Re: Installing Linux on a Mac Mini without OSX

[Ric Moore <wayward4now@gmail.com>]

On 12/04/2014 04:29 PM, Brian Sammon wrote:
> On Thu, 04 Dec 2014 14:46:09 -0500
> Stefan Monnier <monnier@iro.umontreal.ca> wrote:
>
> > > I was recently given a Mac Mini (Intel Mid 2007) that had been wiped.
> > > I tried to install Debian (Wheezy) on it, and the installer reported
> > > success, but  when it came time to eject and reboot, Debian didn't
> > > boot from the hard drive.
> > [...]
> > > Is there a way to install Debian/Linux on this machine that doesn't involve
> > > buying or borrowing (or "borrowing") a copy of OSX?
> >
> > If you managed to boot a plain-normal Debian CDROM installer, then your
> > machine's firmware has full BIOS support and you can boot a plain-normal
> > Debian install on the harddisk as well, as if the machine were
> > a normal PC.
>
> Hmm... I was able to boot a plain-normal (I assume it is) Debian CDROM installer, but now I can't boot the plain-normal (I assume) Debian install that the installer said it installed.
>
> The two questions I have:
> Can I still assume that I have the firmware version that I want?
> What do I do next to troubleshoot/fix this?
>
> Another random question:
> The installer gave me the choice of installing Grub on the partition or on the Master Boot Record.  Which of these should I choose?

If possible the normal route would be to the MBR. If you can boot from 
the CD install disk to a live session as root in a terminal window:
grub-install /dev/sda
update-grub
... I ~think~ will do the trick. I'd check this link out first though:
http://ubuntuforums.org/archive/index.php/t-24113.html
One of the above methods should get grub set correctly. Good Luck! Ric


--
My father, Victor Moore (Vic) used to say:
"There are two Great Sins in the world...
..the Sin of Ignorance, and the Sin of Stupidity.
Only the former may be overcome." R.I.P. Dad.
Linux user# 44256