New life for an old machine

[MOE-LARRY&CURLY]

Let me start of by sharing what I am working with: Mid 2011 iMac, 21.5, 2.7GHz, i5. Yep a Fusion drive. 1TB SATA, 251 GB Flash Storage. 1TB Samsung T7 partitioned with a fresh time machine b/u and also about 130 GB of movie media ( I just chose to save that to help old mac to run smoother). 32GBusb drive. I am running 10.13.6. I would like to install a version of Linux. Not sure if I am allowed to speak specifics. But its Zorin17, I have D/L the iso and Belena for flashing. I have about 250GB of Photos/movies/music and some docs some in Pages format. I want to rid the current OS and install Linux as primary. I saw timemachine no good for what I need to do? FTP? Thanks!

 

[Brickwizard]

Mid 2011 iMac,

you can install Linux to an older Mac, but it's never been straightforward, make sure you back up ALL your docs and folders [pictures, music etc] to an external source before you begin, and search install Linux to mac ***** [full model number]

 

[MOE-LARRY&CURLY]

iMac (21.5-inch, Mid 2011)-2.7 GHz Intel Core i5-4 GB 1333 MHz DDR3-AMD Radeon HD 6770M 512 MB-S/N-D25H60PADHJT- 1TB SATA DISK-251GB FLASH STORAGE- Model-A1311. thanks

 

[Brickwizard]

your main problem will possibly be Graphics, it's a bit hit-and-miss if they work , you may have to

press ESC on boot, edit the GRUB boot line and add "nomodeset". then look for additional drivers,

 

[MOE-LARRY&CURLY]

Thank you. Now is this something I should do prior to installation? I'm not familiar with the ESP on boot or editing the GRUB boot. I will search those commands/phrases.

 

[Brickwizard]

Go for installing your choice of Distribution [at this point I recommend you go for installing alongside the mac OS] when you are more confident you can always start again and go for the full Linux only install.
as I said graphics are a possible problem not a certainty.

 

[banzaigtv]

Ubuntu MATE 22.04 should be a decent option if you are coming from Mac OS.

Comment posted at 10:43 AM on 2/15/24.

 

[ML_113]

I am writing this on my Macbook Pro, using MX 23.2.

Machine:
Type: Laptop System: Apple product: MacBookPro6,2 v: 1.0 serial: <superuser required> Chassis:
type: 10 v: Mac-F22586C8 serial: <superuser required>
Mobo: Apple model: Mac-F22586C8 v: MacBookPro6,2 serial: <superuser required> BIOS: Apple
v: MBP61.88Z.0057.B0C.1007261552 date: 07/26/10

 

[MOE-LARRY&CURLY]

Go for installing your choice of Distribution [at this point I recommend you go for installing alongside the mac OS] when you are more confident you can always start again and go for the full Linux only install.
as I said graphics are a possible problem not a certainty.

Well thank you. I agree but I need to either just do a fresh install of current OS, but kinda pointless as I see it as defeats my purpose. My machine is showing it's age, officially a teenager now! Lets call it early teen dementia,. LOL. That said, I ask for one for request and thankful thus far, I backed my system up externally via time machine, I searched for how to do this manually with only answers regarding timemachine and reinstall current os or the myths of upgrading etc. Thats one issue. The second being as you mentioned a graphics problem (potentially). Any chance ya could point me in the right direction to see other back up options and what distros my machine may meet requirements of. I was interested in Zorin, or mint or MX linux-Fluxbox. I appreciate ppl like you that help those like me.

 

[Brickwizard]

it's quite an old machine, so keep it medium or lightweight, try Mint LMDE, MX23, Linux Lite or Experion Linux, you may find the MX desktop a little more challenging than the cinnamon DE on mint and Experian.
When i am working on anyone else's machine, I always back up files and folders to either a usb-sata HDD or an adequate size usb pen drive. My biggest gripe is installing some form of back up once you have your system installed and fully updated, I like many on these boards use Timeshift, but there are several others in the repositories. So many newbies don't do it. But without it then it's likes like jumping from an airframe without a parachute.

 

[Brickwizard]

Once you have succeeded installing Linux, you will feel like this

 

[Sherri is a Cat]

I just moved over to Linux, so I don't know nearly as much as the Linux Geeks around her, but I have some experience that I can share.

I'm sure you know that navigating around in Windows is different than a Mac. The first Distro I tried was a lot like a Mac OS. I've been using Windows... there I go again. "Been using", as though I'm still shackled!

Anyway, the first distro I tried was a lot like a Mac. I was so used to my shackles I had a lot of trouble using it. I think it was Fedora, I can't say for sure. Navigating around Linux Mint is similar to Windows. It was easy for me to move over to LM because a lot of things feel familiar. That made it a lot easier for to ditch the Giant. As Brickwizard said, it might be easier to start out with something that feels familiar. There are a lot of things that are different in Linux. Using something that feels familiar makes it easier to things that are a lot different.

I followed Brickwizards installation article to a "T" on the first lap top. Everything was great, so I would definitely follow his wisdom. The first one has a failing drive.

I recently learned , at least sometimes it may be necessary to format the hard drive before installing Linux. Last Option (the laptop I'm using) seems to have some issues related to formatting. I do think there is more to it than formatting. This laptop was already having some problems, a bad sector. I'm not knowledgeable enough about formatting a drive with a bad sector, where to start etc. IMO it's worth keeping that in the back of your head if you have any issues, specially if your hard drive is older.

 

[VP9KS]

But without it then it's likes like jumping from an airframe without a parachute.

Mom told me that there were three things I should never do:
1. Run into burning buildings
2. Jump out of perfectly good airframes
3. Go out on ships that were designed to sink.

I tried 1, and after a while I concluded that mom was correct, so I did the paramedic thing instead. Nyuk, Nyuk

Being a Pilot, I never considered 2, and there was no way in H... I would try 3.

Then, again there are those who say "Only two things fall out of the sky, fools and birds...