It’s possible this question has been asked a million times, but any question involving “linux,” “macOS”/“MacBook Pro,” AND “Windows,” is not going to be interpreted properly by Bing or Google.
I have a MacBook Pro that cost $3,000 back in 2017. In October, I traveled with it and TSA broke the screen. The screen still worked, except for the left-most and bottom 1/5 or so of the screen. I usually used AirPlay if I needed to use the dock or system menu. However, recently, the screen went dark completely. I bought an external monitor which was helpful. However, just yesterday the internal SSD became corrupted. The MacBook Pro won’t enter recovery mode and if it will enter internet recovery mode, I wouldn’t know because it ceases sending power to the external monitor when I’m internet recovery mode. (Someone said they believe it starts applying power to the monitor again once on the internet, recovery mode is loaded, and the hard disk is unlocked (FileVault decrypted). I haven’t gotten that far.
I swore that you could — and can’t believe you can’t — create a USB bootable drive for MacOS from Windows without a saved DMG. It appears you can’t, without downloading the DMG from questionable sources. The two DMGs Apple does let you down, Lion and Mountain Lion, are incompatible with my hard drive. So, I decided to install Linux, either because I’m certain there are ways to create a macOS bootable USB without a DMG from Linux if necessary (I think of linux as jailbroken macOS, whether technically accurate), Windows can only be installed using Bootcamp which requires access to macOS, Linux will get a working OS on my system for now until I found find a more permanent solution.
The bootable medium, which I would preferably be installing to the HD from a USB, must be created from my Windows Surface Pro 4 running Windows 10. I created a Linux Mint bootable medium in Windows, using UNetbootin, but I’m not sure if any options would create a bootable USB for Mac from Windows, let alone whether the options I chose. I noticed that when I choose a target disk to install Linux to, it requires me to choose C:, which of course, is not an option on Mac.
Lastly, I can’t see the screen as I load Linux, or try, so am using keyboard gestures that match tutorials for installing Linux to Mac. I’m not sure whether Linux is loading at all because I know MacOS usually needs rEFInd installed. So that’s an issue.
My questions, and please be specific (don’t give answers that require research to understand):
If possible, what Linux distro would have the easiest and most reliable installation if required to go forward without an external monitor during install? Ubuntu, I’m guessing?
What software should I use to create the bootable USB installation file from Windows, if possible?
How do I get rEFId on the hard drive from Windows, if required and possible, since the entire HD appears to be wiped?
Other than removing the LCD connections by opening the clamshell, is there a way to compel clamshell mode to work during startup disk mode, Grub navigation, Linux installation? Or will I have to estimate what to click and when based on watching an installation tutorial?
There is no startup partition installed. I don’t know what happens when entering internet recovery mode because it stops sending power to external monitor. When I try to go to ordinary recovery mode, the external monitor works but an icon appears directing me to internet recovery mode. Would secure boot persist, preventing me from using a bootable medium?
Any help, again, being detailed and dumbing it down for me, is greatly appreciated. Though off subject, if you know of an easy and non-risky (viruses) way to download the Big Sur/Monterrey DMG to Windows, including if someone would be willing to share it with me, and think that would be easier, that’s an option too.
The only piece of hardware that cannot potentially be hacked is an external monitor that lacks a hard drive, e.g., anything other than another computer or smart tv. It blows my mind that Apple would make it so an external monitor will only conditionally load, but never when most necessary, like during an internet recovery attempt. But Bluetooth peripherals load from the second the computer receives power.
I have a MacBook Pro that cost $3,000 back in 2017. In October, I traveled with it and TSA broke the screen. The screen still worked, except for the left-most and bottom 1/5 or so of the screen. I usually used AirPlay if I needed to use the dock or system menu. However, recently, the screen went dark completely. I bought an external monitor which was helpful. However, just yesterday the internal SSD became corrupted. The MacBook Pro won’t enter recovery mode and if it will enter internet recovery mode, I wouldn’t know because it ceases sending power to the external monitor when I’m internet recovery mode. (Someone said they believe it starts applying power to the monitor again once on the internet, recovery mode is loaded, and the hard disk is unlocked (FileVault decrypted). I haven’t gotten that far.
I swore that you could — and can’t believe you can’t — create a USB bootable drive for MacOS from Windows without a saved DMG. It appears you can’t, without downloading the DMG from questionable sources. The two DMGs Apple does let you down, Lion and Mountain Lion, are incompatible with my hard drive. So, I decided to install Linux, either because I’m certain there are ways to create a macOS bootable USB without a DMG from Linux if necessary (I think of linux as jailbroken macOS, whether technically accurate), Windows can only be installed using Bootcamp which requires access to macOS, Linux will get a working OS on my system for now until I found find a more permanent solution.
The bootable medium, which I would preferably be installing to the HD from a USB, must be created from my Windows Surface Pro 4 running Windows 10. I created a Linux Mint bootable medium in Windows, using UNetbootin, but I’m not sure if any options would create a bootable USB for Mac from Windows, let alone whether the options I chose. I noticed that when I choose a target disk to install Linux to, it requires me to choose C:, which of course, is not an option on Mac.
Lastly, I can’t see the screen as I load Linux, or try, so am using keyboard gestures that match tutorials for installing Linux to Mac. I’m not sure whether Linux is loading at all because I know MacOS usually needs rEFInd installed. So that’s an issue.
My questions, and please be specific (don’t give answers that require research to understand):
If possible, what Linux distro would have the easiest and most reliable installation if required to go forward without an external monitor during install? Ubuntu, I’m guessing?
What software should I use to create the bootable USB installation file from Windows, if possible?
How do I get rEFId on the hard drive from Windows, if required and possible, since the entire HD appears to be wiped?
Other than removing the LCD connections by opening the clamshell, is there a way to compel clamshell mode to work during startup disk mode, Grub navigation, Linux installation? Or will I have to estimate what to click and when based on watching an installation tutorial?
There is no startup partition installed. I don’t know what happens when entering internet recovery mode because it stops sending power to external monitor. When I try to go to ordinary recovery mode, the external monitor works but an icon appears directing me to internet recovery mode. Would secure boot persist, preventing me from using a bootable medium?
Any help, again, being detailed and dumbing it down for me, is greatly appreciated. Though off subject, if you know of an easy and non-risky (viruses) way to download the Big Sur/Monterrey DMG to Windows, including if someone would be willing to share it with me, and think that would be easier, that’s an option too.
The only piece of hardware that cannot potentially be hacked is an external monitor that lacks a hard drive, e.g., anything other than another computer or smart tv. It blows my mind that Apple would make it so an external monitor will only conditionally load, but never when most necessary, like during an internet recovery attempt. But Bluetooth peripherals load from the second the computer receives power.
