Run Linux on Mac without rebooting
We’ve outlined how to run Linux on Mac® and how easy it is to get started!
Linux is an incredibly versatile operating system that has been designed to run on a wide range of devices—from mobile devices, to desktop computers, and even servers. Due to the open-source nature that ensures code has active community support, Linux is widely loved by developers. Think of Linux as an operating system “of the people, by the people, for the people.” (Yes, we just quoted the Gettysburg Address to enable readers to understand Linux as a whole.)
Users online have expressed a desire to run Linux on their Mac computer without rebooting. This is where Parallels Desktop® for Mac enters as a solution. Virtualization of Linux is a powerful and easy installation process that allows for an interruption-free environment.
Parallels Desktop provides several popular distributions of Linux for free directly in the product itself. Additionally, Parallels Desktop users can download .ISO files of and install other Linux distributions (for example: Kali Linux & use Vagrant to download and setup Linux environments like a pro!)
The free included systems are shown below. There’s no need to take any additional steps to find the right Linux distribution for you. We’ve made it very easy to run Linux on Mac!
Ubuntu: One of the most popular open-source softwares; based on the Debian GNU/Linux distribution.
Fedora: Formerly Fedora Core. Based on the Linux kernel, developed by the community-supported Fedora project, and sponsored by Red Hat.
CentOS: Provides a stable, predictable, manageable, and reproducible platform.
Debian GNU/Linux: A popular Unix-like operating system that is composed entirely of free software, which is utilized for personal computers and network servers.
Linux Mint: An easy-to-use free distribution that requires little maintenance and goes with full multimedia support.
Android: A Linux-based operating system for mobile devices, such as smartphones and tablet PCs.
All of these Linux distributions are free and easy to install as a virtual machine on your Mac through Parallels Desktop. Linux distributions can be located under the “Free Systems” options available to users within the Installation Assistant when creating a new virtual machine. See the full list of free systems below:
Get started with Linux on Mac with Parallels Desktop and try a free 14-day trial now.
Install Linux on Mac:
How to Install Linux on Mac
If you’re one of the PC enthusiasts that naturally want the best of each world, you may have experienced the craving for Linux software without necessarily throwing your MacBook out the window. MacOS is great, especially for video editing, and your MacBook has amazing battery life.
But you also want to experiment and use the open-source operating system alongside OS X. This means that getting a separate, cheaper laptop is out of the question. The only viable option may be to install Linux on Mac.
Why you might want to install Linux on your Mac
MacOS may be one of the most innovative operating systems, coupled with premium hardware and specs, but it may not be perfect for some of your needs. Some applications provide better results if rendered from another operating system, such as Linux. You may find that you need to install and run Linux on Mac.
Here are some reasons you might want to install Linux on your Mac:
- To satisfy your curiosity: Out of curiosity, you may want to find out what would happen if you had Linux running alongside your most recent version of macOS. You want to find out if it may perform any better on a Mac, or whether it would open up a new world of possibilities to you.
- Have everything on one laptop: You want to utilize the power of two operating systems, but don’t want to spend extra cash on a separate device. The solution is to install Linux on Mac, and run it alongside macOS X. It makes things a bit easier for you since all you need is a single device.
- Better security: One thing about the Linux software is that it has no room for malware. This means that you will never have to worry about viruses finding their way into its shell and crashing the system, as is often the case for other operating systems, especially Windows.
- Easy customization: Because of its flexibility, Linux allows the kind of customization you will never find on Mac OS or Windows. This is because, unlike Windows and Mac OS, Linux is open-source. You can edit or change code to have it exactly as you wish.
How to install Linux on your Mac
It’s possible to get the best of both Mac OS and Linux, but you need to learn how to install Linux on Mac. If you aren’t a tech geek, or aren’t good at hacking, you will need the assistance of reliable and efficient software, such as Parallels Desktop.
Here is how to install Linux on Mac using the Parallels Desktop software:
- Download a set of Linux virtual machines from the main installation Assistant Menu.
- Choose your preferred Linux distribution and download it.
- Once downloaded, you can install and begin running Linux on your Mac.
The process will be longer and more complicated if you have no virtual desktop, such as Parallels Desktop. This is because you will need to create a bootable Linux USB drive, which you will then plug into your Mac to initiate the installation process. You will need a USB mouse and keyboard because Linux may not recognize the drivers on your MacBook. When the process is over, restart your Mac, and hold down the Option key. Choose Linux OS from the menu to start using it.
Conclusion
If you want to have the best of both Mac OS and Linux on your MacBook, you will have to install and run Linux on your Mac. The fastest way to install Linux on Mac is through the use of reliable virtual desktop software, such as Parallels. Click here to learn more about Parallels Desktop.
Can parallels run linux
- Актуально для:
- Parallels Desktop for Mac Standard Edition
- Parallels Desktop for Mac Pro Edition
- Parallels Desktop for Mac Business Edition
- Parallels Desktop
- Последняя проверка: Фев 11, 2019
- Связанные статьи:
- Disabling Desktop Visual Effects in Linux virtual machines
- Доступные переводы:
- Получить обновленияСкачать
Information
This page has instructions on installing Arch Linux on your Mac for the first time to use with Parallels Desktop.
IMPORTANT: Parallels Desktop supports Linux guests out of the box, but only offers support for a few Linux distributions — excluding Arch Linux. This means the installation of Parallels tools have not been tested by the vendor, and requires some manual intervention to work under Arch. If you do not wish to use Parallels tools, installation is as simple as choosing «other Linux» when creating a new virtual machine and proceeding with installation as you would on any real machine
Resolution
IMPORTANT: Arch Linux is a dedicated Unix distributive. Working with it may require some additional technical background.
IMPORTANT: Parallels Tools are not fully supported in Arch Linux environment. It is still possible to install Parallels Tools manually, but some of the features will be missing (e.g. Parallels Shared Folders, Coherence)
- Download latest Arch Linux .iso image file from Arch Linux website.
- Start Parallels Desktop, then click File ->New.
- Choose Install Windows or another OS from a DVD or and image file, then click Continue.
- Сlick «Locate Manually», then click on Select a file. . Locate Arch .iso in a pop up Finder window. Click Continue
- Once pop up windows appears, select Other Linux.
- Specify the name and location of your Arch virtual machine(VM) or leave the default settings, then click Continue.
- Arch Linux VM will be created and Arch Linux will start booting. Click inside the virtual machine screen, then select «Graphical Install».
- Once Arch Linux is booted, go through standard Arch Linux installation steps. IMPORTANT: Arch Linux installation process is different from standard Linux installation and therefore will not be covered in this article. For more information please refer to Arch Linux Wiki
- After Arch Linux is installed, restart the virtual machine.
- Wait for the Arch Linux to boot. Log into Arch Linux VM
- Install updates for Arch Linux. Execute the following commands one by one:
Install graphical environment.
sudo pacman -S xorg-server xorg-xinit xorg-server-utils mesa-libgl xterm sudo pacman -S xf86-video-vesa sudo pacman -S xfce4 xfce4-goodies sddm sudo systemctl enable sddm.service
ln -sf /usr/lib/systemd/scripts/ /etc/init.d export def_sysconfdir=/etc/init.d touch /etc/X11/xorg.conf pacman -S base-devel python2 linux-headers ln -sf /usr/bin/python2 /usr/local/bin/python
Before proceeding to the next step, create a Parallels Tools service which will start on boot. In Arch Linux Terminal copy and execute:
touch /usr/lib/systemd/system/parallels-tools.service nano /usr/lib/systemd/system/parallels-tools.service
Type in following details: [Unit] Description=Parallels Tools [Service] Type=oneshot ExecStart=/usr/lib/systemd/scripts/prltoolsd start ExecStop=/usr/lib/systemd/scripts/prltoolsd stop RemainAfterExit=yes [Install] WantedBy=multi-user.target Press Ctrl-X to save changes, then hit Enter
Install Parallels Tools. In the Mac menu click on Actions (Virtual Machine in older versions) >Install Parallels Tools (or Reinstall / Update Parallels Tools, if applicable) In Arch Linux Terminal copy and execute following commands one by one.
mkdir /mnt/cdrom mount /dev/cdrom /mnt/cdrom cd /mnt/cdrom ./install
Proceed with Parallels Tools installation Select Exit, hit Enter In Arch Linux Terminal execute:
systemctl enable parallels-tools.service
Restart Arch Linux VM
Change Arch Linux VM boot parameters Wait for the GRUB boot loader windows to appear Press e to edit boot options for kernel Find kernel options string similar to:
`linux /boot/vmlinuz-linux root. `
Navigate to the end of the string and then add parameter iomem=relaxed , then save changes by pressing F10
Proceed with booting Arch Linux VM. In Arch Linux Terminal execute:
IMPORTANT: In order to be able to use Coherence view mode in Arch Linux VM, please check Disabling Desktop Visual Effects in Linux virtual machines.
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