Linux on Laptops

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Debian on ASUS A3N

SUMMARY:A quick guide to set up Debian Sarge on an ASUS A3500N laptop using the basic installation.

Installing Debian on ASUS A3500N

Working Status

This table summarizes the working status of the laptop installation. More details are found below.

Feature	Status
Video/Audio Cards	Works
ACPI (Hotkeys, Hibernate/Suspend to RAM)	Works
Connectivity (Wireless/Ethernet)	Works
Peripherals (USB/Touchpad/Video Out)	Works
Extras (Bison Camera/IRDA)	Not tested

Hardware Components	Status under Linux	Notes
Intel Pentium M Processor 1.60 GHz	Works	Use powersaved and acpid package for CPU frequency scaling.
15.0" XGA active matrix color TFT LCD	Works	Use x11-common package.
Embedded Intel 855GM VGA Card	Works	Use x11-common package.
AC 97 S/W audio with 3D Effect & Full Duplex	Works	Use alsa-base package. Use timidity package for MIDI.
Touchpad	Works
4 x USB 2.0 ports	Works	Use udev package for automatic handling of plugged USB devices.
DVD Dual Optical Drive	Works	Use k3b package, an excellent graphical program to burn CD and DVDs.
Integrated V.90 AC 97 Fax/Modem	Works	Use hsfmodem (commercial) package from Linuxant to enable the modem. Use wvdial or kppp packages for dialing.
10/100 Base T PCI LAN on board	Works
Wireless Card IEEE 802.11g	Works	Use wpasupplicant package.
Hotkeys	Works	Add ec_burst=1 to the kernel options.
Built-in card reader	Not tested
Bison Camera	Not tested	Drivers under development. See here for more details.

About Debian

The Debian Linux distribution is based on the free software premise. It includes over 15490 packages of precompiled software and gathers a huge community of volunteers and users that keep it up-to-date. You can download Debian here.
A unique feature in Debian is that it evolves continuously over stable releases. New stable releases of Debian are made available from time to time, but users who already have Debian simply update their system using the apt-get (console) or synaptic (graphical) tools.
The Debian is divided into three releases: stable, testing and unstable. The stable version is primarily recommended for serious production and working, since it contains throughly tested software, although not the most recent for obvious reasons.The testing is an almost stable version, with recent software that runs almost flawlessly.The unstable is for developers and wild users who like to live on the edge of software novelties.
The system was installed using the Official Business Card for stable version. Important packages are mentioned whenever needed.

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System Configuration

Linux Kernel 2.6.15.
Using KDE desktop environment:
- Install synaptic package for graphical package management.
- Install kdm package for first instance desktop manager.
- Install kdebase package for KDE graphical desktop.
Using the Debian testing release.
CPU frequency scaling is automatically set according to power source (battery/charger).
Battery lasts for about 3 hours.

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Setup Details

Hibernate/Suspend to RAM

Install acpid , powersaved and hibernate packages.
Install kpowersave package for KDE graphical power management.
Assuming that the swap is in /dev/hdax, where x is the partition number, add 'resume=/dev/hdax' to the /boot/grub/menu.lst file in the 'kernel' line under the Debian titled entry. Example:

title Debian GNU/Linux, kernel 2.6.15-1-686
kernel /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.15-1-686 root=/dev/hda7 ro resume=/dev/hda6 ec_burst=1
In /etc/powersave/sleep add the ehci_hcd and usbhid modules name to the UNLOAD_MODULES_BEFORE_SUSPEND2DISK, UNLOAD_MODULES_BEFORE_SUSPEND2RAM, UNLOAD_MODULES_BEFORE_STANDBY options, right after the uhci_hcd entry.
In the same file, change SUSPEND2DISK_SHUTDOWN_MODE="shutdown".
To change CPU, Suspend to Disk, Suspend to RAM, etc. settings simply use the kpowersave utility.
If you need to be really sure that these settings apply, restart the system.

Hotkeys

The following hotkeys work
- Suspend
- Brightness Up/Down
- LCD on/off
- LCD/CRT switch display
- NumLock, ScrollLock
Other hotkeys are reported to work if configured with asus_acpi module, already included in the kernel. For more details, see here and here or go to /etc/powersave/sleep and read about the EVENT_OTHER option.

Modem

Install hsfmodem driver from Linuxant to handle the modem's Conexant chip.
The snd_intel8x0m module is overridden by the hsfmodem modules (good).
Note: the hsfmodem is commercial. The free version limits the bandwidth to 14.4k, while the unlimited version costs 20U$ and allows for full speed.

To hear the dial sound, load the hsfdcp daemon by running /usr/sbin/hsfdcpd & as root before dialing. This is required only once per boot.
Use wvdial or kppp programs to connect to the internet.
A good tool to diagnose the modem is found at LinModems, scanmodem. Read the generated ModemData.txt file in Modem directory for a comprehensive and tutorial report on your modem.

Wireless

Unencrypted connections works out of the box. Try running ifconfig eth1 up.

For encrypted connections, the ipw2200 module should be loaded with the option hwcrypto=0 . To automatically load the module with that option, add

options ipw2200 hwcrypto=0
to the file /etc/modutils/ipw2200 file. Run update-modules as root, and restart the module (rmmod ipw2200, modprobe ipw2200) or, if needed, restart the system.
Use the wpasupplicant package. Edit the /etc/network/interfaces and /etc/wpa_supplicant files according to your user data.
When calling wpa_supplicant, use the generic Linux driver, not the ipw driver.
An example for starting an encrypted connection

iwconfig eth1 essid "connection_name" enc open
wpa_supplicant -w -D wext -i eth1 -c /etc/wpa_supplicant.conf
ifup eth1
If required, get the ipw drivers from ipw2000 sourceforge project and extract them to /usr/local/lib/firmware.

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0000:00:00.0 Host bridge: Intel Corporation 82852/82855 GM/GME/PM/GMV Processor to I/O Controller (rev 02)
0000:00:00.1 System peripheral: Intel Corporation 82852/82855 GM/GME/PM/GMV Processor to I/O Controller (rev 02)
0000:00:00.3 System peripheral: Intel Corporation 82852/82855 GM/GME/PM/GMV Processor to I/O Controller (rev 02)
0000:00:02.0 VGA compatible controller: Intel Corporation 82852/855GM Integrated Graphics Device (rev 02)
0000:00:02.1 Display controller: Intel Corporation 82852/855GM Integrated Graphics Device (rev 02)
0000:00:1d.0 USB Controller: Intel Corporation 82801DB/DBL/DBM (ICH4/ICH4-L/ICH4-M) USB UHCI Controller #1 (rev 03)
0000:00:1d.1 USB Controller: Intel Corporation 82801DB/DBL/DBM (ICH4/ICH4-L/ICH4-M) USB UHCI Controller #2 (rev 03)
0000:00:1d.2 USB Controller: Intel Corporation 82801DB/DBL/DBM (ICH4/ICH4-L/ICH4-M) USB UHCI Controller #3 (rev 03)
0000:00:1d.7 USB Controller: Intel Corporation 82801DB/DBM (ICH4/ICH4-M) USB2 EHCI Controller (rev 03)
0000:00:1e.0 PCI bridge: Intel Corporation 82801 Mobile PCI Bridge (rev 83)
0000:00:1f.0 ISA bridge: Intel Corporation 82801DBM (ICH4-M) LPC Interface Bridge (rev 03)
0000:00:1f.1 IDE interface: Intel Corporation 82801DBM (ICH4-M) IDE Controller (rev 03)
0000:00:1f.5 Multimedia audio controller: Intel Corporation 82801DB/DBL/DBM (ICH4/ICH4-L/ICH4-M) AC'97 Audio Controller (rev 03)
0000:00:1f.6 Modem: Intel Corporation 82801DB/DBL/DBM (ICH4/ICH4-L/ICH4-M) AC'97 Modem Controller (rev 03)
0000:01:00.0 Ethernet controller: Realtek Semiconductor Co., Ltd. RTL-8139/8139C/8139C+ (rev 10)
0000:01:04.0 Network controller: Intel Corporation PRO/Wireless 2200BG (rev 05)
0000:01:05.0 CardBus bridge: Ricoh Co Ltd RL5c476 II (rev ac)
0000:01:05.1 CardBus bridge: Ricoh Co Ltd RL5c476 II (rev ac)
0000:01:05.2 FireWire (IEEE 1394): Ricoh Co Ltd R5C552 IEEE 1394 Controller (rev 04)

lsmod

Module	Size	Used by
isofs	32792	0
udf	73604	0
sd_mod	17136	2
usb_storage	64864	1
usbhid	32320	0
i915	17440	1
drm	64532	2 i915
cpufreq_ondemand	5820	1
cpufreq_userspace	4216	0
cpufreq_powersave	1632	0
speedstep_centrino	7060	1
freq_table	4164	1 speedstep_centrino
ipv6	221696	8
lp	10532	0
button	6448	0
ac	4676	0
battery	9412	0
nls_iso8859_1	3936	3
nls_cp437	5600	3
vfat	11584	3
fat	45948	1 vfat
nls_utf8	1920	1
ntfs	187984	1
sr_mod	16260	0
sbp2	21028	0
scsi_mod	125736	4 sd_mod,usb_storage,sr_mod,sbp2
pcmcia	35708	0
shpchp	39712	0
pci_hotplug	24756	1 shpchp
eth1394	18344	0
joydev	8864	0
evdev	8800	1
hsfmc97ich	67152	0
hsfserial	22180	1 hsfmc97ich
hsfengine	1316404	2 hsfmc97ich,hsfserial
hsfosspec	97768	4 hsfmc97ich,hsfserial,hsfengine
mousedev	10496	1
irtty_sir	7584	0
hsfsoar	85320	1 hsfmc97ich
snd_intel8x0	29596	1
snd_pcm_oss	45536	0
snd_mixer_oss	16448	2 snd_pcm_oss
snd_ac97_codec	82464	1 snd_intel8x0
snd_ac97_bus	2048	1 snd_ac97_codec
sir_dev	16972	1 irtty_sir
ipw2200	96236	0
intel_agp	20796	1
snd_pcm	77576	3 snd_intel8x0,snd_pcm_oss,snd_ac97_codec
snd_timer	21316	1 snd_pcm
snd	48420	6 snd_intel8x0,snd_pcm_oss,snd_mixer_oss,snd_ac97_codec,snd_pcm,snd_timer
irda	162300	2 irtty_sir,sir_dev
parport_pc	32036	1
parport	31624	2 lp,parport_pc
ieee80211	29064	1 ipw2200
ieee80211_crypt	5344	1 ieee80211
pcspkr	1668	0
psmouse	32356	0
serio_raw	6468	0
agpgart	31400	3 drm,intel_agp
soundcore	8928	2 snd
crc_ccitt	1952	1 irda
yenta_socket	24972	2
rsrc_nonstatic	11968	1 yenta_socket
pcmcia_core	37872	3 pcmcia,yenta_socket,rsrc_nonstatic
rtc	11316	0
snd_page_alloc	9928	2 snd_intel8x0,snd_pcm
firmware_class	9696	2 pcmcia,ipw2200
reiserfs	224048	2
ide_cd	36484	0
cdrom	33280	2 sr_mod,ide_cd
ide_disk	15712	7
ohci1394	30164	0
ieee1394	88152	3 sbp2,eth1394,ohci1394
piix	8964	0 [permanent]
generic	4260	0 [permanent]
ide_core	112800	5 usb_storage,ide_cd,ide_disk,piix,generic
8139cp	19488	0
8139too	25088	0
mii	5056	2 8139cp,8139too
ehci_hcd	28904	0
uhci_hcd	28016	0
usbcore	113284	6 usb_storage,usbhid,hsfosspec,ehci_hcd,uhci_hcd
thermal	13416	0
processor	22912	2 speedstep_centrino,thermal
fan	4580	0

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To Do

Enable the dialing sound in the modem.
Support for all hotkeys.
IRDA testing.
Bison camera testing.

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External Devices

The laptop is connected to the following fully working peripherals

Canon LiDE 60 Scanner
- Add
  
  # Canon Inc.|LIDE 60
  SYSFS{idVendor}=="04a9", SYSFS{idProduct}=="221c", MODE="664", GROUP="scanner"
  
  to /etc/udev/rules.d/025_libsane.rules (before LABEL="libsane_rules_end") and
  
  # Canon Inc.|LIDE 60
  0x04a9 0x221c root:scanner 0664
  
  to /etc/sane.d/hotplug .
- Add the user to the scanner group (adduser username scanner).
- Confirm the installation with sane-find-scanner and scanimage -L .
- Now use Kooka program to scan.
Epson Stylus D68 Color Printer
- Just follow the instructions in Debian Reference Guide for the CUPS interface.
- For more details, see the LinuxPrinting.org webpage entry.
Canon A80 Camera
- Add the user to the camera group (adduser username camera).
- Use digikam (or similar) to download, see and organize your pictures.
Pinnacle PCTV 100e TV Tuner
- Install the tvtime and sox packages.
- To enable sound, run sox
  
  sox -r 86000 -t ossdsp /dev/dsp1 -t ossdsp /dev/dsp
- Scan the channels using tvtime-scanner and watch them with tvtime.
- For more information, see video4linux wiki and this How-to (in French).

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Links

Send any questions to jfvasconcelos (at) gmail.com.
The same laptop on a pld-linux.org distribution here.
Debian page here.
Debian at Linux DistroWatch here.
ASUS A3N official page here.
ASUS ACPI module page here.

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Last updated: May 2006

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