I’ve been given a Macbook Pro (circa 2015). The reason it was up for grabs was that it has a broken screen. This was not a deal-breaker for me: at present I’m usually running a laptop connected to a large screen, and in any case, I chiefly wanted practice installing Linux on a Mac.

Although the laptop runs well while connected to a screen, I hadn’t considered that if I booted while holding down the Option key, there was no operating system functioning to activate the screen.

Can I simply yank the hard-drive and replace it with one with Linux already installed?
Or is there another way to skin this particular cat?

Thanks!

If you press the option key while it is booting up, does it appear on an externally attached screen?
Last I tried on a MacPro 3,1 (2008), I had an old vga screen attached and it just worked.

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That is interesting.
In the first place, I simply hadn't thought, and then when the attached screen didn't work, I thought, "Oh of course, it needs a working OS to operate the second screen".
But, I'm using an HDMI to DVI cable; if I had an adapter to VGA, I wonder if I'd get a different result? Given that Wikipedia calls VGA the lowest common denominator of graphical standards ...
I will look for an adapter.

That's funny

Many of the old screens at work comes with HDMI input.
Ask your local tech support if they have one around.

Yes, you have a couple of options to install Linux on your MacBook Pro with a broken screen:

Replace the hard drive: You can replace the existing hard drive with a new one that has Linux already installed. This approach allows you to have a clean Linux installation without any macOS remnants. Once you've replaced the hard drive, you can connect the MacBook Pro to an external monitor and boot from a Linux installation media (USB or DVD) to proceed with the installation.

Install Linux alongside macOS: If you want to keep macOS as a backup option or if you need it for certain tasks, you can install Linux alongside macOS. This way, you can choose the operating system you want to use during the boot process. To do this, you'll need to create a Linux installation media (USB or DVD), connect your MacBook Pro to an external monitor, and boot from the installation media. During the installation process, you'll be given the option to dual-boot Linux alongside macOS.

Regardless of the option you choose, make sure to back up any important data before making changes to the hard drive. Installing Linux on a MacBook Pro generally requires some additional steps due to Apple's hardware and firmware. You may need to research specific instructions for your model to ensure a smooth installation process.

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