

 

[DCBassman]

Yes, this machine is destined for my 75 year old mother to replace a dead old Windows 7 laptop. As much as I'd like to think she needs a custom Mojave build dual booting with a Linux VM, it's going to be enough of a technological leap for her to understand that the little orange fox logo is now where the internet is, in the absence of Internet Explorer 11. 😅

Ok, MX slightly less a good idea, then.

 

[JulianStaples]

Ok, MX slightly less a good idea, then.

To be fair, I think I could customise MX in a similar way to what I've done with Mint. But I’m more familiar with the Mint UI, which will make it easier for me to fix things over the phone if/when something goes wrong. 🙂 Assuming the WiFi continues to hold up, my final task is to hide the update manager notifications so I can just run those in bulk for her when I visit.

Basically, this little project is partly to offload one of my old perfectly usable MBPs that would otherwise just sit in a cupboard somewhere and partly to avoid replacing the dead W7 device with either a Chromebook or Windows 11.

 

[DCBassman]

Yes, this machine is destined for my 75 year old mother to replace a dead old Windows 7 laptop. As much as I'd like to think she needs a custom Mojave build dual booting with a Linux VM, it's going to be enough of a technological leap for her to understand that the little orange fox logo is now where the internet is, in the absence of Internet Explorer 11. 😅

On a more serious note, one of the things she's going to miss is the 'delete' key...

 

[DCBassman]

To be fair, I think I could customise MX in a similar way to what I've done with Mint. But I’m more familiar with the Mint UI, which will make it easier for me to fix things over the phone if/when something goes wrong. 🙂 Assuming the WiFi continues to hold up, my final task is to hide the update manager notifications so I can just run those in bulk for her when I visit.

Basically, this little project is partly to offload one of my old perfectly usable MBPs that would otherwise just sit in a cupboard somewhere and partly to avoid replacing the dead W7 device with either a Chromebook or Windows 11.

Yup, absolutely makes sense, good plan.

 

[Minghold]

Fine if you *must* have some flavour of macOS. Otherwise, why bother? I think @JulianStaples , like me, has lots of play machines. No need for multi-boot or VMs. If you've no particular need for any macOS-centric software, then having macOS is unnecessary...

1. MacOS (particularly Mojave and earlier) run a lot leaner in terms of ram usage on MBs than linux distros of equivalent GUI polish, and it's a lot easier to disable various Apple annoyances (MRT, MDS_stores, etc) than figuring out why KDE is bring a slob.

2. Mojave and earlier can run 32bit apps, most of which are way smaller and way faster than their 64bit counterparts (Yay! Peggle!). Mojave can also "see" into HFS, HFS+, APFS, Fat32, exFAT, and NTFS media, and write into most without widget assistance, making it ideal for when you find a mystery drive gathering dust in a drawer.

3. Most linux distros don't have proprietary Mac drivers out-of-box (especially Broadcom wifi), severely limiting your options.

4. Parallels 18 VMs can utilize hypervirtualization, and share file "commons" such as desktop and download folders with MacOS. You also don't have to mess around with external set-up media (e.g., MX-linux is notorious for not working well with Yumi/Ventoy drives); all you need is a stockpile of ISOs.

 

[DCBassman]

1. MacOS (particularly Mojave and earlier) run a lot leaner in terms of ram usage on MBs than linux distros of equivalent GUI polish, and it's a lot easier to disable various Apple annoyances (MRT, MDS_stores, etc) than figuring out why KDE is bring a slob.

2. Mojave and earlier can run 32bit apps, most of which are way smaller and way faster than their 64bit counterparts (Yay! Peggle!). Mojave can also "see" into HFS, HFS+, APFS, Fat32, exFAT, and NTFS media, and write into most without widget assistance, making it ideal for when you find a mystery drive gathering dust in a drawer.

3. Most linux distros don't have proprietary Mac drivers out-of-box (especially Broadcom wifi), severely limiting your options.

4. Parallels 18 VMs can utilize hypervirtualization, and share file "commons" such as desktop and download folders with MacOS. You also don't have to mess around with external set-up media (e.g., MX-linux is notorious for not working well with Yumi/Ventoy drives); all you need is a stockpile of ISOs.

Yup, get all that, but not needed at all for Julian's intended use. However, at some point I will choose one of my machines and do this.

 

[DCBassman]

Offer in for a Trashcan, 2.7GHz 12-core,32GB RAM, 1TB SSD - £185 delivered. Here's hoping!

 

[Gloomy]

Offer in for a Trashcan, 2.7GHz 12-core,32GB RAM, 1TB SSD - £185 delivered. Here's hoping!

If that has the dual FirePro D700s then that’s an absolute steal! Fingers crossed 🤞🏻

 

[Gloomy]

While at the recycling center, I saw a person throwing out an “old” MacBook Air. I offered him some £££ but he told me to take it away if I could find a use for it. I gladly accepted!

Turns out it’s a higher end 13” MacBook Air w/Core i7 5650u/8GB RAM/512G SSD! Currently installing OpenCore Sequoia and plan to dual boot Mojave for my 32-bit apps. I also have a Thunderbolt 2 drive with a Windows 10 IoT Enterprise LTSC install that just works.

This will be helpful in future for when my iPad doesn’t cut it while out and about, also much easier to lug around than the 17” 2011 behemoth you can see underneath. 🤣

UPDATE: Doubled checked the battery. It’s an OEM battery by DP with only 219(!) battery cycles. I am not sure what this MBA was used for but it’s clearly had an easy life with only light use.

 

[DouglasCarroll]

Yup, get all that, but not needed at all for Julian's intended use. However, at some point I will choose one of my machines and do this.

Exactly this. Over on the Macbook Neo thread some people just cannot fathom that there is a huge population of average computer users in the world who just “don’t need/don’t care” about higher spec machines and a base model works fine for their needs.

 

[Gloomy]

Exactly this. Over on the Macbook Neo thread some people just cannot fathom that there is a huge population of average computer users in the world who just “don’t need/don’t care” about higher spec machines and a base model works fine for their needs.

I agree with that sentiment. I was seriously considering a Neo as my first non-Intel Mac, but this MacBook Air I just got will do all I need and more. 👍

 

[JulianStaples]

Offer in for a Trashcan, 2.7GHz 12-core,32GB RAM, 1TB SSD - £185 delivered. Here's hoping!

Good luck! Love me a trashcan. And if you do win, I'll be very jealous of the 12-core. 😇

While at the recycling center, I saw a person throwing out an “old” MacBook Air. I offered him some £££ but he told me to take it away if I could find a use for it. I gladly accepted!

Turns out it’s a higher end 13” MacBook Air w/Core i7 5650u/8GB RAM/512G SSD! Currently installing OpenCore Sequoia and plan to dual boot Mojave for my 32-bit apps. I also have a Thunderbolt 2 drive with a Windows 10 IoT Enterprise LTSC install that just works.

This will be helpful in future for when my iPad doesn’t cut it while out and about, also much easier to lug around than the 17” 2011 behemoth you can see underneath. 🤣

UPDATE: Doubled checked the battery. It’s an OEM battery by DP with only 219(!) battery cycles. I am not sure what this MBA was used for but it’s clearly had an easy life with only light use.

View attachment 2615218

Wow. What a find! Especially with a decent battery and all that yummy storage. As nice as the modern Airs look, I do still love that old wedge design. And it should run OCLP Sequoia like butter. 😎

Always very confusing (but very satisfying!) to stumble across an old Mac that has been insanely well looked after, and then inexplicably given away for pennies.

 

[Gloomy]

Good luck! Love me a trashcan. And if you do win, I'll be very jealous of the 12-core. 😇



Wow. What a find! Especially with a decent battery and all that yummy storage. As nice as the modern Airs look, I do still love that old wedge design. And it should run OCLP Sequoia like butter. 😎

Always very confusing (but very satisfying!) to stumble across an old Mac that has been insanely well looked after, and then inexplicably given away for pennies.

Thanks. 😁 I was very surprised when I saw the fella. It was an older gentleman and judging by the condition, I think he may have been an author or something as the only part of the computer with any sort of wear is the keyboard. The top and bottom case have extremely slight scuffs here and there but no dents or chips. It’s clearly been at a desk and never moved or in the hands of someone extremely delicate! 🤣

 

[DCBassman]

If that has the dual FirePro D700s then that’s an absolute steal! Fingers crossed 🤞🏻

Single D500, I think, will check!

 

[DCBassman]

Single 2GB D300. More than sufficient for me!

 

[Gloomy]

Single 2GB D300. More than sufficient for me!

I am fairly sure the Mac Pro 6,1 all came with dual GPUs, so it should be dual FirePro D300s with 2GB VRAM each. 😃

 

[ToniCH]

I am fairly sure the Mac Pro 6,1 all came with dual GPUs, so it should be dual FirePro D300s with 2GB VRAM each. 😃

Yes, they all came with dual gpus. The about this mac -screen only lists one but if you go deeper there are two.

 

[DCBassman]

Single D500, I think, will check!

I am fairly sure the Mac Pro 6,1 all came with dual GPUs, so it should be dual FirePro D300s with 2GB VRAM each. 😃

Yes, they all came with dual gpus. The about this mac -screen only lists one but if you go deeper there are two.

Then I suspect the seller doesn't know that...

 

[ToniCH]

Then I suspect the seller doesn't know that...

Well, lets not tell him. 😉 But, in reality that does not effect price as all came with 2. Unless there indeed is only 1 left for some weird reason??

Here are the screenshots from mine. Note, only one in the main about this -screen but two in the graphics screen.

 

[DCBassman]

Then I suspect the seller doesn't know that...

...Or the seller knows full well that there are two, and *expects* me to know that also!