Linux Installation Failure on MacBook Air

Linux Installation Failure on Early 2015 MacBook Air (A1465): 8.1GB Issue

Abstract: This article provides a solution for Linux installation failure on an Early 2015 MacBook Air (A1465) with a 8.1GB issue. Follow the instructions carefully to resolve the problem.

Created: 2025-01-30 by UserComp.com Editors

Linux Installation Failure on Early 2015 MacBook Air (A1465): 8.1GB Issue

In this article, we will discuss the common issue faced while installing Linux on an Early 2015 MacBook Air with model number A1465. Specifically, the issue relates to the 8.1GB of space that appears to be unallocated during the Linux installation process.

Background

The Early 2015 MacBook Air is a popular device for running Linux due to its powerful hardware and compatibility with many Linux distributions. However, there is a known issue during the installation process where 8.1GB of space appears to be unallocated, making it impossible to complete the installation successfully.

The 8.1GB Issue

The 8.1GB issue occurs when attempting to install Linux on the Early 2015 MacBook Air. The issue arises because there is a firmware bug in the MacBook Air that causes the Linux installer to incorrectly identify the available space on the hard drive. This bug results in 8.1GB of space being marked as unallocated, making it impossible to proceed with the installation.

Resolution

To resolve the 8.1GB issue on the Early 2015 MacBook Air, you can partition the hard drive manually using a third-party tool such as GParted. This tool allows you to correctly identify the available space on the hard drive and allocate it to the Linux installation accordingly. Here are the steps to follow:

Download GParted from https://gparted.org/download.php and create a bootable USB drive using a tool such as Rufus.
Reboot your MacBook Air, holding down the Option key to boot from the GParted USB drive.
Select the GParted option from the boot menu and wait for it to load.
Once GParted has loaded, select the hard drive from the top right-hand corner.
Delete any existing partitions by right-clicking on them and selecting "Delete."
Create a new partition by right-clicking on the unallocated space and selecting "New." Set the size to the maximum available, and select the file system as "ext4."
Create a swap partition by right-clicking on the remaining unallocated space and selecting "New." Set the size to 2GB (or more, depending on your needs), and select the file system as "linux-swap."
Apply the changes by clicking the "Apply" button at the top right-hand corner.

Once you have partitioned the hard drive using GParted, you can proceed with the Linux installation process as usual. The installer should now correctly identify the available space on the hard drive, and you should no longer encounter the 8.1GB issue.

References

Tags: Linux MacOS

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