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   1 This pages explains how to install Debian on Apple Silicon machines.
   2
   3 # Debian Testing
   4
   5 - There is a new installer for Debian testing. In order to try exchange 'https://tg.st/d' with 'https://bananas-archive.debian.net/install'.
   6
   7 [Debian on Apple M1/M2: status and call for testers](https://lists.debian.org/debian-devel/2025/06/msg00241.html)
   8
   9 # Tripwires
  10 The USB-A Port on the Mac Mini will not work in u-boot and grub.  The two
  11 additional USB-3 ports on the iMac 4 port model don't work in u-boot, grub
  12 and Linux. In order to install Linux on a FileVault-enabled Mac run the
  13 installer from Recovery open Disk Utility > Expanding "Macintosh HD" >
  14 Selecting locked volume > click "Mount". Debian does not include the choosen
  15 EFI patch. As a result it will always pick the first ESP partition. This can be
  16 problematic if you're using multiple ESP partitions for example when having
  17 multiple Linux and BSD installations.
  18
  19 # Artefacts
  20 If you don't want to use the prebuild artefacts, you can build them yourself
  21 using the following scripts:
  22
  23         - prepare_rust.sh - Prepares a rust installation suitable for kernel compilation
  24         - m1n1_uboot_kernel.sh - Builds m1n1, u-boot and the kernel including gpu support.
  25         - mesa.sh - Creates mesa packages
  26         - bootstrap.sh - Creates Debian root and live filesystem
  27         - meta.sh - Meta package which makes sure that we always get latest and greatest kernel.
  28
  29 # Asahi installer
  30
  31 [Video Recording](https://tg.st/u/debian_asahi_installer.mp4)
  32
  33 * Poweroff your Mac. Hold and press the power button until you see a wheel chain and Options written below. Approx 20 seconds.
  34
  35 * In the boot picker, choose Options. Once loaded, open a Terminal under Utilities > Terminal
  36
  37 * Run the asahi installer and select Debian:
  38
  39         curl -sL https://tg.st/d | sh
  40
  41 * **Or** run the Debian testing installer:
  42
  43         curl -sL https://bananas-archive.debian.net/install | sh
  44
  45 * Follow the installer instructions.
  46
  47 * Once Debian is booted log in as root without password and set a root password
  48
  49         passwd
  50         pwconv
  51
  52 * Configure wifi by editing the wpa_supplicant.conf, enabling the interface and remove the # before allow-hotplug to enable it during boot.
  53
  54         vi /etc/wpa_supplicant/wpa_supplicant.conf
  55         ifup wlan0
  56         vi /etc/network/interfaces
  57
  58 * Reboot to see if grub was correctly installed
  59
  60         reboot
  61
  62 * Install a desktop environment for example blackbox
  63
  64         apt-get update
  65         apt-get install -y xinit blackbox xterm firefox-esr lightdm
  66
  67 * Create yourself an unprivileged user
  68
  69         useradd -m -c 'Firstname Lastname' -s /bin/bash <username>
  70         passwd <username>
  71
  72 * Optional install sshd. You can not log in as root, but only with your unprivileged user
  73
  74         apt update
  75         apt install -y openssh-server
  76
  77 * Consult the **[/root/quickstart.txt](https://git.zerfleddert.de/cgi-bin/gitweb.cgi/m1-debian/blob_plain/refs/heads/master:/files/quickstart.txt)** file to find out how to do other interesting things.
  78
  79 # Livesystem
  80
  81 [Video Recording](https://tg.st/u/live.mp4)
  82
  83 * Prerequisites
  84
  85         - USB Stick. this is what this guide assumes, but it is also possible
  86           to run the Debian livesystem from another PC using m1n1 chainloading.
  87           But if you know how to do that, you probably don't need this guide.
  88         - If possible use an Ethernet Dongle, less typing.
  89
  90 * Create USB Stick with a single vfat partition on it and untar the modified Debian installer on it. Instructions for Linux:
  91
  92         # Identify the usb stick device
  93         lsblk
  94
  95         DEVICE=/dev/sdX
  96         parted -a optimal $DEVICE mklabel msdos
  97         parted -a optimal $DEVICE mkpart primary fat32 2048s 100%
  98         mkfs.vfat ${DEVICE}1
  99         mount ${DEVICE}1 /mnt
 100         curl -sL https://tg.st/u/asahi-debian-live.tar | tar -C /mnt -xf -
 101         umount /mnt
 102
 103 In order to format the usb stick under Macos, open the disk utility, right-click on the usb stick (usually the lowest device in the list) and select erase. Choose the following options:
 104
 105         Name: LIVE
 106         Format: MS-DOS (FAT)
 107         Scheme: Master Boot Record
 108
 109 Than open a terminal, and run the following commands:
 110
 111         sudo su -
 112         cd /Volumes/LIVE
 113         curl -sL https://tg.st/u/asahi-debian-live.tar | tar -xf -
 114
 115 * You need to run the asahi installer and have either an OS installed or m1n1+UEFI.
 116
 117 * If you have a EFI binary on the NVMe and want to boot from the usb stick, you need to interrupt u-boot on the countdown by pressing any key and run the following comamnd to boot from usb:
 118
 119         env set boot_efi_bootmgr; run bootcmd_usb0
 120
 121 * Reboot with the USB stick connected, the Debian livesystem should automatically start, if it doesn't load the kernel and initrd manually, you can use tab. For x try 0,1,2,...
 122
 123         linux (hdX,msdos1)/vmlinuz
 124         initrd (hdX,msdos1)/initrd.gz
 125         boot
 126
 127 * Log in as **root** without password.
 128
 129 * Consult the **[/root/quickstart.txt](https://git.zerfleddert.de/cgi-bin/gitweb.cgi/m1-debian/blob_plain/refs/heads/master:/files/quickstart.txt)** file to find out how to get the networking up, etc.
 130
 131 # FAQ
 132
 133 ## Why has there been no kernel update?
 134
 135 For Debian stable I'm currently unable to update the kernel due to the fact
 136 that the kernel requires new mesa packages and the new mesa package needs too
 137 many dependencies which are not in Debian stable and I'm not willing to add
 138 that many new packages. So I recommend that if you want the latest asahi
 139 kernel, mesa, sound and other packages, switch to testing and use Thomas
 140 Renards packages for testing. <https://wiki.debian.org/Teams/Bananas>
 141
 142 ## How to enable spakers?
 143
 144 Currently speakers are only supported on M1 air. Install the necessary packages:
 145
 146         apt update
 147         apt upgrade -y
 148         apt dist-upgrade -y
 149         apt install -y alsa-ucm-conf-asahi speakersafetyd
 150         reboot
 151
 152 After the reboot I need to restart the speakersafetyd in order to hear sound out of the speakers:
 153
 154         sudo systemctl restart speakersafetyd
 155
 156 ## Does it work on M2?
 157
 158 Yes, M3 is not yet supported.
 159
 160 ## Are you still maintaining this?
 161
 162 Yes, I do and will continue doing this until there is an official Debian installer.
 163
 164 ## If I install Debian, will it be easy to update the Asahi work as it develops?
 165
 166 Yes, long answer below.
 167
 168 To update the kernel to the lastest "stable" asahi branch you need to run
 169 as root:
 170
 171         apt update
 172         apt upgrade
 173
 174 For installations before 2022-12-12, see <https://thomas.glanzmann.de/asahi/README.txt>
 175
 176 Later it might be necessary to upgrade the stub partion in order to
 177 support the GPU code. As soon as that happens, I'll add the
 178 instructions and a video in order to do so, but short version is:
 179
 180         - Backup /boot/efi/EFI
 181         - Delete the old stub and efi/esp partition
 182         - Rerun the asahi installer with m1n1+u-boot option
 183         - Put the /boot/efi/EFI back
 184
 185 So, you never need to reinstall Debian. Kernel updates are easy, stub
 186 updates are a little bit more cumbersome but also seldom.
 187
 188 ## How do I compile zfs on apple silicon debian?
 189
 190 - In order to build zfs you need the rust environment. So from the m1-debian
 191   repository you have to run these scripts:
 192
 193         ./dependencies.sh
 194         ./prepare_rust.sh
 195
 196 - Prepare your zfs build environment. You need to replace
 197   /home/sithglan/work/m1-debian with your path to
 198   your m1-debian checkout:
 199
 200         export CARGO_HOME="/home/sithglan/work/m1-debian/build/cargo"
 201         export RUSTUP_HOME="/home/sithglan/work/m1-debian/build/rust"
 202         source "/home/sithglan/work/m1-debian/build/cargo/env"
 203
 204 - Tell zfs which version of clang you use to compile the kernel:
 205
 206         export KERNEL_LLVM=-15
 207
 208 - Checkout ZFS:
 209
 210         git clone https://github.com/openzfs/zfs
 211         cd ./zfs
 212         git checkout master
 213
 214 - Apply the following patch:
 215
 216         diff --git a/META b/META
 217         index 3919b0d..67c9f7d 100644
 218         --- a/META
 219         +++ b/META
 220         @@ -4,7 +4,7 @@ Branch:        1.0
 221         Version:       2.2.99
 222         Release:       1
 223         Release-Tags:  relext
 224         -License:       CDDL
 225         +License:       GPL
 226         Author:        OpenZFS
 227         Linux-Maximum: 6.4
 228         Linux-Minimum: 3.10
 229
 230 - Build ZFS:
 231
 232         sh autogen.sh
 233         ./configure
 234         make -s -j$(nproc)
 235
 236 - Follow the instructions on <https://openzfs.github.io/openzfs-docs/Developer%20Resources/Building%20ZFS.html> how to install it.
 237
 238 ## What about gnome?
 239
 240 You need an unpriviledged user to log in. You should delete /etc/network/interfaces in order to manage the network under gnome. If you don't have an US keyboard, you can change the settings in Gnome > Settings > Keyboard.
 241