mbp-fedora-kernel

Fedora kernel with Apple T2 patches built-in (Macbooks produced >= 2018).

Fedora ISO (with mbp-fedora-kernel builtin): https://github.com/mikeeq/mbp-fedora

Kernel patches: https://github.com/t2linux/linux-t2-patches

Tested on: Macbook Pro 15,2 13" 2019 i5 TouchBar Z0WQ000AR MV972ZE/A/R1 && Macbook Pro 16,2 13" 2020 i5

Boot ROM Version:   220.270.99.0.0 (iBridge: 16.16.6571.0.0,0)
macOS Mojave: 10.14.6 (18G103)

CI status

GitHub Actions kernel build status

Github Actions kernel publish status - https://mikeeq.github.io/mbp-fedora-kernel/

How to update mbp-fedora-kernel

Starting from Fedora 37 mbp-fedora release - mbp-fedora-kernel should be automatically updated using builtin package manager - DNF, so simply run dnf update --refresh, and it should automatically fetch all required updates.

If the DNF fail, or you're updating your older mbp-fedora, you can still use previously used method with update_kernel_mbp described below.

### First run or if you want to update your copy of update_kernel_mbp script
sudo -i
curl -L https://raw.githubusercontent.com/mikeeq/mbp-fedora-kernel/v6.4-f38/update_kernel_mbp.sh -o /usr/bin/update_kernel_mbp
chmod +x /usr/bin/update_kernel_mbp
update_kernel_mbp

### Next runs
sudo -i
update_kernel_mbp

### Update to specific version of kernel
sudo -i
KERNEL_VERSION="6.4.16-f38" update_kernel_mbp

### Update to specific version of kernel using specific version of update script
#### Usually not needed, because scripts are shared between branches, but you can use it to update your update_kernel_mbp script
##### If the script fails, try to rerun it - it's due to self-upgrading feature of this script
sudo -i
KERNEL_VERSION="6.4.16-f38" UPDATE_SCRIPT_BRANCH="v6.4-f38" update_kernel_mbp

### If kernel update using dnf would file you can execute update_kernel_mbp script with `--github` argument, it will force it to use github to download kernel RPMs
sudo -i
update_kernel_mbp --github

Known issues

• TouchID - (@MCMrARM is working on it - https://github.com/Dunedan/mbp-2016-linux/issues/71#issuecomment-528545490)
• Audio
  • Internal Microphone (it's recognized with new apple t2 sound driver, but there is a low mic volume amp)

Partially working

• Suspend - really unstable, I recommend disabling it. If you would stuck in sleep mode, try to keep pressing power off button for a while to force poweroff and then turn on the Macbook.
• Touch Bar, if you encounter any issues, I recommend reboot to MacOS/Windows to initialize TouchBar and then back to Linux - it should fix the problem.

Working with upstream stable kernel 6.0

• Display/Screen
• USB-C
• Battery/AC
• Ethernet/Video USB-C adapters
• Bluetooth
• NVMe
• Camera
• Thunderbolt

Working with mbp-fedora-kernel

• with builtin BCE driver
  • Audio
  • Keyboard
  • Keyboard Backlight
  • Touchpad (scroll, right click)
• with builtin iBridge driver
  • MacBook Pro Touch Bar
  • If there's an issue with Touch Bar startup on Linux I recommend installing Win10 and boot it once a while to initialize Touch Bar using BootCamp driver, it seems to fix the issue
• WiFi
  • to make it working, you need to grab closed source Broadcom WiFi firmware from MacOS and put it under /lib/firmware/brcm/ in Linux OS, see https://wiki.t2linux.org/guides/wifi/

Not tested

• eGPU

How to build mbp-fedora-kernel

1. Make sure that Docker is installed and running correctly on your machine
2. Clone repo
3. Generate GPG key: gpg --full-generate-key, choose RSA and RSA and Real name: mbp-fedora
4. Change version in build.sh, https://bodhi.fedoraproject.org/updates/?search=&packages=kernel
5. Run ./build_in_docker.sh

Docs

• Discord: https://discord.gg/Uw56rqW
• T2 Wiki: https://wiki.t2linux.org/
• WiFi firmware: https://github.com/AdityaGarg8/Apple-Firmware

Fedora

• https://fedoraproject.org/wiki/Building_a_custom_kernel
• https://fedoramagazine.org/building-fedora-kernel/
• https://www.hiroom2.com/2016/06/25/fedora-24-rebuild-kernel-with-src-rpm/

Github

• GitHub issue (RE history): https://github.com/Dunedan/mbp-2016-linux/issues/71

• @kekerby T2 Audio Config: https://github.com/kekrby/t2-better-audio

• Apple BCE repository (Apple T2 HID): https://github.com/kekrby/apple-bce.git

• Apple iBridge repository (TouchBar): https://github.com/Redecorating/apple-ib-drv.git

• hid-apple-patched module for changing mappings of ctrl, fn, option keys: https://github.com/free5lot/hid-apple-patched

• Linux T2 kernel patches: https://github.com/t2linux/linux-t2-patches

• Ubuntu

  • Kernel https://github.com/t2linux/T2-Ubuntu-Kernel
  • ISO https://github.com/AdityaGarg8/T2-Ubuntu

• Arch Linux

  • Kernel https://github.com/Redecorating/linux-t2-arch
  • Packages https://github.com/Redecorating/archlinux-t2-packages
  • ISO https://github.com/t2linux/archiso-t2

Old

• VHCI+Sound driver (Apple T2): https://github.com/MCMrARM/mbp2018-bridge-drv/
• AppleSMC driver (fan control): https://github.com/MCMrARM/mbp2018-etc/tree/master/applesmc
• hid-apple keyboard backlight patch: https://github.com/MCMrARM/mbp2018-etc/tree/master/apple-hid
• TouchBar driver: https://github.com/roadrunner2/macbook12-spi-driver/tree/mbp15

Other

• blog Installing Fedora 31 on a 2018 Mac mini: https://linuxwit.ch/blog/2020/01/installing-fedora-on-mac-mini/
• iwd:
  • https://iwd.wiki.kernel.org/networkconfigurationsettings
  • https://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/Iwd
  • https://www.vocal.com/secure-communication/eap-types/

Credits

• @MCMrARM - thanks for all RE work
• @ozbenh - thanks for submitting NVME patch
• @roadrunner2 - thanks for SPI (touchbar) driver
• @aunali1 - thanks for Kernel Patches
• @ppaulweber - thanks for keyboard and Macbook Air patches
• @AdityaGarg8 - thanks for support and upkeeping kernel patches
• @kekrby for T2 Audio config
• @Redecorating for Arch support