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Install Debian GNU/Linux on Acer Aspire 9113 Wlmi


Hi all,
I’ve wrote this page, that originally was a raw text file, to collect in a whole document all the information and the procedures I’ve retrieve over the net about Debian GNU/Linux and this superb laptop.
I’ve always searched for these information over the net and I’ve found a couple of them all but scattered everywhere. This page is not the final version, I have to write a lot of other information. I engage myself to keep always update these information and procedures.
I hope you can found this page interesting and useful and if someone of you notes some incorrect information or procedures, I will appreciate corrections and changes you’ll suggest to me. It’s my opinion that a GNU/Linux user know enough the English language, so I’m sorry for the Italian reader, but I’ve choose to write this page directly in English without translation (however my English too is not perfect, I do my best!!!).
I would like to thanks Gkiagia for his great support, suggests and discussions.
Advhertz.

Last Update 2007/09/05.

Following the Free Software philosophy I am sharing my experiences and knowledge with everybody and everywhere…
I hope that when the readers discover some news about this laptop and its use with GNU/Linux (hardware compatibility, new functions, etc..) that I don’t know, I hope we can share this knowledge too!
And at the end I want to tell you that if you’ll find the information on this page usefull, you could leave a message at the end of the page and/or make a donation!

Hardware Support state legend:

Device well supported by standard Kernel! Device well supported by standard Kernel!
Device well supported with some user modification! Device well supported with some user modification!
Partial support, work in progress! Partial support, work in progress!

Device Type Status Device Name
Processor Intel Centrino Duo Mobile Technology, Intel Core Duo Processor T2400
Chipset Intel 945PM Express Chipset
RAM 2GB DDR2 SDRAM Dual Channel Memory
Hard Disk Seagate Momentus ST9120821AS
DVD Disk Matshita DVD-RAM UJ-845S
Graphic Card NVIDIA GeForce Go 7600
TV Tuner/MPEG Card AverMedia M115 H/W MPEG Hybrid (*)
Camera Acer OrbiCam Integrated camera
Screen Acer CrystalBrite Screen
Audio Card Realtek ALC883
Wired Network Card Broadcom NetLink BCM5789 Wired Network Card
Wireless Network Card Intel PRO/Wireless 3945ABG Network Card (*)
Bluetooth Device Broadcom BCM92045NMD Bluetooth Device (*)
Modem Device Conexant CX11270 SmartMC4 HDA Modem
FireWire Device VIA Technologies Fire VT6306/L IEEE 1394 Link-Layer
PCMCIA/Express Card Device ENE Technology Inc CB-712/4 Cardbus Controller
Card Reader Device ENE Technology Inc PCI memory stick card reader controller
ENE Technology Inc Secure Digital / MMC card reader controller
ENE Technology Inc Smart Media / xD card reader controller
Infra Red Device SMSC IrCC 2.0 Fast InfraRed port
LED Button 2 LED ON/OFF buttons: WLAN, Bluetooth
Hot Keys Hot keys: touchpad on/off, volume up/down and mute on/off controlm, LCD brightness controls
Media Keys 9 media keys: Acer Arcade, movie, TV, music, record, play/pause, stop, previous, next
Remote Control Acer Remote Controller RC-802 (48 keys)
Touch Pad Synaptic Touchpad with 4-way integrated scroll button
Power External power supply and Li-ion Battery
(*) Supported and enhanced by Acer SignalUp™ wireless technology

Standard hardware asset

lspci output:

00:00.0 Host bridge: Intel Corporation Mobile 945GM/PM/GMS/940GML and 945GT Express Memory Controller Hub (rev 03)
00:01.0 PCI bridge: Intel Corporation Mobile 945GM/PM/GMS/940GML and 945GT Express PCI Express Root Port (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 #1 (rev 02)
00:1d.1 USB Controller: Intel Corporation 82801G (ICH7 Family) USB UHCI #2 (rev 02)
00:1d.2 USB Controller: Intel Corporation 82801G (ICH7 Family) USB UHCI #3 (rev 02)
00:1d.3 USB Controller: Intel Corporation 82801G (ICH7 Family) USB UHCI #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.2 IDE interface: Intel Corporation 82801GBM/GHM (ICH7 Family) Serial ATA Storage Controller IDE (rev 02)
00:1f.3 SMBus: Intel Corporation 82801G (ICH7 Family) SMBus Controller (rev 02)
01:00.0 VGA compatible controller: nVidia Corporation G70 [GeForce Go 7600] (rev a1)
04:00.0 Ethernet controller: Broadcom Corporation NetLink BCM5789 Gigabit Ethernet PCI Express (rev 21)
05:00.0 Network controller: Intel Corporation PRO/Wireless 3945ABG Network Connection (rev 02)
06:00.0 FireWire (IEEE 1394): VIA Technologies, Inc. IEEE 1394 Host Controller (rev c0)
06:02.0 Multimedia controller: Philips Semiconductors SAA7133/SAA7135 Video Broadcast Decoder (rev d1)
06:04.0 CardBus bridge: ENE Technology Inc CB-712/4 Cardbus Controller (rev 10)
06:04.1 FLASH memory: ENE Technology Inc ENE PCI Memory Stick Card Reader Controller (rev 01)
06:04.2 Generic system peripheral [0805]: ENE Technology Inc ENE PCI Secure Digital Card Reader Controller (rev 01)
06:04.3 FLASH memory: ENE Technology Inc FLASH memory: ENE Technology Inc: (rev 01)
06:04.4 FLASH memory: ENE Technology Inc Unknown device 0551 (rev 01)
lsusb output:

Bus 003 Device 001: ID 0000:0000
Bus 005 Device 001: ID 0000:0000
Bus 001 Device 001: ID 0000:0000
Bus 001 Device 003: ID 046d:0892 Logitech, Inc. -> Camera
Bus 004 Device 002: ID 0a5c:2101 Broadcom Corp. -> Bluetooth Device
Bus 004 Device 001: ID 0000:0000
Bus 002 Device 001: ID 0000:0000

Custom Kernel compiling

Processor

Features

Linux Specifics

GCC Compiler specific parameter:

CFLAGS parameter
CHOST="i686-pc-linux-gnu"
CFLAGS="-march=prescott -mfpmath=sse -msse3 -O2 -pipe -fomit-frame-pointer" (*)
MAKE parameters
MAKEOPTS="-j4" (**)
(*) It has been confirmed by hongjiu.lu@intel.com that prescott is the correct microarchitecture to use with this CPU. Read here.
(**) It gives a great compile time improve, especially during the kernel compiling!!!

Chipset

Features

Linux Specifics

  • The relative modules are compiled inside the kernel to optimize the access on it.

    • HardDisk

    Features

    Linux Specifics

    That’s my hard disk partitioning:
    # fdisk /dev/sda 

    Disk /dev/sda: 120.0 GB, 120034123776 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 14593 cylinders
Units = cylinders of 16065 * 512 = 8225280 bytes

Device     Boot    Start    End     Blocks    Id    System
/dev/sda1             1     509    4088511    12    Compaq diagnostics
/dev/sda2    *      510    7519   56307825     7    HPFS/NTFS
/dev/sda3          7520   14593   56821905     f    W95 Ext'd (LBA)
/dev/sda5          7520    7781   2104483+    82    Linux swap / Solaris
/dev/sda6          7782   11698   31463271    83    Linux
/dev/sda7         11699   14593   23254056     b    W95 FAT32

    DVD Disk

    Features:

    Linux Specific

    Graphics Card

    Features

    Linux Specifics

    Used Kernel Modules:
    nvidia

    TV Tuner/MPEG Card

    Features

    Linux Specifics

    Used Kernel Modules:
    videodev
    v4l1_compat
    v4l2_common
    videodev
    video_buf
    video_buf_dvb
    dvb_core
    tda1004x
    tuner
    xc3028_tuner
    mt352
    dvb_pll
    saa7134
    saa7134_alsa
    saa7134_dvb
    compat_ioctl32
    ir_common
    ir_kbd_i2c

    Camera

    Features

    Linux Specifics

    Used Kernel Modules:
    gspca
    videodev
    v4l1_compat
    v4l2_common

    Screen

    Features

    Linux Specifics

    Audio Card

    Features

    Linux Specifics

    With the kernel version I suggest to use these are alsa devices and their relative controls:

    Used Kernel Modules:
    snd
    snd_timer
    snd_pcm
    snd_pcm_oss
    snd_mixer_oss
    snd_hda_codec
    snd_hda_intel

    Wired Network Card

    Features

    Linux Specifics

    Used Kernel Modules:
    tg3

    Wireless Network Card

    Features

    Linux Specifics

    Note: The driver I am going to show you are open source, but it makes use of an user space daemon that is not open, it is closed and it’s property of Intel. It works very well but doesn’t allows some very cool wifi features like for example packet injection.
    Now I’m working with these other ones that are: fully open source, doesnt’ needs any user space daemon and allows all the coolest wifi features. The problems is that for now are not in a stable version and doesn’t works alwasy well. The good aspect is that there is a very high development work on it, so…stay tuned!

    Used Kernel Modules:
    ipw3945
    ieee80211
    ieee80211_crypt

    Bluetooth Device

    Features

    Linux Specifics

  • If you want to manage this device with the “ON DEMAND MODULE LOADING SYSTEM” that let you to manage all the modules and their relative daemons load/unload, read the following steps.
    1. Copy the advhertz_bluetooth_load and advhertz_bluetooth_unload you can download in my files section into your /usr/local/sbin directory.
    2. Add this line at the end of the file /etc/modprobe.d/blacklist for not loading the module at boot time.

      3. blacklist hci_usb

    3. To load all the driver and their relative daemons type as root:

      4. # advhertz_bluetooth_load

    4. To unload all the driver and their relative daemons type as root:

      5. # advhertz_bluetooth_unload

    I use daily these Bluetooth functions perfectly:

    I suggest to use GAMMU as Mobile Management Program that supports Bluetooth connection too.

    Used Kernel Modules:
    bluetooth
    bnep
    hidp
    l2cap
    rfcomm
    sco
    hci_uart
    hci_usb

    Modem Device

    Features

    Linux Specifics

    FireWire Device

    Features

    Linux Specifics

    Used Kernel Modules:
    ieee1394
    eth1394
    ohci1394
    dv1394
    raw1394
    video1394

    PCMCIA/Express Card Device

    Linux Specifics

    Used Kernel Modules:
    pcmcia
    pcmcia_core
    yenta_socket
    rsrc_nonstatic

    CardReader Device

    Features

    Linux Specifics

    Used Kernel Modules:
    sdhci
    mmc_core
    mmc_block

    InfraRed Device

    Features

    Linux Specifics

    Hot Keys, Media Keys and Remote Control

    Features

    • The touchpad on/off [Fn+F7] and the brightness controls [Fn+left/right] are managed at hardware level so are always valid
    • The remote controller RC-802, that works via front CIR (Consumer InfraRed), port is an extension of the keyboard so may buttons like the directional arrow and the numeric pad on bottom are always valid

    Linux Specifics

    Some special keys how the € and $ character up the left and right arrows, the up/down volume control or the sleep button for example and all the 9 media keys are not managed at hardware level so you have to tell the system how to manage these ones. Read the following steps to achieve this feature.

      Acer Hot Keys Management How To:

      1. Download special keys files in my files section below and extract it somewhere in your file system.
      2. I suggest to copy all the extracted file into the directory ~/bin , if the directory not exist, create it doing: $ mkdir ~/bin or mkdir $HOME/bin
      3. Changes to apply at file acerhk file:
        • Make it executable doing:$ chmod +x acerhk
        • Editing this file, change the path of your files modifying the content of the following variable with the path of the directory you’ve created at point 2:SETUP_KEYCODES_PATH="you_have_to_write_the_right_path_here"
      4. Copy the file acerhk in the /etc/init.d , doing as root:# cp acerhk /etc/init.d
      5. Make it runnable at boot time for all runlevel, doing as root:# cd acerhk /etc/init.d
        # update-rc.d acerhk defaults
      6. Add this line at the end of the file /etc/modprobe.d/options to well configure the moduleoptions acerhk poll=0
    • These steps are valid for the console (raw text) environment; for manage the hot keys under X system read the following steps

      • Using, as I do, GNOME:

      1. You have to execute the “map_keys” file at every GNOME session doing:Select menu Desktop -> Preferences -> Sessions
        Click on the "Startup Program"
        Click on "Add" button
        Insert or browse the path to the map_key file
        Click "Close" button
      2. Then you have to associate the new creates key codes with some specific action that manage the window manager doing: Select menu Desktop -> Preferences -> Keyboard Shortcuts
        Click on the action you want to associates with a button
        Press the button you want to associate at the specific action        Personally I’ve made the following associations:

        Action Shortcut Keyboard button
        Personal Folder XF86Calcuter P button
        Email XF86Mail Email button
        Web Browser XF86WWW Web Browser button
        Terminal XF86Terminal E button
        Lauch music player XF86Music Music button
        Mute ON/OFF XF86AudioMute Fn+F8
        Lower Audio Volume XF86AudioLowerVolume Fn+Down Arrow
        Raise Audio Volume XF86AudioRaiseVolume Fn+Up Arrow
        Play/Pause Audio XF86iTouch Play/Pause Button
        Stop Audio XF86AudioStop Stop Button
        Prev Audio Track XF86AudioPrev Prev Track Button
        Next Audio Track XF86AudioNext Next Track Button

      Using KDE:

      1. You have to create a symlink at the “map_keys” file in the ~/.kde/Autostart directory.

    TouchPad

    Features

    • 1000 DPI of resolution
    • Configurable and Programmable behaviors
    • Advanced features:
      • Virtual Scrolling: By swiping your finger along the side or bottom of the TouchPad you can scroll horizontally and vertically
      • PalmCheck: Eliminates the occurrence of false activation due to the user’s hand accidentally brushing against the sensor
      • EdgeMotion: Allows the cursor to continue moving when the finger reaches the edge of the TouchPad sensor
      • Customizable Tap Zones: Simulate right mouse clicks, launch applications or perform other programmable functions by tapping on designated tap zones

    Linux Specifics

      With the specific Xorg driver and its configuration program like gsynaptic, ksynaptic or qsynaptic (the first for GNOME, the second for KDE and the third for both), this device works better in GNU/Linux system than Windowz.To download the specific Xorg driver do as root:# apt-get install xserver-xorg-input-synapticIn order to activate the driver on Xorg you have to do some modification on xorg.conf file. If you download the file I use in my files section, you don’t have to do these modification. However in my file there are comment to indicates these changes.

    Power

    Features

    • 71 W Li-ion battery pack (8 cell)
    • 90 W AC adapter
    • Up to average 3 hours battery life (this value can be obtained following my power’s suggestions)

    Linux Specifics

    • ACPI 2.0 works
    • Power saving works
    • Suspend and Hibernate works
      I suggest to install these packages to achieve the maximum power saving:

      • Laptop Mode
      • CPU Frequency Scaling

        • apt-get install laptop-mode-tools cpufreqd cpufrequtils gnome-applets
        Then, in order to configure this feature you have to:

        • Uncomment these line in /etc/default/cpufrequtils file:

          • ENABLE="true"
          GOVERNOR="ondemand"

        • Reconfigure the gnome applets package:

          • To use the CPU Frequency Scaling GNOME applet as normal user you have to enable the SUID behaviours for the applet self.
          Answer “YES” after running this command:
          sudo dpkg-reconfigure gnome-applets

    My Files

    In this section I’ve uploaded all the files you needs for the configuration

    Other Stuff

    Changelog

    • 2007/09/05 TV Tuner/MPEG Card section: added DIGITAL TUNER usage, Card Reader Device: updated
    • 2007/07/16 Custom Kernel Compiling section: updated to 2.6.22, PCMCIA Device and Express Card Device section: merged, Card Reader Device: updated
    • 2007/07/06 Custom Kernel Compiling section: updated to 2.6.22-rc7, TV Tuner/MPEG Card section: added mplayer usage
    • 2007/06/08 TV Tuner/MPEG Card section: added experimental driver simple usage
    • 2007/04/04 Hot Keys, Media Keys and Remote Control section: added Window Manager Shortcuts
    • 2007/03/16 IrDA section: finished
    • 2007/03/08 Camera section: updated with the V4L dependacies
    • 2007/03/07 Hot Keys, Media Keys and Remote Control section: added Acer Hot Keys Management How To, Audio Card section: updated volume controls specifics
    • 2007/03/06 Custom Kernel Compiling section: finished, Power section: added power saving suggests
    • 2007/03/05 Custom Kernel Compiling section: started
    • 2007/03/02 First release

    Commenti»

    1. Joe's - 29 Marzo 2007

    Great job man!!!

    2. Beastie Boy - 4 Aprile 2007

    Just as I was considering a Ubuntu installation on my Acer 9114, I come across this! Fantastic.

    Thank you very much.

    P.S. I look forward to any updates as hardware support progresses :)

    3. jason - 14 Maggio 2007

    i have installed ubuntu 7.10 on my acer 5625wsmi travelmate and cannot get the bluetooth to turn on to save myself.

    if you could give me any hint or direction i would be very appreciative.

    i havnt uses a custom kernel , do i have to just for bluetooth?

    i compiled acerhk version 0.5.35 and it loads,
    thank you.

    4. antonis - 17 Ottobre 2007

    Great Job!!! thanks… I have the very same laptop and i was trying to figure out how to begin : ))))

    5. Antonella - 7 Novembre 2007

    Good job, I’m waiting for V.92/V.90 linux kernels to make my modem work with ubuntu 7.04 (on a sony vaio laptop)

    6. Melina - 21 Dicembre 2007

    very interesting. i’m adding in RSS Reader

    7. music - 8 Gennaio 2008

    very interesting.
    i’m adding in RSS Reader

    8. jacky - 10 Gennaio 2008

    Thank you for this outstanding article.

    9. tom - 15 Gennaio 2008

    It’s a very useful application!

    10. toolbattery - 22 Febbraio 2008

    a good read

    11. battery - 15 Marzo 2008

    good read

    12. battery - 20 Marzo 2008

    good

    13. minamito - 6 Aprile 2008

    Acer Aspire 5050 5430 Laptop Computer