Dual Booting Debian Trixie XFCE on MacBook Pro (2019) Intel CPU with T2 Chip: No Audio
This article covers the process of dual booting Debian Trixie XFCE on a MacBook Pro (2019) with an Intel CPU and T2 chip, without audio support.
Requirements
- MacBook Pro (2019) with Intel CPU and T2 chip
- Debian Trixie XFCE ISO
- ISO burning software (e.g. Etcher)
- USB drive (at least 8GB)
- ISO-compliant DVD burner (optional)
- Internet connection (wired recommended)
Preparation
Before starting the installation process, ensure that your MacBook Pro is connected to the internet via an Ethernet cable. Disable FileVault and SIP (System Integrity Protection) to allow the Debian installer to modify system files.
Creating a Bootable USB Drive
Use a software like Etcher to burn the Debian Trixie XFCE ISO to a USB drive. Alternatively, you can create a bootable DVD instead.
Booting from the USB Drive
Restart your MacBook Pro and hold down the Option key during startup. Select the USB drive or DVD as the boot device.
Installing Debian Trixie XFCE
Follow the on-screen instructions to install Debian Trixie XFCE. When prompted for a partitioning scheme, choose Manual and create the following partitions:
- EFI System Partition (1GB, FAT32, bootable flag)
- Linux Swap Partition (4GB, Linux Swap)
- Root Partition (remaining space, EXT4, mount point: /)
Configuring the Bootloader
After installing Debian, configure the bootloader. Choose GRUB as the bootloader and install it to the EFI System Partition. When prompted for the location of the ESP, enter /boot/efi.
Post-Installation Configuration
After the installation is complete, configure the network and update the system:
$ sudo nano /etc/network/interfaces
auto lo
iface lo inet loopback
auto enp0s25
iface enp0s25 inet dhcp
$ sudo apt-get update
$ sudo apt-get upgrade
No Audio Support
Due to the T2 chip, audio support is not available in Debian Trixie XFCE. However, you can use an external USB audio device or HDMI audio output.
- Disable FileVault and SIP
- Create a bootable USB drive or DVD
- Boot from the USB drive or DVD
- Install Debian Trixie XFCE with a custom partitioning scheme
- Configure the bootloader
- Configure the network and update the system
References
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Debian Handbook: https://debian-handbook.info/get/
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Debian Wiki: https://wiki.debian.org/Debian_Installer
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Apple Support: https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT208198