I've got a 2007 iMac (iMac7,1) with some pretty dated specs: an Intel Core 2 Duo 2.4 GHz processor, 1GB of DDR2 RAM, and an ATI Radeon HD 2600 graphics card. It has a built-in optical disk drive that I want to keep operational for reading and writing. My main concern with switching to Linux is maintaining that functionality since this is my only computer that supports optical disks.
I'm completely new to Linux and trying to install AntiX. I've been experiencing issues with the iMac freezing. During what I assume is the AntiX UEFI, after the 'welcome to GRUB' message, it gets stuck. After restarting, I managed to reach the live USB desktop and connected to the internet. However, when I tried to run 'sudo apt-get update' and 'sudo apt-get upgrade' as instructed, it froze again. I'm worried about proceeding with the installation because I fear it could freeze mid-install.
Could this freezing be related to a graphics driver issue? If so, which driver do I need to update? Also, I'm considering a dual-boot setup initially and want to know if there's any value in keeping my existing Mac OS X version 10.5.8 or if I should just overwrite it. I found a discussion suggesting keeping a partition for the original OS to maintain firmware functionality—does that apply only to newer Macs? What would you recommend I do?
2 Answers
I totally understand your concerns! AntiX is lightweight, which is great for older machines, but sometimes issues can pop up. If you're freezing during updates, consider checking your RAM or even the USB drive itself—sometimes faulty hardware can cause issues like this.
As for the OS, keeping a partition with Mac OS X might be a good idea, especially since you're unsure if the firmware would cause issues later. If you’re really set on learning Linux, maybe consider trying a more user-friendly distro alongside AntiX. They can often be less finicky on older hardware!
It sounds like you’re on the right track with AntiX for your hardware! Given that your iMac is quite old, AntiX is designed for smaller systems, so it’s a decent choice. One thing to consider is to connect via Ethernet during installation; this can help reduce issues like freezing.
For the freezing issue, it might be related to the graphics drivers, so you can try to look for proprietary drivers after you get into the live session. Since you mentioned dual-booting, definitely keep a partition for Mac OS X if you’re concerned about firmware compatibility—it might help to retain some functionality for your optical drive and other components. That said, if you’re comfortable, you could back up your files and go ahead with the installation to see how it goes!
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