Installing Ubuntu (Dapper or Edgy) on an Apple iMac Core Duo

Installation is almost the same as with MacBook, at least for the initial states. We are not going to repeat it again, but just comment the differences. So please, print out this page or read it in another tab of your browser while reading the MacBook manual.

Core installation

The same as in MacBook.

Keyboard

Ignore the MacBook manual for this.

First, you must say that you are using a Mac keyboard to the xorg server. For doing so:

gksudo gedit /etc/X11/xorg.conf

and make sure that the line that says

        Option      "XkbModel" "pc105"

is changed to:

        Option      "XkbModel" "mac"

Now restart X logging out and back in, or typing sudo /etc/init.d/gdm restart and you now can use your keyboard like in OSX for most things, except for changing the brightness of the screen (we are going to do so soon).

Graphics card (Ati X1600)

It does work quite well on Dapper, just installing the official xorg-driver-fglrx driver:

apt-get install xorg-driver-fglrx

and then:

sudo aticonfig --initial

Restart X, and there you got it.

There seems to be some problems with Edgy at least on 20" models, maybe because it incorrectly detects the screen resolution and/or fhz (I have not checked why yet). Elsewhere I prefer staying on Dapper because it is better supported for this computer right now. Perhaps Feisty comes better for this.

Wireless

Works great with this guide: WifiDocs/Device/Broadcom_BCM4311_rev_01_(ndiswrapper)