circa 2007 Mac Mini with MX linux running previously.
Using PC Windows keyboard.
I have tried cold booting while holding ALT, windows key, CTRL and ALT, windows key and ALT.
On boot w endeavor live boot, first time install, I only see the mouse cursor (if I hold ALT on boot) which I can move but I can’t get to the first installation screen.
On MX:
Usually I’d delete all files from hard disk and MX would recognize there is no OS and the installation screen would come up.
32 bit EFI?
I was running 64bit MX (based on debian) before.
It’s about getting to the installation screen.
It is about triggering EFI to somehow get to the installation screen.
On MX I would bork the whole system so there would be no disk to boot from instead of the flash drive.
On Endeavor this does not happen.
I only managed installing linux on mac via refind. The refind page also has some infos on setup.
Grub did not work at least on my 2011-2012 macs…
Using PC Windows keyboard.
I have tried cold booting while holding ALT, windows key, CTRL and ALT, windows key and ALT.
On boot w endeavor live boot, first time install, I only see the mouse cursor (if I hold ALT on boot) which I can move but I can’t get to the first installation screen.
I need to have the flash drive as the only disk available for booting.
Not if you use refind, you can boot into mac or use usb.
I think your machine has a 64 bit CPU, but a 32 bit EFI boot. Most of the MAcs from that time period have that. This means you can run a 64 bit system, but you have to tinker a bit to make the ISO pass through the 32 bit EFI boot.
The reason why MX Linux does pass is because Debian still supports 32 bit, Arch doesn’t.
Just read this article with helpful tips:
Yep, I got Solyd XK to install but not Manjaro. That was back in 2014 though!
Thanks this is useful
It’s this one
https://everymac.com/systems/apple/mac_mini/specs/mac-mini-core-2-duo-1.83-specs.html
appears to have 64 EFI, but 32* boot ( * These models are believed to be hardware capable of booting MacOS X 10.6 “Snow Leopard” in 64-bit mode, but it appears that they have been blocked in EFI from doing so. Unauthorized hacks are available."
I don’t have MacOS installed at all so I am not sure I can follow http://netkas.org/?p=189 to unlock 64 boot EFI.
I am not sure what makes most sense:
Refind,
attempting to unlock boot EFI,
or
modifying boot parameters as in Arch WIKI for mac mini 2018
I think the boot EFI applies before the MacOS/OS-X is even installed. Remember Macs are not just software, they are hardware too unlike Windows or Linux. The Apple boot thing is in the firmware I think. It’s been along time since I hacked around with one of my old MacBooks so I’m not sure. Refind is a good thing though, and there is even it’s old predecessor Refit although that might only handle 32-bit only.
My MacBooks are 2006 (32-bit) & 2010 (64-bit). I’ve only hacked the first one with Refit. The second one runs Sierra and I’m leaving that one alone 
This used to work on my old MacBook Pro 2006, it has been a few years ago since I last used it but the “mod your own ISO” chapter worked like a charm with every distro I ran.
Ooh, nice one. I hadn’t seen that particular article. 
Bookmarked for future reference.
I just went through the whole process from mattgradient and saw it was for CDs. I’ll try this https://mesom.de/efi32boot/index.html
Cool, it gets better! 
I followed the procedure at mesom.de
created the usb boot disk.
there is an error followed by grub editor appearing with various options.
I’ll have a look at it again tomorrow.
When attempting with mesom USB procedure:
On boot an error briefly flashes: “error reading…”. It quickly disappears.
grub edit starts. If I use ‘boot’ command, I get “you need to load kernel”.
If I exit grub edit, system starts booting from hard drive.
Trying refind. Installed 0.13 .deb
It’s not active at boot. Attempted to use
sudo refind-mkdefault and got
“rEFInd is already the first entry
No changes saved.”
