installing pop!_os on a surface pro 7+

pop_surface_7p.md

rough steps

• disable secure boot
  • hold vol up and press the power button to enter bios, turn that mess off
• reboot (i interuppted windows start by holding down the pwoer button)
• put pop usb stick in, hold vol down and press power
• install pop as usual
• enable wayland
  • change /etc/pop-os/gdm3/custom.conf, and comment out Wayland=false
    • reboot
• install part of linux-surface (minus iptsd)
  • ref: https://github.com/linux-surface/linux-surface/wiki/Installation-and-Setup#Debian--Ubuntu
    • follow along up until the block where you install iptsd with other programs and only install linux-headers-surface
      • install ithc-linux
        • follow dkms steps: https://github.com/quo/ithc-linux
        • might need to do the set-nosid (was necessary in ubuntu), pop required the ithc poll option
        • reboot
    • install the rest of the listed packages: sudo apt install linux-image-surface iptsd libwacom-surface
    • you can try to enable iptsd if you want but it will likely fail
    • follow the rest of the directions
      • maybe skip the secure boot install bit because upgrade-grub will fail on pop
        • but worked in ubuntu
  • on reboot, click your username, then the gear on the bottom right
    • choose wayland
    • log in
• build the experimental iptsd binary (https://github.com/quo/iptsd)
  • this can be done with ithc is built if you like
  • follow the build steps
  • run the daemon manually sudo build/src/daemon/iptsd
    • i don't know how to make this automatic. i have an issue open: linux-surface/linux-surface#892
• you should have multitouch now
• quality of life
  • to use multitouch in firefox, add export MOZ_USE_XINPUT2=1 to your .profile and log out/log in.
    • you'll need to run the iptsd daemon manually again but firefox will allow multitouch.
  • on screen keyboard
    • under accessibility in the settings, enable the on-screen keyboard. swipe up from the bottom to use it
    • improved-osk is a better keyboard with the needed keys
      • https://extensions.gnome.org/extension/4413/improved-osk/
      • adding from the github repo didn't work but i installed this by adding the firefox gnome-shell integration addon and clicking "on" at the above link
      • i have created a feature request to get the transparency back: nick-shmyrev/improved-osk-gnome-ext#26
        • i have also forked the repo to try to maybe make my own changes: https://github.com/cmhobbs/improved-osk-gnome-ext/

stuff to figure out

• use of the pen (it needs batteries and i am dumb)
• automating most of this