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Português: Este é um tutorial em Inglês sobre a instalação do Linux Ubuntu Gutsy 7.10 no notebook Asus W7S, feito para o site Linux-on-laptops.

English: This is a tutorial for installing Ubuntu Gutsy 7.10 on Asus W7S notebook, written for linux-on-laptops website.

Important Warning: My issues with W7S and nVidia GeForce 8400m overheating GPU

Last updated: 07/14/2008

General Hardware Specifications of Asus W7S R:

This laptop is operating under Kernel version 2.6.22-14-generic

Basic Installation of Ubuntu Gutsy 7.10:

• Why to use Ubuntu Gutsy 7.10: It has a nice hardware support, and a great community. I’ve tried OpenSuse 10.3 but got problems to make bluetooth mouse work. On Ubuntu Gutsy it works almost out-of-the-box.
• Obtaining Ubuntu Gutsy 7.10: Just download it at www.ubuntu.com. I’m using the 32bit version, 64bit works fine too. But you will need to use some workarounds for some missing packages like java-plugin and skype 32bits.
• Installation: Just put the CD on the driver and follow instructions. No special thinks to do, all works just fine!
• Post-Install modifications/tweaks: I’d recommend installing nvidia-glx-new drivers to enjoy all the nVidia graphics can offer. Use sudo nvidia-settings to set-up the video correctly, using Ubutu tools was hard to make wide screen resolution work.

Setting up additional features for Ubuntu Gutsy 7.10:

• Getting Suspend-to-Disk to operate correctly: I’ll work on it. When I suspend to disk, isn’t working fine.
• Getting the touchpad to operate as more than a PS/2 mouse: Install gsynaptics package and add Option “SHMConfig” “true” to Synaptics InputDevice section of xorg.conf to have it working full featured, including “Fn+F9″ touchpad disable/enable shortcut key.
• UPDATE (10/29/2007): To use LightScribe CD/DVD print functions,just download Linux tools from official Lightscribe website, and use alien -k to convert the .rpm files to .deb files. You may want to try also the software Lacie, that allows you to use customized images. Works very fine too!
• UPDATE (11/12/2007): To fix the ABNT2 keyboard bad mapping, you may use the command above. Now the /? key will work fine. I dint managed to make the “degree” char work, but “slash” and “question” is better than nothing:

		modmap -e "keysym Control_R = slash question"

You may add the following line to ~/.Xmodmap to make the fix permanent.

		keysym Control_R = slash question

• UPDATE (07/14/2008): Derek Bruce has developed a small hack that fixes the upside down webcam on W7S. I’ve described it better here.

Unresolved issues:

• Suspend to disk doesn’t work. Sleep works fine.

Configuration Files:

• Just xorg.conf Synaptics InputDevice section, as described above.

More Specific Information:

• df -hl

  birkoff@birkoff-laptop:~$ df -hl
  Sist. Arq.            Tam   Usad Disp  Uso% Montado em
  /dev/sda1              15G  4,9G  9,2G  35% /
  varrun                1,3G  308K  1,3G   1% /var/run
  varlock               1,3G     0  1,3G   0% /var/lock
  procbususb            1,3G   88K  1,3G   1% /proc/bus/usb
  udev                  1,3G   88K  1,3G   1% /dev
  devshm                1,3G     0  1,3G   0% /dev/shm
  lrm                   1,3G   34M  1,3G   3% /lib/modules/2.6.22-14-generic/volatile
  /dev/sda4              94G   39G   52G  43% /home

• lspci

  00:00.0 Host bridge: Intel Corporation Mobile PM965/GM965/GL960 Memory Controller Hub (rev 03)
  00:01.0 PCI bridge: Intel Corporation Mobile PM965/GM965/GL960 PCI Express Root Port (rev 03)
  00:1a.0 USB Controller: Intel Corporation 82801H (ICH8 Family) USB UHCI Contoller #4 (rev 03)
  00:1a.1 USB Controller: Intel Corporation 82801H (ICH8 Family) USB UHCI Controller #5 (rev 03)
  00:1a.7 USB Controller: Intel Corporation 82801H (ICH8 Family) USB2 EHCI Controller #2 (rev 03)
  00:1b.0 Audio device: Intel Corporation 82801H (ICH8 Family) HD Audio Controller (rev 03)
  00:1c.0 PCI bridge: Intel Corporation 82801H (ICH8 Family) PCI Express Port 1 (rev 03)
  00:1c.1 PCI bridge: Intel Corporation 82801H (ICH8 Family) PCI Express Port 2 (rev 03)
  00:1c.2 PCI bridge: Intel Corporation 82801H (ICH8 Family) PCI Express Port 3 (rev 03)
  00:1c.3 PCI bridge: Intel Corporation 82801H (ICH8 Family) PCI Express Port 4 (rev 03)
  00:1c.4 PCI bridge: Intel Corporation 82801H (ICH8 Family) PCI Express Port 5 (rev 03)
  00:1c.5 PCI bridge: Intel Corporation 82801H (ICH8 Family) PCI Express Port 6 (rev 03)
  00:1d.0 USB Controller: Intel Corporation 82801H (ICH8 Family) USB UHCI Controller #1 (rev 03)
  00:1d.1 USB Controller: Intel Corporation 82801H (ICH8 Family) USB UHCI Controller #2 (rev 03)
  00:1d.2 USB Controller: Intel Corporation 82801H (ICH8 Family) USB UHCI Controller #3 (rev 03)
  00:1d.7 USB Controller: Intel Corporation 82801H (ICH8 Family) USB2 EHCI Controller #1 (rev 03)
  00:1e.0 PCI bridge: Intel Corporation 82801 Mobile PCI Bridge (rev f3)
  00:1f.0 ISA bridge: Intel Corporation 82801HEM (ICH8M) LPC Interface Controller (rev 03)
  00:1f.1 IDE interface: Intel Corporation 82801HBM/HEM (ICH8M/ICH8M-E) IDE Controller (rev 03)
  00:1f.2 SATA controller: Intel Corporation 82801HBM/HEM (ICH8M/ICH8M-E) SATA AHCI Controller (rev 03)
  01:00.0 VGA compatible controller: nVidia Corporation GeForce 8400M G (rev a1)
  05:00.0 Ethernet controller: Realtek Semiconductor Co., Ltd. RTL8111/8168B PCI Express Gigabit Ethernet controller (rev 01)
  06:00.0 Network controller: Intel Corporation PRO/Wireless 3945ABG Network Connection (rev 02)
  09:03.0 FireWire (IEEE 1394): Ricoh Co Ltd R5C832 IEEE 1394 Controller (rev 05)
  09:03.1 System peripheral: Ricoh Co Ltd R5C843 MMC Host Controller (rev 12)
  09:03.2 System peripheral: Ricoh Co Ltd R5C592 Memory Stick Bus Host Adapter (rev 12)
  09:03.3 System peripheral: Ricoh Co Ltd xD-Picture Card Controller (rev 12

• lsusb

  Bus 001 Device 002: ID 04f2:b012 Chicony Electronics Co., Ltd
  Bus 001 Device 001: ID 0000:0000
  Bus 007 Device 001: ID 0000:0000
  Bus 006 Device 003: ID 0b05:1712 ASUSTek Computer, Inc.
  Bus 006 Device 001: ID 0000:0000
  Bus 005 Device 001: ID 0000:0000
  Bus 004 Device 001: ID 0000:0000
  Bus 002 Device 001: ID 0000:0000
  Bus 003 Device 001: ID 0000:0000

My Opinion about the notebook:

• It’s 13.3” form is perfect for me: It’s small and lightweight, but not too small that make it bad for daily usage.
• You will hear a lot about W7S overheating problem. Well, I must say, it is hot. Of course, a small box with 2 Intel cores at 2Ghz, and a hot nVidia deGorce GPU, it must be hot. But is not as bad as I thought it would be by reading reviews on internet. For me it is not uncofortable on keyboard, just warm. The problem is that the air vent is on the right side, over your hand when using mouse, and that may be a bit unconfortable.
• I dont understand why they put 512Mb onboard RAM and 1 extra slot… maybe to keep the size small… Well, 2,5Gb is enough for me, but be aware that this is the max you may have with this note… if you need more… look for another notebook.
• Some people call it a macbook wannabe for his style. It looks pretty, there are a white and a black version (you may check photos on Asus link at end of this review). I’ve got a black one for me (no white avaliable on store…).
• I am using sigle-boot Ubuntu Linux on it. But it should run fine other systems. I’ve got a free MS academic Win XP and Win Vista license for me…. Well, I dont realy *need* it, but, if it is free, I should not refuse, should I? … So I’ve installed VirtualBox and installed Win XP and Win Vista on it. XP works very fine and fast! Vista, of course, is not as fast, takes something like one minute to load. But after loaded, works very fine too (without Aero, of course, since VirtualBox does not have support for 3D video card virtualization). Well… I think that shows the power ot this small note! ;D

Contact Information

• birkoff – at – gmail (dot) com
• Skype: cristiantm

Links:

• My Review of Asus W7S (Portuguese)
• W7S @ Asus site
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