Open issues with Jaunty on MacBook Pro 5,1

[Nikos.Alexandris]

Hi all!

While Jaunty is pretty stable now on MBP5,1 (and other MBP's as well), there are a series of issues (which maybe important or just annoying, or very generic) which may or may have not been reported in the forum/ Launchpad. In any case, those are issues (at least for me).

My idea is to collect open issues and mention them in the wiki https://help.ubuntu.com/community/Ma...5-1_5-2/Jaunty under an independent section. Following the issues I "still" experience collected from this thread (from users with Jaunty 64-bit running on MBP5,1).

11.Sept.2009: Partially updated the wiki!

By Nikos A

• The system does not reboot.
  Now it does!! What was the problem? I don't know. What has been changed is updates/dist-upgrades, latest PulseAudio packages, using TwinView.
  And it does NOT work again. Could it be a random effect?
  
  
• The ambient light sensor does not work (correctly!?) for both the display backlight and the backlit keyboard. See also https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/hal/+bug/285815.
  
  
• I often receive the following message (for example when I execute gksudo SomeFile) Xlib: extension "RANDR" missing on display ":0.0". This may be relevant with the Nvidia driver (?).
  Fixed by using TwinView (+effects activated) and dropping the (...pardon me) "horrible" Xinerama :-p
  
  
• Whenever I try to run Pulse Audio Volume Control I get the error message Connection failed: Connection refused
  Fixed by removing everything, then following this guide/ppa http://webupd8.blogspot.com/2009/05/how-to-install-latest-pulseaudio-0915.html for latest pulse packages and afterwards following instructions in the wiki https://help.ubuntu.com/community/MacBookPro5-1_5-2/Jaunty#Sound.
  
  
• I've tried several things to get gnome-lirc-properties to work and "train" the remote control but no luck. Only volume up, volume down work. The rest of the buttons seem to send a signal which is executed correctly (current active button-field flashes).
  For example (assuming you have gnome-lirc installed): System > Preferences > Remote Control Properties, give your password, (remote is autodetected, if not try out the Auto-detect button, it will work) > Custom Configuration > Key Codes > Select a "key" (e.g. Menu) > Learn.
  The error message that I always get is: Learning of Key Code Failes - Could not initialize hardware.
  
  
• I think the NV Clock works constantly at 500 MHz (=no GPU scaling at all). Comment by Nikos A: yes, I use Coolbits "1" in xorg.cong
  
  
• I often work with an external LCD (using Xinerama). I face the following oddity: with the external USB mouse I can move the pointer around the whole virtual display (I mean both the laptop display and the external display). When I use the trackpad the pointer is limited solely to the laptop's display!!
  Fixed by using TwinView
  Update (22.08.2009): unfortunately using twinview introduced a new problem: window decoration/ borders are missing and are (re-)activated only when I turn on the effects (compiz). Is there a work-around for this?
  
  
• when booting in EFI mode (see thread http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=995704, post #906) the power-manager does not work correctly. Display/keyboard brightness don't work as well.

By GeneralSunTzu

• trackpad does not work fully, even closely following the wiki instructions (I am obliged to use a USB mouse, if I want to click and drag an object)The configurability of the trackpad with an obscure and not very well documented text file (gsynaptics) is not great... (see post #36).
  
  
• it still overheats significantly, if compared with Mac OS X
  
  
• repositories do not contain the latest NVIDIA proprietary driver.

By swarup

• Can't disable the touchpad.
  Install gsynaptic from the repositories. Then System > Preferences > Touchpad > In the General tab uncheck Enable Touchpad.
  
  
• Disable Touchpad While Typing
  Already solved and very well documented at https://help.ubuntu.com/community/Ma...While%20Typing.
  Comment by swarup: There were only a few scattered occasions on which it moved the cursor somewhere else when it shouldn't have.
  Comment by Nikos A: the cursor is moved too many times somewhere else.
  
  
• The MBP runs quite a bit hotter with Jaunty than it does with OSX
  Comment by Nikos A: Extensively discussed. Let's test various things, support tests for efi-booting, perhaps a solution can be found and make it to Karmic Koala?

Please add your issues or solutions so we can extend the wiki. All the best, Nikos

[GeneralSunTzu]

I would add:

- trackpad does not work fully, even closely following the wiki instructions (I am obliged to use a USB mouse, if I want to click and drag an object);
- it still overheats significantly, if compared with Mac OS X;
- repositories do not contain the latest NVIDIA proprietary driver.

The trackpad problem may have been the object of a bug reported, I know, but there is no solution I know of.

[Nikos.Alexandris]

I would add:

I took the liberty to add you suggested issues in the first post. However I don't experience all of them so I'll add my comments on yours (something that, hopefully, somebody will do with mine to shorten the list of "open issues")

- trackpad does not work fully, even closely following the wiki instructions (I am obliged to use a USB mouse, if I want to click and drag an object);

I don't have this problem. For me the trackpad works very nice (tapping, double tapping, smooth scrolling, selecting, etc.). I think I've just followed the wiki.

- it still overheats significantly, if compared with Mac OS X;

I am almost convinced that this is because the constant use of the GT9600M discrete graphics device. Try to run OS-X _only_ with it and watch the temperature for a while. People have managed to get grub-efi working (I am still fighting with it) and this should give as longer lasting battery and lower temperatures.

- repositories do not contain the latest NVIDIA proprietary driver.

That is something we simple users can't change and have to live with it I guess. Or we start getting involved deeper (as devs?) where we might have the option to make things roll faster or... ?

The trackpad problem may have been the object of a bug reported, I know, but there is no solution I know of.

That was exactly my idea. No matter if reported or not, things that don't work should be mentioned/described in detail in the wiki.

All the best, Nikos

[GeneralSunTzu]

Then maybe you would please care to:
a. name the exact sequence of steps you do to, for instance, drag a folder from the desktop into the trash and;
b. copy here your /etc/hal/fdi/policy/x11-synaptics-bcm5974.fdi file, unless it is absolutely identical to the one in the wiki.
Thank you. This should allow me to locate my possible mistake.
I made sure that in X11 xorg.conf dooes not contain anything related to the trackpad, and for the rest I followed closely the wiki (remouve mouseemu, install pommed, etc.).
Given that we have exactly the same MBP, there must be a difference that explains the different behaviours.

[As to a., if I click on a folder, without releasing it, and then move any number of fingers it won't do much except, now that I put exactly the same file as in the wiki, maybe with three fingers (am not sure whether with three or two fingers].

[Nikos.Alexandris]

Then maybe you would please care to:
a. name the exact sequence of steps you do to, for instance, drag a folder from the desktop into the trash and;

[As to a., if I click on a folder, without releasing it, and then move any number of fingers it won't do much except, now that I put exactly the same file as in the wiki, maybe with three fingers (am not sure whether with three or two fingers].

Sure! ( I moved your PS here since it's related directly with point a. ) The first one is simple: drag-n-drop using *one* finger == tap-tap-hold on icon/file (that is: don't release after the second tap), then drag, then release somewhere.

b. copy here your /etc/hal/fdi/policy/x11-synaptics-bcm5974.fdi file, unless it is absolutely identical to the one in the wiki.

It is a _bit_ different. Here you go:

cat 11-x11-synaptics.fdi

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="ISO-8859-1"?>
<deviceinfo version="0.2">
 <device>
  <match key="info.capabilities" contains="input.touchpad">
   <match key="info.product" contains="bcm5974">
   <merge key="appledevice" type="bool">true</merge>
   </match>
  
   <match key="appledevice" bool="true">
        <merge key="input.x11_driver" type="string">synaptics</merge>
        <merge key="input.x11_options.SHMConfig" type="string">1</merge>

        <merge key="input.x11_options.FingerLow" type="string">100</merge>
        <merge key="input.x11_options.FingerHigh" type="string">200</merge>
        <merge key="input.x11_options.ClickFinger1" type="string">1</merge>
        <merge key="input.x11_options.ClickFinger2" type="string">3</merge>
        <merge key="input.x11_options.ClickFinger3" type="string">2</merge>
        <merge key="input.x11_options.TapButton1" type="string">1</merge>
        <merge key="input.x11_options.TapButton2" type="string">3</merge>
        <merge key="input.x11_options.TapButton3" type="string">2</merge>

        <merge key="input.x11_options.HorizScrollDelta" type="string">40</merge>
        <merge key="input.x11_options.VertScrollDelta" type="string">40</merge>

        <merge key="input.x11_options.VertEdgeScroll" type="string">false</merge>
        <merge key="input.x11_options.HorizEdgeScroll" type="string">false</merge>
        <merge key="input.x11_options.VertTwoFingerScroll" type="string">true</merge>
        <merge key="input.x11_options.HorizTwoFingerScroll" type="string">true</merge>

        <merge key="input.x11_options.MinSpeed" type="string">0.5</merge>
        <merge key="input.x11_options.MaxSpeed" type="string">2.5</merge>
        <merge key="input.x11_options.AccelFactor" type="string">0.15</merge>

        <merge key="input.x11_options.PalmDetect" type="string">0</merge>
        <merge key="input.x11_options.PalmMinWidth" type="string">25</merge>
        <merge key="input.x11_options.PalmMinZ" type="string">250</merge>
   </match>
  </match>
 </device>
</deviceinfo>

Thank you. This should allow me to locate my possible mistake.
I made sure that in X11 xorg.conf dooes not contain anything related to the trackpad, and for the rest I followed closely the wiki (remouve mouseemu, install pommed, etc.).

As far as i know, pommed is not "valid" for our machines. You probably should remove it. Not 100% sure though

Given that we have exactly the same MBP, there must be a difference that explains the different behaviours.

Right, could you please, if you have the time, go through "my" list and check if something that does not work for me works for you?

Kindest regards, Nikos

[Nikos.Alexandris]

Great... I've fixed some important issues by using TwinView and (re-)installing latest pulseaudio stuff from http://webupd8.blogspot.com/2009/05/how-to-install-latest-pulseaudio-0915.html.

[ercoppa]

Nikos.Alexandris, the reboot works for you?

[Nikos.Alexandris]

Nikos.Alexandris, the reboot works for you?

YES!!! I didn't even try it since I was used to it not working

Great!!

Well... what can I say? It does not work again!!! It worked... more than one or two times.

ercoppa, I remember now, I have passed an option and this is:
vga=773 to have a higher resolution @boot process.

[ercoppa]

YES!!! I didn't even try it since I was used to it not working

What kernel? Do you pass some option by menu.lst?

[Nikos.Alexandris]

What kernel? Do you pass some option by menu.lst?

uname -a
Linux vertical 2.6.28-14-generic #47-Ubuntu SMP Sat Jul 25 01:19:55 UTC 2009 x86_64 GNU/Linux

No options changed. Same as before. Yes, check post #8.