Arch Linux

riddle00

Member

From: Lithuania

Registered: 2015-05-26

Posts: 81

[SOLVED] Arch on Macbook

Hey,

I am considering buying a MacBook Pro Retina, and dual-booting OS-X and Arch. I wanted to ask in advance whether there are anything to be aware of and would Arch Linux befriend a Macbook?

Thanks

Last edited by riddle00 (2017-06-30 12:04:37)

karol

Archivist

Registered: 2009-05-06

Posts: 25,440

Re: [SOLVED] Arch on Macbook

Have you read the wiki?
See also https://bbs.archlinux.org/viewforum.php?id=31
https://bbs.archlinux.org/viewtopic.php … 1#p1527101 gives hope that your new gear may work as well.

Are you talking about a new MBP or one from, say 2014? I know nothing about Macs, but maybe there is some difference in the ease of setting a dualboot.

Last edited by karol (2015-08-08 18:08:38)

riddle00

Member

From: Lithuania

Registered: 2015-05-26

Posts: 81

Re: [SOLVED] Arch on Macbook

Mainly 2013-2014 models. Thank you for the links, got to do some more reading. Yes, I've read the wiki btw.

frank604

Member

From: BC, Canada

Registered: 2011-04-20

Posts: 1,212

Re: [SOLVED] Arch on Macbook

There should be a thread about that particular model and year.  Keep in mind that the year and revision is important when reading.  For example, there are at least two revisions of the macbook air for the year 2013.  The one I have is labeled 6,2 (second revision) or aka mid-2013.

Good luck with your reading and do use the search button.  There are many linux users on apple hardware.

Trilby

Inspector Parrot

Registered: 2011-11-29

Posts: 29,548

Website

Re: [SOLVED] Arch on Macbook

I have run arch on a few macbooks.  And while it's always do-able, IMHO it is also always a royal pain*.  Unless you really want/need mac hardware, if you want to run (arch)linux and you are still shopping, I'd suggest checking out other hardware options.

That said, if you must use OSX, get the mac.  It is much easier to run linux on a mac than it is to run OSX on anything other than a mac.

edit: *all my experience with linux on macbooks was before efi booting was common in linux, and definitely before it was part of the installation isos - so there's a fair chance the hurdles I faced may not exist anymore.

---

"UNIX is simple and coherent..." - Dennis Ritchie, "GNU's Not UNIX" -  Richard Stallman

riddle00

Member

From: Lithuania

Registered: 2015-05-26

Posts: 81

Re: [SOLVED] Arch on Macbook

Ok, thanks