OS X Lion - intel core duo

Lauren,

Yes the CoreDuo is different from the Core2Duo. The Core2Duo is the first Intel CPU Apple used with a full 64bit processor, where the CoreDuo was only a 32bit processor. Unfortunately you'll have to get a newer Mac to support Lion. See my FAQ*: http://www.macmaps.com/usedrefurbished.html if you need Lion and don't want to pay full price for a newer Mac.

I may be wrong but I don't think that CPU is fast enough for Lion. You will miss out on the bells and whistles but 10.6.x should be good for a long time. My iMac running 10.4.11 with 256MB of ram still runs fine.

😢 I could not agree more! My MBP 2007 Intel Core Duo has had its logic board replaced not to long ago (DVI port died). The original hard drive is running great and I am running Snow Leopard wonderfully.

I was amped during the keynote and am really looking forward to Lion. I know the community is working hard to uncover a workaround because at present time, the solution (by new!) is not a worthy one. Especially when there is literally, nothing wrong with my existing machine.

Apple, please ensure Lion will be available for Intel Core Duo machines, we are not that old! The closed architecture approach produces quality hardware. 4 years is a toddler perhaps teenager when it comes to apple hardware and technology. I predict I have at least 3-4 more years left in my current MBP 2007 machine.

😍 Much Love, Apple!

By 2007 you already had Core2duo across the entire MacBookPro lineup. If you got only a CoreDuo, you were gipped as it was only early in the previous year's lineup. Core2Duo as I said is different from CoreDuo.

Not to mention, if you want to give Apple feedback, it is a lot more effective here:

http://www.apple.com/feedback/macosx.html

You are speaking only to end users here on Apple Discussions.

change- upgrade your processor!

Core 2 Duo 1.93 -2 -2.16Ghz 667Mhz FSB

T7200-T7400

Xedos,

Technically not practical, since you have no idea what the cooling calibration is for the fans or for the cooling gel. Cooling gel itself when too much can be an insulator, and too little won't let the processor run properly and overheat and possibly have a fire hazard. This is not like your home brew PC where the last circuit has documentation. Finally many an upgrade are sensitive to firmware. Apple uses a different firmware standard than most PCs. If you are able to measure these things with that kind of detail, be my guest, but be warned, it likely won't have the later expandibility of a more current model.

Very much man change his processor!

Intel T2300 or 2400 has 31wTDP. - intel T7200 or 7400 34w.... Minimal

You aren't making any sense.

I have a 2006 iMac, first ever intel iMac. It was originally a 1.83 Ghz Intel core duo. I have since changed the processor to a T7600. An intel core 2 duo 2.33Ghz with the 667Mhz Bus. This is the fastest processor that you can put into that chip socket. Just to let you all know, it has been working flawlessly since Febuary this year. It does not overheat, no kernel panics or other oddities. I used polysynthetic silver "Arctic silver 5" brand. Only a grain of rice size is needed. The speed difference is great as a result. It also recognizes it in the system profiler stating the computer as "Intel core 2 duo" with the 2.33Ghz clock speed.

With this said, I am wondering if my comp will handle Lion since the processor required IS what I have....The only hiccup I can see is the graphics card. Its a Radeon X1600 with 128MB. It was not listed as a supported graphics card. I do not think that this will be a deal breaker but I need a second opinion.

As for the original post, your Mac mini will not support Lion. Snow Leopard is great though so I would not worry.

I have a 1.8GHz Mini. Originally this was a CoreDuo machine. I upgraded it with a 1.8GHz Core2Duo CPU which I had lying around. I also maxed the memory (2GB) and added a bigger drive. It netted me a 25% improvement in performance and has been running very stably ever since. System Profiler recognises the CPU as a Core2Duo, so for all intents and purposes this might be considered a Core2Duo machine. However, Lion installer disagrees and refuses to install. Whether this is a hardware or firmware limitation I don't know. The take home message is that if you have a CoreDuo machine you can not install Lion, even if you have upgraded it to a Core2Duo CPU.

Hmmm, you should really give it a try. I guess the video card shouldn't be a problem. Lion should run on Intel GMAs X3100 from the older Core2Duo MacBooks, and this card is much sloweder than the X1600. The worst thing that probably may happen to you, is that OpenCL doesn't work for this card, but since it's probably not working on Snow Leopard as well it shouldn't make a difference...

I recommend you to give it a try.. (but BACKUP first, so you can come back to Snow Leopard if it doesn't work)

PS: I wonder how you could put a C2D in your iMac... Are the logic boards for the C2D not different from the ones for the CD? Because as far as I know, they don't have the same architechture, since the C2D is 64-bit and the CD 32-bit.

But I guess, if your Core2Duo works on Snow Leopard and is recognized by the system, can most probably safely give a try to the new kitty-cat 😉 (Lion).

Could you reply, please, I'm interested in knowing if it worked or not.

I guess the installer checks the model number, the ROM or something else that identifies the model of the Mac.... I guess you can make a workaround by modifying .plist files in the installer. Probably it doesn't check your hardware, but only the model number, so it probably thinks you still have the standard Core Duo mini. As long as no workaround is found you may try to install Lion on an external drive with a supported Mac (Core iX, Xeon, Core2Duo) and then clone the content of this drive to your minis hard drive with a utility like CarbonCopyCloner or SuperDuper.

Clearly:

1. on a supported Mac, create a bootable Lion installer, boot on it and install the system on an external drive

2. once it's installed on the drive, plug the drive to your mini and hold alt while booting, if the external drive is listed, select it and boot on it... If this works, you're lucky, if not, you may wait for a workaround. :/

3. once you booted install CarbonCopyCloner on the external drive with Lion in it and clone it to the startup-drive of your choice (ex. internal drive)

4. once done, reboot on the newly cloned Lion drive (you don't need the external one anymore)

NOTICE: WHEN YOU CLONE YOUR LION DRIVE TO YOUR HARDDRIVE, EVERYTHING WILL BE DELETED. SO BACKUP YOUR DATA ON ANOTHER DRIVE AND COPY IT BACK MANUALLY TO YOUR NEW LION DRIVE!!!!!

OK, I may have a solution. It worked only in Developer Previews on Core Duos, but since it just tricks the installer and you now have a Core2Duo it should work...

Use the same method as there. http://forums.macrumors.com/showthread.php?t=1107457

You should do this manipulation on the installation disk image of Lion, just check how to extract it from the installer.

Use this to extract the disk image: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kPXe0HeD-cY&feature

Copy InstallESD.dmg to your desktop mount it and do the workaround I just mentioned (delete the .plist file, see the first link) on the image... Then, just burn the image to a DVD or to a external drive or USB-Stick (follow the instructions in the video I just mentioned)

Finally, on the DVD or drive you just created, click on the Lion Installer once it is mounted in the Finder and try to install it. This should work.

Try this workaround instead of the one I mentioned before (the one with the hard drive cloning) and backup your data instead it doesn't work, so you can still go back to Snow Leopard.

Can you please notify me if it works, because my sister has an old mini too, so if it works I may take it apart and put a Core2Duo in it and to the same trick too. I'm waiting for feedback, since i don't want to buy a processor if this doesn't work...

I'm interested as well - I have a Core Duo iMac from 2006 that will either get upgraded (if this works) or sold on Craigslist (if it doesn't). Please do post your results if you give this a go.

Thanks!