1 This pages explains how to install Debian on Apple Silicon machines.
4 The USB-A Port on the Mac Mini will not work in u-boot and grub. The two
5 additional USB-3 ports on the iMac 4 port model also don't work in u-boot, grub
6 and Linux. In order to install Linux on a FileVault-enabled Mac run the
7 installer from Recovery open Disk Utility > Expanding "Macintosh HD" >
8 Selecting locked volume > click "Mount".
11 If you don't want to use the prebuild artefacts, you can build them yourself using the [bootstrap.sh](https://git.zerfleddert.de/cgi-bin/gitweb.cgi/m1-debian/blob_plain/refs/heads/master:/bootstrap.sh) script.
15 [Video Recording](https://tg.st/u/debian_asahi_installer.mp4)
17 * Poweroff your Mac. Hold and press the power button until you see a wheel chain and Options written below. Approx 20 seconds.
19 * In the boot picker, choose Options. Once loaded, open a Terminal under Utilities > Terminal
21 * Run the asahi installer and select Debian:
25 * Follow the installer instructions.
27 * Once Debian is booted log in as root without password and set a root password
32 * Configure wifi by editing the wpa_supplicant.conf, enabling the interface and remove the # before allow-hotplug to enable it during boot.
34 vi /etc/wpa_supplicant/wpa_supplicant.conf
36 vi /etc/network/interfaces
38 * Reboot to see if grub was correctly installed
42 * Install a desktop environment for example blackbox
44 apt-get install -y xinit blackbox xterm firefox-esr lightdm
46 * Create yourself an unprivileged user
48 useradd -m -c 'Firstname Lastname' -s /bin/bash <username>
51 * Optional install sshd. You can not log in as root, but only with your unprivileged user
54 apt install -y openssh-server
57 [Video Recording](https://tg.st/u/live.mp4)
60 * USB Stick. this is what this guide assumes, but it is also possible to run the Debian installer from another PC using m1n1 chainloading. But if you know how to do that, you probably don't need this guide.
61 * If possible use an Ethernet Dongle, less typing.
63 * Create USB Stick with a single vfat partition on it and untar the modified Debian installer on it. Instructions for Linux:
65 # Identify the usb stick device
68 parted -a optimal $DEVICE mklabel msdos
69 parted -a optimal $DEVICE mkpart primary fat32 2048s 100%
74 curl -sL https://tg.st/u/asahi-debian-live.tar | tar -xf -
77 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:
81 Scheme: Master Boot Record
83 Than open a terminal, and run the following commands:
87 curl -sL https://tg.st/u/asahi-debian-live.tar | tar -xf -
89 * You need to run the asahi installer and have either an OS installed or m1n1+UEFI.
91 * 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 countdoun by pressing any key and run the following comamnd to boot from usb:
95 * 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,...
97 linux (hdX,msdos1)/vmlinuz
98 initrd (hdX,msdos1)/initrd.gz
101 * Log in as **root** without password.
103 * 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.
107 * If I install Debian, will it still be relatively easy to update the Asahi work as it develops?
109 Yes, long answer below.
111 To update the kernel to the lastest "stable" asahi branch you need to run
114 curl -sL tg.st/u/ksh | bash
116 Later it might be necessary to upgrade the stub parition in order to
117 support the GPU code. As soon as that happens, I'll add the
118 instructions and a video in order to do so, but short version is:
120 - Backup /boot/efi/EFI
121 - Delete the old stub and efi/esp partition
122 - Rerun the asahi installer with m1n1+u-boot option
123 - Put the /boot/efi/EFI back
125 So, you never need to reinstall your Debian. Kernel updates are easy, stub
126 updates are a little bit more cumbersome but also seldom.