Installing Debian Lenny (testing) 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	No special procedure required during installation
Intel Graphics Media Accelerator 950	Works	'intel' 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	requires 'firmware-iwlwifi'
Intel 82801G High Definition Audio	Works	No special procedure required during installation
5-in-1 Card Reader (SD/MMC/MS/MS Pro/xD)	Works	No special procedure required during installation
DVD writer (DVD±RW)	Works	No special procedure required during installation
Logitech 1.3MP Orbicam	Works	requires 'gspca-modules-2.6-686'
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 2.6.25-2-686 #1 SMP Fri Jul 18 17:46:56 UTC 2008 i686 GNU/Linux

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

Setting up additional features

Wireless (iwl3945)

To get the wireless working:
# apt-get install firmware-iwlwifi

Acer Orbicam (046d:0896)

To get the wwebcam working:
# apt-get install gspca-modules-2.6-686

Synaptics Pad (touchpad)

Touchpad does not work correctly

Backup xorg.conf first
# cp /etc/X11/xorg.conf /etc/X11/xorg.conf.orig
Edit /etc/X11/xorg.conf
# nano /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:
# dpkg-reconfigure -phigh xserver-xorg

Synaptics Touchpad does not disable while typing

Part 1

Backup xorg.conf first
# cp /etc/X11/xorg.conf /etc/X11/xorg.conf.backup
Edit /etc/X11/xorg.conf
# nano /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
# /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
# /etc/init.d/gdm restart

Configuration Files

/etc/X11/xorg.conf

# 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 xorg.conf manual page.
# (Type "man 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/fonts/X11/cyrillic"
        FontPath        "/usr/share/fonts/X11/misc"
        FontPath        "/usr/share/fonts/X11/Type1"
        FontPath        "/usr/share/fonts/X11/100dpi"
	FontPath	"/usr/share/fonts/X11/100dpi/:unscaled"
        FontPath        "/usr/share/fonts/X11/75dpi"
	FontPath	"/usr/share/fonts/X11/75dpi/:unscaled"
	# 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		"dbe"
	Load		"extmod"
	Load		"freetype"
	Load		"glx"
	Load		"int10"
	Load		"vbe"
EndSection

Section "InputDevice"
	Identifier	"Generic Keyboard"
	Driver		"kbd"
	Option		"CoreKeyboard"
	Option		"XkbRules"	"xorg"
	Option		"XkbModel"	"pc104"
	Option		"XkbLayout"	"us"
EndSection

Section "InputDevice"
	Identifier	"Configured Mouse"
	Driver		"mouse"
	Option		"CorePointer"
	Option		"Device"		"/dev/input/mice"
	Option		"Protocol"		"ImPS/2"
	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 945GM/GMS, 943/940GML Express Integrated Graphics Controller"
	Driver		"intel"
	BusID		"PCI:0:2:0"
	Videoram	131072
	Option		"DRI"			"true"
	Option		"AccelMethod"		"EXA"
EndSection

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

Section "Screen"
	Identifier	"Default Screen"
	Device		"Intel Corporation Mobile 945GM/GMS, 943/940GML Express Integrated Graphics Controller"
	Monitor		"Generic Monitor"
	DefaultDepth	24
	SubSection "Display"
		Modes		"1280x800"
	EndSubSection
EndSection

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

Section "DRI"
	Mode	0666
EndSection

Section "Extensions"
	Option		"Composite"	"Enable"
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