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acer5051awxmi [2007/03/13 21:47] – xorg bugzilla jimacer5051awxmi [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'll just about do. Suspend works, hibernate doesn't, and the video support isn't great.+In 2007, it was not the best Linux platform, but it would just about do. Video and audio support weren't great. 
 + 
 +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)
 </code> </code>
- 
 ===== 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't yet tried the external VGA. I haven't yet tried the external VGA.
  
-My one beef with the open source drivers at present (Xorg ATI 6.6.3) is that if suspend and then resume, when you then later come to shut down, instead of reverting back to the VGA console when the X server exits, the video mode is incorrectly set to remain at its graphical setting. So you can see the on-screen display pattern changing as the shutdown messages appear, but you can't read them.+My beef with the open source drivers at present (Xorg ATI 6.6.3) are:
  
-I saw a comment in a bug in the Xorg Bugzilla (lost now, no reference) to the effect that the information required to properly reset the chip after a resume isn't available. So that looks like the binary driver may be a better bet.+  * The external VGA isn't driven correctly. If I enable ''MergedFB'' in ''Clone'' mode in ''/etc/X11/xorg.conf'', I get a multicoloured rectangle for a cursor and red line patterned background on the external monitor. 
 + 
 +  * 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 got ''glxinfo'' to admit to ATI hardware acceleration. I very nearly gave up at several points along the way. I got ''glxinfo'' to admit to ATI hardware acceleration. I very nearly gave up at several points along the way.
  
-I then tried a suspend and resume to see if the shutdown problem I mentioned for the open source drivers was cured. Disaster! Something similar happens; but instead of not setting the video mode correctly, but otherwise working, the entire machine locks solid.+How about suspend and hibernate? Disaster! The entire machine locks solid.
  
 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 ''RTL-8139''. The Linux kernel knows exactly what to do with these. The built-in wired Ethernet port is a good 'ol ''RTL-8139''. The Linux kernel knows exactly what to do with these.
 +
 +
  
 ==== Wireless ==== ==== Wireless ====
  
 Onboard wireless is provided by a Broadcom ''BCM4318''. Onboard wireless is provided by a Broadcom ''BCM4318''.
 +
 +=== 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 ''b43-fwcutter''. It will download the required firmware, extract it and install it into the right place.
 +
 +I have found that, as with ''ndiswrapper'', you need to explicitly unload ''b43'' before suspending or hibernating. To do this, I added ''b43'' to the list of modules ''SUSPEND_MODULES'' in ''/etc/pm/config.d/modules''. In ''/etc/acpi/suspend.d/60-generate-modules-list.sh'' I added a section like this:
 +
 +<code>
 +if [ -d /sys/module/b43 ]; then
 +        modprobe -r b43
 +        MODULES="$MODULES b43"
 +fi
 +</code>
 +
 +and ''/etc/powersave/sleep'' I added ''b43'' to ''UNLOAD_MODULES_BEFORE_SUSPEND2DISK'', ''UNLOAD_MODULES_BEFORE_SUSPEND2RAM'' and ''UNLOAD_MODULES_BEFORE_STANDBY''. 
 +
 +=== For Linux kernel versions 2.4.23 and earlier ===
  
 In theory there are two possible lines of support, ''ndiswrapper'' and the native ''bcm43xx'' driver. In theory there are two possible lines of support, ''ndiswrapper'' and the native ''bcm43xx'' driver.
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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://support.acer-euro.com/drivers/notebook/as_5050.html]]. Then follow the instructions to install the Windows driver. If you need to, you can download the Broadcom Windows XP driver from [[http://support.acer-euro.com/drivers/notebook/as_5050.html]].
 +
 +''ndiswrapper'' doesn't cope with attempts to suspend or hibernate. To get round this, force it to be unloaded before suspending.
 +
  
 ===== Audio ===== ===== Audio =====
  
-Windows XP reports the audio hardware as ''Realtek High Definition Audio''. ''lspci'' prefers to call it ''ATI Technologies Inc SB450 HDA Audio''. Either way, spend 5 minutes with Google and you will find all manner of reports of intermittent working and logs filled with error messages.+Windows XP reports the audio hardware as ''Realtek High Definition Audio''. ''lspci'' prefers to call it ''ATI Technologies Inc SB450 HDA Audio''. 
 + 
 +=== Update for Linux kernel versions 2.6.24 and later === 
 + 
 +Recent updates to the ALSA driver have improved support somewhat. The driver still doesn't automatically detect and set the hardware correctly, but can be instructed as to the correct course of action. I edited a file ''/etc/modprobe.d/sound'' to contain: 
 + 
 +<file> 
 +alias snd-card-0 snd-hda-intel 
 +options snd-hda-intel mixer=acer-aspire 
 +</file> 
 + 
 +''KMix''' now shows a plausible set of outputs, and plugging headphones into the front socket turns off the speakers just as you'd expect. The two things I've found that aren't quite right is first, that if in ''KMix'' or ''Volume Control'' I turn off the microphone, the ''Mute'' item in ''KMix'' is highlighted. If I select ''KMix'' ''Mute'' by hand, the microphone is marked as turned off, and second I can't turn on the front mic at all. 
 + 
 +=== 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 for this audio hardware.
  
 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 ''/etc/modprobe.d/sound'' containing: 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 ''/etc/modprobe.d/sound'' containing:
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 ''index=0'' specifies that the HDA device is to be the first audio device, and is really redundant. ''probe_mask=3'' restricts the driver to examining the first two codecs, and is the important bit here. Finally, on my laptop, on playing sound the driver would warn that it couldn't use its intended play method and would fall back to another. ''position_fix=3'' specifies the fallback from the start, and so while it removes an entry from your logs it is probably redundant too. ''index=0'' specifies that the HDA device is to be the first audio device, and is really redundant. ''probe_mask=3'' restricts the driver to examining the first two codecs, and is the important bit here. Finally, on my laptop, on playing sound the driver would warn that it couldn't use its intended play method and would fall back to another. ''position_fix=3'' specifies the fallback from the start, and so while it removes an entry from your logs it is probably redundant too.
  
-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; plug in headphones and you will continue to frighten your neighbours with scratchy sounds coming from the onboard speakers until you take action with the mixer. On my machine I use the first channel labelled '3D' to control the external speaker volume. The headphones respond to the channel labelled 'Front'. The 'PC Speaker' channel does nothing.+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; plug in headphones and you will continue to frighten your neighbours with scratchy sounds coming from the onboard speakers until you take action with the mixer. On my machine I use the first channel labelled '3D' to control the external speaker volume. The headphones respond to the channel labelled 'Front'. The 'PC Speaker' channel does nothing. Under Windows the speaker audio is muted when headphones are plugged in, but this takes an appreciable time and Windows delivers a 'Jack (un)plugged' notification, so it looks to me like it is being done in software. Yuk.
  
 With the 'Front' output being the headphones, you'd think that 'Front Mic' would be the microphone socket. Sorry, that's 'Mic'. 'Front Mic' is the microphone built into the case (look just above the F9 key). With the 'Front' output being the headphones, you'd think that 'Front Mic' would be the microphone socket. Sorry, that's 'Mic'. 'Front Mic' is the microphone built into the case (look just above the F9 key).
  
 +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't tried this. I suspect the drivers sold by [[http://www.linuxant.com]] would work. I haven't tried this. I suspect the drivers sold by [[http://www.linuxant.com]] would work.
 +
  
  
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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's a SD card reader just above the PCMCIA slot, the ENE Technology Inc CB-712/4 Cardbus. I plugged a SD card into it recently, and found it doesn't work with my current 2.6.22 kernel. Google turns up hints that support may turn up in 2.6.23. I'll try again soon.
 +
 +ENE Technology have, apparently, been totally unhelpful with specs or other info. Gits.
 ===== Suspending/Hibernating ===== ===== Suspending/Hibernating =====
  
-Hibernating (suspend of disc) just doesn't work for me. The machine suspends fine, and then locks up hard when resuming.+I recently upgraded to the Debian 2.6.22-3 kernel and the latest versions of powersave, kpowersave and pm-utils. powersave is really redundant now. 
 + 
 +Hibernating now works fine, both from the command line and kpowersave. Hurrah! To enable it I set the kernel to use the swap partition, ''hda3'', for hibernation by adding 
 + 
 +<file> 
 +# defoptions=resume=/dev/hda3 
 +</file> 
 + 
 +to ''/boot/grub/menu.lst'' and running ''update-grub''. 
 + 
 +As for suspending (suspend to RAM), the machine isn't currently on the list of machines known to s2ram. I did the experiments recommended with s2ram, and found that ''s2ram -f -a 1'' produces the desired result. It needs ''-a 1'' to reinitialise the console correctly; without it, the video mode isn't set properly for the console. 
 + 
 +For pm-utils I created ''/etc/pm/config.d/local'' containing 
 + 
 +<file> 
 +S2RAM_OPTS="-f -a 1" 
 +</file> 
 + 
 +For powersave, I edited ''/etc/powersave/sleep'' and set 
 + 
 +<file> 
 +SUSPEND2RAM_FORCE="yes" 
 +SUSPEND2RAM_ACPI_SLEEP="1" 
 +</file>
  
-Suspending (suspend to RAM), on the other hand, seems to work fine, apart from the problem reverting to the console noted above.+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://ftp.work.acer-euro.com/notebook/aspire_5050/bios/|3315 here]]. This has sorted the remaining problems with suspend, so finally it looks like I have both suspend and hibernate working properly.
  
 ===== Power management ===== ===== Power management =====
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 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  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://ftp.support.acer-euro.com/notebook/ferrari_4000/driver/80211.zip. The same googling also turned up an much more recent driver at +ftp://ftp.support.acer-euro.com/notebook/ferrari_4000/driver/80211.zip. This works nicely.
-ftp://ftp.hp.com/pub/softpaq/sp34001-34500/sp34488.exe. I downloaded the latter, used ''cabextract'' to extract the files, and it works fine.+
 
acer5051awxmi.1173822440.txt.gz · Last modified: 2007/03/13 21:47 by jim
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