Ubuntu (Elementary OS) on Macbook Pro (mid 2010)


WIFI and NVIDIA graphics card on Ubuntu for Macbook Pro (mid 2010). 



What is this guide about?


This guide is about wifi and graphics card drives for Ubuntu on Macbook Pro mid 2010 (similar devices might have a similar solution). This guide is not about how to install ubuntu.



OS:


Ubuntu 18.04 Bionic Beaver

Elementary 5.1 Hera (based on ubuntu 18.04)


Let us get into it


Chances is that you don't have the either the wifi or the graphics cards working on your ubuntu (I was using it on elementary OS, but it is basically the same).

Installing the default drivers would result in a non working WIFI and a black screen. After googling the case for hours and a couple of re-installs, I found the solution. I will copy parts of them and provide a quick summary with the commands. This is what worked for me, and might not work for your machine. Make sure to take a full BACKUP. Make sure to have access to the internet from your phone (USB or bluetooth) or via ethernet. There might be other ways to do it without the need for a secondary internet connection. For more information, you can refer to the references I included below. This might break your installation, if so, you can reinstall the OS again on your machine and give it another try. Enjoy~

1. Graphic card driver (NVIDIA):


This is taken from https://askubuntu.com/questions/264247/proprietary-nvidia-drivers-with-efi-on-mac-to-prevent-overheating/613573#613573

and I did some updates

1.1 Get IDs
~$ sudo lshw -businfo -class bridge -class display
pci@0000:00:00.0 bridge MCP89 HOST Bridge 
pci@0000:00:03.0 bridge MCP89 LPC Bridge 
pci@0000:00:0e.0 bridge NVIDIA Corporation pci@0000:00:15.0 bridge NVIDIA Corporation 
pci@0000:00:16.0 bridge NVIDIA Corporation pci@0000:00:17.0 >!!< bridge MCP89 PCI Express Bridge
pci@0000:04:00.0 >!!< display MCP89 GeForce 320M


The IDs in red might be different on your machine, mine were the same as the original guide.

1.2 Write config file

Write the command:

sudo nano /etc/grub.d/01_enable_vga.conf

and copy the following text in it

cat << EOF 
setpci -s "00:17.0" 3e.b=8
setpci -s "04:00.0" 04.b=7 
EOF

(to save and exit nano press control+o and then control+x)

1.3 update the grub

~$ sudo chmod 755 /etc/grub.d/01_enable_vga.conf
~$ sudo update-grub


1.4 Reboot (restart) your machine

1.5 Verify the configuration

The the following:
~$ sudo setpci -s "00:17.0" 3e.b
08 
~$ sudo setpci -s "04:00.0" 04.b
07
or 
~$ sudo setpci -s "00:17.0" 3e.b
0a

1.6 Install NVIDIA driver

GUI:
Go to the Software and Updates -> Additional Drivers -> Using NVIDIA binary driver (under NVIDIA Corporation: MCP89[GeForce 320M]) and then click on Apply changes.

CLI:
~$ sudo apt-get install nvidia-detect
(this would suggest a package for you, then you can install it)
in my case it was nvidia-legacy-340xx-driver so I run the following command 
~$ sudo apt-get install nvidia-legacy-340xx-driver



1.7 Now you can restart your machine and you should see the it working. In the applications, you should also see a new NVIDIA app.


2. WIFI


To download the WIFI driver, just use the following:

~$ sudo apt-get update
~$ sudo apt-get install firmware-b43-installer

Then you should be able to connect to your wifi after you restart your machine.

Sometimes, it might not find any wireless network to connect to, then you need to disable the driver and enable it again. like that

~$  sudo modprobe -r b43 bcma
~$ sudo modprobe b43 


Sometimes, you have a wrongly saved connections as well, 
try to delete the saved ones.

~$ sudo cd /etc/NetworkManager/system-connections
~$ sudo rm -Rf *








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