MX-19.2 success on 2008 Macbook Air 1,1

Message

#1 Post by **boldstripe** » Tue Sep 29, 2020 6:16 am

Mac Air early 2008 model 1,1
This was the first 'Air' model introduced by Apple in January 2008 and it has known limitations: core2duo CPU and 2GB RAM limited performance. In fact, Apple withdrew this computer and replaced it with an upgrade within its first year. My machine was a 'refurb' which came with a 64Gb 1.8" ZIF IDE/ATA (PATA) SSD which I later upgraded with an after-market 120 Gb SSD.

Summary
- a usable machine for office applications and everything working; better performance than I recall under MacOS and running MX-Linux 19.2 (current)
- Initially, need to install grub to MBR not ESP (EFI) for WiFi to work (it then 'just works')
- works with latest MX kernel but may have faster startup and better performance with systemd enabled and using AntiX 7.9 kernel installed within MX-19
- add video=SVIDEO-1:d to boot parameters (MX Boot Options tool) to avoid delays/errors on boot

Issues
- screen brightness setting not preserved between boots

Installation from Live USB
Boot into live USB of MX Linux 19.2 by holding down option key on boot. Run installer from icon on live desktop.

WiFi needs non-EFI boot, install grub in MBR
MX Linux is installable on internal drive using either EFI or MBR as the boot partition, but use MBR, because permissions/security issues with EFI boot prevent the system from accessing the Broadcom Airport WiFi module in this machine. This selection appears within the MX Installer and for my fix I just reinstalled MX from scratch, choosing MBR when the option arose.

Linux Mint Forum post on Macbook Air 2008 and Broadcom WiFi problems

Slow booting
Initially booting is slow (over 10 minutes), and seems to go through a number of processes/screens. Boot error messages at one stage mention drm and end with flip_done timed out

Suggestion in MX forum for similar core2duo machine with 2GB RAM is to install the Anti-X kernel 4.9 and boot with systemd enabled. I did this. Maybe it made some things better; keep experimenting for example just turning on systemd with current MX 19.2 standard kernel.

Suggestion in both MX and Linux Mint forum involved adding boot parameters (can do in MX Boot Options tool, where new parameter added to 'quiet splash' already there). This dramatically improved boot time: it is now about 1 m 15s from power on to desktop, including login. The entire phrase that should appear in the MX Boot Options parameter box is now:
video=SVIDEO-1:d quiet splash

Quick Info on Macbook Air 1,1 running MX 19.2 with 4.9 Antix kernel
Note: local storage number incorrect, appears to include a FUSE-mounted network drive (pCloudDrive)

Code: Select all

System:    Host: <filter> Kernel: 4.9.221-antix.1-amd64-smp x86_64 bits: 64 compiler: gcc v: 8.3.0 
           parameters: BOOT_IMAGE=/boot/vmlinuz-4.9.221-antix.1-amd64-smp 
           root=UUID=<filter> ro quiet splash 
           init=/lib/systemd/systemd 
           Desktop: Xfce 4.14.2 tk: Gtk 3.24.5 info: xfce4-panel wm: xfwm4 dm: LightDM 1.26.0 
           Distro: MX-19.2_x64 patito feo May 31  2020 base: Debian GNU/Linux 10 (buster) 
Machine:   Type: Unknown System: Apple product: MacBookAir1,1 v: 1.0 serial: <filter> Chassis: 
           type: 2 v: Mac-F42C8CC8 serial: <filter> 
           Mobo: Apple model: Mac-F42C8CC8 v: PVT serial: <filter> BIOS: Apple 
           v: MBA11.88Z.00BB.B03.0803171226 date: 03/17/08 
Battery:   ID-1: BAT0 charge: 30.3 Wh condition: 37.7/37.0 Wh (102%) volts: 7.7/7.4 
           model: SLODA A1245 type: Li-ion serial: N/A status: Discharging cycles: 4 
CPU:       Topology: Dual Core model: Intel Core2 Duo P7700 bits: 64 type: MCP arch: Core Merom 
           family: 6 model-id: F (15) stepping: B (11) microcode: BA L2 cache: 4096 KiB 
           flags: lm nx pae sse sse2 sse3 ssse3 vmx bogomips: 7181 
           Speed: 800 MHz min/max: 800/1800 MHz Core speeds (MHz): 1: 800 2: 800 
           Vulnerabilities: Type: itlb_multihit status: KVM: Split huge pages 
           Type: l1tf mitigation: PTE Inversion; VMX: EPT disabled 
           Type: mds status: Vulnerable: Clear CPU buffers attempted, no microcode; SMT disabled 
           Type: meltdown mitigation: PTI 
           Type: spec_store_bypass status: Vulnerable 
           Type: spectre_v1 mitigation: usercopy/swapgs barriers and __user pointer sanitization 
           Type: spectre_v2 mitigation: Full generic retpoline, STIBP: disabled, RSB filling 
           Type: tsx_async_abort status: Not affected 
Graphics:  Device-1: Intel Mobile GM965/GL960 Integrated Graphics vendor: Apple driver: i915 
           v: kernel bus ID: 00:02.0 chip ID: 8086:2a02 
           Display: x11 server: X.Org 1.20.4 driver: intel resolution: 1280x800~61Hz 
           OpenGL: renderer: Mesa DRI Intel 965GM v: 2.1 Mesa 18.3.6 direct render: Yes 
Audio:     Device-1: Intel 82801H HD Audio vendor: Apple driver: snd_hda_intel v: kernel 
           bus ID: 00:1b.0 chip ID: 8086:284b 
           Sound Server: ALSA v: k4.9.221-antix.1-amd64-smp 
Network:   Device-1: Broadcom Limited BCM4321 802.11a/b/g/n vendor: Apple AirPort Extreme 
           driver: b43-pci-bridge v: N/A port: efa0 bus ID: 02:00.0 chip ID: 14e4:4328 
           IF-ID-1: wlan0 state: up mac: <filter> 
Drives:    Local Storage: total: 118.24 GiB used: 538.23 GiB (455.2%) 
           ID-1: /dev/sda model: KSD-ZF18.6-128MS size: 118.24 GiB block size: physical: 512 B 
           logical: 512 B speed: <unknown> serial: <filter> rev: 1216 scheme: GPT 
Partition: ID-1: / raw size: 115.47 GiB size: 113.16 GiB (98.00%) used: 25.13 GiB (22.2%) 
           fs: ext4 dev: /dev/sda2 
           ID-2: swap-1 size: 2.00 GiB used: 0 KiB (0.0%) fs: swap swappiness: 15 (default 60) 
           cache pressure: 100 (default) dev: /dev/sda3 
Sensors:   System Temperatures: cpu: 58.0 C mobo: N/A 
           Fan Speeds (RPM): N/A 
Repos:     No active apt repos in: /etc/apt/sources.list 
           Active apt repos in: /etc/apt/sources.list.d/debian-stable-updates.list 
           1: deb http://deb.debian.org/debian buster-updates main contrib non-free
           Active apt repos in: /etc/apt/sources.list.d/debian.list 
           1: deb http://deb.debian.org/debian buster main contrib non-free
           2: deb http://deb.debian.org/debian-security buster/updates main contrib non-free
           Active apt repos in: /etc/apt/sources.list.d/mx.list 
           1: deb http://mxlinux.mirrors.uk2.net/packages/mx/repo/ buster main non-free
           Active apt repos in: /etc/apt/sources.list.d/skype-stable.list 
           1: deb [arch=amd64] https://repo.skype.com/deb stable main
           No active apt repos in: /etc/apt/sources.list.d/various.list 
Info:      Processes: 229 Uptime: 2m Memory: 1.92 GiB used: 864.2 MiB (44.0%) Init: systemd 
           v: 241 runlevel: 5 default: 5 Compilers: gcc: 8.3.0 alt: 8 Shell: quick-system-in 
           running in: quick-system-in inxi: 3.0.36

#2 Post by **boldstripe** » Tue Oct 20, 2020 11:02 am

Following an upgrade with MX Package Installer today, this machine cannot get beyond Grub at boot.

Code: Select all

GRUB loading. 
Welcome to GRUB!

incompatible license
Aborted. Press any key to exit.

[I press a key]

No bootable device -- insert boot disk and press any key

I have an installer USB drive for MX Linux, about two months old, and I can boot from this and see there are some Grub options, possibly for repair, but I do not know what to try.

Could I be having a problem because I installed GRUB on MBR (not ESP) in order to make the wifi work?

PS: the 'quick info' in the previous post probably describes the state of my system *before* the upgrade.

#3 Post by **boldstripe** » Tue Oct 20, 2020 11:15 am

I was able to fix this by trying some things in the Boot Rescue options when I booted from an MX install USB drive. Then, once back into my system, I ran Boot Repair from MX Tools and reinstalled GRUB on the MBR.

Huckleberry Finn · Tue Oct 20, 2020 11:37 am

If inxi -N still shows

Network: Device-1: Broadcom Limited BCM4321 802.11a/b/g/n vendor: Apple AirPort Extreme
driver: b43-pci-bridge

You can apply this.

Also when everything's fine, don't forget to run "MX Snapshot" and create your own iso (and keep ready as a live-usb) :)

#5 Post by **boldstripe** » Tue Oct 20, 2020 11:55 am

I think I had trouble with the wl driver and the bridge worked best, but I will take another look.

The return from that command today:

Code: Select all

$ inxi -N
Network:   Device-1: Broadcom Limited BCM4321 802.11a/b/g/n driver: b43-pci-bridge

Yes, I definitely need to make that ISO and USB boot backup, which I have not done before. It looks like what I am used to achieving in MacOS with the disk-cloning app SuperDuper! and I know that is a life saver.

#6 Post by **boldstripe** » Tue Oct 20, 2020 12:34 pm

Success too with applying your commands to change the wifi driver to wl, which seems to work well. Thank you!

Code: Select all

$ inxi -N
Network:   Device-1: Broadcom Limited BCM4321 802.11a/b/g/n driver: wl

Could using wl make any difference to whether I can now install grub on the ESP? And would I want to?

New Quick Info (now):

Code: Select all

[code]
System:    Host: <filter> Kernel: 4.19.0-9-amd64 x86_64 bits: 64 compiler: gcc v: 8.3.0 
           parameters: BOOT_IMAGE=/boot/vmlinuz-4.19.0-9-amd64 
           root=UUID=<filter> ro video=SVIDEO-1:d quiet splash 
           init=/lib/systemd/systemd 
           Desktop: Xfce 4.14.2 tk: Gtk 3.24.5 info: xfce4-panel wm: xfwm4 dm: LightDM 1.26.0 
           Distro: MX-19.2_x64 patito feo May 31  2020 base: Debian GNU/Linux 10 (buster) 
Machine:   Type: Unknown System: Apple product: MacBookAir1,1 v: 1.0 serial: <filter> Chassis: 
           type: 2 v: Mac-F42C8CC8 serial: <filter> 
           Mobo: Apple model: Mac-F42C8CC8 v: PVT serial: <filter> BIOS: Apple 
           v: MBA11.88Z.00BB.B03.0803171226 date: 03/17/08 
Battery:   ID-1: BAT0 charge: 19.5 Wh condition: 37.6/37.0 Wh (102%) volts: 7.9/7.4 
           model: SLODA A1245 type: Li-ion serial: N/A status: Charging cycles: 5 
CPU:       Topology: Dual Core model: Intel Core2 Duo P7700 bits: 64 type: MCP arch: Core Merom 
           family: 6 model-id: F (15) stepping: B (11) microcode: BA L2 cache: 4096 KiB 
           flags: lm nx pae sse sse2 sse3 ssse3 vmx bogomips: 7181 
           Speed: 798 MHz min/max: 800/1800 MHz Core speeds (MHz): 1: 798 2: 798 
           Vulnerabilities: Type: itlb_multihit status: KVM: Split huge pages 
           Type: l1tf mitigation: PTE Inversion; VMX: EPT disabled 
           Type: mds status: Vulnerable: Clear CPU buffers attempted, no microcode; SMT disabled 
           Type: meltdown mitigation: PTI 
           Type: spec_store_bypass status: Vulnerable 
           Type: spectre_v1 mitigation: usercopy/swapgs barriers and __user pointer sanitization 
           Type: spectre_v2 mitigation: Full generic retpoline, STIBP: disabled, RSB filling 
           Type: srbds status: Not affected 
           Type: tsx_async_abort status: Not affected 
Graphics:  Device-1: Intel Mobile GM965/GL960 Integrated Graphics vendor: Apple driver: i915 
           v: kernel bus ID: 00:02.0 chip ID: 8086:2a02 
           Display: x11 server: X.Org 1.20.4 driver: intel resolution: 1280x800~61Hz 
           OpenGL: renderer: Mesa DRI Intel 965GM v: 2.1 Mesa 18.3.6 direct render: Yes 
Audio:     Device-1: Intel 82801H HD Audio vendor: Apple driver: snd_hda_intel v: kernel 
           bus ID: 00:1b.0 chip ID: 8086:284b 
           Sound Server: ALSA v: k4.19.0-9-amd64 
Network:   Device-1: Broadcom Limited BCM4321 802.11a/b/g/n vendor: Apple AirPort Extreme 
           driver: wl v: kernel port: efa0 bus ID: 02:00.0 chip ID: 14e4:4328 
           IF: wlan0 state: up mac: <filter> 
Drives:    Local Storage: total: 118.24 GiB used: 542.87 GiB (459.1%) 
           ID-1: /dev/sda model: KSD-ZF18.6-128MS size: 118.24 GiB block size: physical: 512 B 
           logical: 512 B speed: <unknown> serial: <filter> rev: 1216 scheme: GPT 
Partition: ID-1: / raw size: 115.47 GiB size: 113.16 GiB (98.00%) used: 29.52 GiB (26.1%) 
           fs: ext4 dev: /dev/sda2 
           ID-2: swap-1 size: 2.00 GiB used: 34.5 MiB (1.7%) fs: swap 
           swappiness: 15 (default 60) cache pressure: 100 (default) dev: /dev/sda3 
Sensors:   System Temperatures: cpu: 58.0 C mobo: N/A 
           Fan Speeds (RPM): N/A 
Repos:     No active apt repos in: /etc/apt/sources.list 
           Active apt repos in: /etc/apt/sources.list.d/debian-stable-updates.list 
           1: deb http://deb.debian.org/debian buster-updates main contrib non-free
           Active apt repos in: /etc/apt/sources.list.d/debian.list 
           1: deb http://deb.debian.org/debian buster main contrib non-free
           2: deb http://deb.debian.org/debian-security buster/updates main contrib non-free
           Active apt repos in: /etc/apt/sources.list.d/mx.list 
           1: deb http://mxlinux.mirrors.uk2.net/packages/mx/repo/ buster main non-free
           Active apt repos in: /etc/apt/sources.list.d/skype-stable.list 
           1: deb [arch=amd64] https://repo.skype.com/deb stable main
           No active apt repos in: /etc/apt/sources.list.d/various.list 
Info:      Processes: 199 Uptime: 13m Memory: 1.91 GiB used: 1.11 GiB (58.2%) Init: systemd 
           v: 241 runlevel: 5 default: 5 Compilers: gcc: 8.3.0 alt: 8 Shell: quick-system-in 
           running in: quick-system-in inxi: 3.0.36

[/code]

Huckleberry Finn · #7 Post by **Huckleberry Finn** » Tue Oct 20, 2020 1:44 pm

boldstripe wrote: Tue Oct 20, 2020 12:34 pm Success too with applying your commands to change the wifi driver to wl, which seems to work well. Thank you!
Code: Select all
$ inxi -N
Network:   Device-1: Broadcom Limited BCM4321 802.11a/b/g/n driver: wl 

Glad to hear that :) In fact there's no driver like ...bridge . Consider it something symbolic that actually shows: Either the required driver was not installed properly or there're conflicting ones. So, you first purged them all, then freshly updated & installed the exact driver and unloaded the "conflict-able" modules.

boldstripe wrote: Tue Oct 20, 2020 12:34 pm Could I be having a problem because I installed GRUB on MBR (not ESP) in order to make the wifi work?
... Could using wl make any difference to whether I can now install grub on the ESP? And would I want to?

But yours is a Bios (non-uefi) machine, so it already needs to be MBR.. (No need to esp etc.)

But since the disk is GPT, there's an easy workaround if you're having boot problems: Roughly: Create a 2MİB partition and leave it "un-formatted" then flag it bios_grub ... Like this one.

Meanwhile, if there's such an option in Bios change sata mode to Ahci (recommended for SSDs).

This one looks weird:

Drives: Local Storage: total: 118.24 GiB used: 542.87 GiB (459.1%)

Don't worry :) It's either due to being not ahci or kernel ..

You can also try a more recent kernel like 5.6 from MXPI. (In fact I'd say antiX 5.8.7 , but since that's too new, Broadcom-sta may not build on that, needs some time)

#8 Post by **boldstripe** » Tue Oct 20, 2020 2:21 pm

Drives: Local Storage: total: 118.24 GiB used: 542.87 GiB (459.1%)

I saw that. I think it may be including both the internal drive *plus* a FUSE WebDAV drive--in reality on the network--that has about that much on it.

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MX-19.2 success on 2008 Macbook Air 1,1

MX-19.2 success on 2008 Macbook Air 1,1

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