ubuntu-20.04.2-live-server-amd64.isoCan you start some version macOS (High Sierra) using the very same setup without flashing the card or changing the current vBIOS? Just put an SSD/HDD with a known to work installation in and wait for a long time unless you believe the macOS must have started. The best will be to enable remote login, screen sharing and file sharing in the Sharing system preferences pane in advance. This way you can check remotely if the came system up, but not the internal LCD.
Can you provide a download link for the Ubuntu image you have used.
As I told you the GRML Linux enables the text mode in the same way on all my systems and cards (having a Dell Bios or the BIOS from the first post)!
The interesting part is when you get a card with no suitable BIOS loaded at all or a HP card (just a stub file). Then neither GRML not Ubuntu will show a screen on the main LCD, at least this is my status as long as you prove me wrong.
One can setup any Linux distribution to provide the same functionality as the GRML one provided here. This is no church.
P.S.:
The 2011 system have an internal GPU (called iGPU) in the Intel CPU (named HD2000). This may be used by the Ubuntu, but this iGPU is not available in the Intel CPU with Late 2009 and Mide 2010 systems.
Sorry I'm not interested in remote login or screen sharing since I'm not good at MacOS and now already am able to access the gpu via local console. (So no reason to try it yet and actually I was literally introduced to MacOS when I started to replace my iMac gpu after buying a few weeks ago. haha. Linux is much more comfortable to me.)
My 2 cents is Ubuntu and Debian based GRML are different packages and can be based on the different Kernel since GRML is for mostly light systems so It may not support various H/W drivers like Apple computers compared to Ubuntu. Also no need to make a custom package from Ubuntu since all you need is to xfer or copy the bios updater and one bios file or two to your iMac.
And if GRML boots up like Ubuntu and shows a login prompt when a new GPU is installed, that's cool since no need to try DHCP and set up remote SSH at all unless the gpu does not have bios!
But, as I commented earlier, my experience was my USB sticks running many distros didn't show any boot-up screen at all except Ubuntu Server.
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