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dabunk2000

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Nov 23, 2022
9
2
Trying to install linux from a known good USB but on boot hold Option key they USB does not show as an option. How or what do I need to change in settings to allow USB boot? Thanks for any help
 

dabunk2000

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Nov 23, 2022
9
2
I purchased off of ebay from 2 different sellers Jamba Jellyfish USB and have a USB with 10.10 on it. None are recognized at boot. So I believe it to be something to do specific to this laptop.
 

TheShortTimer

macrumors 68040
Mar 27, 2017
3,249
5,639
London, UK
I purchased off of ebay from 2 different sellers Jamba Jellyfish USB and have a USB with 10.10 on it. None are recognized at boot. So I believe it to be something to do specific to this laptop.

It could be that the NVRAM etc need to be reset but I suspect the USB sticks haven't been prepared correctly.

Again, what was the process that you used to set them up with Linux?
 
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dabunk2000

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Nov 23, 2022
9
2
PI purchased the sticks and have used them to install on newer Macbooks with no problem. This particular laptop with 10.7 will not show Usb
 

dabunk2000

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Nov 23, 2022
9
2
Once laptop is booted into 10.7.5 and inserted USB disk screen message "this Disk is not readable by this computer"
 

Amethyst1

macrumors G3
Oct 28, 2015
9,786
12,185
Once laptop is booted into 10.7.5 [...]
Can you fire up "About This Mac" and tell us everything it says there (apart from the serial number)? I'm asking because as the MacBook is running 10.7.5, it might be an earlier model than a 2009 and have 32-bit EFI, which would prevent both 64-bit Linux and Yosemite from booting unless the installers are modified.
 

rampancy

macrumors 6502a
Jul 22, 2002
741
999
Can you fire up "About This Mac" and tell us everything it says there (apart from the serial number)? I'm asking because as the MacBook is running 10.7.5, it might be an earlier model than a 2009 and have 32-bit EFI, which would prevent both 64-bit Linux and Yosemite from booting unless the installers are modified.
Yes, I'm beginning to suspect that this might not actually be a 2009 MacBook -- it's entirely possible that the seller sold you a 2006/7 MacBook (GMA 950 graphics). If it has Nvidia GeForce 9400m graphics, it's definitely a 2009 MacBook.
 

dabunk2000

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Nov 23, 2022
9
2
OK you hit it correctly it is a 2007 not a 2009 Is there a way to get it to run Linux or a different version possibly?
 

Amethyst1

macrumors G3
Oct 28, 2015
9,786
12,185
OK you hit it correctly it is a 2007 not a 2009 Is there a way to get it to run Linux or a different version possibly?
We need to know if it's a mid-2007 (MacBook2,1) or late-2007 (MacBook3,1) model. Does it have GMA 950 graphics or GMA X3100? Check "About This Mac" again. The earlier model (GMA 950) has 32-bit EFI and requires modifying the Linux installer. The later model (GMA X3100) has 64-bit EFI and does/should™ not require a modified installer.

Neither of the two will run Yosemite properly due to a lack of graphics acceleration for the GMA 950/X3100, which causes the UI to be very slow and glitchy. You can look into getting either a patched Mountain Lion (10.8) or Mavericks (10.9) up and running though.
 
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dabunk2000

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Nov 23, 2022
9
2
We need to know if it's a mid-2007 (MacBook2,1) or late-2007 (MacBook3,1) model. Does it have GMA 950 graphics or GMA X3100? Check "About This Mac" again. The earlier model (GMA 950) has 32-bit EFI and requires modifying the Linux installer. The later model (GMA X3100) has 64-bit EFI and does/should™ not require a modified installer.

Neither of the two will run Yosemite properly due to a lack of graphics acceleration for the GMA 950/X3100, which causes the UI to be very slow and glitchy. You can look into getting either a patched Mountain Lion (10.8) or Mavericks (10.9) up and running though.
GMA Intel 950 64MB
 

Amethyst1

macrumors G3
Oct 28, 2015
9,786
12,185
GMA Intel 950 64MB
That’s the “mid-2007” (actually: “late 2006” with slightly faster CPUs) model.

You can download modified Linux installers that will work with its 32-bit EFI here.

For a patched OS X Mountain Lion, check this out.

I was wrong about Mavericks being an option with the ‘950 (sorry). Mountain Lion is as good as it gets.
 
Last edited:
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dabunk2000

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Nov 23, 2022
9
2
We need to know if it's a mid-2007 (MacBook2,1) or late-2007 (MacBook3,1) model. Does it have GMA 950 graphics or GMA X3100? Check "About This Mac" again. The earlier model (GMA 950) has 32-bit EFI and requires modifying the Linux installer. The later model (GMA X3100) has 64-bit EFI and does/should™ not require a modified installer.

Neither of the two will run Yosemite properly due to a lack of graphics acceleration for the GMA 950/X3100, which causes the UI to be very slow and glitchy. You can look into getting either a patched Mountain Lion (10.8) or Mavericks (10.9) up and running though.
image_6487327.JPG

That’s the “early 2007” (actually: late 2006 with slightly faster CPUs) model.

You can download modified Linux installers that will work with its 32-bit EFI here.

For a patched OS X Mountain Lion, check this out.

I was wrong about Mavericks being an option with the ‘950. Mountain Lion is as good as it gets.
Thank you for all the help now to dig in and get linux working on it with info provided!!
 
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