Fog
Archlinux on a macbook. Named after Dean Fog.
TODO:
these install instructions don't belong here.
I need a section for archlinux variant installs like archlinux-arm, and this alt-kernel
t2linux install docs | https://wiki.t2linux.org/distributions/arch/installation/ |
t2linux wifi docs | https://wiki.t2linux.org/guides/wifi/ |
t2linux pacman repo | https://github.com/Redecorating/archlinux-t2-packages |
arch install | https://wiki.archlinux.org/title/Installation_guide#Set_the_console_keyboard_layout |
systemd boot | https://wiki.archlinux.org/title/Systemd-boot |
Safety Net
Using the dedicated GPU 100% of the time produces lots of heat, and wasted battery life when you don't need it.
Defaulting to the dedicated graphics has been known to prevent MacOS from being able to boot.
Since Partition settings are locked into MacOS (and I'm uncertain whether I could boot from a USB),
it would be prudent to enable ssh in your MacOS install).# MacOS (apple) > System Preferences: - Security & Privacy: - Privacy Tab: - Full Disk Access: - +: Applications/Utilities/Terminal# MacOS sudo systemsetup -setremotelogin on # you probably also want to harden your /etc/ssh/sshd_config...
Install Media
Download install media
raw (out of date) https://dl.t2linux.org/archlinux/iso/index.html w/ wifi drivers https://github.com/t2linux/archiso-t2/releases diskutil list diskutil unmountDisk /dev/disk2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
Partition Setup
You can't change the partition scheme from outside of macos unfortunately.
- 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
Base Install
NOTE:
Use the wifi-enabled ISO, spoke with devs and wired kernel is outdated
(archiso) wlan setup
iwctl device list station wlan0 scan station wlan0 get-networks station wlan0 connect ${SSID} ping archlinux.org(archiso) format && baseinstall
timedatectl set-ntp true pacman -Sy # pacman-key --refresh-keys fdisk -l # find disk/partition mkfs.ext4 /dev/nvme0n1p3 # format partition as ext4 mount /dev/nvme0n1p3 /mnt # your install mkdir -p /mnt/boot mount /dev/nvme0n1p1 /mnt/boot # reuse macbook's EFI paritition # if necesary, copy/modify /etc/pacman.conf to /mnt/pacman.conf # and use: `pacstrap -C /mnt/pacman.conf` pacstrap /mnt \ base base-devel `# base packages/build-tools` \ linux-t2 linux-t2-headers linux-t2-docs `# t2-kernel` \ efivar efibootmgr dosfstools `# tools to manage efi` \ linux-firmware dkms \ apple-bcm-wifi-firmware \ iwd networkmanager netstat-nat net-tools \ neovim git openssh man-db genfstab -U /mnt >> /mnt/etc/fstab arch-chroot /mnt(chroot) Add t2linux repo
cat << EOF >> /etc/pacman.conf [mbp] Server = https://dl.t2linux.org/archlinux/$repo/$arch EOF pacman -Syy(chroot) Base Settings
ln -sf /usr/share/zoneinfo/America/Toronto /etc/localtime hwclock --systohc echo "en_US.UTF-8 UTF-8" > /etc/locale.gen locale-gen echo "LANG=en_US.UTF-8" > /etc/locale.conf echo "fog" > /etc/hostname mkinitcpio -P passwd(chroot) Bootloader
cat << EOF > /boot/loader/loader.conf default archlinux timeout 1 EOF # find PARTUUID of 'archlinux' install partition # (not EFI partition, not UUID) blkid cat << EOF > /boot/loader/entries/archlinux.conf title Arch Linux linux vmlinuz-linux-t2 initrd initramfs-linux-t2.img # no quotes around PARTUUID options intel_iommu=on iommu=pt pcie_ports=compat root=PARTUUID=${PARTUUID} rw EOF # if you cannot write /boot, use --no-variables bootctl install systemctl mask systemd-boot-system-token # remount efivars as read-only (or kernel panic) # USE EITHER: (1 works for me) # echo efivarfs /sys/firmware/efi/efivars efivarfs ro,remount,nofail 0 0 >> /etc/fstab # OR # add 'efi=noruntime' to options in '/boot/loader/entries/archlinux.conf'Reboot
- exit && reboot - hold 'option' while booting to choose boot - after selection, wait for timeout (choosing with enter seems to fail)Debugging Boot Issues
# from archiso, specify the journal of your chroot journalctl --directory=/var/log/journal
Post Install
Wifi Drivers
Boot into macos
curl -#O https://wiki.t2linux.org/tools/wifi.sh chmod +x wifi.sh ./wifi.shBoot into linux
sudo umount /dev/nvme0n1p1 sudo mkdir /tmp/apple-wifi-efi sudo mount /dev/nvme0n1p1 /tmp/apple-wifi-efi bash /tmp/apple-wifi-efi/wifi.sh sudo rebootNow verify output of wifi driver is error-free.
sudo journalctl -k --grep=brcmfmac # check for errors ip link # check for wlan0Now you can test a connection
systemctl start iwd iwctl > station wlan0 scan > station wlan0 get-networks > station wlan0 connect ${SSID}Finally, use NetworkManager (for wireguard, routing) with iwd as backend
cat << EOF > /etc/NetworkManager/NetworkManager.conf [device] wifi.backend=iwd EOF sudo systemctl enable --now iwd sudo systemctl restart NetworkManager route # confirm routing table present ping archlinux.org # testCPU fan
Install and configure mbpfan,
monitor effectiveness with lm_sensors.GPU
Dedicated GPU Drivers
Install GPU drivers (OSS reputably better here)
lscpi -nn | grep VGA # find gpu pacman -S xf86-video-ati # oss # or pacman -S xf86-video-amdgpu # proprietaryHybrid Graphics
WARNING:
gpu-switch
has not been tested on anything beyond 2015's MBP offerings.
It does not work on a 2019 MBP.
To undo this footgun, see https://apple.stackexchange.com/questions/267581/gpu-problem-boot-hangs-on-grey-screen/295805#295805nvram -p # print all variables # reboot, holding: cmd+opt+p+r until 2x chimes resets nvram
First, install dedicated GPU drivers
Next, install patched bootloader# there is an AUR package, but it is very out of date sudo pacman -S gnu-efi git clone https://github.com/aa15032261/apple_set_os-loader cd apple_set_os-loader make sudo cp /boot/EFI/BOOT/BOOTX64.EFI /boot/EFI/BOOT/BOOTX64.EFI.orig sudo cp ./bootx64.efi /boot/EFI/BOOT/BOOTX64.EFIreboot, and verify that it worked
lspci -s 00:02.0 # should list intel cardList currently active GPU
pacman -S mesa-utils glxinfo | grep "OpenGL renderer"Install latest gpu-switch
# there is an AUR package, but it is very out of date # # this is a friendly little shellscript, can change if needed. curl https://raw.githubusercontent.com/0xbb/gpu-switch/master/gpu-switch > gpu-switch chmod +x gpu-switch sudo chown root:root gpu-switch sudo mv gpu-switch /usr/bin/Since efivars is mounted as read-only, you'll need to boot from arch-iso and run the following
sudo gpu-switch -i # next boot uses integrated graphics sudo gpu-switch -d # next boot uses dedicated graphicsHeat/Power Optimization
Configuration
Install and Enable
# /boot/loader/entries/archlinux.conf # disable intel_pstate so userspace power management available. options intel_pstate=disable # ...# /etc/default/cpupower # enable conservative governor, the most resistant to ramp up cpu cycles # some others: ondemand, userspace governor='conservative'# find warnings with tlp (ex: warning: systemd-rfkill.service is not masked, to correct this...) sudo tlp-stat -s # correct warnings sudo systemctl mask systemd-rfkill.service sudo systemctl mask systemd-rfkill.socketMonitoring
monitoring some usage stats
sudo i7z # cpu freq per core sudo tlp-stats -p # power optimizations sudo tlp-stats -t # temp/fan-speeds watch eval 'sensors | head -n 10' # cpu temps watch eval 'cpupower frequency-info | grep "current CPU"'Trackpad
pacman -S xf86-input-synaptics reboot # for driver to be used # test it out if you like synclient AccelFactor=0.05 # smaller movements travel furthermake permanent
# /etc/X11/xorg.conf.d/70-synaptics.conf Section "InputClass" Identifier "touchpad" Driver "synaptics" MatchIsTouchpad "on" # moving mouse-pointer Option "AccelFactor" "0.01" Option "MinSpeed" "1.2" Option "MaxSpeed" "2.5" # scroll momentum speed Option "VertScrollDelta" "250" EndSectionFunction Keys
TODO:
- default to function keys
- multimedia keys don't work
- following suspend/resume, touchbar doesn't work at all
Disable Boot Sound
# MacOs System Preferences: Sound: - [ ] Play Sound on StartupDefault Boot
Choosing default Disk
- boot macos - apple-menu > system preferences: - startup diskChoosing default EFI bootloader
# show installed bootloaders # # BootOrder: 0080,0000 # boot priority # Boot0080: Mac OS X # macos boot entry # Boot0000: Foo # foo boot entry efibootmgr efibootmgr -o 0000,0080 # change boot priorityAudio
TODO