Installing Arch Linux on MacBook Pro 8,3 (Late 2011)

• Linux only (no dual boot).
• Requires ethernet connection for initial install.

TODO: Reorder steps more logically.

References

• Arch Wiki - MacBook Pro 8,x
• Arch Wiki - Laptop/Apple
• Arch Wiki - Installation Guide
• Philp @ Medium - Arch Linux Running on my MacBook

Pre-installation

Follow the pre-installation instructions from the Installation Guide. On step 1.4 (booting the live environment) add some kernel parameters to prevent boot from freezing:

Hold the Option key while starting up. Select the Arch Linux installer and press e to edit. Add the following kernel parameters at the end of the linux line:

radeon.modeset=0 i915.modeset=0

In the Live Environment

Configure Filesystems

Encrypted Root Partition

Note: I had to encrypt my root partition for work requirements, but you don't necessarily have to.

Wipe the root partition with zeros for a better encryption:

cryptsetup open --type plain -d /dev/urandom /dev/sda2 to_be_wiped
dd if=/dev/zero of=/dev/mapper/to_be_wiped status=progress
cryptsetup close to_be_wiped

Encrypt the partition:

cryptsetup -y -v luksFormat /dev/sda2

Backup LUKS header onto another block device:

cryptsetup luksHeaderBackup /dev/sda2 --header-backup-file /luks_header_backup

Format, label, and mount the partition:

cryptsetup open /dev/sda2 root
mkfs.ext4 /dev/mapper/root -L "Arch Linux"
mount /dev/sda2 /mnt

EFI Boot Partition

The EFI boot partition is already formatted, so you just have to mount it:

mount --mkdir /dev/sda1 /mnt/boot

TODO: This partition comes with only 200M; instructions should be revisited to allow more space.

Generate fstab (Filesystems Table)

Generate an fstab file (this should create entries for sda2 and sda1; we will add a swapfile later).

genfstab -U /mnt >> /mnt/etc/fstab

Open /mnt/etc/fstab and make sure both entries are there.

Install Essential Packages

Make sure you are connected to Ethernet, then run:

pacstrap -K /mnt base linux linux-firmware

In the Chrooted Environment

Chroot into the new system:

arch-chroot /mnt

Install More Packages

Get the cute pacman progress bar: open /etc/pacman.conf and uncomment ILoveCandy.

Install packages with pacman -S [package name]:

• vim (or editor of your choice)
• base-devel (needed to create packages)
• git
• sudo
• dhcpcd (ethernet won't work without it, which is strange because it worked in the pacstrap command. Maybe that command uses its own DHCP?)
• iwd (for wifi)

Make console font bigger and better:

pacman -S terminus-fonts

In /etc/vconsole.conf set FONT=ter-125n.

Downgrade xz

Downgrade xz to 5.4.6 or earlier due to xz exploit (better safe than sorry). Download it from the Arch Archive - xz then run:

pacman -R xz
pacman -U /path/to/download

Delete any newer versions of xz from /var/cache/pacman/pkg.

Exclude it from sync: in /etc/pacman.conf uncomment IgnorePkg and add xz.

Update everything else:

pacman -Syu

Do Some Config

Set hostname in /etc/hostname.

Set root password:

passwd

Set timezone:

ln -sf /usr/share/zoneinfo/[your region]/[your city] /etc/localtime
hwclock --systohc

Set locale:

• Edit /etc/locale.gen and uncomment en_US.UTF-8 UTF-8 and other locales.
• Create /etc/locale.conf and set LANG=en_US.UTF-8

Configure Swapfile for Hibernation

Create 20GB swapfile:

dd if=/dev/zero of=/swapfile bs=1G count=20 status=progress
chmod 0600 /swapfile
mkswap /swapfile
swapon /swapfile

Make it persistent by adding an entry to fstab:

/swapfile none swap defaults 0 0

Check for errors (don't reboot until fixed): mount -a

Set a low swappiness value permanently so we only use it for hibernation: create configuration file at /etc/sysctl.d/99-swappiness.conf and add vm.swappiness = 1.

TODO: Can I do this at the moment of partitioning the disk instead?

Setup Boot Loader

Configure mkinitcpio at: /etc/mkinitcpio.conf:

• Add modules:
  • usbhid xhci_hcd (to use USB keyboard)
  • ahci libahci (to fix fs not found error - TODO: Can I remove this?)
• Add hooks:
  • encrypt (place somewhere after udev)
  • keyboard (somewhere before autodetect)

Add compression to save space on the boot partition: uncomment compression xz and add options -9.

Install systemd-boot (works well with native Apple boot loader):

bootctl --path=/boot install

Set default loader configuration in boot/loader/loader.conf:

default arch.conf
timeout 0
console-mode keep

Set specific loader configuration in boot/loader/entries/arch.conf:

title   Arch Linux
linux   /vmlinuz-linux
initrd  /initramfs-linux.img
options cryptdevice=/dev/sda2:root root=/dev/mapper/root resume=UUID=[swap device uuid] resume_offset=[swap file offset]

You can get the resume offset by running:

filefrag -v /swapfile

Look for physical offset column in first row, ends in '..'.

Finally, renegerate initramfs:

mkinitcpio -P

TODO: Setup and test hibernation.

Let's Reboot!

Reboot the machine. It should now boot from our new boot loader.

Create Non-Root User

Create a user (you can't run makepkg as root) in groups wheel, users.

Setup Wifi

Setup Kernel Modules

I had issues with b43 not connecting properly to certain routers, so we will use wl.

Install broadcom-wl-dkms and dependencies:

pacman -S linux_headers
pacman -S broadcom-wl-dkms
modprobe wl

Remove modules known to conflict with wl:

rmmod b43
rmmod bcma

Create /etc/modprobe.d/10_wl.conf and add:

blacklist bcma
blacklist b43

Check that kernel driver in use is wl:

lspci -v

Regenerate initramfs again:

sudo mkinicpio -P

TODO: Do I need to do this everytime I change modules?

Setup Wifi Services

Enable iwd:

systemctl enable iwd
systemctl start iwd

In /etc/iwd/main.conf, add the following config to enable autoconnect and built-in DHCP (using systemd-resolved):

[General]
EnableNetworkConfiguration=true
[Settings]
AutoConnect=true

Make sure systemd-resolved is enabled; if not, enable and start it.

systemctl enable systemd-resolved
systemctl start systemd-resolved

TODO: systemd-resolved sometimes stops working after suspend, figure out why. In the meantime just restart the service.

Disable dhcpcd or there will be a conflict:

systemctl disable dhcpcd
systemctl stop dhcpcd

TODO: ethernet currently needs dhcpcd; figure out a way to switch between wifi and ethernet without having to enable/disable services. Maybe we can configure ethernet to use systemd-resolved.

Connect to Wifi

Get networks and connect to wifi:

iwctl
device list
station wlan0 (or whatever the device is) scan
station wlan0 get-networks
station wlan0 connect (or connect-hidden) [ssid]

I also had to add this section in /var/lib/iwd/[name of network].psk:

[IPv4]
Address=[my local ip]
Netmask=255.255.255.0
Gateway=[gateway local ip]
Broadcast=[last ip of subnet]

Power and Fans

(Copied from Philp @ Medium - Arch Linux Running on my MacBook but have not tested it.)

Get mbpfan

Make sure you have coretemp and applesmc modules. To turn on a module:

modprobe [name of module]

Check module is active:

lsmod | grep [name of module]

Make a directory for AUR downloads, e.g. ~/builds. In this directory, download mbpfan-git:

git clone https://aur.archlinux.org/mbpfan-git.git
cd mpbfan-git
makepkg
pacman -U mbpfan-git
systemctl enable mbpfan-git
systemctl start mbpfan-git

More Services

Install some more services:

• thermald
• cpupower

In /etc/default/cpupower set governor to powersave.

Setup Desktop Environment

I had some issues with Wayland so let's use Xorg:

pacman -S xorg xorg-server

Install Gnome and its desktop manager:

pacman -S gnome
systemctl enable gdm

Install Intel display drivers:

pacman -S xf86-video-intel

More Customization

Install gnome-macos-remap to switch Cmd and Ctrl keys.

Disable 'Activities' view:

gsettings set org.gnome.mutter overlay-key ''

Set power button to suspend, in /etc/systemd/logind.conf set:

HandlePowerKey=suspend

TODO

• Setup hibernation.
• Figure out how to switch between wifi and ethernet without changing modules or services.
• Fix DHCP breaking after suspend.
• Make boot partition bigger.
• Figure out how to export Gnome keyboard shortcuts.