Installing Linux on old Mac Pro desktop?

[Max853lolz]

I have a 2006 Mac Pro that I found on Facebook. I don’t know much about it but I want to breathe some new life into it using Linux for maybe a plex server or very light gaming. I haven’t experimented much but I know it’s a challenge to put Linux on these. Does anyone know what to do? I tried using ventoy, and it gives me a safe boot error. 

[Electronics Wizardy]

I also have one of these, and you can run linux on them. Just use the mbr/legacy boot and it should work fine.

 

But there slow and very power hungry, so a newer system will be faster and cheaper to operate so I'd probably not use it for those uses.

 

Those mac pros don't have safe boot, so that seems odd.

[Max853lolz]

19 minutes ago, Electronics Wizardy said:

I also have one of these, and you can run linux on them. Just use the mbr/legacy boot and it should work fine.

 

But there slow and very power hungry, so a newer system will be faster and cheaper to operate so I'd probably not use it for those uses.

 

Those mac pros don't have safe boot, so that seems odd.

Thanks man. Im sorry if this is a stupid question, but how would i boot into legacy mode? also, what did you use yours for if you used it?

[Electronics Wizardy]

Just now, Max853lolz said:

Thanks man. Im sorry if this is a stupid question, but how would i boot into legacy mode? also, what did you use yours for if you used it?

In the boot menu it should say windows for legacy boot options. Try using that one. 

 

Also make sure rufus uses the mbr mode.

 

I used my mainly for older mac os. I'll fire it up again to see how it goes with linux.

[Needfuldoer]

I wouldn't recommend using it as a server. Those things are slow and power hungry.

 

It's best to use it as the old Mac it is.

[RollyShed]

If it is anything like a Mac Mini then it is simpler doing a Linux Mint install on one than on a Windows machine.

There is no hassle getting the BIOS set right, just simply plug in the USB stick with Linux on it and boot it with a finger on the Alt key until it is going (called something else on an Apple keyboard) and then do the installation in the normal way.

 

I'm doing the third Mac Mini today and one more to do after that.

[dragonfly43]

Install Linux on an Intel Mac is doable , but 2006 Mac - Power PC ? That can be tricky.

[Needfuldoer]

3 hours ago, dragonfly43 said:

Install Linux on an Intel Mac is doable , but 2006 Mac - Power PC ? That can be tricky.

2006 would've been the first generation Intel Mac Pro, Core 2 Xeon.

 

The last Power Mac was the 2005 G5. Those things run hotter than Pentium 4s.

[g0ated]

You can install power scheduling drivers like acpid to or other ones for mac power management and you should use an MBR. As others have said they are very power hungry and low performance so i would just use it as it is. 

[BondiBlue]

Using an original Mac Pro as a server of any kind is not a good idea. These machines were great when new, but these days they're just horrendously slow compared to basically anything you can get. They do make great space heaters though.