For various reasons I like the Apple Mac Minis, they are cheap, compact, silent, energy efficient and quite powerful. So sometimes I use them as mini servers for some tasks, like as an rsync backup server. For that, I usually install Fedora on them…these Macs are supported since Fedora 9 or so.
When you want to install Fedora on one of these machines, you have 2 choices:
- Use Bootcamp to create an OS X/Fedora dual boot system.
- Install Fedora natively as the only OS.
If you use the second option (which is what I do), you will soon be faced with an annoying problem: the Fedora you just installed via the graphical interface probably won’t boot. Your Mac will display a message saying something like “No boot device found, please insert a bootable media”. Duh.
The problem is that Intel Macs are using EFI instead of a standard BIOS, and the hard drive is pre-formatted with a “gpt” partition table instead of the standard “msdos” partition table. To install a working stand-alone Fedora on such a machine, you have to do ONE thing at the right moment:
- When you launch the Anaconda installer from the DVD, hit ctrl+alt+F2 to switch to a console.
- Run “parted” to modify your hard drive structure.
- In parted, run “mklabel msdos” to switch from gpt to the more standard msdos disk label. This will destroy all your data, so be careful.
- Switch back to the installer with ctrl+alt+F6.
- Install Fedora 11 like you do it usually.
That’s it…it can be quite frustrating if you don’t think about it.
Hi! Can I ask you a question? I try to install Fedora on my iMac (intel) and I download the Fedora 64 bit. The install process end without problem. I have a big problem after: the sound. I try a lot of solution but it doesn’t work. Do you have the same problem? What did you do? Thanks in advice
After seeing Fedora /brick/ my iMac, even in dual boot scenarios, it would be nice if we tested this along with our usual installer testing and had better recognition and support for EFI. I would like to dual boot my machine, but have instead set up a second box just to avoid problems — so a future update doesn’t break things.
I have installed fedora on a macbook with efi without bootcamp. Anaconda is able to install on gpt, but I resized the partition with OS X. And you need grub 2 svn to boot. In order to avoid burning a dvd, I have used network instal, directly in grub, by booting the proper kernel and initrd.
So, technically, nothing prevent it from working, all the pieces are availiables, the glue is missing however
Sorry but I only run these boxes without a GUI, so I didn’t test the sound…
Yes sure, but without the glue, it’s pointless and useless for a standard user. You expect your OS to install on any box, there are already enough driver problems later :p
@Steven -> ok thank for the answer
I hope to find a solution 
I’m a sysadmin for the CS Department at MSU-Bozeman in Montana… and am responsible for a mixed lab of PCs and Intel iMacs. The PCs have always been dual-boot… and this year I plan on making the iMacs triple-boot. After much searching I finally found a recipe on triple-booting that only required a little updating/streamlining. At first getting a triple-boot setup was a major PITA… but after doing it several times, it is quite easy. Now I just have to figure out a way to image/clone that works well. I plan on making writing a current HOWTO in the near future.
We recently replaced Core Duo iMacs (from 2006) with new Core 2 Duo iMacs (July 2009). Fedora worked great on the 2006 iMacs except for the built-in iSight camera and wireless. But the newer iMacs have an nVidia GeForce 9400 video chipset and while it works, it does not give the max resolution unlike the previous iMac. Sound doesn’t work either. Wired networking seems strangely slow.
I can’t seem to find too many resources on Linux/Fedora on the iMac and a most if what I’m finding is outdated. Anyone know of any additional resources?
Just wanted to mention I finished HOWTO and it can be found here:
HOWTO: Linux on the Intel iMac – Triple booting