MacBookAir (6,2) on Ubuntu 14.04 (Trusty Tahr)

= DRAFT =;

This page aims to describe the steps needed, to fully enable all features of the 6-th Generation MacBookAir (release date: mid 2013) when using Ubuntu 14.04, Trusty Tahr.

You can find out, what model you have by typing at the terminal:

sudo dmidecode -s system-product-name

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
  LCD Panel
  Suspend & Hibernate	Suspend ok Hibernate not tried yet
  Shut-down and Reboot
  Keyboard functions (Brightness,volume,...)
  Touchpad (appletouch)
  Wireless (AirPort)
  Bluetooth
  iSight
  Sound
  Microphone
  External Monitor
  Thunderbolt	To be verified
  SD card slot
  HFS+ (OS X disc partition)	mount read-only
  Fan Control	according to tlp stat
  Sensors (temps & fans)	according to tlp stat
  GPU Power Save

(works out-of-the-box)
(works, with remarks)
(needs manual install)
(won't work)
(not yet documented)

Wireless (AirPort)

Requires an Apple USB-Ethernet Adapter.

1. Log into ubuntu 14.04 and open a terminal (Ctrl+Alt+t).

• Attach Apple USB-Ethernet Adapter. Enter the following commands:

  sudo apt-get update
  sudo apt-get upgrade

  This updates all packages

2. Start (Panel) > (Menu)System Settings > (Icon)Software & Updates (or from terminal /usr/bin/python3 /usr/bin/software-properties-gtk)

• Select (Tab)Additional Drivers and install Broadcom 802.11 Linux STA wireless driver from bcmwl-kernel-source

3. Now reboot again

• Select "Ubuntu"

Sound

Works. You may want to change default ALSA sound card (needed for Lubuntu) - put this in /etc/asound.conf :

• defaults.ctl.card 1
  defaults.pcm.card 1
  defaults.timer.card 1

iSight

iSight HD webcam does not work as Apple changed to PCI for higher resolution raw images. The camera is not recognized as USB device. The current iSight-Firmware cutter does not help here.

Touchpad (appletouch)

Works.

External Monitor

Works via thunderbolt --> DVI out of the box. Although Apple Displays wont hotplug. Probably will need features coming in kernel 3.15 (or backported)

Function Keys

Works. See also AppleKeyboard#Corrections page for fine tuning.

Finetuning Powersave functions

tbc

CategoryMac