Harware on MacBookPro 2017 [Solved]

[bitfikler]

Hi!
I just have installed MX Linux on an old MacBookPro. My Quick System info is as follows:

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Snapshot created on: 20250913_1652
System:
  Kernel: 6.1.0-39-amd64 [6.1.148-1] arch: x86_64 bits: 64 compiler: gcc v: 12.2.0
    parameters: BOOT_IMAGE=/boot/vmlinuz-6.1.0-39-amd64 root=UUID=<filter> ro
  Desktop: Xfce v: 4.20.0 tk: Gtk v: 3.24.38 info: xfce4-panel wm: xfwm v: 4.20.0 vt: 7
    dm: LightDM v: 1.32.0 Distro: MX-23.6_x64 Libretto April 13  2025 base: Debian GNU/Linux 12
    (bookworm)
Machine:
  Type: Laptop System: Apple product: MacBookAir7,2 v: 1.0 serial: <superuser required> Chassis:
    type: 9 v: Mac-937CB26E2E02BB01 serial: <superuser required>
  Mobo: Apple model: Mac-937CB26E2E02BB01 v: MacBookAir7,2 serial: <superuser required>
    UEFI: Apple v: 193.0.0.0.0 date: 02/05/2020
Battery:
  ID-1: BAT0 charge: 40.4 Wh (89.2%) condition: 45.3/54.3 Wh (83.4%) volts: 8.0 min: 7.6
    model: SMP bq20z451 type: Li-ion serial: N/A status: discharging cycles: 1237
  Device-1: hidpp_battery_0 model: Logitech Marathon Mouse/Performance Plus M705 serial: <filter>
    charge: 55% (should be ignored) rechargeable: yes status: discharging
CPU:
  Info: model: Intel Core i5-5350U bits: 64 type: MT MCP arch: Broadwell gen: core 5 level: v3
    note: check built: 2015-18 process: Intel 14nm family: 6 model-id: 0x3D (61) stepping: 4
    microcode: 0x2F
  Topology: cpus: 1x cores: 2 tpc: 2 threads: 4 smt: enabled cache: L1: 128 KiB
    desc: d-2x32 KiB; i-2x32 KiB L2: 512 KiB desc: 2x256 KiB L3: 3 MiB desc: 1x3 MiB
  Speed (MHz): avg: 800 min/max: 500/2900 scaling: driver: intel_cpufreq governor: ondemand
    cores: 1: 800 2: 800 3: 800 4: 800 bogomips: 14398
  Flags: avx avx2 ht lm nx pae sse sse2 sse3 sse4_1 sse4_2 ssse3 vmx
  Vulnerabilities:
  Type: gather_data_sampling status: Not affected
  Type: indirect_target_selection status: Not affected
  Type: itlb_multihit status: KVM: VMX disabled
  Type: l1tf mitigation: PTE Inversion; VMX: conditional cache flushes, SMT vulnerable
  Type: mds mitigation: Clear CPU buffers; SMT vulnerable
  Type: meltdown mitigation: PTI
  Type: mmio_stale_data status: Unknown: No mitigations
  Type: reg_file_data_sampling status: Not affected
  Type: retbleed status: Not affected
  Type: spec_rstack_overflow status: Not affected
  Type: spec_store_bypass mitigation: Speculative Store Bypass disabled via prctl
  Type: spectre_v1 mitigation: usercopy/swapgs barriers and __user pointer sanitization
  Type: spectre_v2 mitigation: Retpolines; IBPB: conditional; IBRS_FW; STIBP: conditional; RSB
    filling; PBRSB-eIBRS: Not affected; BHI: Not affected
  Type: srbds mitigation: Microcode
  Type: tsa status: Not affected
  Type: tsx_async_abort mitigation: Clear CPU buffers; SMT vulnerable
Graphics:
  Device-1: Intel HD Graphics 6000 vendor: Apple driver: i915 v: kernel arch: Gen-8
    process: Intel 14nm built: 2014-15 ports: active: eDP-1 empty: DP-1, DP-2, HDMI-A-1, HDMI-A-2
    bus-ID: 00:02.0 chip-ID: 8086:1626 class-ID: 0300
  Display: x11 server: X.Org v: 1.21.1.7 compositor: xfwm v: 4.20.0 driver: X:
    loaded: modesetting unloaded: fbdev,vesa dri: iris gpu: i915 display-ID: :0.0 screens: 1
  Screen-1: 0 s-res: 1440x900 s-dpi: 96 s-size: 382x239mm (15.04x9.41") s-diag: 451mm (17.74")
  Monitor-1: eDP-1 model: Apple Color LCD built: 2015 res: 1440x900 hz: 60 dpi: 128 gamma: 1.2
    size: 286x179mm (11.26x7.05") diag: 337mm (13.3") ratio: 16:10 modes: 1440x900
  API: OpenGL v: 4.6 Mesa 22.3.6 renderer: Mesa Intel HD Graphics 6000 (BDW GT3)
    direct-render: Yes
Audio:
  Device-1: Intel Broadwell-U Audio vendor: Apple driver: snd_hda_intel v: kernel bus-ID: 00:03.0
    chip-ID: 8086:160c class-ID: 0403
  Device-2: Intel Wildcat Point-LP High Definition Audio driver: snd_hda_intel v: kernel
    bus-ID: 00:1b.0 chip-ID: 8086:9ca0 class-ID: 0403
  Device-3: Broadcom 720p FaceTime HD Camera driver: N/A pcie: speed: Unknown lanes: 63 link-max:
    gen: 6 speed: 64 GT/s bus-ID: 02:00.0 chip-ID: 14e4:1570 class-ID: 0480
  API: ALSA v: k6.1.0-39-amd64 status: kernel-api tools: alsamixer,amixer
  Server-1: PipeWire v: 1.0.0 status: active with: 1: pipewire-pulse status: active
    2: wireplumber status: active 3: pipewire-alsa type: plugin 4: pw-jack type: plugin
    tools: pactl,pw-cat,pw-cli,wpctl
Network:
  Device-1: Broadcom BCM4360 802.11ac Wireless Network Adapter vendor: Apple driver: wl v: kernel
    modules: bcma pcie: gen: 1 speed: 2.5 GT/s lanes: 1 bus-ID: 03:00.0 chip-ID: 14e4:43a0
    class-ID: 0280
  IF: wlan0 state: up mac: <filter>
  IF-ID-1: nordlynx state: unknown speed: N/A duplex: N/A mac: N/A
Bluetooth:
  Device-1: Apple Bluetooth USB Host Controller type: USB driver: btusb v: 0.8 bus-ID: 1-3.3:7
    chip-ID: 05ac:828f class-ID: fe01
  Report: hciconfig ID: hci0 rfk-id: 1 state: up address: <filter> bt-v: 2.1 lmp-v: 4.0
    sub-v: 4196 hci-v: 4.0 rev: 2466
  Info: acl-mtu: 1021:8 sco-mtu: 64:1 link-policy: rswitch sniff link-mode: peripheral accept
    service-classes: rendering, capturing, object transfer, audio, telephony
Drives:
  Local Storage: total: 119.24 GiB used: 50.66 GiB (42.5%)
  SMART Message: Unable to run smartctl. Root privileges required.
  ID-1: /dev/nvme0n1 maj-min: 259:0 vendor: Gigabyte model: GP-GSM2NE3128GNTD size: 119.24 GiB
    block-size: physical: 512 B logical: 512 B speed: 31.6 Gb/s lanes: 4 type: SSD serial: <filter>
    rev: EDFM00.5 temp: 29.9 C scheme: MBR
Partition:
  ID-1: / raw-size: 34.51 GiB size: 33.67 GiB (97.57%) used: 14.64 GiB (43.5%) fs: ext4
    dev: /dev/nvme0n1p2 maj-min: 259:2
  ID-2: /boot/efi raw-size: 256 MiB size: 252 MiB (98.46%) used: 274 KiB (0.1%) fs: vfat
    dev: /dev/nvme0n1p1 maj-min: 259:1
  ID-3: /home raw-size: 84.48 GiB size: 82.6 GiB (97.77%) used: 36.02 GiB (43.6%) fs: ext4
    dev: /dev/nvme0n1p3 maj-min: 259:3
Swap:
  Kernel: swappiness: 15 (default 60) cache-pressure: 100 (default)
  ID-1: swap-1 type: file size: 3 GiB used: 13.2 MiB (0.4%) priority: -2 file: /swap/swap
Sensors:
  System Temperatures: cpu: 57.0 C pch: 61.0 C mobo: N/A
  Fan Speeds (RPM): N/A
Repos:
  Packages: 2263 pm: dpkg pkgs: 2257 libs: 1098 tools: apt,apt-get,aptitude,nala,synaptic pm: rpm
    pkgs: 0 pm: flatpak pkgs: 6
  No active apt repos in: /etc/apt/sources.list
  Active apt repos in: /etc/apt/sources.list.d/brave-browser-release.list
    1: deb [arch=amd64 signed-by=/usr/share/keyrings/brave-browser-archive-keyring.gpg] https://brave-browser-apt-release.s3.brave.com/ stable main
  Active apt repos in: /etc/apt/sources.list.d/debian-stable-updates.list
    1: deb http://deb.debian.org/debian bookworm-updates main contrib non-free non-free-firmware
  Active apt repos in: /etc/apt/sources.list.d/debian.list
    1: deb http://deb.debian.org/debian bookworm main contrib non-free non-free-firmware
    2: deb http://security.debian.org/debian-security bookworm-security main contrib non-free non-free-firmware
  Active apt repos in: /etc/apt/sources.list.d/megasync.list
    1: deb [signed-by=/usr/share/keyrings/meganz-archive-keyring.gpg] https://mega.nz/linux/repo/Debian_12/ ./
  Active apt repos in: /etc/apt/sources.list.d/mx.list
    1: deb http://mxlinux.mirrors.uk2.net/packages/mx/repo/ bookworm main non-free
  No active apt repos in: /etc/apt/sources.list.d/nordvpn-app.list
  Active apt repos in: /etc/apt/sources.list.d/nordvpn.list
    1: deb https://repo.nordvpn.com/deb/nordvpn/debian stable main
  Active apt repos in: /etc/apt/sources.list.d/signal-xenial-added-by-mxpi.list
    1: deb [arch=amd64] https://updates.signal.org/desktop/apt xenial main
  Active apt repos in: /etc/apt/sources.list.d/vivaldi.list
    1: deb [arch=amd64] https://repo.vivaldi.com/stable/deb/ stable main
Info:
  Processes: 246 Uptime: 4h 4m wakeups: 39 Memory: 7.66 GiB used: 4.03 GiB (52.6%) Init: SysVinit
  v: 3.06 runlevel: 5 default: graphical tool: systemctl Compilers: gcc: 12.2.0 alt: 12
  Client: shell wrapper v: 5.2.15-release inxi: 3.3.26
Boot Mode: UEFI

MX-23.6 works great - I have now a spare computer to work on!

I have two problems/challenges:
1 Camera does not work - I suppose there is a driver problem. I have found a thread here:

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https://forum.mxlinux.org/viewtopic.php?p=773752&hilit=macbook+air#p773752

but wonder if this might have been solved in newer kernel(s)?

2 I do not find a keyboard setting in Settings - System keyboard that make the Fn+F1 to F12 do as they are marked to do e.g. adjust sound. Does anyone have a suggestion better than "MacBook/MacBook Pro" as I am currently using?

I`ll be happy to read any suggestions! Thank you in advance!

[j2mcgreg]

I cleaned up your code block for you. There was a lot of space between the leading '[' and the body of the closing code tag. (shouldn't be any)

[bitfikler]

Thank You! :)
How nice of you. I`ll keep that in mind for later posts.

[m_pav]

Looking at your QSI, I have what appears to be the identical machine a 2015 hardware level 2017 refresh of a MacbookAir 7,2. The tell-all is the intel 5th Gen processor, identical Type 9 chassis and Mac-937.....BB01 chassis code and of course, the identical version code 7,2 which indicates ours are the second 2017 release version models.

This is a spare machine I acquired through an insurance write-off some 5-6 years back which I rebuilt after it got bent like a banana. I did this solely so I could have apple hardware to test my builds on and provide some level of tech support to Apple users. The time I spent panelbeating the body back into shape and rebuilding its internals has paid off. I love their builds, but I can not get on with their ecosystem and especially their hard-coded built in complete lack of a proper delete key.

When working with intel-based mac hardware, I only use our AHS editions, so it's either Xfce-AHS or KDE and there's a reason for that, macs just work better with AHS, irrespective of they're age. The Fn keys on this device all work for their intended purpose and produce OnScreenGraphics where it's available, I did not have to do anything to make that happen and my AHS installation has the 6.12.35+1 kernel, though it seems to not matter as they have always worked, as long as I have used MX with the Advanced Hardware Support (or Stack, can not recall which it is :) )

I recommend DL'ing the latest Xfce AHS, burning it to USB using our MX LUM and ensuring you create a full featured Live USB as a starting point. To use the advanced features of our Live USB, the minimum size I recommend is 16GB and I can not state how important it is to use the fastest and highest quality drive you can obtain. I find USB-SSD to be superior in every possible way and make sure you update the live system before running the installer. To speed up the process you can remove MX manuals for unused languages and remove unused reatlek Wifi drivers before running the updater, these 2 steps will vastly decrease the time it takes to install the updates and a 5th Gen intel will certainly appreciate the lighter workload.

It is also possible to mimic AHS by enabling the AHS repos and upgrading your Snapshot Live USB, then installing one of the AHS kernels before you run the installer, but with only 8GB RAM, if the Live system can not find a swap partition, which it will need for such an op, you could run out of RAM during the process. It can't hurt to try though.

[Stevo]

This database says it only works with a third-party driver: https://linux-hardware.org/?id=pci:14e4 ... e=1#status

[capnkirby]

Had a 2013 MacBookPro with MX on it as well for a long time, the camera was the only thing I could not get to consistently work,as Stevo mentions above, there is a driver but I could not get it to play nice for me.

Capn'