Bug#1110007: cdimage.debian.org: [MacBook Pro] Trackpad/keyboard do not work

Cyril Brulebois <[email protected]> Sun, 10 Aug 2025 18:50:03 +0200
Newsgroups	gmane.linux.debian.devel.cd
Organization	Debian
Message-ID	<20250810165003.kkptizfuuejlpx5m__9904.45249933458$1754844809$gmane$org@mraw.org>
Hi,

Osama Albahrani <[email protected]> (2025-07-28):
> Booting into debian-12.11.0-amd64-DVD-1.iso on a 2017 MacBook Pro
> (MacBookPro14,1).

[ same issue with 13.0, according to follow-up. ]

>    * What exactly did you do (or not do) that was effective (or
>      ineffective)?
> 
> A workaround was using debian-live-12.11.0-amd64-gnome.iso.
> 
>    * What was the outcome of this action?
> 
> Trackpad/keyboard are unusable.
> 
>    * What outcome did you expect instead?
> 
> Trackpad/keyboard usable.
> 
> ---
> 
> I am using a 2017 MacBook Pro (Intel-based), code: `MacBookPro14,1`. I
> noticed when booting into `debian-12.11.0-amd64-DVD-1.iso` that the
> trackpad does not work. The keyboard does not seem to work either
> after selecting "graphical installer".
> 
> But the trackpad and keyboard work on `debian-live-12.11.0-amd64-gnome.iso`.
> So I am suspecting there are missing drivers.

In theory, sharing the output of `lsmod` from a Debian Live environment
might be useful (either Debian 12 or Debian 13 would work), but please
do read on.

> Why might there be missing drivers? And is there a way to include them
> in the installer just like in the live ISO in the next release?
> 
> I am able to install from the live ISO, but it would be nice if I
> could use the default installer.
> 
> I'd like to note that the same issue happens with the RHEL 10 and CentOS Stream 10 installer ISOs. But not Fedora, Ubuntu, or Arch Linux.
> 
> Related forum post: https://forums.debian.net/viewtopic.php?p=744557
> 
> It seems that the driver is `applespi`, which is included in the
> kernel since 5.3:
> 
> > The `applespi` driver for the internal keyboard and trackpad of the MacBookPro13,* and MacBookPro14,* is now included upstream and works out of the box. (https://github.com/torvalds/linux/commi ... e2332e07ff). The commit dates back to 2019.
> 
> Source: https://github.com/Dunedan/mbp-2016-linux
> 
> So, they should already be included in the kernel used by Debian 12, I
> presume. Idk for sure.
> 
> The commit message mentions something about the SPI drivers needing to
> be loaded. So it might be that.
> 
> Originally reported in https://forums.debian.net/viewtopic.php?t=163130

A full linux-image package takes quite some space and we ship a
selection of modules. The GTK initramfs indeed contains the specified
module (./usr/lib/modules/6.12.38+deb13-amd64/kernel/drivers/input/keyboard/applespi.ko.xz)
but there might be no direct dependencies towards other components that
might be needed for the actual devices to be(come) visible.

Quoting 038b1a05eae6666b731920e46f47d8e2332e07ff:

    In order for this driver to work, the proper SPI drivers need to be
    loaded too; for MB8,1 these are spi_pxa2xx_platform and spi_pxa2xx_pci;
    for all others they are spi_pxa2xx_platform and intel_lpss_pci.

And intel_lpss_pci is indeed one of the things that's been added over
the years (no direct dependencies but essential to get some devices to
show up).

Would you be happy to test a netinst image for either Debian 12 or
Debian 13 that includes the follow extra modules, so that we can confirm
and ask the release team for a proper addition?

 - Debian 12:
     /lib/modules/6.1.0-37-amd64/kernel/drivers/spi/spi-pxa2xx-pci.ko
     /lib/modules/6.1.0-37-amd64/kernel/drivers/spi/spi-pxa2xx-platform.ko
 - Debian 13:
     /usr/lib/modules/6.12.38+deb13-amd64/kernel/drivers/spi/spi-pxa2xx-core.ko.xz
     /usr/lib/modules/6.12.38+deb13-amd64/kernel/drivers/spi/spi-pxa2xx-pci.ko.xz
     /usr/lib/modules/6.12.38+deb13-amd64/kernel/drivers/spi/spi-pxa2xx-platform.ko.xz
   (Modules 2 and 3 list module 1 in their depends field.)


Cheers,
-- 
Cyril Brulebois ([email protected])            <https://debamax.com/>
D-I release manager -- Release team member -- Freelance Consultant
signature.asc (application/pgp-signature, 833 B)