Installing Kubuntu 12.04 LTS Mac.iso on a Macbook Pro

Just a quick guide to how i installed Kubuntu 12.04 Mac.iso on my Macbook Pro 5.1

If you are looking to install Kubuntu 12.04 on your mac, good luck. it depends alot on what Mac hardware you own, but anyway, if you download the Mac specific .iso,  DONT even try to burn it in OS X, IT WILL FAIL also when trying to mount the ISO .. use Windows or Linux instead,
It seems Canonical dont even think that Mac users would be downloading and burnng their Mac disc image, er, on their Mac .. go figure..

Get the Kubuntu Mac ISO here ... wget is your friend..

wget http://cdimage.ubuntu.com/kubuntu/releases/12.04/release/kubuntu-12.04-alternate-amd64+mac.iso

Both 12.04 versions (Mac/generic) do install, but not without passing "nomodeset" to the kernel at boot time., once you've got enough spare room on the hard drive alongside OSX - download and install the boot manager 'Refit' so install the refit.dmg  as you would any normal Mac program.
Get rEFIt here..

 http://refit.sourceforge.net/

reboot TWICE

TWICE because there's a bit of a bug in rEFIt which only makes the boot menu show up second time around, usually...... i know.. dont ask me.
Then you boot the Kubuntu disc as usual.. hold the C key down as soon as your Macbook chimes and install Kubuntu. Some folks said install with the installers defaults,
I did, and it worked as expected.

 - Remember to add "momodeset" into the grub config to reflect this as soon as you boot off the HD, you shouldn't really have to, but you do, well i did, your mileage may vary.  (apologies for any possible errors, i am doing most of this from memory)
make a backup of the  current Grub config first:

sudo cp /etc/default/grub /etc/default/grub-backup

then edit grub's config file, (yes, its changed again..)

sudo nano /etc/default/grub

it looks a little bit like this:
 

GRUB_DEFAULT=0
#GRUB_HIDDEN_TIMEOUT=0
GRUB_HIDDEN_TIMEOUT_QUIET=true
GRUB_TIMEOUT=10
GRUB_DISTRIBUTOR=`lsb_release -i -s 2> /dev/null || echo Debian`
GRUB_CMDLINE_LINUX_DEFAULT="quiet splash"
GRUB_CMDLINE_LINUX=""

You need to add  nomodeset  at the end of the 6th line as shown below:

GRUB_DEFAULT=0
#GRUB_HIDDEN_TIMEOUT=0
GRUB_HIDDEN_TIMEOUT_QUIET=true
GRUB_TIMEOUT=10
GRUB_DISTRIBUTOR=`lsb_release -i -s 2> /dev/null || echo Debian`
GRUB_CMDLINE_LINUX_DEFAULT="quiet splash nomodeset"
GRUB_CMDLINE_LINUX=""

Then that should reliably boot 12.04. and as soon as you are in, add the Mactel repo,
plug in your wired ethernet in case it doesn't find your wireless card ..
(its like 2008 all over again)  add the PPA, instructions on this site

https://launchpad.net/~mactel-support/+archive/ppa

then search for (and install) install: all the pommed macfanctl and laptop detect or laptop mode tools (do a search) read this, do the fan thing ..  either way, read this
howto carefully and do the fan tweaks.

https://help.ubuntu.com/community/MacBookPro

Note: keep the laptop cool, watch the temps, WHATEVER LAPTOP YOU HAVE
You might want to kick Pulseaudio out too, its a piece of shit, and always has been.

sudo apt-get remove --purge pulseaudio

maybe also slim down Apt-Get's appetite a little too...

// Recommends are as of now still abused in many packages

APT::Install-Recommends "0";

APT::Install-Suggests "0";

check out more goodies * help installing stuff in 12.04:

http://howtoubuntu.org/things-to-do-after-installing-ubuntu-12-04-precise-pangolin/

If you're rolling your eyes at how easy that all was and need more fun stuff to do, you can have a read here.. 

An enhanced version of Simple MacBook Pro Fan Daemon for Linux

 

http://task3.cc/923/an-enhanced-version-of-simple-macbook-pro-fan-daemon-for-linux/

/end of basic install

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