Tag Archives: Macbook unibody

Getting GNU/Linux to reboot properly on unibody Macbook from late 2009 (Macbook 6,1)

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To get a GNU/Linux to reboot properly and not hang in the final step, you need to pass another parameter to the kernel. You need to pass reboot=pci to Linux.

Currently, Debian and Debian-derivatives such as Ubuntu tend to use Grub2 as the bootloader, by default. You need to:

  • edit the /etc/default/grub configuration file, as root, and using your favorite editor
  • find line that looks similar to GRUB_CMDLINE_LINUX=””
  • if it contained anything inside quotes, don’t delete those commands!
  • into the quotes, add reboot=pci but do not delete existing text
  • back in command line, run update-grub as root user

It should now work flawlessly!

Image: unplgdd.com

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Microphone does not work in Steam on Macbook under Windows

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Looks like the drivers for Cirrus Logic audio card in unibody Macbook from late 2009 (also known as MacBook 6,1) are a bit broken. This is on Windows XP. I’m running Boot Camp 3.0 because 3.1’s installer crashes. Anyways, microphone in Steam and Steam edition of Torchlight just didn’t work. From certain posts on Apple forums, this seems to affect other software — Windows Live Messenger, et al.

Henry Wong has hacked the drivers for Macbook Pro for Cirrus Logic 4602A, and got this to work. Grab the fixed drivers from their site. 
Despite being for MBP, this seems to work on my unibody Macbook as well. This advice is offered without any guarantee it’ll work and it’s definitely not supported by Apple, so be careful.
PS Post 200!


Edit April 25th 2010:
Mirror of fixes: regular fix, no s/pdif out fix

Edit May 7th 2010:
After using these patches for some time in L4D2 and elsewhere, I conclude that one or both of the fixed drivers are breaking stereo support, to a certain extent. That is, apparently the “rear” speaker or even the microphone becomes the “left” speaker. YMMV.

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