This page aims to describe the steps needed, to fully enable all features of the 2.1 White Macbook (release date: late 2007) when using Ubuntu 10.10, Maverick. You can check here if you own this model: on wikipedia, on apple.com

You can find out what model you have in OSX, System Profiler

If you have a different model, please go here and find the right wiki.

Overview

Anything not mentioned here probably already works out of the box. If not, please refer to the Ubuntu Apple Users forum.

  • Feature

    Support status

    Sound

    IconsPage/ok.png IconsPage/info.png

    Suspend

    IconsPage/ok.png

    Hibernate

    IconsPage/ok.png

    Shutdown

    IconsPage/ok.png

    ACPI, power management, etc

    IconsPage/ok.png

    Shell/CTRL-ALT-Fn

    IconsPage/ok.png

    Reboot

    IconsPage/ok.png

    Desktop Effects (Compiz)

    IconsPage/ok.png

    Keyboard functions (Brightness,volume,...)

    IconsPage/ok.png

    CD/DVD Writing

    IconsPage/ok.png

    Bluetooth

    IconsPage/ok.png

    External Monitor

    IconsPage/ok.png

    Wireless (AirPort)

    IconsPage/ok.png

    iSight

    IconsPage/ok.png IconsPage/info.png

    Touchpad (appletouch)

    IconsPage/ok.png IconsPage/info.png

    Apple Remote Control

    IconsPage/question.png

    Firewire

    IconsPage/question.png

IconsPage/ok.png (works out-of-the-box)
IconsPage/ok.png IconsPage/info.png (works perfectly, but needs a little work)
IconsPage/warning.png (works, with remarks)
IconsPage/dont.png (won't work - please post if you have hints)
IconsPage/question.png (not yet documented - please post if you can test)

Basic Installation Instructions

  • As stated in Ubuntu 10.10 Release Notes, Macbooks with EFI will not be able to boot the 64bit (amd64) version of Ubuntu 10.10 live cd. The i386 CDs will work.
  • If you really want to use the x86_64 version, you can download an alternate installation media from here. This iso will work.

Other common things about installing and maintaining Ubuntu on Intel-based Macs: Intel CPU-based Macintosh Generic Installation Instructions

Wireless (AirPort)

Nothing to do works out of the box.

Desktop Effects (Compiz)

Works.

Touchpad

Left-click, right-click, two-finger use and basic trackpad work out of the box. It seems to be very slow and flaky, though. This can be partially fixed in  System > Preferences > Mouse  and change pointer speed (Acceleration & Sensitivity) Two finger scrolling can be activated from  System > Preferences > Mouse  and on tab Touchpad, change scrolling to Two finger scrolling. From here you can also deactivate the mouse click on the track pad which is very annoying.

Thanks to http://bugs.debian.org/cgi-bin/bugreport.cgi?msg=10;att=0;bug=576456

You should disable the mouse plugin in gnome-settings-daemon, since gnome-control-center can't handle every possible touchpad setting via gnome-mouse-properties. Open a terminal and type

gconftool-2 --type boolean --set /apps/gnome_settings_daemon/plugins/mouse/active false

Then, edit your  /etc/X11/xorg.conf :

Section "InputDevice"
    Identifier     "Mouse0"
    Driver         "synaptics"
    Option         "Protocol" "auto-dev"
    Option         "Device" "/dev/psaux"
    Option         "SendCoreEvents" "true"
    Option         "LeftEdge" "100"
    Option         "RightEdge" "1120"
    Option         "TopEdge" "50"
    Option         "BottomEdge" "310"
    Option         "FingerLow" "5"
    Option         "FingerHigh" "20"
    Option         "MaxTapTime" "100"
    Option         "MaxTapMove" "150"
    Option         "MaxDoubleTapTime" "180"
    Option         "VertScrollDelta" "20"
    Option         "HorizScrollDelta" "50"
    Option         "MinSpeed" "0.49"
    Option         "MaxSpeed" "0.78"
    Option         "AccelFactor" "0.0010"
    Option         "LockedDrags" "false"
    Option         "TapButton1" "1"
    Option         "TapButton2" "3"
    Option         "TapButton3" "2"
    Option         "VertTwoFingerScroll" "true"
    Option         "HorizTwoFingerScroll" "false"
    Option         "FastTaps" "true"
    Option         "VertEdgeScroll" "false"
    Option         "HorizEdgeScroll" "false"
    Option         "SHMConfig" "true"
EndSection

Keyboard functions

Volume Up (F12), Volume Down (F11), Volume Mute (F10), Eject will work out-of-the-box.

Shell/CTRL-ALT-Fn

Works out of the box.

External Monitor

Works out of the box.

Sound and Headphones

Front speakers work out of the box.

External Speakers

External speakers don't work by default because they are muted.

Install gnome-alsamixer

sudo apt-get install gnome-alsamixer

Open the mixer from Applications > Sound & Video > GNOME ALSA Mixer and unmute the speaker in the third column.

Microphone

The internal microphone works with both settings as in the section above.

Plugging in an external microphone into the line-in jack will not work, as all Macs need a powered Mic which are much more expensive. You will need to buy a bluetooth or USB microphone ([http://blogs.computerworld.com/mac_microphone_line_in_only_port_is_a_real_drag])

Webcam/iSight

The built-in webcam works following this simple howto: AppleiSight

Suspend

Suspend works out of the box.

It's quite slow though, slower than on OSX. Follow these instructions [https://help.ubuntu.com/community/HdaIntelSoundHowto] to make it faster and save some energy.

Remote Control

The following information was copied from the Macbook5-2/Maverick page, please remove this note if you have tried this and it works.

You have to install gnome-lirc-properties from repositories, and configure it following the wizard, choosing Apple Mac Mini IR Receiver with Custom remote control. Then go in  System -> Preferences -> Infrared Remote Control  , unlock the window, choose autodetect and select the IR receiver. Now you can test it: in the bottom of the window, you can see if you remote control works.

Then change the file /etc/lircd.conf.gnome into this:

begin remote
  name             Apple_A1156
  bits             8
  eps              30
  aeps             100
  one              0 0
  zero             0 0
  pre_data_bits    24
  pre_data         0x87EE81
  gap              211982
  toggle_bit_mask  0x0
  ignore_mask      0x0000ff01

      begin codes
          KEY_VOLUMEUP       0x0B
          KEY_VOLUMEDOWN     0x0D
          KEY_PREVIOUSSONG   0x08
          KEY_NEXTSONG       0x07
          KEY_PLAYPAUSE      0x04
          KEY_MENU           0x02
      end codes


end remote

Now, create and make executable two files in your home directory-I created them in the "script" directory: they will let you adjust audio volume from shell: script/volume_up

A=`pacmd dump | grep "set-sink-volume " | cut -d " " -f 3`
B=$((A + 0x01000))
if [ $(($B)) -gt $((0x10000)) ]
 then
    B=$((0x10000))
fi
pactl set-sink-volume 0 `printf "0x%X" $B`

script/volume_down

A=`pacmd dump | grep "set-sink-volume " | cut -d " " -f 3`
B=$((A - 0x01000))
if [ $(($B)) -lt $((0x00000)) ]
 then
    B=$((0x00000))
fi
pactl set-sink-volume 0 `printf "0x%X" $B`

This two scripts are useful to control your audio level from the shell or in a script. If they don't work because you have some esoteric configs, maybe you can adjust them on line 3 - take a look at the output of the command

pacmd dump

in line beginning with "set-sink-volume" and adjust line 3 accordling.

Now, you have to create a file like this (this is my own config, you can change it according to your preferences) in your home directory: .lircrc

begin rhythmbox

begin
prog = Rhythmbox
button = play
config = playpause
end

begin
prog = Rhythmbox
button = pause
config = pause
end


begin
prog = Rhythmbox
button = forward
config = next
end

begin
prog = RhythmBox
button = backward
config = previous
end

begin
prog = RhythmBox
button = fw
config = seek_forward
end

begin
prog = RhythmBox
button = bw
config = seek_backward
end
end rhythmbox


begin
prog = irexec
button = volup
config = $HOME/script/volume_up
repeat = 2
end


begin
prog = irexec
button = voldown
config = $HOME/script/volume_down
repeat = 2
end

begin
prog = irexec
button = play
config = rhythmbox-client
end

begin
prog = irexec
button = menu
config = rhythmbox-client --set-rating 2
end

and last add and enable the command "irexec --daemon" in System -> Preferences -> Session Properties (gnome-session-properties, from shell) - this will run irexec every time you log in into your home session and execute your favourite commands when you press something on your remote control.

With this .lircrc file:

  • Pressing Play/Menu will start rhythmbox, if it is not already running
  • Pressing vol+/vol- will change system volume
  • Pressing Play will play/pause playback, if rhythmbox is running
  • Pressing forward/backward will change song, if rhythmbox is running
  • Pressing menu will rate with two stars the current song, if rhythmbox is running

You can change it as you prefere.


CategoryMac




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Please update this page, if you have figured out anything, that is not mentioned here!



IconsPage/users.png
The MactelSupportTeam is about to restructure and reorganize the documentation for Intel-based Macs. If you are interested in helping, please visit our team page for information. For all Mactel wikis, there is a starting place here. There is also a thread about planning the Mactel docummentation going on.



MacBook2-1/Maverick (last edited 2013-12-14 01:26:58 by knome)