I have a 2018 Mac Mini that I'll be installing Linux on. Does the hard drive have to be partitioned and have both Mac OS and Linux?
I'm very new to this.
I'm very new to this.
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New To Linux
- Thread starter crowe-t
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A tool like VMware or Parallels. You'd run Linux inside MacOS instead of separately booting into it.
Virtualisation is the worst of all worlds.
Separate drives is the answer. Just decide if you want Linux or macOS on the internal drive.
- Security issues from both OS.
- Privacy issues from OS X/macOS which is filled to the brim with telemetry and Apple check-ins and back doors.
- Performance issues (virtual OS does not have direct access to the hardware).
Separate drives is the answer. Just decide if you want Linux or macOS on the internal drive.
Is it better to have Mac OS or Linux on the internal drive or does it not matter?
I'd argue it is the best of all worlds. I run a Ubuntu VM on a Mac Mini. I can continue to run the browser on Mac and even use the Mac's terminal app to ssh into the VM. The robotics controller I am working on runs on Ubuntu.
I don't ned to care about security in the Linux side because it doe not even need to be on the Internet and if the Linux system gts trashed I can restore it from a snapshot.
Chris, security starts with the host OS. Since macOS, iOS and iPadOS are inherently insecure (state-mandated backdoors), any virtual machine on your Mac is compromised in advance.
Hi Crowe,
I would probably leave the internal drive alone and boot the Linux from an external drive, at least for the first few months, while you are deciding if you would like to have your Mac Mini under Linux all the time.
An nvme drive in a Thunderbolt case is just as fast as the internal SSD in your case. I'm running my Mac Studio M1 Ultra with a 4TB external nvme drive. Speeds are about 4000 MB/sec, which is less than the 7000 MB/sec of the internal storage but so fast one doesn't even notice. This way I was able to leave Ventura on the internal storage and install Monterey as the main boot drive. There are two huge advantages: 4TB of space and very little wear on the internal drive which is only used to boot (nothing stored here either), as the internal drive is 1. required and 2. replaceable only by Apple at sky-high prices ($800 for 1TB).
In your case, the internal drive can be swapped (I think) so it doesn't matter if you wear it out. Still until you fully commit to Linux, I'd keep macOS on the internal drive.
Screw Apple, we should all be moving to Linux at this point. Apple has turned macOS into bug-ridden spyware. Sad to give up my third-party apps though.
Cheers, Alec
I would probably leave the internal drive alone and boot the Linux from an external drive, at least for the first few months, while you are deciding if you would like to have your Mac Mini under Linux all the time.
An nvme drive in a Thunderbolt case is just as fast as the internal SSD in your case. I'm running my Mac Studio M1 Ultra with a 4TB external nvme drive. Speeds are about 4000 MB/sec, which is less than the 7000 MB/sec of the internal storage but so fast one doesn't even notice. This way I was able to leave Ventura on the internal storage and install Monterey as the main boot drive. There are two huge advantages: 4TB of space and very little wear on the internal drive which is only used to boot (nothing stored here either), as the internal drive is 1. required and 2. replaceable only by Apple at sky-high prices ($800 for 1TB).
In your case, the internal drive can be swapped (I think) so it doesn't matter if you wear it out. Still until you fully commit to Linux, I'd keep macOS on the internal drive.
Screw Apple, we should all be moving to Linux at this point. Apple has turned macOS into bug-ridden spyware. Sad to give up my third-party apps though.
Cheers, Alec
@crowe-t
I would listen to @foliovision . Its the safest approach. You can use a large USB thumb drive for testing purpose like 64-128 . If you are not much of a techy , I found out that Ubuntu (and variants) , Linux Mint, and Zorin are the most use friendly.
I would listen to @foliovision . Its the safest approach. You can use a large USB thumb drive for testing purpose like 64-128 . If you are not much of a techy , I found out that Ubuntu (and variants) , Linux Mint, and Zorin are the most use friendly.
Hi Alec,
Thanks for your advice on this. I'll get an external NVME for Linux and give it a try.
Michael.
Great. Good luck with the Linux install and initial voyages. When you've had a chance to run Linux for a little while, please let us know how it went.