Hi guys, Seemed a long time not posting something interesting, On this page we will discuss how to install Ubuntu 11.04 Natty Narwhall on MacBook (MacBook Pro 8.1, 8.2, 8.3), referencing to this page that's possible for us for install Ubuntu on some Mac Computers although some function needs to be setting. This article was written based on an article written by radithtux on this post, We translate and write back to you English.
We try to install Ubuntu 11.04 Natty on Macbook Pro 8.1. Here computers specification that we used in our experiment
- Processor Dual-Core i5 Sandy Bridge x86-64
- Intel HD 3000 Graphic card
- Wireless Hardware Broadcom 4331
- New Port Thunderbolt
Here are step by step our documentation installing Ubuntu 11.04 Natty Narwhall on Macbook Pro 8.1 :
Download Ubuntu 11.04 64 Bit
The architecture MacBook Pro 8.1 is x86-64, we should use the appropriate iso to get better performance, you should use Ubuntu 11.04 64 Bit for mac, the source can be downloaded here.
Install Refit on your MacBook
first step to install Ubuntu on your MacBook is installing refit in a system (Mac OSX 10.6.6), the source (refit ) can downloaded here. Follow the installation instructions and pop the Ubuntu liveCD you burned earlier into the superdrive. to always activate Refit, open your terminal do following command (* change /efi/refit/enable-always.sh with your own address)
$ sudo sh /efi/refit/enable-always.sh
Prepare the partition for ubuntu
You can use any partition software that run on Mac OSX 10.6.6, in this example, we use default partition application on Mac OSX 10.6.6 Disc Utility, open your Disc Utility and provide some free space about 15 Gb for system and 1 Gb for swap (two free partition).
 |
| Mac OSX 10.6.6 Disk Utility |
- Make sure the liveCD is in your drive, and restart your MacBook. when booting make sure to hold C key on the keyboard, so that the MacBook can boot from CD.
- Do as usual Ubuntu installation, place ubuntu in partition that we prepared before.
- After Installing complete, Enter Refit, then boot ubuntu to perform some hardware configuration
See video above for, installing Ubuntu 11.04 on MacBook Pro 13-inch.
Fixing some errors
Fixing some errors
Bluetooth and Video Out
when you have finished installing ubuntu, your job is not finished, some hardware needs to be setting, first step you should set up bluetooth and video out in order to work properly, open your terminal and upgrade to kernel version 3 (* Macbook Pro works fine with Natty Linux kernel version 2.6.38-9 or later, updated 7 sept 2011). see reference bellow.
MacBook Pro 8.1 Ubuntu Wireless Driver
(*Updated 5/10/2011)
You must patch the kernel and compile the driver so you can use the Wireless Broadcom 4331 directly without ndiswraper, we recommend using these steps to activate your Wireless. see here
The MacBook Pro 8.1 is using Broadcom 4331, very disappointed that Linux Open driver has lack of support to this divice, to make sure this device could work properly we need some application like ndiswrapper, ndiswrapper is a free software driver wrapper that enables the use of Windows XP/Mac drivers for network devices (PCI cards, USB modems, and routers) on Linux. you can install ndiswraper by following command
sudo apt-get install ndiswrapper-common ndiswrapper-dkms ndiswrapper-source ndiswrapper-utils-1.9
Download the bcmwl5.inf file here, bcmwl5.inf is such us driver for Broadcom 4331, when downloaded the file open ndiswraper > select new driver > and browse bcmwl5.inf which has been downloaded.
 |
| ndiswrapper mac ubuntu |
MacBook Pro 8.1 Ubuntu multitouch
we need to add ppa:mactel-support and activate the driver to make multitouch works, do as following
sudo add-apt-repository ppa:mactel-support && sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get install bcm5974-dkms xserver-xorg-input-synaptics
sudo apt-get install xf86-input-multitouch bcm5974-dkms
setting the trackpad, edit xorg.conf (/etc/X11/xorg.conf), add following line in the end of xorg.conf file :
Section "InputClass"
MatchIsTouchpad "true"
Identifier "Multitouch Touchpad"
Driver "multitouch"
MatchDevicePath "/dev/input/event*"
EndSection
Save the file, your trackpad should work after reboot your system.
Accessing the MacOS partition/hardisk from ubuntu
Mac OSX is using HFS+ file system, by default Ubuntu can only read HFS+ and not able to write files on that file system. To be able to access the HFS+ trough Ubuntu you have to `disable Journaling system HFS+ on Mac OSX`, and to make HFS+ File System automated mounting, edit the fstab file in /etc/ fstab. add following line to /etc/ fstab to make sure that HFS+ is automatic mounting when the system start.
UUID=UUIDpatisihdanda /home/Users hfsplus rw,force 0 0
Setting MacBook Pro Sound in ubuntu
Mostly MacBook which install Ubuntu 11.04 `just` only one speaker is active, that is right speaker. To solve this problem you must configure the alsa-base, add following line in the end of /etc/modprobe.d/alsa-base.conf
options snd-hda-intel model=mbp55
Save file alsa-base.conf, continued to set the sound output at existing alsamixer in the terminal, type 'alsamixer' in the terminal, then alsamixer settings like screenshot below. Press the letter 'M' to turn off silent mode (mute).
 |
| Ubuntu Alsa-base |
Next step, configure external mini display port monitor. Linux Kernel 2.6.39.05 or letter already detect vga Intel HD 3000 automatically, then configure to display an external monitor when the mini display port is inserted. On this case we use applications named multiple screen that make settings an external monitor display easier. Install grandr application trough this command :
sudo apt-get install grandr
To configure the Multiple Screen, enter the Mini Display Port to VGA and then configure the resolution on the main screen at a resolution of 1024x768, and then click Apply. in my case Multiple Screen automatically able to look into the external screen without reconfiguration.
Next step, activate the Web Camera, we use simple application named Cheese. Cheese uses your webcam to take photos and videos, applies fancy special effects and lets you share the fun with others. Open a terminal and type the following command to install cheese
Next step, activate the Web Camera, we use simple application named Cheese. Cheese uses your webcam to take photos and videos, applies fancy special effects and lets you share the fun with others. Open a terminal and type the following command to install cheese
sudo apt-get install cheese
Configuring Ubuntu on a MacBook Pro 8.1 is finished, for other devices such as Gigabit Ethernet, keyboard, back light keyboard, keyboard short cut, Card reader SDXC all goes well, but Thunterbolt and Firewire is still not running on Ubuntu Natty.
 |
| Ubuntu on MacBook Pro 8.1 |
reference : https://help.ubuntu.com/community/MacBookPro8-1/Natty