Apple-Mini-Mac

Forum: USB booting
Topic: Apple-Mini-Mac
started by: Key

Posted by Key on June 08 2007,16:16

I'm thinking about buying a new Apple-Mini-Mac ( the current small model ). Anybody has experience with it ?

Is it possible to boot DSL from an usb-pen on the Apple-Mini-Mac ?

Will the onboard network-card automatically recognized by DSL ?

Thank you in advance for your information.

Posted by fodder on June 28 2007,22:12

Quote (Key @ June 08 2007,12:16)

Your best shot would be to try booting it with a DSL LiveCD first. If your hardware is recognized by the CD then it should be trivial to switch over to a USB key.

Posted by lucky13 on June 28 2007,22:44

Quote

Will the onboard network-card automatically recognized by DSL ?

The question after plucking down a few hundred bucks for such an odd piece of hardware is, Will *OSX* recognize it automatically? One sample link:
< http://forums.macosxhints.com/showthread.php?t=52653 >

Posted by fodder on June 28 2007,23:17

LOL, lucky13 - that is a hilarious link - that poor guy is left out in the cold, trying to get help over dialup! :-D

However, Key, you might find these links a little more instructive in deciding:

< http://sowerbutts.com/linux-mac-mini/ >
(Debian supports the mini's various network cards, so you can probably get DSL to use it, even if DSL doesn't automatically recognize it.)

< http://www.redhat.com/magazine/007may05/features/mac-mini/ >
(Fedora Core 4 seems to work great)

Other random links found using Google:
< http://homepage.mac.com/pauljlucas/personal/macmini/ >
< http://www-128.ibm.com/developerworks/power/library/pa-madmac1/ >
< http://hardware.slashdot.org/article.pl?sid=05/05/11/1242234 >

If nothing else, you can be assured that you'll be able to run some flavor of linux, even if DSL doesn't work.

Posted by lucky13 on June 29 2007,21:36

Better idea: get a Damn Small Machine and support DSL instead of Apple.
< http://damnsmalllinux.org/store/Mini_ITX_Systems/Damn_Small_Machine >

Posted by Key on July 01 2007,20:15

Thank you for your answers.

Although I have bought an Apple Mac Mini some days/weeks ago, I haven't done further investigations related to this question.

I have asked somebody from an Apple shop refering to the Mac Mini's Bios. I have got a reply with the following information: < http://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Extensible_Firmware_Interface > ( it is in german

)

Maybe I will try DSL someday on the Mac Mini.
Currently I have decided better to have a second ordinary computer where I will run DSL from.
Nevetheless I have to wait now for DSL 4.0 to get the full hardware support

The Mac Mini is a nice small and stylish unit.
I like it very much.
But an notebook has the advantage, that it has a built in display in the cover which can be closed and therefore be dust protected. This is one item why I like an ordinary notebook more than an Apple Mac Mini.