Ubuntu Wiki

Preface

With the release in June 2007 of the third revision to the MacBook Pro line, several hardware incompatibilities were introduced with Ubuntu.

The primary hardware changes from previous hardware revisions include:

1. NVIDIA Graphics (GeForce 8600M GT)

2. AirPort Extreme Wi-Fi 802.11a/b/g/n

3. Sound[https://cbg.dyndns.org/wiki/ReadingCorner/LinuxOnMacbookPro this page]

In order to document these incompatibilities and the workarounds a thread was created: http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=474144

This wiki page is based of this thread and the contributions made by members in the forum.

Other instructions can be found on this wiki page: https://cbg.dyndns.org/wiki/ReadingCorner/LinuxOnMacbookPro

Hardware support in Ubuntu 7.10 (Gutsy)

Here is the state of the hardware support in Ubuntu 7.10 (Gutsy Gibbon):

• NVIDIA graphics: fully working out-of-the-box with nv (2D) and nvidia-glx-new (3D) packages;
• Ethernet networking: fully working out-of-the-box;
• Wireless networking: fully working, with manipulations;
• Sound: fully working out-of-the-box;

• Backlight, keyboard light and hotkeys: working with the pommed package, just [apt://pommed click here to install] (link not working for now);

• CD/DVD drive: fully working out-of-the-box, media can be ejected using the eject key if you have pommed installed;

• TrackPad: fully working out-of-the-box, can be adjusted with manipulations;

• Bluetooth: fully working, out-of-the-box;
• Firewire: fully working, out-of-the-box;

• Sensors: working with the applesmc package, just [apt://applesmc click here to install] (link not working for now);

• Suspend: working out-of-the-box. If using compiz, see [https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/compiz/+bug/144732 bug 144732]; If using the madwifi atheros driver, make sure it is removed before suspending to RAM (See below).

• iSight: fully working, out-of-the-box with V4L2;

• Battery: at least 2 and a half hours with Wi-Fi and Bluetooth on, or maybe more, someone must test it with Gutsy and edit this page.

Hardware support according to [https://cbg.dyndns.org/wiki/ReadingCorner/LinuxOnMacbookPro this page]. If someone can test it, please, edit this page and share your experience.

• Apple InfraRed: not working without kernel patching as described on [https://cbg.dyndns.org/wiki/ReadingCorner/LinuxOnMacbookPro this page] could someone test this please and verify?

• PCI Express: working?

• Sensors still works (make sure that applesmc is installed and module is loaded), but ACPI does not see temperature in /proc/acpi/thermal_zone, which leads me to thinks that fan regulation is not optimal. Temporarily you can use MacBookPro/SantaRosaFanControl.

Installation

Before starting please note:

• If you are new installing Ubuntu on your Intel Mac, you may like to familiarize yourself with the installation process by visiting the generic wiki page for the MacBookPro or MacBook help page.

• If you are dual booting, this page presupposes that you will

• Install the EFI boot menu GUI: rEFIt (http://refit.sf.net)

• Create a new partition to house your Ubuntu installation on your internal Hard Drive

GUI Installation

All of the installer issues have been resolved with the release of 7.10.

1. Download the Live Install CD
2. Burn the install CD under OSX/Windows/Linux

3. Download and install Boot Camp or rEFIt (http://refit.sf.net)

4. Boot from the Ubuntu CD by holding the 'c' key during boot
5. Boot into the Live environment and install Ubuntu from Ubiquity

Install Wireless

1. Prepare to build the drivers:

{{{sudo apt-get install build-essential }}}

2. Create a temporary work directory:

{{{cd /tmp mkdir madwifi cd madwifi }}}

3. Download the snapshot of madwifi drivers:

{{{wget http://snapshots.madwifi.org/madwifi-ng/madwifi-ng-r2756-20071018.tar.gz }}}

4. Build and install the madwifi drivers:

{{{tar -xzf madwifi-ng-r2756-20071018.tar.gz cd madwifi-ng-r2756-20071018 make sudo make install sudo modprobe ath_pci sudo iwpriv ath0 bgscan 0 }}}

5. Edit the rc.local

{{{sudo gedit /etc/rc.local }}} and add {{{iwpriv ath0 bgscan 0 }}} just before the {{{exit 0 }}} and save. (This prevents the "wifi0: rx WIFI overrun" bug [http://madwifi.org/ticket/1017 #1017])

Finally, the atheros driver will prevent you from resuming after suspend-to-ram, so edit /etc/default/acpi-support and add the ath_pci driver to the MODULES variable:

MODULES="ath_pci"

Install applesmc

1. Edit the modules

{{{sudo gedit /etc/modules }}}

2. Put this line