i recently replaced OSX with Linux Mint Cinnamon 17.1 Rebecca, as Apple long ago quit supporting system updates for this 2006 MBP 1,1. I installed by creating a live USB via OSX tools, installing rEFInd boot loader, and then was able to successfully install. I didn't retain OSX , thinking it was an obsolete security hole waiting to happen. Now if I insert a bootable USB stick and boot the Pro while pressing the Alt key the boot loader only shows the hard drive (labels it Windows). USB stick no longer appears. Either rEFInd is no longer there, or it has a bug of some sort. The only potential remedies suggested involve reinstalling rEFInd from OSX - no longer an option (long ago lost the original OSX install cd). The USB stick shows up and boots fine on my new latest gen iMac, as its native EFI loader sees it with no intervention. Would a possible solution be to burn a live cd using the iMac via OSX, and then see if the old Pro EFI could see and boot from the cd drive?

In summary, I successfully installed Linux Mint using OSX tools and rEFInd on a MacBook Pro, which now boots up fine from the HDD. The EFI boot loader no longer sees the USB stick. Any suggestions are appreciated.

Hmmmm. I am not Mac gear proficient. So take what I say with a grain of salt.

kind of a catch 22 situation you present here. No usb boot. Does 1st generation Mac have a cd/dvd drive? Edit: I guess so. http://www.plop.at/en/ploplinux/livecd.html

I ask because maybe installing PLOP Boot manager in front of Mint install to MBR of Macs hard disk will give usb
boot capabilities again.

This is all conjecture/theory. So my thoughts might help. Or be a red herring.

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Thanks for the suggestion - interesting web site. I will follow up on it soon and post the results. I'm posting this right now from the 9 year old MBP running Linux. It is still a very functional piece of hardware, especially with the fairly small footprint of Linux installed. Apple has made some very good hardware in the past, and this old MBP is testament to that. I think there would be a very positive reaction from lots of folks who possess old functional Apple hardware - but no longer get software support from Apple (RIP Steve Jobs) - to implementation of a standard installation method for Linux as an alternative Mac OS. Unfortunately, Apple's EFI firmware is a moving target.