Ubuntu 7.04 on my MacBook


I have just installed the new Ubuntu 7.04 Feisty Fawn on my MacBook. I have a tri-boot setup with Mac OS X (Tiger), Ubuntu and Windows XP. I already had an Ubuntu installation, that I managed to screw up, so this time, all I've done was install Ubuntu in the already created partition. Details on how to set up the tri-boot can be found in various websites but maybe I'll post my notes about it too.

So installation went really smooth. No more errors when installing LILO. The installation program installed grub with no problem and without asking if that was what I wanted to do. Anyway, as Ubuntu is targeted at simplicity and "user friendliness", I guess that's ok.

I was pleased to verify that the MacBook support is way better than in the previous version!

Wireless support is finally working out of the box as it should be these days, WPA ready and with a GUI interface. No more looking for that specific driver, editing text files, running commands from the terminal window... not that I have anything against this - I actually like using the terminal - but sometimes I also like the just works(tm) idea. I can still see what's underneath the hood, I can still go to my Gentoo box for a little Linux geek time, but sometimes I just want to have it all working with no hassle. And, off course, show off my Linux system to all the Windows fans I know. Ah ah!

Talking about showing off, the 3D cool desktop effects everyone is talking about - and I have since almost day one on my Gentoo box after some work :) - is also working out of the box. All I had to do is click on System->Preferences->Desktop Effects->Enable Desktop Effects and voilà. Wobbling windows and workspace on a cube. All thanks to compiz. For some more eye candy and cool effects, I know I'll have to apt-get a few more packages like compiz-extra, compiz-plugin (I think...) and you probably will want to try beryl - still waiting for the compiz/beryl merge.

Also working the sound keys, luminosity keys and the eject button. The sound just as before and the trackpad even thou it seems a little two sensitive for me and two finger tapping does not work. I'll have to look into it later. I had it working great in Kubuntu 6.04. (link1 link2)

For the 16:9 resolution, I had to apt-get 915resolution package and reboot. I had to do the same with the previous version of Ubuntu.


It's all for now! I haven't fiddle around much in this installation of Ubuntu but these were my first impressions of Ubuntu on my MacBook.

Comments

  1. Rui Covelo21 May 2007 at 12:35

    One thing I forgot to mention is that I now have to choose Linux from the rEfit menu and again from the grub menu. This is ok for Linux since it's the default grub menu choice. But this also happens when I choose Windows from the rEfit menu requiring me to select windows in the grub menu.

    I still haven't looked into a solution for this behavior.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Rui Covelo10 December 2007 at 18:50

    The solution is pretty simple. Thanks to Pedro Venda for opening my eyes. Simply install grub in the Linux partition and NOT in the MBR part of the disk. If grub is already installed in MBR, you'll probably have to install the Windows bootloader their to overwrite grub. This can be done with fdisk /mbr.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Rui Covelo10 December 2007 at 19:16

    I just realised Windows XP doesn't have fdisk but diskpart and fixmbr instead. diskpart won't help us with this but fixmbr will. All you have to do is boot your Mac from Windows XP installation CD ROM (keep "c" key pressed at startup) and wait for the installation program to detect the windows installation. It hopefully will and offer you the chance to repair your installation. Press "R" key to choose this option. You'll get to the repair console. You'll probably have to type an administrator password at this time. When your at the prompt, run fixmbr. You'll be warned about the dangers of messing with your partition table. If you're scared about this, reboot, backup your files and go back to boot from the CD ROM. Otherwise, just type "y" to fix the MBR. This will overwrite grub with the Windows Bootloader. Reboot.

    ReplyDelete

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