Running Linux on an Apple Macbook 2,1

May 2, 2010 5 minute read

This page documents my attempts (and successes!) to get Linux fully working on an Intel-based Apple MacBook, 2007 model.

Note: I no longer have this device.

DISCLAIMER: This information is distributed in the hope that it will be useful, but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. If you fry your system by using this information that’s _your_ problem. Not mine. I accept no responsability for what happens with this information whatsoever.

PCI Specs

00.0 Host bridge: Intel Corporation Mobile 945GM/PM/GMS, 943/940GML and 945GT Express Memory Controller Hub (rev 03)
02.0 VGA compatible controller: Intel Corporation Mobile 945GM/GMS, 943/940GML Express Integrated Graphics Controller (rev 03)
02.1 Display controller: Intel Corporation Mobile 945GM/GMS/GME, 943/940GML Express Integrated Graphics Controller (rev 03)
07.0 Performance counters: Intel Corporation Device 27a3 (rev 03)
1b.0 Audio device: Intel Corporation 82801G (ICH7 Family) High Definition Audio Controller (rev 02)
1c.0 PCI bridge: Intel Corporation 82801G (ICH7 Family) PCI Express Port 1 (rev 02)
1c.1 PCI bridge: Intel Corporation 82801G (ICH7 Family) PCI Express Port 2 (rev 02)
1d.0 USB Controller: Intel Corporation 82801G (ICH7 Family) USB UHCI Controller #1 (rev 02)
1d.1 USB Controller: Intel Corporation 82801G (ICH7 Family) USB UHCI Controller #2 (rev 02)
1d.2 USB Controller: Intel Corporation 82801G (ICH7 Family) USB UHCI Controller #3 (rev 02)
1d.3 USB Controller: Intel Corporation 82801G (ICH7 Family) USB UHCI Controller #4 (rev 02)
1d.7 USB Controller: Intel Corporation 82801G (ICH7 Family) USB2 EHCI Controller (rev 02)
1e.0 PCI bridge: Intel Corporation 82801 Mobile PCI Bridge (rev e2)
1f.0 ISA bridge: Intel Corporation 82801GBM (ICH7-M) LPC Interface Bridge (rev 02)
1f.1 IDE interface: Intel Corporation 82801G (ICH7 Family) IDE Controller (rev 02)
1f.2 IDE interface: Intel Corporation 82801GBM/GHM (ICH7 Family) SATA IDE Controller (rev 02)
1f.3 SMBus: Intel Corporation 82801G (ICH7 Family) SMBus Controller (rev 02)
00.0 Ethernet controller: Marvell Technology Group Ltd. 88E8053 PCI-E Gigabit Ethernet Controller (rev 22)
00.0 Network controller: Atheros Communications Inc. AR5418 802.11abgn Wireless PCI Express Adapter (rev 01)
03.0 FireWire (IEEE 1394): Agere Systems FW323 (rev 61)

Here’s a detailed pci listing.

Linux 2.6.x kernel

The latest 2.6 kernel is: 2.6.39.4.
Here’s my 2.6.26 kernel configuration. This is actually the stock debian kernel.

USB

Hardware: this is the Intel Corporation 82801G (ICH7 Family) USB chip.

USB worked out of the box by loading the following modules:

usb-uhci (USB 1.x support)
ehci-hcd (USB 2 support)

It is required to install the udev package.

10/100/1000 MBit ethernet LAN

Hardware: this is a Marvell Technology Group Ltd. 88E8053 PCI-E Gigabit Ethernet Controller chip.

Works out of the box, using the sky2 module.

Soundchip

Hardware: Intel Corporation 82801G (ICH7 Family) High Definition Audio Controller

Works out of the box with the ALSA module called snd_hda_intel module.

VGA Framebuffer console

Hardware: Intel Corporation Mobile 945GM/GMS, 943/940GML Express Integrated Graphics Controller

Since the inception of kernel-mode-setting (KMS), no additional work is needed to get
a decent framebuffer console. Load the i915 module, and you’re set.

VGA X.Org

Hardware: Intel Corporation Mobile 945GM/GMS, 943/940GML Express Integrated Graphics Controller

To make it working just set your video driver to intel:

Section "Device"
			Identifier	"Generic Video Card"
			Driver		"intel"
EndSection

With modern Xorg versions, you don’t even need to specify this anymore.

CDRW/DVDRW

Hardware: HL-DT-ST DVDRW GWA4080MA.

Works out of the box, using libata.

Bluetooth

Hardeware: Apple, Inc. Bluetooth HCI MacBookPro.

Works perfectly with the bluetooth and btusb modules.

Debian users might want to install the bluetooth package.

Harddisk

SATA drive. Works out of the box, if you enable the ata_piix module.

DMA is automagically enabled. I use hdparm to set an extra parameter: hdparm -F /dev/sda

Explanation:

-F: set security-freeze (so that nothing can accidentily lock your disk with a password)

For Debian; check the hdparm package.

Speedstep

You need this if you don’t want your CPU to eat your batteries empty. It’s included in the kernel config.

It works perfectly after loading the acpi_cpufreq and any of the cpufreq- modules.

You can either install the [cpufreqd](http://cpufreqd.sourceforge.net/) daemon, or use the cpufreq_ondemand module (which modulates the speed by requirement).

For Debian, check the cpufreqd or powernowd packages.

Wireless Lan

Hardware: Atheros Communications Inc. AR5418 802.11abgn Wireless PCI Express Adapter

Works out of the box with the ath9k kernel module.

Firewire

Hardware: Atheros Communications Inc. AR5418 802.11abgn Wireless PCI Express Adapter

This also works pretty much out of the box. The kernel module to use is ochi_1394.

Infrared

Currently not supported by the linux kernel. Possible patch: is here. Untested

Multimedia Keys

This laptop has several function keys which allow for the changing of the volume, brightness, …

After installation of pommed, these keys work perfectly.

Debian users can install the pommed and [gpomme(http://packages.debian.org/gpomme) packages.

(Userspace) Software Suspend

Works: suspend to ram (s2ram). I’m using the following parameters: -f (force) -p (do VBE post) -m (save/restore VBE mode)

Doesn’t work: suspend to disk (s2disk,s2both): causes a full system freeze, need to dig into this further.

iSight webcam

Works with kernel supplied driver.

You need to extract the firmware first from the Mac OS X driver, use isight-firmware-tools. Debian users can use the isight-firmware-tools package.

Touchpad in console

You can use the touchpad with gpm, using the exps2 driver.

Touchpad in X.Org

This is an AppleTouch touchpad. You can use it with this driver.

Add the following to the /etc/X11/xorg.conf file:

Section "InputDevice"
        Identifier      "AppleTouch"
        Driver          "synaptics"
        Option          "AccelFactor"           "0.015"
        Option          "BottomEdge"            "310"
        Option          "Device"                "/dev/psaux"
        Option          "FingerHigh"            "30"
        Option          "FingerLow"             "20"
        Option          "HorizScrollDelta"      "0"
        Option          "LeftEdge"              "100"
        Option          "MaxDoubleTapTime"      "180"
        Option          "MaxSpeed"              "0.88"
        Option          "MaxTapMove"            "220"
        Option          "MaxTapTime"            "150"
        Option          "MinSpeed"              "0.79"
        Option          "Protocol"              "auto-dev"
        Option          "RightEdge"             "1120"
        Option          "SendCoreEvents"        "true"
        Option          "SHMConfig"             "on"
        Option          "TapButton2"            "3"
        Option          "TapButton3"            "2"
        Option          "TopEdge"               "50"
        Option          "VertScrollDelta"       "25"
        Option          "VertTwoFingerScroll"   "true"
EndSection

Here’s my complete xorg.conf file

It’s advisable to run syndaemon after starting X, to prevent accidental taps while you’re typing.
example: syndaemon -i 2 -t -d

Debian users can install the xserver-xorg-input-synaptics package.