Subject: Re: Installing Linux (any flavor so long as it's accessible) to a 2012 Mac mini?

From: Eric Oyen via PLUG-discuss <[email-masked]>
Date: Mon, 14 Apr 2025 03:54:58 -0700

I did quite a lot. There were a couple of Wordpress podcasts from 2014, a number of forum threads from 2011 to 2019 (Specifically on ask different, tom’s hardware and others”.

And yes, it is a 64 bit intel cpu core i5 (x2) and it is currently running OS X 10.15.7 Catalina with any available security patches (last one I got was in 2020). Yes, it does have a 64 bit EFI as well.

Here is my machine info courtesy of “about this Mac”

Hardware Overview:

  Model Name:	Mac mini
  Model Identifier:	Macmini6,1
  Processor Name:	Dual-Core Intel Core i5
  Processor Speed:	2.5 GHz
  Number of Processors:	1
  Total Number of Cores:	2
  L2 Cache (per Core):	256 KB
  L3 Cache:	3 MB
  Hyper-Threading Technology:	Enabled
  Memory:	8 GB
  Boot ROM Version:	429.0.0.0.0
  SMC Version (system):	2.7f0
  Serial Number (system):	C07JCYD5DWYL
  Hardware UUID:	EA38BF4D-C66A-5630-BD01-495716CEB60B

More info:
  Apple Bluetooth Software Version:	7.0.6f8
  Hardware, Features, and Settings:
  Name:	EvilDead
  Address:	20-C9-D0-93-2D-90
  Bluetooth Low Energy Supported:	Yes
  Handoff Supported:	Yes
  Instant Hot Spot Supported:	Yes
  Manufacturer:	Broadcom
  Transport:	USB
  Chipset:	20702B0
  Firmware Version:	v150 c9315
  Bluetooth Power:	On
  Discoverable:	Off
  Connectable:	Yes
  Auto Seek Pointing:	Off
  Remote wake:	On
  Vendor ID:	0x05AC
  Product ID:	0x828A
  Bluetooth Core Spec:	4.0 (0x6)
  HCI Revision:	0x2463
  LMP Version:	4.0 (0x6)
  LMP Subversion:	0x4196
  Device Type (Major):	Computer
  Device Type (Complete):	Mac Desktop
  Composite Class Of Device:	0x380104
  Device Class (Major):	0x01
  Device Class (Minor):	0x01
  Service Class:	0x1C0
  Auto Seek Keyboard:	On
  Devices (Paired, Configured, etc.):
  BB-BT-SP:
  Address:	39-72-A7-A0-8A-F3
  Major Type:	Audio
  Minor Type:	Headset
  Services:	JL_HFP, JL_A2DP
  Paired:	Yes
  Configured:	Yes
  Connected:	No
  Bluetooth Core Spec:	4.2
  Class of Device:	0x04 0x01 0x340404
  EDR Supported:	Yes
  eSCO Supported:	Yes
  SSP Supported:	Yes
  iPhone:
  Address:	B8-21-1C-16-C5-95
  Major Type:	Miscellaneous
  Minor Type:	Unknown
  Services:	
  Paired:	No
  Configured:	Yes
  Connected:	No
  Manufacturer:	Broadcom (0xC, 0x20F)
  Bluetooth Core Spec:	Unknown
  Class of Device:	0x00 0x00 0x0000
  JBL TUNE500BT:
  Address:	B8-F6-53-5C-79-EB
  Major Type:	Audio
  Minor Type:	Headset
  Services:	AVRCP CT, A2DP Sink, HandsFree, AVRCP TG, Headset
  Paired:	Yes
  Configured:	Yes
  Connected:	No
  Manufacturer:	Unknown (0x7, 0x13C7)
  Bluetooth Core Spec:	4.1
  Class of Device:	0x04 0x01 0x240404
  EDR Supported:	Yes
  eSCO Supported:	Yes
  SSP Supported:	Yes
  LG440G:
  Address:	2C-54-CF-0C-57-DF
  Major Type:	Phone
  Minor Type:	Mobile Phone
  Services:	Advanced audio source, HFP Audio Gateway, Phonebook Access PSE, Object Push, OBEX File Transfer, HSP Audio Gateway
  Paired:	Yes
  Configured:	Yes
  Connected:	No
  Manufacturer:	Broadcom (0x4, 0x4120)
  Bluetooth Core Spec:	2.1
  Vendor ID:	0x000F
  Class of Device:	0x02 0x01 0x5A0204
  EDR Supported:	Yes
  eSCO Supported:	Yes
  SSP Supported:	Yes
  macbook:
  Address:	00-1E-52-DF-27-C5
  Major Type:	Computer
  Minor Type:	Mac Portable
  Services:	Headset Audio Gateway, Network Access Point Service, A2DP Audio Source, AVRCP Target, Apple Macintosh Attributes, Bluetooth-PDA-Sync, Hands Free Audio Gateway, Group Ad-hoc Network Service
  Paired:	Yes
  Configured:	Yes
  Connected:	No
  Manufacturer:	Cambridge Silicon Radio (0x3, 0x7AD)
  Bluetooth Core Spec:	2.0
  Class of Device:	0x01 0x03 0x3A010C
  EDR Supported:	Yes
  eSCO Supported:	Yes
  SSP Supported:	No
  Sonorous Grip Speaker:
  Address:	A9-5B-AC-CA-F8-46
  Major Type:	Audio
  Minor Type:	Headset
  Services:	JL_A2DP, JL_HFP
  Paired:	Yes
  Configured:	Yes
  Connected:	No
  Bluetooth Core Spec:	Unknown
  Class of Device:	0x04 0x01 0x240404
  EDR Supported:	Yes
  eSCO Supported:	Yes
  SSP Supported:	Yes
  Services:
  Bluetooth File Transfer:
  Folder other devices can browse:	~/Public
  When receiving items:	Accept all without warning
  State:	Disabled
  Bluetooth File Exchange:
  Folder for accepted items:	~/Downloads
  When other items are accepted:	Save to location
  When receiving items:	Accept all without warning
  State:	Disabled
  Bluetooth Internet Sharing:
  State:	Disabled
  Incoming Serial Ports:
  Bluetooth-Incoming-Port:
  RFCOMM Channel:	3
  Requires Authentication:	No
  Outgoing Serial Ports:
  macbook-Bluetooth-PDA-S:
  Address:	00-1E-52-DF-27-C5
  RFCOMM Channel:	3
  Requires Authentication:	No

Built in SD Card Reader:

  Vendor ID:	0x14e4
  Device ID:	0x16bc
  Subsystem Vendor ID:	0x14e4
  Subsystem ID:	0x0000
  Revision:	0x0001
  Link Width:	x1
  Link Speed:	2.5 GT/s

Broadcom 57766-A1:

  Name:	ethernet
  Type:	Ethernet Controller
  Bus:	PCI
  Vendor ID:	0x14e4
  Device ID:	0x1686
  Subsystem Vendor ID:	0x14e4
  Subsystem ID:	0x1686
  Revision ID:	0x0001
  Link Width:	x1
  BSD name:	en0
  Kext name:	AppleBCM5701Ethernet.kext
  Firmware version:	57766a-v1.15
  Location:	/System/Library/Extensions/IONetworkingFamily.kext/Contents/PlugIns/AppleBCM5701Ethernet.kext
  mDNS offload capable:	a8:20:66:16:1d:2c
  Version:	10.3.5

FireWire Bus:

  Maximum Speed:	Up to 800 Mb/sec

Intel HD Graphics 4000:

  Chipset Model:	Intel HD Graphics 4000
  Type:	GPU
  Bus:	Built-In
  VRAM (Dynamic, Max):	1536 MB
  Vendor:	Intel
  Device ID:	0x0166
  Revision ID:	0x0009
  Metal:	Supported, feature set macOS GPUFamily1 v4
  Displays:
100002487:
  Resolution:	1920 x 1080 (1080p FHD - Full High Definition)
  UI Looks like:	1920 x 1080 @ 60 Hz
  Framebuffer Depth:	24-Bit Color (ARGB8888)
  Main Display:	Yes
  Mirror:	Off
  Online:	Yes
  Rotation:	Supported
  Automatically Adjust Brightness:	No
  Connection Type:	Thunderbolt/DisplayPort

Intel 7 Series Chipset:

  Vendor:	Intel
  Product:	7 Series Chipset
  Link Speed:	6 Gigabit
  Negotiated Link Speed:	6 Gigabit
  Physical Interconnect:	SATA
  Description:	AHCI Version 1.30 Supported

KINGSTON SUV400S37240G:

  Capacity:	240.06 GB (240,057,409,536 bytes)
  Model:	KINGSTON SUV400S37240G                  
  Revision:	0C3J96R9
  Serial Number:	50026B776C01430D    
  Native Command Queuing:	Yes
  Queue Depth:	32
  Removable Media:	No
  Detachable Drive:	No
  BSD Name:	disk0
  Medium Type:	Solid State
  TRIM Support:	No
  Bay Name:	Lower
  Partition Map Type:	GPT (GUID Partition Table)
  S.M.A.R.T. status:	Verified
  Volumes:
EFI:
  Capacity:	209.7 MB (209,715,200 bytes)
  File System:	MS-DOS FAT32
  BSD Name:	disk0s1
  Content:	EFI
  Volume UUID:	0E239BC6-F960-3107-89CF-1C97F78BB46B
disk0s2:
  Capacity:	239.85 GB (239,847,653,376 bytes)
  BSD Name:	disk0s2
  Content:	Apple_APFS

Thunderbolt Bus:

  Vendor Name:	Apple Inc.
  Device Name:	Mac mini
  UID:	0x0001000D19FD4F20
  Route String:	0
  Firmware Version:	23.4
  Domain UUID:	9FD657B3-6567-8B5D-BE72-E51CB93C86B0
  Port:
  Status:	No device connected
  Link Status:	0x101
  Speed:	Up to 10 Gb/s x2
  Receptacle:	1
  Link Controller Firmware Version:	0.12.3

Hub:

  Product ID:	0x0024
  Vendor ID:	0x8087  (Intel Corporation)
  Version:	0.00
  Speed:	Up to 480 Mb/s
  Location ID:	0x1a100000 / 1
  Current Available (mA):	500
  Current Required (mA):	0
  Extra Operating Current (mA):	0
  Built-In:	Yes

That’s pretty much my machine in a nutshell.

-Eric
From the Central Offices of the Technomage Guild, Hardware Support Services

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