I have successfully used debian-mac-8.7.1-amd64-netinst.iso to install a 64-bit OS on a Mac mini 2,1, which also has a 64-bit capable Core 2 Duo and a 32bit EFI. Perhaps a current debian-mac-x.x.x-amd64-netinst.iso from http://cdimage.debian.org/cdimage/release/current/amd64/iso-cd/ will also work on an iMac with similar issues. If I remember correctly it installed GRUB, but I later switched to rEFInd.
The wiki page for the Intel Mac mini might be of interest: https://wiki.debian.org/MacMiniIntel#Macmini_2.2C1 On Mon, Nov 6, 2017 at 4:52 PM, Robert Goley <rago...@rdasys.com> wrote: > Yes it can but you have to install differently. That series of mac has > some different 32bit/64 bit EFI type issues. It is best to use a regular > non EFI installer to install Linux on it. I had a macbook with the same > type of issue. The error you pasted is exactly the same one I encountered > when installers started incorporating the EFI installers. I no longer have > that hardware so haven't done an install in some time so I can't tell you > where/ how to get an installer without EFI enabled. Worst case, you could > do a minimal install of an older version and then dist-upgrade to the > latest version. You could also do a chroot install from a bootable > livecd. You should be able to find an installer with EFI disabled though. > > On Mon, Nov 6, 2017 at 10:40 AM, Steven Grunza <steven.gru...@gmail.com> > wrote: > >> I tried booting Debian 9.2.0 live netinstall and live. >> >> Both started up and gave a black screen with white writing and then a >> screen similar to: >> >> 1. >> >> 2. >> Select CD-ROM Boot Type :_ >> >> >> Nothing I did on the attached USB keyboard had any affect, nor did >> anything I did with the mouse. >> >> >> >> I received the machine from someone that upgraded to a newer machine. >> The hard drive was mostly wiped clean and Apple no longer supports the >> over-the-network install. >> >> My hope was to replace an iMac G5 (running Xubuntu) with this machine >> since the G5 is so incredibly slow (radeon driver issues most likely). >> >> Any suggestions on how to get the machine running x86_64 would be welcome >> - I'm hoping to be able to build Android and Android apps on the machine so >> it needs to be 64-bit. >> >> Steven G. >> > > > > -- > >
