I started to work on this unit since September 2007, tried to pump the Linux in. I have tried to install many distros; the result was failed and failed again. I considered this as a trigger for m to keep pushing myself harder in knowing about Linux. I didn’t want myself just as a Linux installer, i wanted more.
I have tried to install PCLOS2007, Vector, DreamLinux, OpenSuse, Skole, Slackware, Mandriva, IGOS to this laptop. But…like usual, it kept rejecting them. The last; i returned to edubuntu-7.04 again. I asked questions to edubuntu-users@lists.ubuntu.com about my problem. Any Linux that i installed on can not display a good graphic (graphic card problem), can not connect to the wireless and it’s mute (sound problem).
One of edubuntu users told me that i have to force this unit to run in save graphical mode by doing;
edit /etc/X11/xorg.conf, go to the Device stanza for your video card and change the driver to vesa, eg:
Section “Device”
Identifier “ATI Technologies, Inc. ATI Default Card”
Driver “vesa”
BusID “PCI:3:0:0”EndSection
Then do sudo /etc/init.d/gdm restart
Actually, an alternative and possibly better way to do this is to run:
sudo dpkg-reconfigure xserver-xorg
You will be led through a series of menus. Take the default answer to all questions (there are quite a few), except where you are asked for the “X server driver”, when you should choose “vesa”. Once that’s done, try restarting the display manager
sudo /etc/init.d/gdm restart
yes, it worked….in safe graphic mode, but it didn’t satisfied me.
Here is the way out;
How to set the display ( nVIDIA 7000M )
go to Applications – Add/Remove
type nvidia and choose : nvidia binary X.org driver (‘new’ driver )
click on apply button and wait until the installation finished
go to system – Restricted Drivers Manager – enable the NVIDIA
open terminal
type sudo vi /etc/X11/xorg.conf
replace the resolution manually from “1024×768” to “1280×800”
reboot the computer
How to set the wireless ( Atheros – AR5007EG )
download the AR5007EG windriver
install ndiswrapper manually
open terminal; type sudo rmmod ath_pci ( remove the pci module )
type sudo vi /etc/modprobe.d/blacklist-common
insert : blacklist ath_pci ( to put ath_pci in blaklist mode )
save it and restart the computer
extract the windriver into one folder ( ex: documents )
go to System – Administration – Windows Wireless Drivers
install net521.inf
click configure button and set it up
open terminal; type sudo ndiswrapper -m ( to load ndis on restart )
reboot the computer
How to set the sound ( Realtek High Definition Audio a.k.a Realtek ALC268 )
install linux-backports-modules-2.6.22.14-generic
install linux-backports-modules-generic_2.6.22.14
open terminal; type sudo vi /etc/modprobe.d/alsa-base
insert : options snd-hda-intel model=acer
reboot the computer
By November 05, 2007, i finished my long journey to make ACER Aspire 4520 runs in Windows XP and Ubuntu Gutsy Gibbons, as an addition; this laptop was Vista design.. 😀
~E~