This page describes how to install Debian on a MacBook Pro.

Most points are the same like the MacBook so we point out the differences only.

MacBook Pro specific bugs can be found at http://bugs.debian.org/cgi-bin/pkgreport.cgi?tag=macbook-pro;users=kraai@ftbfs.org.

Install Debian

See the MacBook Install Debian section.

If the kernel panics when you press return at the ISOLINUX prompt, enter "install noapic" at the ISOLINUX prompt (the kernel may panic while enabling the IO-APIC IRQs, [http://bugs.debian.org/381719 bug 381719]).

Kernel

linux-2.6 2.6.22 should work out of the box.

linux-2.6 2.6.18-3 supports MacBook Pros out of the box, but you'll need to ensure that the appletouch module is loaded before the usbhid module. You can do so by creating a file in /etc/modprobe.d that contains the following line:

install usbhid /sbin/modprobe appletouch && /sbin/modprobe --ignore-install usbhid $CMDLINE_OPTS

For some reason, this doesn't always work.

Using pre-built patched i386 etch kernel

See http://marcin.owsiany.pl/mactel.en.html for information. Note that only architecture i386 kernels are provided, no amd64 ones. These are unofficial packages, prepared by a debian developer.

Using stock kernel and patch from svn

You can build your own kernel using the stock Linux kernel and the patches found in the [http://svn.sourceforge.net/viewvc/mactel-linux/trunk/ mactel-linux SVN]. Here is the steps to follow:

X Window System

See MacBook page for other details.

The installation of x.org should work out of the box with the sid version of x.org (nv or radeonhd drivers).

If you wish 3D acceleration on ATI cards, install the non-free fglrx-driver package and, in the Device section of /etc/X11/xorg.conf, change the driver from "ati" to "fglrx". Afterwards, to enable 3D you need to build the kernel fglrx module:

apt-get install fglrx-control fglrx-kernel-src module-assistant

m-a prepare
m-a a-i fglrx
depmod -a
modprobe fglrx

Wireless

See the MacBook Wireless section.

This requires a newer version of the madwifi. I had problems with the svn causing a kernel panic, so I ended going with a snapshot of the madwifi-ng tree. This can be downloaded from here http://snapshots.madwifi.org/madwifi-ng-current.tar.gz, website here: http://www.madwifi.com.

Sound

See the MacBook Sound section.

With a Core 2 Duo MacBook Pro and kernel 2.6.18-3-amd64 sound only works with the headphone but no speaker output.

With a Core2 Duo MacBook Pro (built fall 06) running (unpatched) 2.6.18-3-686, sound output can be changed as follows in alsamixer:

Sound does not work with the mid 2007 version of MBP and kernel 2.6.22. Maybe with 2.6.23 ?

cpufreq

See the MacBook cpufreq section.

infra red receiver

See the MacBook infra red receiver section.

iSight

See the MacBook iSight section.

Appendix: Santa Rosa/LED MBP

The data from the section refers to testing/stable/unstable and svn's as of 7/25/07.

Mostly everything is the same with a few changes. The testing distro has enough working drivers to get you started. The stable distro, however does not have a new enough version of the ethernet drivers to work. The other caveat here is that 'apt-get install grub' seems to give you grub2 which didn't seem to work for me. If you're using rEFIt to boot to a boot loader then you should turn use Lilo or grub 1.

Ethernet

Requires a new version of sky2 available on the testing CD, but I am unsure as to what the minimum kernel version is. However, it works out of the box with kernel 2.6.22.

Video

The newest MBP uses an Nvidia 8600GM. The OSS drivers work in testing. The current binary nvidia drivers don't work quite right. To fix funky colors or missing mouse cursor you can do one of two things:

Touchpad

The touchpad seems to miss some of my touches and I am not sure what is causing this, if someone does figure this out or also see it please post fixes/suggestions here.

Plan

Here's what needs to be done:


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