Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.

Imixmuan

Suspended
Dec 18, 2010
526
426
Speaking of Linux, this marks the second week I'm spending using Ubuntu 20.04.1 LTS as my daily driver on my MacBook 4,1.

I have to say, I'm thoroughly impressed. With the exception of the iSight camera, everything works out of the box. WiFi, sound, graphics drivers...even Bluetooth audio. (And getting the iSight to work didn't take much effort.) Installation was as easy as running my system off of a burned ISO. I admit this probably sounds a little basic to people who've been running Linux on their older hardware for a while, but whenever I've tried to boot and install Ubuntu, Mint, or Lubuntu on my older MacBooks, it's always ended up failing miserably. For example, running the Ubuntu 20.04.1 LTS installer from my burned vanilla DVD .ISO worked perfectly, yet when I did the same with Lubuntu 20.04.1 LTS I got a "Boot Device Not Found" error. WTF?

My usualy UI niggles with Ubuntu aside, my main problem is that in my experience there doesn't seem to be an easy way to do this with the Macs that arguably need this kind of upgrade the most: '06-'07 Intel Macs with 32-bit EFI, especially Core Duo equipped models. I've tried almost all of the modded .ISOs from mattgadient.com and nothing would work; they'd all just boot to a black screen with a flashing cursor. Maybe there's something I've missed?
Say hello to PLOP:


Boot off a PLOP CD, then install the OS from a USB. Worked like a charm on a Mac Pro 1,1 I tried it on many moons ago.
 

rampancy

macrumors 6502a
Jul 22, 2002
741
999
Debian offers a Mac-specific build of their stable and testing images configured just for the 32-bit hybrid EFI Macs.

The last time I tried it on an '06 iMac, I had no issues to speak of. I am unaware if Ubuntu offers anything similar.


Holy crap, that's awesome. Thank you so much for posting that; I had no idea that was available. To my knowledge, Ubuntu doesn't do officially do this.
 

Raging Dufus

macrumors 6502a
Aug 2, 2018
634
1,171
Kansas USA
Anyone tried this on their 2006 iMac/MBP? https://parrotgeek.com/npf/10.9.html If this works out this could be another great alternative for these systems, once the bugs are ironed out. Looks like it uses Lion based kexts. For the time being ML is probably the safe route and the only one on other GPUs but this looks interesting.
I've been running parrotgeek's patched 10.9 on my 2006 17" MBP for about six weeks now, works great! I dual-boot this MBP with Snow Leo & Mavericks, and probably will continue doing so for as long as I own it.

MBP 10.9 Screenshot.jpg


The glitches and drawbacks are exactly as described on the webpage you linked. None of them are a deal-breaker, and you have to keep in mind this is a beta version, so it may get better. I find it completely usable, quite smooth. The only issue I've run into is that occasionally upon reboot it hangs at the grey Apple logo without going further. Turning it off with the power button, then booting with option key held down and selecting the Mavericks partition from the boot-picker, always results in a full boot-up with no further issues.

Highly recommended!
 

retta283

Suspended
Jun 8, 2018
3,180
3,482
I've been running parrotgeek's patched 10.9 on my 2006 17" MBP for about six weeks now, works great! I dual-boot this MBP with Snow Leo & Mavericks, and probably will continue doing so for as long as I own it.

The glitches and drawbacks are exactly as described on the webpage you linked. None of them are a deal-breaker, and you have to keep in mind this is a beta version, so it may get better. I find it completely usable, quite smooth. The only issue I've run into is that occasionally upon reboot it hangs at the grey Apple logo without going further. Turning it off with the power button, then booting with option key held down and selecting the Mavericks partition from the boot-picker, always results in a full boot-up with no further issues.

Highly recommended!
I have the same exact 17" MBP as you do, excellent to hear that it works well. I'll have to give it a go soon, thanks for sharing.
 

Raging Dufus

macrumors 6502a
Aug 2, 2018
634
1,171
Kansas USA
I have the same exact 17" MBP as you do, excellent to hear that it works well. I'll have to give it a go soon, thanks for sharing.
They are sweet machines, I absolutely love mine. Unfortunately with the pandemic, it's been desktop bound for the better part of a year now. Such a shame.

FYI, I also ran dosdude1's patched Mountain Lion via MacPostFactor on this machine. It was a stellar performer, with no problems of which I was ever aware. Hands-down much better than Lion. I only chose to try Mavericks because of Firefox support. Although you can run parrotgeek's Firefox Legacy builds in Mountain Lion, you can run fully up-to-date versions of Firefox ESR still in Mavericks.

Interestingly though, you can run a newer version of Chromium in Mountain Lion than you can in Mavericks. FWIW, in case browser compatibility is important to you or anyone else.
 

Mr. Dee

macrumors 603
Dec 4, 2003
5,990
12,840
Jamaica
I am planning on getting a 2006 Core Duo for Tiger Intel and 2007 Core 2 Duo for Leopard Intel. Currently have two G4's for PPC Leopard and Tiger (in addition to older G4's with Panther and Jaguar). Going further down the road, I want to get a 2009 MacBook Pro for Snow Leopard and 2011 for Lion and stick with that for a while until the first gen retina and 2013 retina get much cheaper. The plan is to load those with Mountain Lion and Mavericks respectively. 2014 and later models still hold their value, so, it will be quite a while before I splurge on something like a 2016. Ultimately, my aim is to create time capsules of these devices with respective applications of era.
 
  • Like
Reactions: MacFoxG4

Amethyst1

macrumors G3
Oct 28, 2015
9,783
12,182
I am planning on getting a 2006 Core Duo for Tiger Intel and 2007 Core 2 Duo for Leopard Intel.
Best to skip the Core Duo. Tiger also deserves a 2006/2007/early 2008 Core 2 Duo. And not just for the ability to use more than 2 GB RAM.

Going further down the road, I want to get a 2009 MacBook Pro for Snow Leopard and 2011 for Lion
Snow Leopard absolutely deserves and flies on a 2011 MacBook Pro (best to get a 13" to avoid GPU issues). Those were introduced while SL was still well alive and kicking and run circles around any Core 2 Duo MBP.

:)
 
  • Like
Reactions: RogerWilco6502

Mr. Dee

macrumors 603
Dec 4, 2003
5,990
12,840
Jamaica
Best to skip the Core Duo. Tiger also deserves a 2006/2007/early 2008 Core 2 Duo. And not just for the ability to use more than 2 GB RAM.


Snow Leopard absolutely deserves and flies on a 2011 MacBook Pro (best to get a 13" to avoid GPU issues). Those were introduced while SL was still well alive and kicking and run circles around any Core 2 Duo MBP.

:)
Don’t they have 15 inch from that era with integrated graphics? I’m choosing the Core Duo for Tiger as a time capsule. A friend had one and it was super fast with the included 2 GBs of RAM. It’s really a nostalgia piece.
 
  • Like
Reactions: RogerWilco6502

Amethyst1

macrumors G3
Oct 28, 2015
9,783
12,182
Don’t they have 15 inch from that era with integrated graphics?
Nope - that was only in 2009. [And reintroduced for the "Late 2013/Mid 2014" generation.] While the 2009 MBP looks identical to the 2011, the latter is heaps and bounds faster.

I’m choosing the Core Duo for Tiger as a time capsule. A friend had one and it was super fast with the included 2 GBs of RAM. It’s really a nostalgia piece.
Fair point. That's what my 15" and 17" Core Duo MBPs are. If I really want to play around with Tiger, it's on a 2007 MBP with 6 GB RAM and an SSD (and, thank goodness, a fixed GPU!).
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: RogerWilco6502

retta283

Suspended
Jun 8, 2018
3,180
3,482
Screen Shot 2020-12-29 at 1.13.27 PM.png
Got Mavericks running on the 2006 MBP, thanks again to @Raging Dufus for the info on performance. Seems to work pretty well so far other than the mentioned (minor) bugs, easy install. I only have 3GB, don't think there's much difference between 3 and 4 GB on the 2006 MBP. Runs well enough, so definitely another solution for users with ATI graphics. GMA and Nvidia users will have to stay on ML. Might try this on my 2006 iMac as well, will be interesting seeing Mavericks running on a white iMac.
 

MacFoxG4

macrumors 6502
Original poster
Nov 22, 2019
447
623
Interesting. Mavericks running on 2006 Macs. I've never used Mavericks myself, but I've heard good things about it. I like that it still has the 3D dock. Last version of OS X to have that, if I'm not mistaken.

I've been down the rabbit hole of Linux. It was fun at first, being able to run Firefox 84 and the Discord desktop app on a 2006 MBP is cool. Slower than a modern machine, but perfectly usable. At some point, Linux stopped being fun though. I noticed that some of these distros would just stop booting after a couple uses. These were the distros I tried:

-Ubuntu 18 (slow, but worked. Graphics card was enabled. Support ends in a couple months)
-Lubuntu 20 (a bit faster, but stopped working after the second time I booted it up. Unsure if graphics card was enabled due to lack of system info app)
-Xubuntu 20 (slowest distro I tried. Like with Lubuntu, there was no system info app, so I don't know if the graphics card was enabled under here or not. It didn't stop working like Lubuntu did, but I didn't use it for very long.)
-Debian 10.7 (Was able to install, but couldn't get to desktop)
-MX Linux 19.3 (Only worked when the graphics card was disabled. Fastest out of all the distros I tried. Pretty stable for the most part, though at one point it did stop booting and I couldn't figure out why, so I had to reinstall).


MX Linux was the most promising one. Unfortunately, getting the graphics card to be enabled in MX Linux turned out to be impossible and frustrating for me. I reached out to the MX Linux forum for help, but unfortunately none of their suggestions worked. I appreciated the help though.

The Ubuntu-based distros I tried come with a 64-bit boot loader, so the only way I could use them was to do my 1 + enter key trick, which doesn't always work. I respun the Lubuntu ISO with a 32-bit boot loader, but I couldn't get the installer to boot from the 32-bit boot loader, so it was back to hitting the 1 and enter keys.

It was an interesting journey, but I'm done with Linux on this Mac. I'm back on OS X now, doing a dual boot of Leopard and Lion.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Imixmuan

eyoungren

macrumors Penryn
Aug 31, 2011
29,603
28,365
Mavericks running on 2006 Macs. I've never used Mavericks myself, but I've heard good things about it.
Well, you didn't hear it from me, LOL! ;) :D

Mavericks has an SMB2 bug. You cannot maintain a SMB2 connection for more than 24 hours. That became a problem for me with a Windows Server. It meant either having to use SMB1 (CIFS) or restart my Mac every day. InDesign would quit with no warning whenever using files off the server. Going back to CIFS was more stable - but of course slower, defeating the purpose of using SMB2 at all.

I ditched Mavericks for Yosemite as fast as I could.
 

eyoungren

macrumors Penryn
Aug 31, 2011
29,603
28,365
View attachment 1703210
Got Mavericks running on the 2006 MBP, thanks again to @Raging Dufus for the info on performance. Seems to work pretty well so far other than the mentioned (minor) bugs, easy install. I only have 3GB, don't think there's much difference between 3 and 4 GB on the 2006 MBP. Runs well enough, so definitely another solution for users with ATI graphics. GMA and Nvidia users will have to stay on ML. Might try this on my 2006 iMac as well, will be interesting seeing Mavericks running on a white iMac.
OK guys, @retta283 and @Raging Dufus. Have to ask, I've got an A1151 with a Core Duo, which means a 32-bit EFI. It's a MBP 1,2. And it's a 2006 model.

Everything I looked up yesterday says I can't even get Lion on it, let alone Mavericks. Are your machines later 2006 revisions than mine that allow this?
 

TheShortTimer

macrumors 68040
Mar 27, 2017
3,249
5,638
London, UK
This thread saves me having to create one and provide an apology for discussing Intel machines within the PPC forum. 😄

I've received a couple of MacBook's: both first generation (1,1) it would appear. One of them has a slight issue with the lid clicking when moved up and down, causing the LCD to blank but it appears to function fine generally. The other MB doesn't appear to have a working LCD - but it is possible to see images if a torch is directed at the screen, as shown below:

PCOFiCo.jpg

Z3f4UxB.jpg


My suspicion is that the inverter has failed rather than the GPU - am I correct? If so, is it cost effective to rectify this issue? Also, what you recommend as an OS? The maximum available to them in Apple Land is Snow Leopard: would a Linux distro be a better choice - or perhaps a dual boot between the two?

I know that I pledged in my eMac thread not to acquire any further Macs but in my defence, I didn't pay anything for either of the MacBooks: they were gifted to me by my PhD supervisor - who is shocked and fascinated that I'm able to make use of superseded hardware and donated them to me accordingly. I've already pledged to have at least one of them up and running for him to see so I'd appreciate some advice on my options. :D
 
Last edited:

retta283

Suspended
Jun 8, 2018
3,180
3,482
This thread saves me having to create one and provide an apology for discussing Intel machines within the PPC forum. 😄

I've received a couple of MacBook's: both first generation (1,1) it would appear. One of them has a slight issue with the lid clicking when moved up and down, causing the LCD to blank but it appears to function fine generally. The other has doesn't appear to have a working LCD - but it is possible to see images if a torch is directed at the screen, as shown below:

PCOFiCo.jpg

Z3f4UxB.jpg


My suspicion is that the inverter has failed rather than the GPU - am I correct? If so, is it cost effective to rectify this issue? Also, what you recommend as an OS? The maximum available to them in Apple Land is Snow Leopard: would a Linux distro be a better choice - or perhaps a dual boot between the two?

I know that I pledged in my eMac thread not to acquire any further Macs but in my defence, I didn't pay anything for either of the MacBooks: they were gifted to me by PhD supervisor - who is shocked and fascinated that I'm able to make use of superseded hardware and donated them to me accordingly. I've already pledged to have at least one of them up and running for him to see so I'd appreciate some advice on my options. :D
I'm trying to recall the days of the GMA MacBooks, but if your GPU is dead then your board is shot (Probably wouldn't even boot to a folder or Target disk mode). It's most likely in the display itself. Backlight inverter is the most likely. The other one might have a pinch in the display cable going through the hinge, the only thing I can think of would be to open up and look at it, it might be a simple fix without replacement needed if the cable isn't completely destroyed.

OS wise Snow Leopard on a Core Duo isn't worth much but you can get one of the third-party browsers and at least do some basic browsing on it or run other software from the era. Linux will definitely be the route to go for more up to date and smoother browsers.

I find that web performance on Snow Leopard is not comparable to even Lion running Firefox legacy on the same machines. It's just as slow on an i7 iMac as it is on a Core Solo Mini for me. Especially YouTube performance. This is without plugins or tweaks though so I may have to do some tweaking to maximize performance.
 

Amethyst1

macrumors G3
Oct 28, 2015
9,783
12,182
@TheShortTimer - Looks like inverter or backlight itself has failed. Can you hook up an external monitor to see if the output is OK? As for the OS - I'd go for a Snowy/Linux (or Windows 10 even) dual boot.

You can hack Lion onto a Core Duo but Firefox Legacy has to be a 32-bit executable to run.
 

TheShortTimer

macrumors 68040
Mar 27, 2017
3,249
5,638
London, UK
I'm trying to recall the days of the GMA MacBooks, but if your GPU is dead then your board is shot (Probably wouldn't even boot to a folder or Target disk mode). It's most likely in the display itself. Backlight inverter is the most likely.

@TheShortTimer - Looks like inverter or backlight itself has failed. Can you hook up an external monitor to see if the output is OK?

I managed to connect the BlackBook to my HDTV and the output was faultless. Unfortunately I couldn't venture very far as I was unable to figure out how to make the MacBook or the Snow Leopard installer switch to the TV as the main monitor - all I could see was the Mac OS X wallpaper on the secondary monitor.

What will I need to replace, the backlight and/or the inverter?

The other one might have a pinch in the display cable going through the hinge, the only thing I can think of would be to open up and look at it, it might be a simple fix without replacement needed if the cable isn't completely destroyed.

It's so annoying having to endlessly fiddle with the lid to restore illumination to the LCD (which in turn triggers the optical drive because the computer thinks it's returning from sleep mode?) that I'll have to attend to this if I want to use the WhiteBook for any prolonged period.

OS wise Snow Leopard on a Core Duo isn't worth much but you can get one of the third-party browsers and at least do some basic browsing on it or run other software from the era.

I find that web performance on Snow Leopard is not comparable to even Lion running Firefox legacy on the same machines. It's just as slow on an i7 iMac as it is on a Core Solo Mini for me. Especially YouTube performance. This is without plugins or tweaks though so I may have to do some tweaking to maximize performance.

Yes, I was an ardent hold-out for many years but eventually I was forced to use El Capitan as the main OS on my MB 5,2 because the browsers available to me under Snow Leopard were considerably outdated, a nightmare to use due to terrible performance (Firefox ESR) or inadequate. I remember running three different browsers simultaneously in order accomplish basic web use: one for YouTube, and two others for browsing different sites.

Roccat had potential but the fact that Runecats didn't even spot that the browser couldn't even access their own site if you were using older versions of OS X was a bad sign. So too was the fact that I alerted Runecats a couple of years ago to TLS issues and I received no further communication after a reply that they'd check for a solution and get back to me.

As for the OS - I'd go for a Snowy/Linux (or Windows 10 even) dual boot.

You can hack Lion onto a Core Duo but Firefox Legacy has to be a 32-bit executable to run.

Linux will definitely be the route to go for more up to date and smoother browsers.

I've managed to install Snow Leopard on the WhiteBook - previously it had Tiger, which was a surprise and perhaps an indication of how long it had been mothballed.

RcTvD2y.jpg


Here's the specs if anyone is curious:
t3P2IBQ.png

ko3nRkG.png

80GB of HDD space isn't much to work with, especially if a dual boot with Linux is on the cards. On that note, it's a shame that several distros have ended 32 bit support and it's also strange given that one of Linux's mission statements has been to help people continue using hardware that's been abandoned by the computer industry. I've downloaded Linux Mint 19.2 - the last 32 bit compatible distro and I'll give it a whirl but if anyone has recommendations in line with these specs, please share. :)

Edit: the battery is swollen, it no longer fits properly and doesn't appear to charge. I will be disposing of it at the recycling centre unless an optimist among you can convince me that it could be salvaged somehow. 😂

OCEwUJy.jpg
 
Last edited:

Amethyst1

macrumors G3
Oct 28, 2015
9,783
12,182
Unfortunately I couldn't venture very far as I was unable to figure out how to make the MacBook or the Snow Leopard installer switch to the TV as the main monitor - all I could see was the Mac OS X wallpaper on the secondary monitor.
If you close the lid while the machine is booting and use an external keyboard and mouse, it should switch to clamshell mode and direct everything to the external monitor. I've found that I can open the lid after it's booted and use the internal keyboard without it kicking out of clamshell mode, so theoretically an external mouse should be sufficient. However, I don't know if that also works in the OS X installer.

On that note, it's a shame that several distros have ended 32 bit support and it's also strange given that one of Linux's mission statements has been to help people continue using hardware that's been abandoned by the computer industry.
Well, a mission statement only gets you so far. With x86_64 hardware having been introduced in 2003 and having become mainstream a couple of years later, I can sort of understand the decision even though it's a bit of a shame. It's also slightly ironical that the Linux kernel no longer supports the CPU it was born on.

Firefox Legacy has to be a 32-bit executable to run.
...but the version for Lion (perhaps unsurprisingly) isn't :(

the battery is swollen, it no longer fits properly and doesn't appear to charge.
Keep in mind the CPU underclocks to 1 GHz if the battery is dead or missing, so don't expect mindblowing performance. Given that it's swollen, I'd dispose of it ASAP since it can be a fire hazard.
 
Last edited:
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.