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acer5051awxmi [2007/03/12 22:12] – jim | acer5051awxmi [2009/09/24 09:48] (current) – Xorg 3d support. jim | ||
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The Vaio was running Debian Unstable (Sid). Rather than spend time copying stuff over, I just removed the hard drive from the Acer and replaced it with the one | The Vaio was running Debian Unstable (Sid). Rather than spend time copying stuff over, I just removed the hard drive from the Acer and replaced it with the one | ||
from the Vaio and reconfigured. | from the Vaio and reconfigured. | ||
- | |||
===== The Quick Summary ===== | ===== The Quick Summary ===== | ||
- | Not the best Linux platform, but it' | + | In 2007, it was not the best Linux platform, but it would just about do. Video and audio support |
+ | |||
+ | Now nearing October in 2009, there is accelerated 3D Xorg support for the video, and the audio is fine. Updating to the latest BIOS means suspend and hibernate both seem now to work. | ||
===== The Hardware ===== | ===== The Hardware ===== | ||
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08:04.0 Network controller: Broadcom Corporation BCM4318 [AirForce One 54g] 802.11g Wireless LAN Controller (rev 02) | 08:04.0 Network controller: Broadcom Corporation BCM4318 [AirForce One 54g] 802.11g Wireless LAN Controller (rev 02) | ||
</ | </ | ||
- | |||
===== Video ===== | ===== Video ===== | ||
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For my use, zippy 3D performance isn't so important. If it came down to it, I'd cheerfully swap that for reliability and especially smooth suspend and hibernate. | For my use, zippy 3D performance isn't so important. If it came down to it, I'd cheerfully swap that for reliability and especially smooth suspend and hibernate. | ||
+ | |||
+ | Update 2009: The Xorg drivers now have accelerated 3D support, which copes happily with KDE4 and its eye candy. Even more reason to stick with open source goodness. | ||
==== Open source drivers ==== | ==== Open source drivers ==== | ||
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I haven' | I haven' | ||
- | My one beef with the open source drivers at present (Xorg 6.6.3) | + | My beef with the open source drivers at present (Xorg ATI 6.6.3) |
+ | |||
+ | * The external | ||
+ | |||
+ | * No accelerated 3D. | ||
+ | |||
+ | The ATI binary driver does accelerated 3D. Is it a better bet? | ||
==== ATI Binary drivers ==== | ==== ATI Binary drivers ==== | ||
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I've not crossed swords with the ATI binary drivers before. I have had experience with the nVidia drivers. | I've not crossed swords with the ATI binary drivers before. I have had experience with the nVidia drivers. | ||
- | AMD don't acknowledge such a thing as a Radeon Xpress 1100 on their website. Take your hint from the '' | + | AMD don't acknowledge such a thing as a Radeon Xpress 1100 on their website |
< | < | ||
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</ | </ | ||
- | It has not been a pleasant experience. I eventually managed to get the 3D drivers installed and working, by downloading the latest (20/2/07) drivers from the AMD website and following their build and install process. Once I followed up hints on various web pages to blacklist the '' | + | This driver |
< | < | ||
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I got '' | I got '' | ||
- | I then tried a suspend and resume to see if the shutdown problem I mentioned for the open source drivers was cured. | + | How about suspend and hibernate? |
I will be checking to see if things improve in the future. But as things stand, I will be suggesting to anyone thinking of getting a laptop that they make sure they get Intel or nVidia graphics. | I will be checking to see if things improve in the future. But as things stand, I will be suggesting to anyone thinking of getting a laptop that they make sure they get Intel or nVidia graphics. | ||
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The built-in wired Ethernet port is a good 'ol '' | The built-in wired Ethernet port is a good 'ol '' | ||
+ | |||
+ | |||
==== Wireless ==== | ==== Wireless ==== | ||
Onboard wireless is provided by a Broadcom '' | Onboard wireless is provided by a Broadcom '' | ||
+ | |||
+ | === Update for Linux kernel versions 2.6.24 and later === | ||
+ | |||
+ | The new Linux wireless driver b43 works well. You will need to install the firmware; on Debian, all you need to do is to install the package '' | ||
+ | |||
+ | I have found that, as with '' | ||
+ | |||
+ | < | ||
+ | if [ -d / | ||
+ | modprobe -r b43 | ||
+ | MODULES=" | ||
+ | fi | ||
+ | </ | ||
+ | |||
+ | and ''/ | ||
+ | |||
+ | === For Linux kernel versions 2.4.23 and earlier === | ||
In theory there are two possible lines of support, '' | In theory there are two possible lines of support, '' | ||
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Then follow the instructions to install the Windows driver. If you need to, you can download the Broadcom Windows XP driver from [[http:// | Then follow the instructions to install the Windows driver. If you need to, you can download the Broadcom Windows XP driver from [[http:// | ||
+ | |||
+ | '' | ||
+ | |||
===== Audio ===== | ===== Audio ===== | ||
- | Windows XP reports the audio hardware as '' | + | Windows XP reports the audio hardware as '' |
+ | |||
+ | === Update for Linux kernel versions 2.6.24 and later === | ||
+ | |||
+ | Recent updates to the ALSA driver have improved support somewhat. The driver still doesn' | ||
+ | |||
+ | < | ||
+ | alias snd-card-0 snd-hda-intel | ||
+ | options snd-hda-intel mixer=acer-aspire | ||
+ | </ | ||
+ | |||
+ | '' | ||
+ | |||
+ | === For Linux kernel versions 2.4.23 and earlier === | ||
+ | |||
+ | Spend 5 minutes with Google and you will find all manner of reports of intermittent working and logs filled with error messages | ||
I bashed my head against this wall for a while, too, before digging down to an answer. The problem is that the ALSA driver thinks it finds an extra codec beyond the soft modem codec and the audio codec expected. It's that extra codec that confuses it beyond measure. The solution is to confine the driver to checking for the expected codecs. I made a new file ''/ | I bashed my head against this wall for a while, too, before digging down to an answer. The problem is that the ALSA driver thinks it finds an extra codec beyond the soft modem codec and the audio codec expected. It's that extra codec that confuses it beyond measure. The solution is to confine the driver to checking for the expected codecs. I made a new file ''/ | ||
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'' | '' | ||
- | The audio outputs are a bit curious. I recommend some playing with a mixer. I have tested the onboard speakers and the front headphone socket. These are not interlinked; | + | The audio outputs are a bit curious. I recommend some playing with a mixer. I have tested the onboard speakers and the front headphone socket. These are not interlinked; |
With the ' | With the ' | ||
+ | I tried using my machine at a party recently. Plugging the headphone socket into an amp results in a loud buzzing. I guess the socket isn't properly grounded. All in all, rather a cheapskate connector. Don't buy this for audio work. | ||
===== Other gadgets ===== | ===== Other gadgets ===== | ||
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I haven' | I haven' | ||
+ | |||
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The function keys for adjusting screen brightness work out of the box. | The function keys for adjusting screen brightness work out of the box. | ||
+ | ==== Card Reader ==== | ||
+ | |||
+ | There' | ||
+ | |||
+ | ENE Technology have, apparently, been totally unhelpful with specs or other info. Gits. | ||
===== Suspending/ | ===== Suspending/ | ||
- | Hibernating (suspend of disc) just doesn' | + | I recently upgraded to the Debian 2.6.22-3 kernel and the latest versions of powersave, kpowersave |
- | Suspending | + | Hibernating now works fine, both from the command line and kpowersave. Hurrah! To enable it I set the kernel to use the swap partition, '' |
+ | |||
+ | < | ||
+ | # defoptions=resume=/ | ||
+ | </ | ||
+ | |||
+ | to ''/ | ||
+ | |||
+ | As for suspending | ||
+ | |||
+ | For pm-utils I created ''/ | ||
+ | |||
+ | < | ||
+ | S2RAM_OPTS=" | ||
+ | </ | ||
+ | |||
+ | For powersave, I edited ''/ | ||
+ | |||
+ | < | ||
+ | SUSPEND2RAM_FORCE=" | ||
+ | SUSPEND2RAM_ACPI_SLEEP=" | ||
+ | </ | ||
+ | |||
+ | Finally, I updated the BIOS to the latest Acer release, 3315. Acer still show 3109 on their European support site, but you can find [[ftp:// | ||
===== Power management ===== | ===== Power management ===== | ||
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All in all, I think this might at one time have worked for some Aspire models, but it's no more than a coaster for your 5051AWXMi. | All in all, I think this might at one time have worked for some Aspire models, but it's no more than a coaster for your 5051AWXMi. | ||
+ | |||
+ | ===== Debian AMD64 ===== | ||
+ | |||
+ | There' | ||
+ | |||
+ | The only item you'll need to obtain is the Windows 64bit driver for the wireless. Acer don't have one on the their website list of drivers for the Aspire 5050. A little googling found they do have one hidden away at | ||
+ | ftp:// |