Installing Ubuntu 6.10 on an Acer Aspire 5601AWLMi

A work in progress... last updated:

Summary

General Hardware Specifications of Acer Aspire 5601AWLMi
Base Hardware Components (current)	Status under Linux	Notes
Intel Core Duo, 1.60 GHz	Works	No special procedure required during installation
15.4″ WXGA CystalBrite LCD	Works	1280x800 via 915resolution tool
Intel Graphics Media Accelerator 950	Works	i810 driver for 3D acceleration
1GB DDR2 (2DIMMs)	Works	No special procedure required during installation
80 GB Hard Drive	Works	No special procedure required during installation
RTL-8139/8139C/8139C+ Integrated Network Card	Works	No special procedure required during installation
Intel PRO/Wireless 3945ABG Wi-Fi LAN	Works	No special procedure required during installation
Intel 82801G High Definition Audio	Works	No special procedure required during installation
5-in-1 Card Reader (SD/MMC/MS/MS Pro/xD)	Works	tifm_7xx1 module
DVD writer (DVD±RW)	Works	No special procedure required during installation
Logitech 1.3MP Orbicam	Works	gspca module
Synaptics Pad (touchpad)	Semi Works	Needs tweaking to get it fully working correctly
Internal 56k Modem	Might work	Linuxant hsfmodem modules (14.4kb/s)

This laptop is operating under Kernel version 2.6.17-11-generic #2 SMP Fri May 18 23:39:08 UTC 2007 i686 GNU/Linux

KEY:
Highlighted = Terminal Commands
Highlighted = Terminal Outputs
Highlighted = Infomation to append

Setting up additional features

Screen resolution (915resolution)

The 915resolution package was used for setting the screen resolution to 1280x800.
sudo apt-get install 915resolution

Wireless (ipw3945)

To get the wireless on / off switch to work on the front you have to:
sudo apt-get install linux-restricted-modules-$(uname -r)

5-in-1 card reader (SD/MMC/MS/MS Pro/xD)

Loading the drivers from terminal type:
        sudo modprobe tifm_sd
Now to insert a SD media card and it should auto mount.
If all went well you can now edit the the /etc/modules file so you can load the drivers for the card reader on boot up.
From terminal type:
        gksudo gedit /etc/modules
Add the drivers to the modules file
        tifm_sd
save the file

Acer Orbicam (046d:0896)

The gspca module now works with my Orbicam, using an appropriate v4l player, as of the December 16th build, found here (for what it's worth, the December 5th build almost works... the camera LED turns on). One v4l program that works with this module is spcaview, but many other v4l programs are available. See the gspca download page here for more information, including other cameras supported by the same driver.

To check if webcam is detected:
        lsusb
You should get output similar to this:
        Bus 005 Device 002: ID 046d:0896 Logitech, Inc.
As we have to compile the drivers, the prerequisites are:
       sudo apt-get install build-essential linux-headers-$(uname -r)
Go to the folder where you saved the source file and uncompress archive:
        tar zxvf gspcav1-20061216.tar.gz
Compile and Install the drivers:
       cd gspcav1-20061216/
       make
       sudo make install

Now to load the module:
       sudo modprobe gspca
Now to check the following device node is created:
       ls /dev/video*
You should get an output that looks similar to this:
       lrwxrwxrwx 1 root root 6 2007-01-01 16:14 /dev/video -> video0
       crw-rw---- 1 root video 81, 0 2007-01-01 16:14 /dev/video0
Now you are all done, and you can test the cam with Ekiga Softphone

Optional Part

The following here might work for some peoples setup, but for me it does not work and makes the image have a blue colour to it all and does not look natural. Tune the gspca module loading
gksudo gedit /etc/modprobe.d/options
Add the following to the file:
options gspca force_rgb=1
Save and Close.
Now you can retest the cam with Ekiga Softphone

Synaptics Pad (touchpad)

Touchpad does not work correctly

Backup xorg.conf first
sudo cp /etc/X11/xorg.conf /etc/X11/xorg.conf.orig
Edit /etc/X11/xorg.conf
gksudo gedit /etc/X11/xorg.conf
and put this info in

Section "InputDevice"
	Identifier	"Synaptics Touchpad"
	Driver		"synaptics"
	Option		"SendCoreEvents"	"true"
	Option		"Device"		"/dev/psaux"
	Option		"Protocol"		"auto-dev"
	Option		"HorizScrollDelta"	"0"
EndSection

and insert the following line into the Section "ServerLayout"
InputDevice "Synaptics Touchpad"
Now save the file and then in terminal run:
sudo dpkg-reconfigure -phigh xserver-xorg

Synaptics Touchpad does not disable while typing

Part 1

Backup xorg.conf first
sudo cp /etc/X11/xorg.conf /etc/X11/xorg.conf.backup
Edit /etc/X11/xorg.conf
gksudo gedit /etc/X11/xorg.conf
Search for a section that looks like this:

	Section "InputDevice"
	Identifier "Synaptics Touchpad"
	...
	End Section

Add a line above the End Section line and put this into it:
Option "SHMConfig" "on"
Now save the file and Restart X
sudo /etc/init.d/gdm restart

Part 2

Open the sessions manager:

System -> Preferences
-> Session

Click the far right tab labeled Startup Programs
Click the Add button
Type in the following:
syndaemon -i 1 -d
Press ok then Press close
Now restart X
sudo /etc/init.d/gdm restart

Configuration Files

/etc/X11/xorg.conf

# /etc/X11/xorg.conf (xorg X Window System server configuration file)
#
# This file was generated by dexconf, the Debian X Configuration tool, using
# values from the debconf database.
#
# Edit this file with caution, and see the /etc/X11/xorg.conf manual page.
# (Type "man /etc/X11/xorg.conf" at the shell prompt.)
#
# This file is automatically updated on xserver-xorg package upgrades *only*
# if it has not been modified since the last upgrade of the xserver-xorg
# package.
#
# If you have edited this file but would like it to be automatically updated
# again, run the following command:
#   sudo dpkg-reconfigure -phigh xserver-xorg

Section "Files"
	FontPath	"/usr/share/X11/fonts/misc"
	FontPath	"/usr/share/X11/fonts/cyrillic"
	FontPath	"/usr/share/X11/fonts/100dpi/:unscaled"
	FontPath	"/usr/share/X11/fonts/75dpi/:unscaled"
	FontPath	"/usr/share/X11/fonts/Type1"
	FontPath	"/usr/share/X11/fonts/100dpi"
	FontPath	"/usr/share/X11/fonts/75dpi"
	FontPath	"/usr/share/fonts/X11/misc"
	# path to defoma fonts
	FontPath	"/var/lib/defoma/x-ttcidfont-conf.d/dirs/TrueType"
EndSection

Section "Module"
	Load	"i2c"
	Load	"bitmap"
	Load	"ddc"
	Load	"dri"
	Load	"extmod"
	Load	"freetype"
	Load	"glx"
	Load	"int10"
	Load	"type1"
	Load	"vbe"
EndSection

Section "InputDevice"
	Identifier	"Generic Keyboard"
	Driver		"kbd"
	Option		"CoreKeyboard"
	Option		"XkbRules"	"xorg"
	Option		"XkbModel"	"pc105"
	Option		"XkbLayout"	"us"
	Option		"XkbOptions"	"lv3:ralt_switch"
EndSection

Section "InputDevice"
	Identifier	"Configured Mouse"
	Driver		"mouse"
	Option		"CorePointer"
	Option		"Device"		"/dev/input/mice"
	Option		"Protocol"		"ExplorerPS/2"
	Option		"ZAxisMapping"		"4 5"
	Option		"Emulate3Buttons"	"true"
EndSection

Section "InputDevice"
	Identifier	"Synaptics Touchpad"
	Driver		"synaptics"
	Option		"SendCoreEvents"	"true"
	Option		"Device"		"/dev/psaux"
	Option		"Protocol"		"auto-dev"
	Option		"HorizScrollDelta"	"0"
        Option          "SHMConfig"             "on"
EndSection

Section "Device"
	Identifier	"Intel Corporation Mobile Integrated Graphics Controller"
	Driver		"i810"
	BusID		"PCI:0:2:0"
EndSection

Section "Monitor"
	Identifier	"Generic Monitor"
	Option		"DPMS"
	HorizSync	28-64
	VertRefresh	43-60
EndSection

Section "Screen"
	Identifier	"Default Screen"
	Device		"Intel Corporation Mobile Integrated Graphics Controller"
	Monitor		"Generic Monitor"
	DefaultDepth	24
	SubSection "Display"
		Depth		1
		Modes		"1280x800"
	EndSubSection
	SubSection "Display"
		Depth		4
		Modes		"1280x800"
	EndSubSection
	SubSection "Display"
		Depth		8
		Modes		"1280x800"
	EndSubSection
	SubSection "Display"
		Depth		15
		Modes		"1280x800"
	EndSubSection
	SubSection "Display"
		Depth		16
		Modes		"1280x800"
	EndSubSection
	SubSection "Display"
		Depth		24
		Modes		"1280x800"
	EndSubSection
EndSection

Section "ServerLayout"
	Identifier	"Default Layout"
	Screen		"Default Screen"
	InputDevice	"Generic Keyboard"
	InputDevice	"Configured Mouse"
	InputDevice	"Synaptics Touchpad"
EndSection

Section "DRI"
	Mode	0666
EndSection

More Specific Information

System Info

bios-version:v0.3122
system-manufacturer:Acer, inc.
system-product-name:Aspire 5600
system-version:Not Applicable

lspci

00:00.0 Host bridge: Intel Corporation Mobile 945GM/PM/GMS, 943/940GML and 945GT Express Memory Controller Hub (rev 03)
00:02.0 VGA compatible controller: Intel Corporation Mobile 945GM/GMS, 943/940GML Express Integrated Graphics Controller (rev 03)
00:02.1 Display controller: Intel Corporation Mobile 945GM/GMS, 943/940GML Express Integrated Graphics Controller (rev 03)
00:1b.0 Audio device: Intel Corporation 82801G (ICH7 Family) High Definition Audio Controller (rev 02)
00:1c.0 PCI bridge: Intel Corporation 82801G (ICH7 Family) PCI Express Port 1 (rev 02)
00:1c.1 PCI bridge: Intel Corporation 82801G (ICH7 Family) PCI Express Port 2 (rev 02)
00:1c.2 PCI bridge: Intel Corporation 82801G (ICH7 Family) PCI Express Port 3 (rev 02)
00:1c.3 PCI bridge: Intel Corporation 82801G (ICH7 Family) PCI Express Port 4 (rev 02)
00:1d.0 USB Controller: Intel Corporation 82801G (ICH7 Family) USB UHCI Controller #1 (rev 02)
00:1d.1 USB Controller: Intel Corporation 82801G (ICH7 Family) USB UHCI Controller #2 (rev 02)
00:1d.2 USB Controller: Intel Corporation 82801G (ICH7 Family) USB UHCI Controller #3 (rev 02)
00:1d.3 USB Controller: Intel Corporation 82801G (ICH7 Family) USB UHCI Controller #4 (rev 02)
00:1d.7 USB Controller: Intel Corporation 82801G (ICH7 Family) USB2 EHCI Controller (rev 02)
00:1e.0 PCI bridge: Intel Corporation 82801 Mobile PCI Bridge (rev e2)
00:1f.0 ISA bridge: Intel Corporation 82801GBM (ICH7-M) LPC Interface Bridge (rev 02)
00:1f.1 IDE interface: Intel Corporation 82801G (ICH7 Family) IDE Controller (rev 02)
00:1f.3 SMBus: Intel Corporation 82801G (ICH7 Family) SMBus Controller (rev 02)
02:00.0 Network controller: Intel Corporation PRO/Wireless 3945ABG Network Connection (rev 02)
0a:00.0 Ethernet controller: Realtek Semiconductor Co., Ltd. RTL-8139/8139C/8139C+ (rev 10)
0a:09.0 CardBus bridge: Texas Instruments PCIxx12 Cardbus Controller
0a:09.2 Mass storage controller: Texas Instruments 5-in-1 Multimedia Card Reader (SD/MMC/MS/MS PRO/xD)
0a:09.3 Class 0805: Texas Instruments PCIxx12 SDA Standard Compliant SD Host Controller

lsusb

Bus 005 Device 002: ID 046d:0896 Logitech, Inc. 
Bus 005 Device 001: ID 0000:0000  
Bus 002 Device 001: ID 0000:0000  
Bus 001 Device 001: ID 0000:0000  
Bus 003 Device 001: ID 0000:0000  
Bus 004 Device 001: ID 0000:0000

Cpu Info

processor       : 0
vendor_id       : GenuineIntel
cpu family      : 6
model           : 14
model name      : Genuine Intel(R) CPU           T2050  @ 1.60GHz
stepping        : 8
cpu MHz         : 800.000
cache size      : 2048 KB
physical id     : 0
siblings        : 1
core id         : 255
cpu cores       : 1
fdiv_bug        : no
hlt_bug         : no
f00f_bug        : no
coma_bug        : no
fpu             : yes
fpu_exception   : yes
cpuid level     : 10
wp              : yes
flags           : fpu vme de pse tsc msr pae mce cx8 apic sep mtrr pge mca cmov pat clflush dts acpi mmx fxsr sse sse2 ss ht tm pbe nx constant_tsc pni monitor est tm2 xtpr
bogomips        : 3204.13

processor       : 1
vendor_id       : GenuineIntel
cpu family      : 6
model           : 14
model name      : Genuine Intel(R) CPU           T2050  @ 1.60GHz
stepping        : 8
cpu MHz         : 800.000
cache size      : 2048 KB
physical id     : 1
siblings        : 1
core id         : 255
cpu cores       : 1
fdiv_bug        : no
hlt_bug         : no
f00f_bug        : no
coma_bug        : no
fpu             : yes
fpu_exception   : yes
cpuid level     : 10
wp              : yes
flags           : fpu vme de pse tsc msr pae mce cx8 apic sep mtrr pge mca cmov pat clflush dts acpi mmx fxsr sse sse2 ss ht tm pbe nx constant_tsc pni monitor est tm2 xtpr
bogomips        : 3200.33