NeighborhoodNerd21

UPDATE: The best set up I was able to get with this machine was by installing Ubuntu 20.04.6, extending support by attaching Ubuntu Pro and then using the Additional Drivers and installing the Nvidia 390 meta package. For what I use the iMac for (mainly streaming video on Pluto or Prime) it works very well. Power-on to GDM is roughly 4 or 5 seconds. I’ve always been fascinated by the longevity of Apple products. They build incredible machines, and unfortunately, Apple’s support lifecycle often leaves them abandoned – a growing mountain of e-waste. Recently, I was scrolling through the marketplace, and I spotted a treasure: a 2012 21.5” iMac for a ridiculously low $100. It was a gamble, a leap of faith, and frankly, I had no idea what I was getting into. I dove headfirst, did some quick research, and the result was...well, let’s just say it was an adventure. I’ll share the full story of my $100 Mac rescue – including the initial challenges, the surprising discoveries, and what I learned...

DD Copy and Convert Utility  "dd" is a Unix\Linux utility for copying and converting disks, partitions, and images, etc..  It's installed in the base system of just about every Linux Distribution so getting a hold of it isn't hard. I chose Debian for my Live Linux environment from which I will execute dd from memory so the source disk wont be in use. You could also take out the HDD and use a Linux install on a second machine as you will be taking it out when you swap the drives anyway. But, using the Linux live image method saves us from having to have a second sata-to-usb cable and allows for portability so you could easily perform this on a client pc on site. Another benefit of using the live method is the system remains intact until we know we have a successful copy process.  As a side note, this could also be performed from a Windows 10 installation on another PC using dd for windows provided by  http://www.chrysocome.net/dd . Command Syntax   ...