Arch installation guide on Mac
- ☑️ display
- ☑️ audio
- ☑️ internet connection, wifi
- ☑️ keyboard (work perfectly as normal keyboard)
- ☑️ trackpad & external mouse
- ☑️ screen backlight
- ☑️ keyboard backlight
- ☑️ fan
- ☑️ battery (not best but quite good)
- 🔲 webcam: not tested but someone say it work perfectly with bcwc-pcie, more detail here
It's seem Macbook with T2 Security isn't support linux very well, view this discussions
Use Disk Utility Partition feature to add new Partition for Arch, follow this guide
Or if you already know how to use Disk Utility, then create a partition with FAT32 format.
Download arch's iso here
Find usb by using diskutil list, then:
# Assume usb disk is /dev/diskX
diskutil unmountDisk /dev/diskX
dd if=path/to/arch.iso of=/dev/diskX bs==1m
Hold bold alt/option when system bootup, then choose boot from USB
sudo pacman -Sy terminus-font
setfont /usr/share/kbd/consolefonts/ter-132b.psf.gz
Use wifi-menu then choose wifi to connect, then check connection with:
ping -c 3 google.com
View all your patitions to choose correct one
use fdisk -list
Open cgdisk with:
cgdisk /dev/sdaX
Create these new partitions:
| Size | Type | Description |
|---|---|---|
| 128MB | Apple HFS+ | This is required in order to make Arch dual boot with OSX |
| 256MB | Linux filesystem | Arch file system |
| xMB | Linux Swap | If you have space, try to make it double size of your ram size |
| xGB | Linux filesystem | This is our home |
Assuming you have this when run fdisk -l:
| Device | Size | Type |
|---|---|---|
| /dev/sda3 | 128MB | Apple HFS+ |
| /dev/sda4 | 256MB | Linux filesystem |
| /dev/sda5 | 16GB | Linux Swap |
| /dev/sda6 | 64GB | Linux filesystem |
Now let format and mount partition:
mkfs.ext4 /dev/sda4
mkswap /dev/sda5
mkfs.ext4 /dev/sda6
mount /dev/sda6 /mnt
mkdir /mnt/boot && mount /dev/sda4 /mnt/boot
swapon /dev/sda5
Run these commands:
pacstrap /mnt base base-devel
genfstab -p /mnt >> /mnt/etc/fstab
vi /mnt/etc/fstab
If you are using ssd, remove all discard in all lines, and make sure it look like:
/dev/sda4 /boot ext2 defaults,relatime,stripe=4 0 2
/dev/sda6 / ext4 defaults,noatime,data=writeback 0 1arch-chroot /mnt /bin/bash
echo arch > /etc/hostname (Change arch with your hostname)
ln -s /usr/share/zoneinfo/Asia/Ho_Chi_Minh /etc/localtime (Use tab to select your zoneinfo easier)
useradd -m -G wheel -s /bin/bash your_username
passwd your_username (Create your password)
Open /etc/sudoers file (with sudo) and uncomment this line to get sudo right for our user:
%wheel ALL=(ALL) ALL
Uncomment en_US.UTF-8 UTF-8 (Or what ever locale you want) line in /etc/locale.gen file, then run:
locale-gen
echo LANG=en_US.UTF-8 > /etc/locale.conf
export LANG=en_US.UTF-8
Modify your /etc/mkinitcpio.conf file to insert keyboard after autodetect in the HOOK section (If it not exist). Then run:
mkinitcpio -p linux
We will boot using OSX native EFI boot loader, so install this:
pacman -S grub-efi-x86_64
Change /etc/default/grub to look like:
GRUB_CMDLINE_LINUX_DEFAULT="quiet rootflags=data=writeback"
Then create boot.efi with GRUB
grub-mkconfig -o boot/grub/grub.cfg
grub-mkstandalone -o boot.efi -d usr/lib/grub/x86_64-efi -O x86_64-efi --compress xz boot/grub/grub.cfg
❗ Important: Copy boot.efi to your usb or save it somewhere, we'll need this to duo boot.
To copy it to usb, use:
mkdir /mnt/myusb && mount /dev/sdb /mnt/myusb
cp boot.efi /mnt/myusb/
Or upload it to file.io:
curl -F "file=boot.efi" https://file.io
❗ Important: If you have only wifi, please install those below, if not you'll not able to use wifi-menu after reboot
pacman -S iw wireless_tools wpa_supplicant dialog
Exit chroot and reboot (back to mac world)
exit
reboot
When OSX loaded. Using Disk Utility to format /dev/sda3 (128MB HFS+ we have created before) with Journaled format.
Then create this file structure:
|___mach_kernel
|___System
|___Library
|___CoreServices
|___SystemVersion.plist
|___boot.efi (Is the file we'v copy, upload in the previous step)
Edit SystemVersion.plist content:
<xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<plist version="1.0">
<dict>
<key>ProductBuildVersion</key>
<string></string>
<key>ProductName</key>
<string>Linux</string>
<key>ProductVersion</key>
<string>Arch Linux</string>
</dict>
</plist>To make arch auto boot with out holding alt/option, run this command:
sudo bless --device /dev/disk0s4 --setBoot
Now when reboot and welcome to arch world
Install terminus-font: sudo pacman -S terminus-font
create file /etc/vconsole.conf with content:
FONT=ter-132b
Install these default fonts (to make browser look suckless):
yay -S ttf-dejavu ttf-linux-libertine ttf-mac-fonts ttf-ms-fonts ttf-opensans ttf-ubuntu-font-family ttf-symbola
sudo pacman -S xf86-video-intel xf86-input-libinput mesa
Using pacman to install all these packages:
xorg-server: graphical server
xorg-xinit: starts graphical server
xorg-xrandr: resize & rotate utility for X
xorg-xwininfo: querying windows infomation on X server
xorg-xprop: detecting window properties tool
xorg-xdpyinfo: display infomation unity
xorg-xset: to configure keyboard
xorg-xev: indentifying keycodes
xcompmgr: remove screen-tearing, add shadow, transparent...
xwallpaper: set wallpaper
arandr: UI for screen adjustment
Install these packages with pacman:
i3-gaps: main graphical user interface and window manager i3status: generate status for i3bar i3blocks: status bar dmenu: minimal app launcher
If you want normally keyboard instead macbook's keyboad, install this patch
Read more in wiki
After install run these commands:
mkinitcpio -p linux
sudo modprobe -r hid_apple; sudo modprobe hid_apple
Remapping other keys, i like to switch caplocks with esc keys
Create ~/.Xmodmap file with this content:
# Swap ESC and CAPLOCKS
remove Lock = Caps_Lock
remove Esc = Escape
keysym Escape = Caps_Lock
keysym Caps_Lock = Escape
add Lock = Caps_Lock
add Esc = Escape
then add:
if [ -f $HOME/.Xmodmap ]; then
xmodmap ~/.Xmodmap
fi
to ~/.xinitrc
Edit those files: (use 'xdpyinfo | grep -B2 resolution' to find your screen dpi)
~/.Xresources
Xft.dpi: 220
Xft.autohint: 0
Xft.lcdfilter: lcddefault
Xft.hintstyle: hintfull
Xft.hinting: 1
Xft.antialias: 1
Xft.rgba: rgb
~/.xinitrc
# Adjust keyboard typematic delay and rate
xset r rate 270 30
# Start X at 220 DPI
xrandr --output eDP1 --mode 2880x1800 --scale 0.5x0.5
xrandr --dpi 220
# Serve Xmodmap
if [ -f $HOME/.Xmodmap ]; then
xrdb -merge ~/.Xmodmap
fi
# Merge & load configuration from .Xresources
if [ -f $HOME/.Xresources ]; then
xrdb -merge ~/.Xresources
fi
# Let QT and GTK autodetect retina screen and autoadjust
export QT_AUTO_SCREEN_SCALE_FACTOR=1
export GDK_SCALE=2
export GDK_DPI_SCALE=0.5
# Finally start i3wm
exec i3
For multiple display view this
Edit ~/.bash_profile, add this:
if [ -z "$DISPLAY" ] && [ -n "$XDG_VTNR" ] && [ "$XDG_VTNR" -eq 1 ]; then
exec startx
fi
Install these:
sudo pacman -S wpa_supplicant wireless_tools networkmanager
For GUI support, install:
sudo pacman -S nm-connection-editor network-manager-applet
Start NetworkManager service and disable default dhcpcd service to prevent conflict:
sudo systemctl enable NetworkManager.service
sudo systemctl enable wpa_supplicant.service
sudo systemctl disable dhcpcd.service
Start the service
sudo systemctl start NetworkManager.service
Install xf86-input-mtrack-git to get trackpad gestures like in osx:
A few more config to make touchpad and mouse work better:
Natural scrolling:
/etc/X11/xorg.conf.d/30-touchpad.conf
Section "InputClass"
Identifier "touchpad"
Driver "libinput"
MatchIsTouchpad "on"
Option "Tapping" "on"
Option "NaturalScrolling" "true"
Option "ClickMethod" "clickfinger"
Option "AccelProfile" "flat"
Option "TransformationMatrix" "1 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0.3"
EndSection
Natural scrolling for external mouse:
/etc/X11/xorg.conf.d/30-pointer.conf
Section "InputClass"
Identifier "pointer"
Driver "libinput"
MatchIsPointer "on"
Option "NaturalScrolling" "true"
Option "AccelProfile" "flat"
Option "TransformationMatrix" "1 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0.3"
EndSection
Install: pacman -S alsa-utils pulseaudio
Create /etc/modprobe.d/snd_hda_intel.conf with content:
# Switch audio output from HDMI to PCH and Enable sound chipset powersaving
options snd-hda-intel index=1,0 power_save=1
Then restart and use speaker-test -c 2 to test:
To adjust volume:
amixer set Master 2+
amixer set Master 2-
Use mbpfan
Install & Test
git clone https://github.com/dgraziotin/mbpfan
cd mbpfan
make
make install
make tests
Config
/etc/mbpfan.conf
[general]
# put the *lowest* value of "cat /sys/devices/platform/applesmc.768/fan*_min"
min_fan_speed = 2000
# put the *highest* value of "cat /sys/devices/platform/applesmc.768/fan*_max"
max_fan_speed = 6100
# try ranges 50-63, default is 63
low_temp = 50
# try ranges 58-66, default is 66
high_temp = 65
# take highest number returned by
# "cat /sys/devices/platform/coretemp.*/hwmon/hwmon*/temp*_max"
# divide by 1000
max_temp = 84
# default is 1 seconds
polling_interval = 1
Then run these commands:
service mbpfan start
sudo cp mbpfan.service /etc/systemd/system/
systemctl enable mbpfan.service
systemctl start mbpfan.service
Use light
light -S 50 # sets brightness to 50%
light -U 10 # decrease by 10%
light -A 10 # increase by 10%
Use kbdlight
Then use this to adjust keyboard backlight:
kbdlight up [<percentage>]|down [<percentage>]|off|max|get|set <value>
https://github.com/aur-packages/bcwc-pcie-git
In /etc/dhcpcd.conf add to the end:
# Disable IP ARP checking
noarp
Run these commands:
sudo pacman -S ufw
sudo systemctl enable ufw
sudo ufw enable
Run these commands:
sudo systemctl enable fstrim.timer
sudo systemctl start fstrim.timer
In /etc/systemd/logind.conf, add those at bottom:
HandlePowerKey=suspend
HandleLidSwitch=suspend
Thermald is a deamon regulating the CPU speed, when your CPU runs too hot.
yaourt -S thermald
sudo systemctl enable thermald
sudo systemctl start thermald
sudo pacman -S tlp
sudo systemctl enable tlp.service
sudo systemctl enable tlp-sleep.service
sudo systemctl start tlp.service
sudo systemctl start tlp-sleep.service
sudo pacman -S cpupower
Mine is MJLQ2 so set this
/etc/default/cpupower
max_freq="2.2GHz"