archlinux_macbookretina puppet module

Puppet module and accompanying documentation to install/setup Arch linux on a MacBook Pro Retina using puppet4.

This is the puppet module I use to manage my shiny new MacBook Pro Retina (mine is a MacBookPro11,4).

Important Notice: It is highly recommended that you only run this module on a brand new system; it makes some opinionated choices that may cause problems on existing systems.

Requirements

• A MacBook Pro Retina (currently tested with Mid-2015 "11,4" model) with a brand new install of Arch Linux
• Puppet4
• A minimal install, ideally following the instructions in my workstation-bootstrap repository.
• This module is only tested alongside my archlinux_workstation module.
• A pacman repo providing xf86-input-mtrack-git; you can use jantman/archlinux_workstation archlinux_workstation::repos::jantman for that.

Hardware Support Status

Mid-2015 MacBookPro11,4

Working

Or mostly-working:

• Touchpad using Kernel 4.2+ and xf86-input-synaptics; works for tap-to-click, drag, two-finger scroll, and 2- or 3-finger taps for different mouse buttons.
• Networking
  • USB ethernet adapter A1277 works out-of-the-box
  • BCM43602 AirPort Extreme (14e4:43ba) works with kernel built-in brcmfmac driver, autodetected, but 2.4GHz only
• Sound - Works. Under KDE/Phonon, needed to unmute/enable the "Built-in Audio Analog Stereo" (detected "Built-in Audio Digital Stereo (HDMI)" as default).
• Video - video works with the proprietary nvidia driver, the default in this module.
  • External Displays - Tested OK using both direct HDMI and Thunderbolt to HDMI; works seamlessly.
  • Display/Desktop Scaling - This can be fixed within KDE:
    • System Settings -> Fonts: check off "Force fonts DIP" and set to 144
    • System Settings -> Icons -> "Advanced" tab: set them all to 48
    • Click the menu button on the far right edge of the Panel, then drag the "Height" box up until the scale/size looks good
  • Screen Backlight Adjustment - works using /sys/class/backlight/acpi_video0/brightness or the sliders on 'KDE5 System Settings -> Energy Saving'
• Hibernate / Suspend to Disk - doesn't wake up without long hold of power button & then turn back on. Session resumes once that's done.
• SD Card Reader - Working out of the box.
• Fans - macfanctld

Broken

• Webcam - Per Arch Wiki, there's no driver for this yet. There's a project on GitHub but it (2015-09-18) isn't working yet.
• Suspend to RAM - doesn't wake up; long hold of power button & then turn back on gives a fresh boot.
• Lid Close - suspends to ram and doesn't wake up
• Bluetooth - Per wiki, "not working at all"; even though dmesg shows that the bluetooth controller is recognized, my tests seem to confirm that it doesn't work.

Untested / To Do

• Partially-complete - SSD optimizations via sysctl settings, mount /dev/sda* noatime and discard (TRIM), use deadline scheduler on non-rotational disks
• Keyboard Backlight - works via /sys/class/leds/smc::kbd_backlight/brightness or the sliders on 'KDE5 System Settings -> Energy Saving'; https://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/MacBookPro11,x#Keyboard_backlight
• Power Saving - https://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/MacBookPro11,x#Powersave and https://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/Laptop_Mode_Tools
• Hotkeys - pommed-light didn't work for me with the stock config. There's also patched pommed-jalaziz in AUR, from github but the support list only goes up to mid-2013 series. this indicates that the 4.2.x kernels should have touchpad and keyboard hotkeys working. Another option would be doing keybinding as described here or here
• Laptop Mode Tools - ArchWiki and/or TLP - ArchWiki (started looking into this, very involved configuration and I don't really need it right now)
• I'm left handed. Use udev/xorg to reverse buttons on USB mice but keep trackpad the same. See https://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/All_Mouse_Buttons_Working http://www.smop.co.uk/blog/index.php/2010/02/15/udev-rules-for-logitech-g7-mouse/ or might be able to do this with udev triggering "xinput set-button-map"
• the stuff in Maximizing Performance - ArchWiki
• implement the stuff in Enhancing Arch Linux Stability - ArchWiki
• SMART/other SSD health check, with warnings if things go south
• look into replacing macfanctld with mbpfan / fan-control-daemon are two options that are less abrupt

Other References

• First, many thanks to eli meister for being the office linux-on-MBP retina guinea pig
• MacBookPro Retina - ArchWiki
• MacBook - ArchWiki
• Installation Guide - ArchWiki
• Beginners' Guide - ArchWiki
• Solid State Drives - ArchWiki
• Laptop - ArchWiki
• Enhancing Arch Linux Stability - ArchWiki
• Arch Linux System Maintenance - ArchWiki