Ubuntu on MacBookPro

BR

Preface

BRMany of Ubuntu forum members have been contributing to a thread I started some time ago in the forum. BRhttp://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=198453 BRIt would be great to put all those Ubuntu on MacBookPro contributions here together ! BR BR There are some installation notes about Ubuntu on MacBookPro .. BR rather a compilation of what I found on the internet BR + configuration of french / belgian-fr keyboard BR + a nice desktop theme BR BR Thanks to Ubuntu forum members for their BR feedback and contribution and all the people providing BR drivers and/or useful information about Linux on Macbook BR especially Nicolas Boichat and Ronald S. Bultje BR

For more information :

BRhttp://www.mactel-linux.org/wiki/Main_Page BRhttp://modular.math.washington.edu/macbook/ BRhttp://modular.math.washington.edu/macbook/triboot/ BRhttp://bin-false.org/?p=17 BRhttp://desrt.mcmaster.ca/macbook.xhtml BR[http://wiki.onmac.net/index.php/Triple_Boot_via_BootCamp http://wiki.onmac.net/index.php/Trip...t_via_BootCamp] BRhttp://www.jasonparekh.com/?page_id=9 BRhttp://www.ethicalhack.org/howto/triple_boot_howto.html BR[http://wiki.cchtml.com/index.php/Ubuntu_Dapper_Installation_Guide http://wiki.cchtml.com/index.php/Ubu...allation_Guide] BRhttp://wiki.cchtml.com/index.php/Xgl-Compiz-Dapper BRhttp://blogs.gnome.org/portal/rbultje BRhttp://www.boichat.ch/nicolas/macbook-tools/ BR[http://blogs.vislab.usyd.edu.au/index.php/JohnStavrakakis/2006/07/28/triple_boot_on_macbook_pro_15 http://blogs.vislab.usyd.edu.au/inde...macbook_pro_15] BRhttp://www.ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=225621

Note

For triple boot Mac OS X - Linux - Windows, follow specific instructions. BR (WARNING ! In the forum thread they are in blue but I did not find a way to put some color here ? BR so I put [Begin Triple Boot] [End Triple boot] tags instead)

MacOsX Installation

1. Install MacOsX pro with a minimum of features. It may be useful for firmware update or hardware check ..
2. Boot on MacOsX CD holding Alt key
3. Follow installation instruction.

Boot Menu installation

BR 1.Boot on MacOsX BR 2.Install bootcamp BR BR [Begin Triple Boot] For triple boot: Burn MacBook Windows CD driver[End Triple boot] BR BR 3.Install rEFIt (http://refit.sf.net)

• install mac image

• copy efi to root directory (drag efi folder to MacOs disk)

• open a mac os terminal (in utilities)
• cd /efi/refit
• ./enable-always.sh

Partionning

BR In a MacosX terminal, partition the disc : BR

sudo diskutil resizeVolume disk0s2 10G

That sets 10G for MacOsX and the rest for Linux BR BR For triple boot: BR [Begin Triple Boot]

sudo diskutil resizeVolume disk0s2 10G Linux Linux 52G "MS-DOS FAT32" Windows 30G

[End Triple Boot]

Install Windows XP SP2

[Begin Triple Boot] BR Boot, in refit, choose the Windows CDRom. BR Launch install, at reboot choose the Windows HardDisk. BR Install drivers from BootCamp CD drivers. BR Follow my howto to customize Mac keyboard on Windows : BR[http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?threadID=608584&tstart=0 http://discussions.apple.com/thread....08584&tstart=0] BR [End Triple Boot] BR

Install Linux Ubuntu

• Boot on Ubuntu drapper live cd

[Begin Triple Boot] BR For triple boot, make a swap file because of partion number limit explained BR on [http://wiki.onmac.net/index.php/Triple_Boot_via_BootCamp http://wiki.onmac.net/index.php/Trip...t_via_BootCamp] BR Open a terminal. (Application>Accessories>Terminal) BR {{{ sudo su mkdir /mnt/linux mount -t ext3 /dev/sda3 /mnt/linux sudo dd if=/dev/zero of=/mnt/linux/swap bs=1024 count=2097152 mkswap /mnt/linux/swap swapon /mnt/linux/swap }}} [End Triple Boot] BR

• Click install on disk in Ubuntu
• Choose a manual partition : (2Gb of swap and the rest for filesystem)

BR do not erase efi 200M partition BR

• define mount :
  • if possible, do not mount /mount/EFI (select white item in list)

  • /dev/sda3 => swap

  • /dev/sda4 => /

BR [Begin Triple Boot] BR For triple boot

• define mount :

  • /dev/sda3 => /Triple boot uses a swap file

[End Triple Boot] BR

• Grub installation fails at the end, just ignore it (you are going to install lilo anyway).

BR

• Open a terminal : Terminal 1 (Application>Accessories>Terminal)

BR (the following comes from http://bin-false.org/?p=17 ) BR {{{ sudo su mkdir /mnt/ubuntu mount /dev/sda4 /mnt/ubuntu/ mount -t proc none /mnt/ubuntu/proc mount -o bind /dev /mnt/ubuntu/dev chroot /mnt/ubuntu /bin/bash apt-get install lilo lilo-doc }}}

• (Remark :Some users report problem to find lilo because no network is not

BR available in the chroot terminal. It is strange it works for most for us. BR BR If you have that problem, the solution is to reactivate the network in the chroot terminal. BR Either manually (ifup eth0), with dhclient BR or using the graphical config (gksu network-admin).) BR

• create /etc/lilo.conf

BR Add this content: BR (with "vi" or Application>Accessories>Text Editor) BR

  boot=/dev/sda4
  default=Linux
  map=/boot/map
  delay=20
  image=/vmlinuz initrd=/initrd.img
  root=/dev/sda4
  label=Linux
  read-only

[Begin Triple Boot] BR For triple boot use /dev/sda3 instead BR

  boot=/dev/sda3
  default=Linux
  map=/boot/map
  delay=20
  image=/vmlinuz initrd=/initrd.img
  root=/dev/sda3
  label=Linux
  read-only

[End Triple Boot] BR

• Open a second terminal : Terminal 2

BR

  sudo parted
  print
  set 4 boot on
  quit

[Begin Triple Boot] BR For triple boot use /dev/sda3 instead BR

  sudo parted
  print
  set 3 boot on
  quit

[End Triple Boot] BR

• Go back to Terminal 1

BR

lilo -b /dev/sda
exit
umount /mnt/ubuntu/proc
umount /mnt/ubuntu/dev
umount /mnt/ubuntu 

BR [Begin Triple Boot] BR For triple boot BR

lilo -P ignore -b /dev/sda3
exit
umount /mnt/ubuntu/proc
umount /mnt/ubuntu/dev
umount /mnt/ubuntu 

[End Triple Boot] BR

• Reboot

• Go in the rEFIt partition editor and synchronize MBR

• Choose linux in rEFIt menu

Ubuntu configuration

BR

Update

BR Update your system and install restritected drivers BR

sudo apt-get install linux-restricted-modules-2.6.15-26-686 linux-kernel-headers
sudo apt-get dist-upgrade

Relaunch lilo if kernel has changed BR BR For triple boot BR  lilo -P ignore -b /dev/sda3  BR For dual boot BR

sudo lilo -b /dev/sda

Reboot BR

Video

BRInstall ATI drivers : BR The following was suggested by Gendo and comes from : BR[http://wiki.cchtml.com/index.php/Ubuntu_Dapper_Installation_Guide http://wiki.cchtml.com/index.php/Ubu...allation_Guide] BR disable fglrx module : sudo vi /etc/default/linux-restricted-modules-common BR  DISABLED_MODULES="fglrx"  Uncomment the universe and multiverse repositories in /etc/apt/sources.list BR BR download drivers from ATI web site and follow this install : BR

wget https://a248.e.akamai.net/f/674/9206/0/www2.ati.com/drivers/linux/ati-driver-installer-8.27.10-x86.run
sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get install module-assistant build-essential
sudo apt-get install fakeroot dh-make debconf libstdc++5 gcc-3.3-base
chmod +x ati-driver-installer-8.27.10-x86.run
./ati-driver-installer-8.27.10-x86.run --buildpkg Ubuntu/dapper
sudo dpkg -i xorg-driver-fglrx_8.27.10-1_i386.deb
sudo dpkg -i fglrx-kernel-source_8.27.10-1_i386.deb
sudo dpkg -i fglrx-control_8.27.10-1_i386.deb
sudo rm /usr/src/fglrx-kernel*.deb
sudo module-assistant prepare,update
sudo module-assistant build,install fglrx
sudo depmod -a
sudo aticonfig --initial
sudo aticonfig --overlay-type=Xv

reboot and check with : BR

fglrxinfo

you should have : BR

display: :0.0  screen: 0
OpenGL vendor string: ATI Technologies Inc.
OpenGL renderer string: ATI Mobility Radeon X1600 Generic
OpenGL version string: 2.0.5879 (8.26.18)

BR XGL/compiz installation BR BR If you want to go further and install compiz and XGL BR go to that other link : BRhttp://wiki.cchtml.com/index.php/Xgl-Compiz-Dapper BR (thanks to Gendo for that suggestion) BR BR After XGL compiz installation : BR BR - add the startcompiz script to the session start program (System>Preferences>Sessions | Startup Programs) BR BR - install gset-compiz, gcomizthemer ant themes and discover compiz ... BR {{{ sudo apt-get install gset-compiz gcompizthemer gcompizthemer-themes gset-compiz }}} Configure effects, key shortcuts with gset-compiz BR and customize your theme with gcompizthemer BR BR - I also had to add this line to the startcompiz script BR

killall gnome-panel

DVI Output

BR - Install ATI drivers as above BR - Install fglrx package with synaptic BR - run ATI config (either from ATI menu or sudo aticonfig) BR - configure a clone or large desktop BR for example : BR  sudo aticonfig -f --initial=dual-head --screen-layout=right  - restart X (ctrl-alt-backspace) BR

Audio

BR Install latest Ubuntu kernel 2.6.15-26 BR relaunch lilo and reboot BR

sudo lilo -b /dev/sda

You should hear Ubuntu login sound BR (It seems to work only on MBP17" not on MBP15"... BR for MBP15" follow the trick given by Gendo here : BR[http://www.ubuntuforums.org/showpost.php?p=1269085&postcount=39 http://www.ubuntuforums.org/showpost...5&postcount=39] BR ) BR BR Microphone does not work with "sound recorder" application but BR It works with skype 1.3 beta for Linux (but not with skype 1.2) BR BR (I also installed latest alsa drivers (1.0.12rc1) following their BR INSTALL file) BR BR With old drivers and kernel when headset is plugged in jack, you might BR hear the sound in both headset AND speakers ?! BR BR With new alsa drivers (1.0.12rc1) and kernel ( 2.6.15-26-686 ), BR I do not have this problem any more. BR BR Finally ... sound is working perfectly on MBP17" BR BR If you have some issues left, you can have a look to this link, BR it contains many useful informations that are not here : BRhttp://www.jasonparekh.com/?page_id=9 BR

Wireless

(the following comes from http://bin-false.org/?p=17 )

• sudo modprobe new_wlan_scan_sta (Not needed in Ubuntu Edgy)
• sudo apt-get install network-manager network-manager-gnome

It works out of the box on my MacBook with my hotspot. Some people seems to have problems with some wifi routers however. BR

Screen brightness

BR Nicolas Boichat wrote drivers for screen and keyboard backlight. BRhttp://www.boichat.ch/nicolas/macbook-tools/ BR BR Here is how to install : BR

sudo apt-get install pciutils-dev
wget http://www.boichat.ch/nicolas/macbook-tools/macbook-tools-0.1.1.tar.bz2
tar xvfj macbook-tools-0.1.1.tar.bz2
cd macbook-tools-0.1.1
sudo rm /usr/local/bin/backlight
sudo make install

Use : BR backlight +10 BR backlight -10 BR BR To control backlight with key pressed, you can use a program BR developed by alexinfurs available here : BRhttp://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=215801 BR

sudo apt-get install libvte-dev
sudo ln -s /usr/local/bin/backlight /usr/bin/macbook-backlight
tar xvfz macbook-backlight-control-0.2.tar.gz  (get it from the link above)
cd macbook-backlight-control/src
make
./macbook-backlight-control

Try : BR Ctrl+F1 BR Ctrl+F2 BR BR Add macbook-bakclight-control to your session start scripts BR System>Preference>Session BR BR To get automatic backlight adjustement from sensors, apply BR kernel patch developped by Nicolas Boichat BR BR Thank you to msprunck for his feedback BR

Keyboard Backlight

BR Nicolas Boichat wrote drivers for screen and keyboard backlight. BR See : BRhttp://www.boichat.ch/nicolas/macbook-tools/ BR BR Follow "Screen brightness" installation BR BR ./applesmc 255 BR to turn light on BR sudo ./applesmc 0 BR to turn light off BR ./applesmc BR to see sensors values BR BR works on MBP 17 BR

Keyboard

Method 1 : using Xmodmap :

BR With this method you need to start xmodmap script when the session start BR but it is easier to modify special keys. BR BR copy the xmodmap to a custom one : BR  sudo cp /usr/share/xmodmap/xmodmap.be /usr/share/xmodmap/xmodmap.mbp.be  edit that file and change special keys definition BR Especially to have an "AltGr" key and a "Delete" key .. BR I redefined many other keys to have a full feature keyboard. BR BR You can change it yourself : BR - to find a keycode : launch xev and hit the key BR - to get the command keyword : look at this website : http://wiki.linuxquestions.org/wiki/List_of_keysyms BR (After a keycode, you can put 4 keyword : "normal key keyword" "shift key keyword" "altgr key keyword" "shift algr key keyword" BR for example : a A à @) BR BR Then start xmodmap by : BR

 xmodmap /usr/share/xmodmap/xmodmap.mbp.be

Put it somewhere so that it is loaded automatically BR BR Here is my french - belgian/fr xmodmap file : BR BR

clear Mod1
clear Mod2
!
keycode   8 =
keycode   9 = Escape
keycode  10 = ampersand 1 bar brokenbar
keycode  11 = eacute 2 twosuperior onehalf
keycode  12 = quotedbl 3 threesuperior threequarters
keycode  13 = apostrophe 4 braceleft onequarter
keycode  14 = parenleft 5 braceleft
keycode  15 = section 6 asciicircum
keycode  16 = egrave 7
keycode  17 = exclam 8
keycode  18 = ccedilla 9 braceleft
keycode  19 = agrave 0 braceright
keycode  20 = parenright degree braceright
keycode  21 = minus underscore
keycode  22 = BackSpace Delete Delete
keycode  23 = Tab
keycode  24 = a
keycode  25 = z
keycode  26 = e E EuroSign
keycode  27 = r R registered
keycode  28 = t
keycode  29 = y
keycode  30 = u
keycode  31 = i
keycode  32 = o O at
keycode  33 = p
keycode  34 = dead_circumflex dead_diaeresis bracketleft
keycode  35 = dollar asterisk bracketright EuroSign
keycode  36 = Return
keycode  37 = Control_L
keycode  38 = q
keycode  39 = s
keycode  40 = d
keycode  41 = f
keycode  42 = g
keycode  43 = h
keycode  44 = j
keycode  45 = k
keycode  46 = l
keycode  47 = m
keycode  48 = ugrave percent dead_acute
keycode  49 = less greater backslash
!twosuperior threesuperior
keycode  50 = Shift_L
keycode  51 = backslash sterling dead_grave mu
keycode  52 = w
keycode  53 = x
keycode  54 = c C copyright
keycode  55 = v
keycode  56 = b
keycode  57 = n N asciitilde
keycode  58 = comma question dead_cedilla
keycode  59 = semicolon period
keycode  60 = colon slash Multi_key
keycode  61 = equal plus plusminus
keycode  62 = Shift_R
keycode  63 = KP_Multiply
keycode  64 = Alt_L
keycode  65 = space
keycode  66 = Caps_Lock
keycode  67 = F1 F11
keycode  68 = F2 F12
keycode  69 = F3 F13
keycode  70 = F4 F14
keycode  71 = F5 F15
keycode  72 = F6 F16
keycode  73 = F7 F17
keycode  74 = F8 F18
keycode  75 = F9 F19
keycode  76 = F10 F20
keycode  77 = Num_Lock
keycode  78 = Scroll_Lock
keycode  79 = KP_7
keycode  80 = KP_8
keycode  81 = KP_9
keycode  82 = KP_Subtract
keycode  83 = KP_4
keycode  84 = KP_5
keycode  85 = KP_6
keycode  86 = KP_Add
keycode  87 = KP_1
keycode  88 = KP_2
keycode  89 = KP_3
keycode  90 = KP_0
keycode  91 = KP_Decimal
keycode  92 = 0x1007ff00
keycode  93 =
keycode  94 = at numbersign
! less greater backslash
keycode  95 = F11
keycode  96 = F12
keycode  97 = Home
keycode  98 = Up Up Prior
keycode  99 = Prior
keycode 100 = Left Left Home
keycode 101 = Begin
keycode 102 = Right Right End
keycode 103 = End
keycode 104 = Down Down Next
keycode 105 = Next
keycode 106 = Insert
keycode 107 = Delete
keycode 108 = Delete
keycode 109 = Control_R
keycode 110 = Pause
keycode 111 = Print
keycode 112 = KP_Divide
keycode 113 = Mode_switch
keycode 114 = Break
keycode 115 = Mode_switch
keycode 116 = Mode_switch
keycode 117 = Multi_key
add Mod1 = Alt_L
add Mod2 = Mode_switch

Method 2 : changing symbol map :

BR This is for International keyboard (french - belgian/fr ) but BR you could adapt it easily to your keyboard BR BR Define your keyboard in xorg.conf BR and configure right apple key to alt-gr BR

Section "InputDevice"
Identifier "Generic Keyboard"
Driver "kbd"
Option "CoreKeyboard"
Option "XkbRules" "xorg"
Option "XkbLayout" "be"
Option "XkbModel" "pc104"
Option "XkbOptions" "lv3:rwin_switch"
EndSection

I had to reconfigure some keys that were not properly defined even with macintosh layout (@#,<>..). BR I also made some custom changes to access development keys easily :

• Alt-Gr < gives {

• Shift AltGr > gives }

• AltGr ( gives [

• Shift AltGr ) gives ]

• mu key gives \

BR Here is the hacked part of my /etc/X11/xkb/symbols/be : BR

partial default alphanumeric_keys
xkb_symbols "basic" {
include "latin"
name[Group1]="Belgium";
key <AE01> { [ ampersand, 1, bar, exclamdown ] };
key <AE02> { [ eacute, 2, at, oneeighth ] };
key <AE03> { [ quotedbl, 3, numbersign, sterling ] };
key <AE04> { [apostrophe, 4, onequarter, onehalf ] };
key <AE05> { [ parenleft, 5, bracketleft, threeeighths ] };
key <AE06> { [ section, 6, asciicircum, fiveeighths ] };
key <AE07> { [ egrave, 7, braceleft, seveneighths ] };
key <AE08> { [ exclam, 8, bracketleft, trademark ] };
key <AE09> { [ ccedilla, 9, braceleft, plusminus ] };
key <AE10> { [ agrave, 0, braceright, degree ] };
key <AE11> { [parenright, degree, bracketright, questiondown ] };
key <AE12> { [ minus, underscore, dead_cedilla, dead_ogonek ] };
key <AD01> { [ a, A, at, Greek_OMEGA ] };
key <AD02> { [ z, Z, lstroke, Lstroke ] };
key <AD03> { [ e, E, EuroSign, cent ] };
key <AD11> { [dead_circumflex, dead_diaeresis, bracketleft, dead_abovering ] };
key <AD12> { [ dollar, asterisk, EuroSign, dead_macron ] };
key <AC01> { [ q, Q, ae, AE ] };
key <AC10> { [ m, M, dead_acute, dead_doubleacute ] };
key <AC11> { [ ugrave, percent, dead_acute, dead_caron ] };
key <LSGT> { [ at, numbersign, twosuperior, threesuperior ] };
key <BKSL> { [ backslash, sterling, dead_grave, dead_breve ] };
key <AB01> { [ w, W, guillemotleft, less ] };
key <AB07> { [ comma, question, dead_cedilla, masculine ] };
key <AB08> { [ semicolon, period, horizconnector, multiply ] };
key <AB09> { [ colon, slash, periodcentered, division ] };
key <AB10> { [ equal, plus, dead_tilde, dead_abovedot] };
key <TLDE> { [ less, greater, braceleft, braceright ] };

Configure special keys

Todo : fn keys are not catchable event ... BR

• Install keylaunch with synaptic and put in in xinitrc script
• go to your home directory and create a file .keylaunchrc
• add this to the file :

BR

key=.*.F2:backlight +10
key=.*.F1:backlight -10

Atlernatively, for backlight control, you can use a programm BR developped by alexinfurs availabel here : BRhttp://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=215801 BR

Temperatures

Hard Disk Temperature:

sudo apt-get install hddtemp
hddtemp  /dev/sda

That prints the temperature of your harddisk BR ==== CPUs Temperature : ==== (This code was written by Jan Bernhardt and Ludovi Roussearu under GPL) BR

sudo apt-get install subversion
svn co https://svn.sourceforge.net/svnroot/mactel-linux mactel-linux
cd mactel-linux/trunk/tools/temperature/
make
sudo modprobe msr
sudo ./coretemp

That prints temperatures of both CPUs BR

Bluetooth

I was able to send/receive files via bluetooth with a SE P910 phone. BR BR Install bluetooth packages : gnome or kde depending of what you like BR (gnome-bluetooth, kdebluetooth, bluesutil..) they are both working. BR Also obex libraries (qobex, libopenobex) BR BRFor gnome users : BR Launch System>Preference>Bluetooth manager BR Meneu Device>Scan ... you should see your phone BR BR On the phone search devices, you should see you computer BR BR Launch Applicarions>Accessoires>Bluetooth File Sharing BR BR Phone to computer : BR Send a file from the phone to the computer. A confirmation popup BR is launched and the file is in your home directory ! BR BR Computer to phone: BR Right click a file, send to, select your device.. that works BR

Touchpad

I could configure touchpad right click with mouseemu but after each right click it freezes .. BR If anybody find out how to get it working please give us feedback. BR BR Install mouseemu (with synaptic or apt-get --install mouseemu) BR Edit config file: BR  sudo vi /etc/default/mouseemu  Add that content : BR

MID_CLICK="-middle 56 272" # Alt + mouse click = middle click
RIGHT_CLICK="-right 464 272" # Fn + mouse click = right click
SCROLL="-scroll 87" # F11 + mouse movement
TYPING_BLOCK="-typing-block 300" # block mouse for 300ms after a keypress 

Restart mouseemu : BR  sudo /etc/init.d/mouseemu restart  Requested by JDR. Any idea ? BR

External Mouse

A little bit out of scope but I manage to get my Logitech MX510 BR side button working with this in the xorg.conf : BR

Section "InputDevice"
  Identifier  "Configured Mouse"
  Driver      "mouse"
  Option      "CorePointer"
  Option      "Device" "/dev/input/mice"
  Option      "Protocol" "ExplorerPS/2"
  Option      "Emulate3Buttons" "false"
  Option      "Buttons" "5"
  Option      "ZAxisMapping" "4 5"
  Option      "ButtonMapping" "1 2 3 6 7"
  Option      "Resolution" "800"
EndSection

(source http://www.ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=150116 )\ BR

WebCam

Ronald S. Bultje is writing a driver look at his blog : BRhttp://blogs.gnome.org/portal/rbultje BR BR Rapido get it working. His notes are here : BRhttp://www.ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=225621 BR

sudo apt-get install libusb-0.1-4 libusb-dev
wget http://people.freedesktop.org/~rbultje/linux-uvc-0.1.0-b.tar.gz
tar xvfz linux-uvc-0.1.0-b.tar.gz
cd linux-uvc-0.1.0-b/
make
sudo make install
sudo mkdir /mnt/mac
sudo mount -t hfsplus /dev/sda2 /mnt/mac/
sudo ./extract /mnt/mac/System/Library/Extensions/IOUSBFamily.kext/Contents/PlugIns/AppleUSBVideoSupport.kext/Contents/MacOS/AppleUSBVideoSupport
sudo modprobe uvcvideo

Then try a soft like Ekiga with V4L2 support. It works ! BR See rapido post for more details. http://www.ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=225621 BR

Access MacOsX partition

You can still access (in read only mode) your MacOsX partition as this : BR {{{ sudo mkdir /mnt/mac mount -t hfsplus /dev/sda2 /mnt/mac cd /mnt/mac }}}

Troubleshooting

Heat ... under Linux MBP is even hotter than on MacOSx .. BR Especially the harddrive .. BR BR "kernel panic - not syncing: IO-APIC + timer doesn't work!" BR occurs often when the usb mouse is plugged at boot. So either BR apply patches or boot with mouse unplugged ... BR (I also had rarely this error with unplugged mouse ..) BR BR Note: Adding append="noapic" to the lilo.conf will fix this problem.

Desktop

BR Finally .. find a suitable desktop for such a great OS on a great Machine ! BR BR I built mine on the theme : " Tux the pingouin crunched the apple " http://ubuntuforums.org/images/smilies/icon_wink.gif BR BR It is based on [http://www.gnome-look.org/content/show.php?content=40670 HumanBlue], [http://www.gnome-look.org/content/show.php?content=37099 HumanAzul], [http://www.gnome-look.org/content/show.php?content=15994 Tux-Mania] GDM and a [http://www.gnome-look.org/content/show.php?content=26229 Tux screenshot] comming from BRhttp://www.gnome-look.org BR BR To get rid of brown background while starting, change background color in /etc/gdm.conf BR ( BackgroundColor=#5B5B5B instead of BackgroundColor=#2b0600 )

CategoryLaptop