Want to install MX onto a 2006 iMac 5.1 Core2Duo [SOLVED]

[oldhoghead]

m_pav

Were all getting older Good luck with getting that iMac going, mine died several months ago. I bought a 2013 iMac, I moved a few weeks ago and
all our stuff is in storage until we buy a place. So I don't have access to all my notes, computers, and am working off my laptop. I did do a how-to for
installing on the old iMac, but it too is in storage (somewhere). That cheat code helped alleviate a long delay on this laptop while it was trying to populate/dev. Your welcome btw. I still remember that you sent me a cd of Mepis Lite. Still got it somewhere.


cheers,
ohh

[woodsman]

Code: Select all

System:    Host: shed Kernel: 4.19.0-6-686-pae i686 bits: 32 compiler: gcc v: 8.3.0 
           parameters: BOOT_IMAGE=/boot/vmlinuz-4.19.0-6-686-pae 
           root=UUID=78c5c72b-9e81-457c-a668-88769404a828 ro quiet splash 
           Desktop: Xfce 4.14.2 tk: Gtk 3.24.5 info: xfce4-panel wm: xfwm4 dm: LightDM 1.26.0 
           Distro: MX-19.1_386 patito feo October 15  2019 base: Debian GNU/Linux 10 (buster) 
Machine:   Type: Laptop System: Apple product: MacBook2,1 v: 1.0 serial: <filter> Chassis: 
           type: 10 v: Mac-F4208CAA serial: <filter> 
           Mobo: Apple model: Mac-F4208CAA v: PVT serial: <filter> UEFI: Apple 
           v: MB21.88Z.00A5.B07.0706270922 date: 06/27/07 
CPU:       Topology: Dual Core model: Intel Core2 T7200 bits: 64 type: MCP arch: Core Merom 
           family: 6 model-id: F (15) stepping: 6 microcode: D1 L2 cache: 4096 KiB 
           flags: lm nx pae sse sse2 sse3 ssse3 vmx bogomips: 7980 
           Speed: 998 MHz min/max: 1000/2000 MHz Core speeds (MHz): 1: 998 2: 998 
           Vulnerabilities: Type: itlb_multihit status: KVM: Split huge pages 
           Type: l1tf mitigation: PTE Inversion; VMX: EPT disabled 
           Type: mds status: Vulnerable: Clear CPU buffers attempted, no microcode; SMT disabled 
           Type: meltdown mitigation: PTI 
           Type: spec_store_bypass status: Vulnerable 
           Type: spectre_v1 mitigation: usercopy/swapgs barriers and __user pointer sanitization 
           Type: spectre_v2 mitigation: Full generic retpoline, STIBP: disabled, RSB filling 
           Type: tsx_async_abort status: Not affected 
Graphics:  Device-1: Intel Mobile 945GM/GMS 943/940GML Express Integrated Graphics driver: i915 
           v: kernel bus ID: 00:02.0 chip ID: 8086:27a2 
           Display: x11 server: X.Org 1.20.4 driver: intel unloaded: fbdev,modesetting,vesa 
           resolution: 1280x800~60Hz 
           OpenGL: renderer: Mesa DRI Intel 945GM x86/MMX/SSE2 v: 1.4 Mesa 18.3.6 
           direct render: Yes 
Audio:     Device-1: Intel NM10/ICH7 Family High Definition Audio 
           vendor: SigmaTel STAC9221 Codec driver: snd_hda_intel v: kernel bus ID: 00:1b.0 
           chip ID: 8086:27d8 
           Sound Server: ALSA v: k4.19.0-6-686-pae 
Network:   Device-1: Marvell 88E8053 PCI-E Gigabit Ethernet driver: sky2 v: 1.30 port: 1000 
           bus ID: 01:00.0 chip ID: 11ab:4362 
           IF: eth0 state: down mac: <filter> 
           Device-2: Qualcomm Atheros AR5418 Wireless Network Adapter [AR5008E 802.11bgn] 
           vendor: Apple AirPort Extreme driver: ath9k v: kernel port: 1000 bus ID: 02:00.0 
           chip ID: 168c:0024 
           IF: wlan0 state: up mac: <filter> 
Drives:    Local Storage: total: 149.05 GiB used: 7.38 GiB (5.0%) 
           ID-1: /dev/sda vendor: Toshiba model: MK1655GSXF size: 149.05 GiB block size: 
           physical: 512 B logical: 512 B speed: 1.5 Gb/s rotation: 5400 rpm serial: <filter> 
           rev: 5B scheme: GPT 
Partition: ID-1: / raw size: 146.77 GiB size: 143.46 GiB (97.75%) used: 7.38 GiB (5.1%) fs: ext4 
           dev: /dev/sda2 
           ID-2: swap-1 size: 2.00 GiB used: 0 KiB (0.0%) fs: swap swappiness: 15 (default 60) 
           cache pressure: 100 (default) dev: /dev/sda3 
Sensors:   System Temperatures: cpu: 31.0 C mobo: N/A 
           Fan Speeds (RPM): N/A 
Repos:     No active apt repos in: /etc/apt/sources.list 
           Active apt repos in: /etc/apt/sources.list.d/debian-stable-updates.list 
           1: deb http://deb.debian.org/debian buster-updates main contrib non-free
           Active apt repos in: /etc/apt/sources.list.d/debian.list 
           1: deb http://deb.debian.org/debian buster main contrib non-free
           2: deb http://deb.debian.org/debian-security buster/updates main contrib non-free
           Active apt repos in: /etc/apt/sources.list.d/mx.list 
           1: deb http://mxrepo.com/mx/repo/ buster main non-free
           No active apt repos in: /etc/apt/sources.list.d/various.list 
Info:      Processes: 177 Uptime: 2m Memory: 890.4 MiB used: 347.0 MiB (39.0%) Init: SysVinit 
           v: 2.93 runlevel: 5 default: 5 Compilers: gcc: 8.3.0 alt: 8 Shell: bash v: 5.0.3 
           running in: quick-system-in inxi: 3.0.36 

this ia Mcbook white model

DVD Cn play BuT IT ONLY BURNS CD'S not DVD'S.
MINIMAL RAM.



trackpad ia slow and glitchy and not too good but i found a usb logitech wireless mouse i use and that is good. hope this helps.

[m_pav]

Update: I only have a Logitech wireless keyboard, PC style, no special mac keys so I have to do some things differently. Before I created this therad, I installed ReFind Boot Manager, so much better than long key presses, finds any temporary boot device with ease and it was from here I found the stop points.

I tried a frugal install, it works, but can only be accessed using a boot DVD, the UEFI menu can't seem to access it. Optical media speed is sooooo sloooowww, I can't put up with that so I did a regular install placing grub on PBR and again in ESP. Refind finds it and it's plain sailing from there - almost

Sound works and it works too well, the speakers are extremely loud, to the point the voice coil core separated from the outer suspension rings and sounded seriously bad, it was like sandpaper on my eardrums. Ripped the machine open, repaired the speakers with PVA glue carefully applied with a straightened paperclip and just enough heat to re-soften the suspension rings and dry the glue. Sound is nice again.

ISSUES:
No wireless. This model uses Broadcom wireless so I have to work that one out
No webcam, As above, but I think I may find some answers in the Debian nonfree repos.

Speed, it's OK, but suffers from delays with mouse actions related to clicks, esp right clicks. The menus do weird things while the interrupts are processed but they do not take, so have to repeat.
Video, can play 1080p Youtube clips full screen with about 20% loss through cyclic momentary blurring.

In short, I have managed to install MX as was my goal, so I will mark this thread as solved, however, there are things that need to be addressed. I've yet to try Fluxbox, but will spend some time on that to see if the issues related to pauses are minimised.

I'm hoping my son can do his remote schooling using this machine because his Acer Chromebook Flip has no webcam and I'm the IT support for the school, who are going full-on with multiple forms of video conferencing, so a bigger screen and a webcam will be vital.

Still open to assistance from those who've travelled this road before and shout out to Phantom Tramp whose post I missed (4 sets of glasses, old-man-eyetis)

[woodsman]

good luck my friend. i hope it gets better from here. wish i knew more to help you.

[m_pav]

I got both working, with limitations .....

To get the Webcam I had to ensure I had the original driver available on a working OSX installation for the machine and to install isight-firmware-tools using the regular repos.

During installation of the above, the installer opened a search window with a preset path and the name of the package it was looking for at the end of the path. The path for Debian Buster which mounts external storage devices inside /media was not quite correct. I mounted the mac partition, manually located the search path from /media, then copied and pasted the full search path into the installers search bar and viola, it was done in a few moments. NOTE: Before mounting an Apple partition to browse its contents, you'll need to install hfsplus and possibly hfsutils. I'll add into that hfsprogs just in case.

I could have just edited the start of the path, but I wanted to ensure the file name at the end of the path existed first. A restart proved the webcam worked with guvcview at 480p max, but it failed to be discovered by the web browser, so that was a huge let-down, so it's not suitable for my son - typical #@&*^%$ Mac, there's always something!

The wireless was easier, I only had to un-blacklist the WL driver using our MX Network Assistant and a few minutes later, I was connected and surfing. It failed to connect to my 5G signal, but 2.4G is enough for this old beast.

Ooh well, at least I have a working machine that is up to date. Might be a loaner for when someone brings me a computer that needs fixin.

Moving onto a spare Toshiba notebook I resurrected from the grave, that's has to work because I don't want to sacrifice my Logitech C910 HD webcam, that has a whole different purpose now that community gatherings are "outlawed" :lipsrsealed: through this lockdown