Fog

Archlinux on a macbook. Named after Dean Fog. He's a great magician, but he's also kind of useless.

t2linux install docs	https://wiki.t2linux.org/distributions/arch/installation/
arch install https://wiki.archlinux.org/title/Installation_guide#Set_the_console_keyboard_layout
systemd boot	https://wiki.archlinux.org/title/Systemd-boot

Install Media

Download install media

raw	https://dl.t2linux.org/archlinux/iso/index.html
w/ wifi drivers	https://github.com/t2linux/archiso-t2/releases

diskutil list
diskutil unmountDisk /dev/disk2
dd if=path/to/archlinux-version-x86_64.iso of=/dev/rdisk2 bs=1m

Install

# MacBook
- macbook, start bootcamp (preinstalled)
  - drag slider for size (deletes apfs snapshots?)

- disk utility
  - create a partition (any format) for your linux install

- restart, holding cmd+r
  - Utilities > Startup Security Utility:
    - [x] No Security
    - [x] Allow booting from external media

- restart, holding opt
  - you don't need to connect to wifi in bootloader
  - boot from EFI

Some strange notes

- you can't modify your HDD's partition scheme outside of macos's diskutil (ex: fdisk/cfdisk)

Wired Install

NOTE:

If issues with outdated archlinux keyring on host,
and host filesystem not writable,
you can copy /etc/pacman.conf to /mnt/pacman.conf,
create an alternate gpgdir or modify SigLevel,
and invoke pacstrap -C /mnt/pacman.conf ....

general settings

timedatectl set-ntp true

curl -o key.asc https://dl.t2linux.org/archlinux/key.asc
pacman-key --add key.asc
pacman-key --lsign 7F9B8FC29F78B339

# only works if HDD writable
pacman -Sy archlinux-keyring

pacstrap /mnt \
  base base-devel \
  linux-mbp linux-mbp-headers \
  dkms neovim efivar efibootmgr dosfstools dialog apple-bce-dkms-git \
  wireless_tools wpa_supplicant iwd \
  git
genfstab -U /mnt >> /mnt/etc/fstab
arch-chroot /mnt

settings in chroot

ln -sf /usr/share/zoneinfo/America/Toronto /etc/localtime
hwclock --systohc
echo "en_US.UTF-8 UTF-i" > /etc/locale.gen
locale-gen
echo "LANG=en_US.UTF-8" > /etc/locale.conf
echo "fog" > /etc/hostname
mkinitcpio -P
passwd

archlinux keyring

pacman-key --init
pacman-key --populate archlinux
pacman-key --refresh-keys

bootloader

cat << EOF > /boot/efi/loader/loader.conf
default archlinux
timeout 5
EOF

# copy kernels to the /boot mount where EFI can access them
cp /boot/initramfs* /boot/efi/
cp /boot/vmlinuz* /boot/efi

# find PARTUUID of 'archlinux' install partition
# (not EFI partition, not UUID)
blkid

cat << EOF > /boot/efi/loader/entries/archlinux.conf
title Arch Linux
linux vmlinuz-linux-mbp
initrd initramfs-linux-mbp.img
# no quotes around PARTUUID
options intel_iommu=on iommu=pt pcie_ports=compat root=PARTUUID=${PARTUUID} rw
EOF

bootctl --path=/boot/efi --no-variables install

# remount efivars as read-only (or kernel panic)
echo efivarfs /sys/firmware/efi/efivars efivarfs ro,remount,nofail 0 0 >> /etc/fstab

# finally, install pacman hook so on kernel upgrades, the kernel is copied to EFI part
#
# see man alpm-hooks

mkdir /etc/pacman.d/hooks

cat << EOF > /etc/pacman.d/hooks/linux-mbp-updates.hook
## TODO
EOF

create user

useradd -m will

install aura

curl -0# https://aur.archlinux.org/cgit/aur.git/snapshot/aura-bin.tar.gz
tar -xvf arua-bin.tar.gz
chown -R will:will aura-bin
cd aura-bin
su will
makepkg -s

keyboard, backlight, audio drivers see https://wiki.t2linux.org/guides/dkms/

WARNING:

This fails to build, my gcc version is too new for latest version.
Asked for suggestions https://github.com/MCMrARM/mbp2018-bridge-drv/issues/25

instructions to build kernel myself with newer gcc may resolve. https://wiki.t2linux.org/guides/kernel/

Wireless Install

NOTE:

despite archiso built yesterday, issues with gpg keys. maybe try the wired iso?

Now follow the official archlinux install instructions, except:

timedatectl set-ntp true

iwctl
 device list
 station wlan0 scan
 station wlan0 get-networks
 station wlan0 connect ${SSID}

ping google.com
pacman -Syy
pacman-key --refresh-keys

mount /dev/nvme1n1p3 /mnt
mkdir -p /mnt/boot/efi
mount /dev/nvme1n1p1 /mnt/boot/efi

pacstrap /mnt base linux-t2 linux-t2-headers linux-t2-docs apple-bcm-wifi-firmware dkms linux-firmware iwd

https://wiki.archlinux.org/title/Installation_guide#Set_the_console_keyboard_layout

- EFI
  - reuse the macbook's EFI parition: /dev/nvme0n1p1
  - mount macbook's EFI to: /mnt/boot/efi

# IGNORE ME
- perform base install
  # https://wiki.archlinux.org/title/Installation_guide#Set_the_console_keyboard_layout
  - keyboard layout
  - boot mode
  - setup internet
  - set hardware clock
  - create partitions

- reuse the EFI partition at /dev/nvme0n1p1
  - mount /dev/root_partition /mnt
  - mount /dev/nvme0n1p1 /mnt/boot/efi  # reuse EFI partition

- mirrors