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Linux is a family of open source Unix-like operating systems based on the Linux kernel, an operating system kernel first released on September 17, 1991 by Linus Torvalds. Linux is typically packaged in a Linux distribution (or distro for short).

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32-bit distro suggestions for 2007 MacBook (sopuli.xyz)

submitted 10 months ago* (last edited 10 months ago) by hellfire103@sopuli.xyz to c/linux@lemmy.ml

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I have a MacBook (specifically a MacBook2,1 A1181) from 2007. I am currently dual-booting Mac OS X 10.6 and crunchbang++ 12 on it, but I feel that there could be something better. Here are the specs:

CPU: Intel Core 2 Duo T7400 (2) @ 2.167 GHz
Architecture: x86_64-v1 (but with 32-bit BIOS, so 64-bit Linux won't work)
Microarchitecture: Merom
GPU: Intel GMA 950
RAM: 3 GB
Disk: 140 GB HDD

This is not supposed to be a daily driver by any stretch. I have newer and more powerful machines than this, but I would still like to have something on it that means I can use it if need be.

As well as crunchbang++, I have also run Debian, Devuan, SparkyLinux, GNU Guix, Puppy Linux, Slackware, and Haiku in the past. I have tried to install several flavours of BSD, but it was too difficult to get dual-booting to work properly.

Despite the CPU being 64-bit, the distro MUST be 32-bit. This is because of the MacBook's BIOS, which prevents 64-bit bootloaders from working.

Not that it matters, as I can do this after installation, but I would be looking to run something like Enlightenment, Trinity, or spectrwm. I tried going CLI-only with Guix, but it wasn't the best experience.

Feel free to also recommend software that will run on a potato like this.

Thanks!

EDIT: Two users have told me how to get 64-bit Linux running on this machine. Debian apparently ships with 32-bit GRUB on the ISO, and there's a CLI tool to patch ISOs to make them work.

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[–] jvrava9@lemmy.dbzer0.com 5 points 10 months ago

Arch 32bit? https://archlinux32.org/

[–] Frederic 3 points 10 months ago

Pretty sure you can run MX Linux 32bits on it

[–] circuitfarmer@lemmy.sdf.org 3 points 10 months ago

I had a similar conundrum: what to use on a Thinkpad X60s, which is a Core Duo machine. I tried Arch 32, but after trying Debian, I stuck with the latter.

I usually only use it as a dumb terminal via SSH, but Debian was just sort of... easier.

[–] bismuthbob@sopuli.xyz 2 points 10 months ago (1 children)

Something a bit more out-of-the-box: I used to run 64-bit linux on a 2,1 Macbook Pro. Similar specs, including the same RAM ceiling. The isos are a bit out of date, but you can always install one and then upgrade from there. https://mattgadient.com/linux-dvd-images-and-how-to-for-32-bit-efi-macs-late-2006-models/

[–] hellfire103@sopuli.xyz 1 points 10 months ago

Whoa! Thank you!