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acer5051awxmi [2008/02/03 13:34] – b43 and suspend 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. Video and audio 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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 ''ndiswrapper'' doesn't cope with attempts to suspend or hibernate. To get round this, force it to be unloaded before suspending. ''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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 ENE Technology have, apparently, been totally unhelpful with specs or other info. Gits. ENE Technology have, apparently, been totally unhelpful with specs or other info. Gits.
- 
 ===== Suspending/Hibernating ===== ===== Suspending/Hibernating =====
  
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 </file> </file>
  
-The machine now suspends and hibernates like a champ.+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 =====
 
acer5051awxmi.1202045656.txt.gz · Last modified: 2008/02/03 13:34 by jim
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