Arch Linux on Macbook 2,1 please help

linuxguy0481 · 2010-02-26 09:26:12

I have a older Macbook 2,1. I first purchased the laptop the day after Thanksgiving 2006.
I used to dual boot Windows 7 and 10.6 Mac OS. I got tired of constantly running antivirus and antispyware on this machine so I formatted and got rid of it. I installed reFit and it works good. I heard good things about Mandriva 2010.0 so installed it but could not connect to my wifi network at home so I deleted the partition and ready to install Arch Linux just a few concerns:

1. Is there a guide on the Arch wiki specifically suited for my laptop?
2. Anyone with a similar setup as mine. Does Arch Linux run hotter on the Macbook than the Mac OS?
3. Will all the keyboard keys work properly including the Fn keys and brightness, volume and eject keys on the keyboard?
4. On the Mac I can type on the keyboard and the trackpad knows to "Ignore accidental trackpad input" will this be same on Arch Linux? My wife hated this in Windows 7 because it did not work right *lol*
5. Will Arch Linux have OOTB support for the built in iSight camera or will I have to configure it? If I have to configure it that's fine too. We just use primarily to talk to relatives out of state using Skype.
6. Every time I want to log into Gnome or KDE will I have to type "startx" or will it do it for me automatically?
7. Since there are so many guides for Ubuntu out there can I sometimes substitute Arch with it? For example:

http://aminesoft.wordpress.com/2009/03/ … windows-7/

I want to make it look like Windows 7 for my wife. I did a trial run with Ubuntu for three weeks using Gnome and she could not get used to it so I want to make it look like Windows 7. I don't care if I use Gnome or KDE. I just want something that will make me productive, fast and that I can customize it to look "exactly" like Windows 7.

Any help would be appreciated. Thank you.

Last edited by linuxguy0481 (2010-02-26 09:27:34)

jimburnettva · 2010-02-26 19:33:49

1. http://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/Macbook (or use the search feature on the wiki...)
2. Not me sorry, although I run "PC" (intel based computer) just like you, except mine is called a Dell. ;-)
3. From the Guide above....
Keyboard

MacBook keyboard works by default. Only the eject key isn't recognized properly.

To enable it you can map with right application like xbindkeys or through DE preferences; but another very good way, that we recommend, is to install pommed from AUR.

4. Dunno about this.....looks like user error to me.

5. iSight
Note: linux kernel from 2.6.26 includes the Linux UVC driver natively. You will not need to download the driver sources manually unless you want to test a newer version or help with development. iSight should work out of the box for these kernel versions and up. - FROM the Arch Wiki on Macbook

6. If you install gdm or kdm and change your run level you can login from a gui, even auto-login. With Arch you are basically starting from scratch and build your system up one piece at a time. It's by no means a plug-and-play Ubuntu type Linux distro.

7. There are Windows 7 themes out there for both Gnome and KDE.

Conclusion:
Looks like you should be good to go. Just dig right in and give it a try.

hw-tph · 2010-02-26 20:38:10

linuxguy0481 wrote:

4. On the Mac I can type on the keyboard and the trackpad knows to "Ignore accidental trackpad input" will this be same on Arch Linux? My wife hated this in Windows 7 because it did not work right *lol*

The synaptics touchpad driver (xf86-input-synaptics) provides a host of functionality, and the support program syndaemon allows for configuring exactly this.

I have this in my ~/.xinitrc:

syndaemon -i 0.7 -t -k &

This makes the synaptics driver ignore touchpad input (in the form of tapping and scrolling) within 0.7 seconds of the last keystroke. You can configure it pretty much as you like, but I'm a somewhat fast typer (albeit clumsy) and 0.7 seconds is more than enough for me. I never get those "Dammit, now I'm typing and destroying the beginning of the text" kind of scenarios with this.

Peasantoid · 2010-02-26 21:43:40

N.B. I have a MacBook3,1. Mac-specific steps were done with 10.5, not 10.6.

iSight: You need isight-firmware-tools from AUR. $(ift-extract path/to/firmware/file) and reboot. The Mac OS firmware file should be at /System/Library/Extensions/IOUSBFamily.kext/Contents/PlugIns/AppleUSBVideoSupport.kext/Contents/MacOS/AppleUSBVideoSupport. Note that when I used GNOME ages ago, Cheese (the more-or-less equivalent of Apple's Photo Booth, in case you didn't know) was broken. So you'll likely want to use something like guvcview instead (or $(mplayer tv:// -vf screenshot) if you prefer the minimal approach).

Automatic DE start: You can mess around with /etc/inittab to achieve this. I don't know the details.

Running hotter: What do you mean 'hotter'? If it's CPU temp you're talking about, you might be able to use cpufreq et al. to regulate it. Though I don't know if this does anything other than potentially conserve power since I've never tried.

You will definitely want to configure the X monitor profile. If you don't, it generally ends up being too blue-tinted and painful on the eyes. You can find the appropriate profile(s) in /Library/ColorSync/Profiles/Displays/ on the Mac OS partition. Add 'xcalib /path/to/profile.icc' to your .xinitrc if you use startx; I don't know where to put it when using a display manager.

pommed from AUR is good, though you may not need its functionality. I only use it for controlling monitor intensity and eject key; all else I leave to the command line.

Good luck with your wife's W7 addiction. I know jack squat about theming so unfortunately I can't be of much use in that area.

Wireless internet: The 3,1 has a Broadcom BCM4328 card, driver for which is here. Some have reported problems with the latest version of the driver, so look in the comments for people who have mirrored the tarball for the old one (I have if you use x86_64). Don't know what hardware the 2,1 has in it.

Touchpad: I just disable it (synclient TouchpadOff=1) and use a trackball, though clearly this is not ideal for mobile usage. See what others have said with regard to syndaemon.

Wiki page for MacBook is at http://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/MacBook. Kinda obvious really. Note that some of the information therein may be outdated.

Last edited by Peasantoid (2010-02-26 21:54:32)

Gen2ly · 2010-02-27 00:37:43

Yeah, that MacBook does run hot. I had Gentoo on it at the time and didn't bother with cpufreq utils and it does get up there. Definitely recommend using the above.

I'm guessing from your name that this isn't your second or third distro, if i'm wrong about that, Arch may not be for you. You're gonna take a lot more time learning than configuring if thus and it probably be more expedient to grab an already tailored distro and work from there. Otherwise, see the [wiki]Beginners' Guide[/wiki] and then in [wiki]General Recommendations[/wiki] there is a section just for laptops.

idupree · 2010-02-27 18:08:28

Do you know why Mandriva couldn't connect to your WiFi? (When it sounds that Mac and Windows both could connect...) Depending what the problem is, there's a good chance that Arch Linux won't be able to connect any better than Mandriva or any other Linux distro -- or it could be an issue that could be fixed on Arch but could also be fixed on other distros. I have a May/June 2007 MacBook, which I think has the same Atheros WiFi hardware (Apple calls it AirPort Extreme, but ignore them since it gives us no technical info) (although I seem to remember that Apple put more restricted firmware on your older model, that needed a firmware upgrade before it would support 802.11n WiFi. If you haven't gotten that firmware upgrade, perhaps that could be confusing the Linux driver, ath9k)

Arch Linux

#1 2010-02-26 09:26:12

Arch Linux on Macbook 2,1 please help

#2 2010-02-26 19:33:49

Re: Arch Linux on Macbook 2,1 please help

#3 2010-02-26 20:38:10

Re: Arch Linux on Macbook 2,1 please help

#4 2010-02-26 21:43:40

Re: Arch Linux on Macbook 2,1 please help

#5 2010-02-27 00:37:43

Re: Arch Linux on Macbook 2,1 please help

#6 2010-02-27 18:08:28

Re: Arch Linux on Macbook 2,1 please help

Board footer