[MacBookAir5,2] mini DP-to-VGA adapter not recognized

[Fredrik Wendt]

This is a regression from 12.10 where this adapter worked without any problems. The effect of this bug is that you can't use MacBookAir machines and use any display device with VGA. (Bad publicity to have to boot into Mac OS X to show a presentation about how good Ubuntu is, and why you'd want to switch ...)

This bug is as similar to Bug #1222734 - the difference (as far as I can tell) is the MacBookAir version (5,1 - 5,2).

ProblemType: Bug
DistroRelease: Ubuntu 13.10
Package: linux-image-3.11.0-12-generic 3.11.0-12.19
ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 3.11.0-12.19-generic 3.11.3
Uname: Linux 3.11.0-12-generic x86_64
ApportVersion: 2.12.5-0ubuntu2
Architecture: amd64
AudioDevicesInUse:
 USER PID ACCESS COMMAND
 /dev/snd/controlC0: ubuntu 2908 F.... pulseaudio
CasperVersion: 1.336ubuntu1
Date: Sat Oct 12 08:24:33 2013
LiveMediaBuild: Ubuntu 13.10 "Saucy Salamander" - Beta amd64+mac (20131011.1)
MachineType: Apple Inc. MacBookAir5,2
MarkForUpload: True
ProcFB: 0 inteldrmfb
ProcKernelCmdLine: file=/cdrom/preseed/username.seed boot=casper initrd=/casper/initrd.lz quiet splash -- maybe-ubiquity
RelatedPackageVersions:
 linux-restricted-modules-3.11.0-12-generic N/A
 linux-backports-modules-3.11.0-12-generic N/A
 linux-firmware 1.116
SourcePackage: linux
UpgradeStatus: No upgrade log present (probably fresh install)
dmi.bios.date: 11/27/2012
dmi.bios.vendor: Apple Inc.
dmi.bios.version: MBA51.88Z.00EF.B02.1211271028
dmi.board.asset.tag: Base Board Asset Tag#
dmi.board.name: Mac-2E6FAB96566FE58C
dmi.board.vendor: Apple Inc.
dmi.board.version: MacBookAir5,2
dmi.chassis.type: 10
dmi.chassis.vendor: Apple Inc.
dmi.chassis.version: Mac-2E6FAB96566FE58C
dmi.modalias: dmi:bvnAppleInc.:bvrMBA51.88Z.00EF.B02.1211271028:bd11/27/2012:svnAppleInc.:pnMacBookAir5,2:pvr1.0:rvnAppleInc.:rnMac-2E6FAB96566FE58C:rvrMacBookAir5,2:cvnAppleInc.:ct10:cvrMac-2E6FAB96566FE58C:
dmi.product.name: MacBookAir5,2
dmi.product.version: 1.0
dmi.sys.vendor: Apple Inc.

[Fredrik Wendt (fredrik-wendt)]

Next attempt for me is to find a newer Ubuntu built kernel that I can install on my base installation (13.04). (This bug was reported from running __LiveMediaBuild: Ubuntu 13.10 "Saucy Salamander" - Beta amd64+mac (20131011.1)__, booted from a USB stick.)

[Brad Figg (brad-figg)]

This change was made by a bot.

[Fredrik Wendt (fredrik-wendt)]

I manually installed linux-image-3.12.0-031200rc4-generic_3.12.0-031200rc4.201310080738_amd64.deb and this kernel perfectly handles the adapter. (On a side note, I can't use this one as the wifi driver doesn't build/compile against this kernel.)

Any other kernel I should test or work with in order to see what can be done?

[Joseph Salisbury (jsalisbury)]

We can perform a reverse bisect to try and identify the commit that fixes this in v3.12 to ensure it was sent to linux-stable.

Can you first test the latest upstream 3.11 kernel, which can be downloaded from:
http://kernel.ubuntu.com/~kernel-ppa/mainline/v3.11.5-saucy/

[Fredrik Wendt (fredrik-wendt)]

I'm now running
Linux wendt-MacBookAir 3.11.5-031105-generic #201310132235 SMP Mon Oct 14 02:35:52 UTC 2013 x86_64 x86_64 x86_64 GNU/Linux
and that handles the adapter as expected - no appearant bugs with kernel 3.11.5-031105.

[Joseph Salisbury (jsalisbury)]

That's good news, Fredrik. That means the fix is in upstream 3.11.5. The fix will make it's way into Saucy through the normal stable update process.

[Joseph Salisbury (jsalisbury)]

The fix for this is not in the Saucy -proposed repository.

 Would it be possible for you to test this latest kernel and post back if it resolves this bug?
See https://wiki.ubuntu.com/Testing/EnableProposed for documentation how to enable and use -proposed.

Thank you in advance!

[Fredrik Wendt (fredrik-wendt)]

Will do, just need to find time to switch to Saucy ...

[Po-Hsu Lin (cypressyew)]

Closing this old bug with fix-released, please feel free to open a new one.