Installing Linux on a 2015 MacBook Pro

18/12/2024 || I revived a 2015 MacBook Pro with Linux! Follow my adventure through failed installs, unexpected fixes, and problem-solving all without a single USB stick in sight.

Recently, I decided to repurpose my dad’s old MacBook Pro (2015). macOS was struggling to keep up, so I turned to Linux. What followed was a journey through eight Linux distributions, countless lessons, 1.5 weeks of effort, and an unconventional installation process—all without a USB stick.

MacBook Specifications

  • Model: MacBook11,5
  • WiFi Card: BCM43602
  • CPU: Intel Core i7-4870HQ CPU @ 2.50GHz
  • Graphics: AMD Radeon R9 M370X (Discrete)

Note: What I did for my MacBook Pro may not work for yours.

Why Linux?

The MacBook Pro was hella laggy on macOS. So naturally I ended up wanting to install Linux. A quick search for “arch linux dual boot macos” led me to the Arch Linux Wiki’s Mac and Laptop/Apple pages. My goal: install Arch Linux and dual boot it alongside macOS. The catch? I didn’t have a USB stick to install the ISO.

Installation Without a USB Stick

Attempt 1: Virtual Machine Approach

Inspired by ChatGPT, I tried installing Arch Linux in a virtual machine (VM) and extracting it into a partition. However, extracting the VM installation to the MacBook proved too complex and ultimately unsuccessful.

Attempt 2: Booting from a Partition

After asking being “inspired” by ChatGPT, I came across rEFInd; a boot manager with macOS support. This led to my first attempt:

  1. Installed rEFInd using ./refind-install.sh.
  2. Created two new partitions:
    • ISO Partition: 8GB, formatted as FAT32.
    • Archintosh HD: 192GB, intended for the Linux installation.
  3. Booted into the ISO partition to start the installation process.

The “No Space Left on Device” Error

During installation, pacstrap failed because the EFI partition ran out of space. Out of desperation, I deleted rEFInd thinking it was the culprit. It wasn’t.

Exploration Arc: Trying Other Distros

When Arch didn’t work out initially, I explored other Linux distributions. Here’s what I had to deal with:

  1. Linux Mint (Cinnamon): Severe performance issues.
  2. Manjaro Linux: Failed to boot, likely due to conflicts with the macOS partition.
  3. ArcoLinux and EndeavourOS: WiFi issues caused by the default broadcom-wl driver instead of brcmfmac (I didn’t realize this at the time).
  4. Debian: The ISO froze on boot. Fixed by replacing the grubx64.efi file with the version from the testing ISO (source), but I found Debian too rigid compared to Arch.

Returning to Arch Linux

Step 1: Booting from a Partition (Again)

This time, I skipped rEFInd and used macOS’s built-in bless command:

sudo bless --device /dev/diskXsY --set-boot

At boot, I held the Alt key to select the ISO partition, and it worked.

Step 2: Fixing the EFI Mount Point

Previously, I mounted the EFI partition to /boot as per the Arch Linux installation guide. This time, I mounted it to /boot/efi, resolving the “No Space Left on Device” error. I learned this from Debian’s partition structure.

Step 3: Resolving WiFi Issues

Post-installation, I spent hours debugging WiFi issues:

  1. Replaced the broadcom-wl driver with brcmfmac.
  2. Addressed a bug in wpa_supplicant v2.11 (source) by switching NetworkManager’s backend to iwd.

Finally, the WiFi worked, allowing me to proceed with post-installation configurations.

Step 4: Setting up webcam drivers

For webcam drivers, I used facetimehd followed the instructions in the wiki and it worked first try!

Lessons Learned

  1. Partitioning Matters: Correct EFI mount points are crucial.
  2. Driver Awareness: Knowing the right WiFi driver (brcmfmac in this case) saved hours.
  3. Persistence Pays Off: Linux on a MacBook can be challenging, but the performance gains are worth it.

With Arch Linux up and running, the 2015 MacBook Pro now meets my requirements for a laptop. If you’re looking to repurpose an old computer, just install Linux.