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Fedora Core on a Zepto Znote 6015WD

by Daniel Malmgren — last modified Jan 30, 2008 02:42 AM
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Small howto about installing FC6 on a Znote 6015WD

This is a draft version! I'm still working on it. Also please note that since FC6 wasn't released yet, I used FC6test3, which should be about the same...

I recently bought a Znote 6015. The installation of Linux on it wasn't really that straightforward, so I thought I'd do a little howto to make the life easier for anybody else that tries the same thing.

The specs for my machine are the following (mostly from Zepto's webpage):

* Centrino Core 2 Duo technology
* Intel 945-GM / ICH7-M Chipset
* 15.4" WXGA+ 1280x800
* Intel Graphics Media Accelerator 950 224MB (shared)
* Intel Core 2 Duo T5600 1.83 GHz
* built in Webcam
* DDRII dual channel (667MHz) 512MB
* 4 x USB 2.0 port, 1 x Firewire, 1 x VGA output
* Sound in/out , TV-Out, Express Card
* built in 5in1 card reader
* built in Bluetooth
* Intel PRO/Wireless 3945 ABG
* 100/1000 Megabit network, 56K modem

First some notes about the specs. This is not the highest specs available, it's just what I felt I needed. Note that the cheapest Core2Duo processor (the T5500) does not have Intel's Virtualization Technology, so if you want to run Windows under Xen (like I want) you'll have to go for the T5600 at least.

Ok. Now for installing Fedora on the machine. First (obviously) download the x86_64 dvd iso from torrent.fedoraproject.org. Insert it and boot up. Not much to say about the installation, just follow the obvious steps. After a reboot you'll get something that's at least starting the computer up ;-) Steps for the stuff that don't work right away follows. I'll assume a basic knowledge about how Fedora and Linux works, in general

Wired network

The network card in the computer is a Realtek 8111/8168. There doesn't seem to be any packaged solutions for the drivers. The easiest way to do this:

  1. Go to http://www.realtek.com.tw/downloads/downloadsView.aspx
  2. Type "8168" in the download search box.
  3. Click on the software download link.
  4. Get the file marked "Linux driver for kernel 2.4.x and 2.6.x".
  5. Put the file in a directory and unpack it.
  6. If the version that you downloaded was 1.04 (which is the latest at time of writing), edit the file r1000_n.c as described on http://gentoo-wiki.com/HARDWARE_RTL8168, changing MODULE_PARM to MODULE_PARM_DESC.
  7. Make sure you've got the kernel-devel rpm's for your kernel installed.
  8. Compile and install the drivers using "make clean modules && make install && depmod -a"
  9. Memorize the fact that you've got to redo step 8 every time you install a new kernel.

Wireless network

  1. The wireless network is easier. There are no open source drivers though, so if you're a hardcore open sorce enthusiastic you've got problems. I found the easiest way to install the drivers was to use the 3'rd party repository atrpms. First create a file named something like atrpms.repo in /etc/yum.repos.d containing the following:
    2. [atrpms]
    Name=Fedora Core 6 - x86_64 - ATrpms
    baseurl=http://dl.atrpms.net/fc6-x86_64/atrpms/stable
    enabled=0
    gpgkey=http://ATrpms.net/RPM-GPG-KEY.atrpms
    pgcheck=1
  2. Then install the driver rpm's by performing the following:
    3.  su -c "yum install ipw3945d ipw3945 ipw3945-ucode --enablerepo=atrpms"
    This will pull in the correct rpm for the kernel modules (assuming you've got a supported kernel). Make sure the program /sbin/ipw3945 is started in some script somewhere during startup, and make sure this is _after_ the ipw3945 kernel module is loaded. Now the wireless network should work.

Screen resolution

  1. When first booting the computer it will boot into 1024x768 although the screen supports 1280x800. This is because some kind of error in the bios (well, don't ask me ;-). To solve this you need to install the utility 915resolution. Simplest way to install that is to perform the following:
    2. su -c "yum install 915resolution --enablerepo=atrpms"
  2. Make sure 915resolution is enabled for runlevel 5 (using something like system-config-services or plain chkconfig). Add the following line to /etc/sysconfig/915resolution:
    3. VBMODES="58 1280 800 32"
  3. and the following modeline to the monitor section of /etc/X11/xorg.conf:
    4. ModeLine     "1280x800" 83.5 1280 1344 1480 1680 800 801 804 828 -hsync +vsync
    Reboot. It should do the trick.

Webcam

This is a nasty chapter. The computer is equipped with a Ali M56602 Webcam. I haven't got the darn thing to work yet, but there's hope. Have a look at http://m560x.x3ng.com

Xen

Well, this doesn't seem to be simple at all. I've been able to boot Linux using a Xen kernel, but that's about it. Trying to start X after a boot crashed the computer really hard. I guess Xen isn't really that mature yet. But it's nice to know that my processor has what it takes when Xen stabilizes ;-)

AiGLX/Compiz

    I suppose you've heard of AiGLX. Since this computer is equipped with one of the chips that actually can use this at time of writing, it's a must to use it, isn't it?

  1. First configure /etc/X11/xorg.conf. In the screen section, make sure defaultdepth is set to 24. In the module section, check that dri, glx, dbe is there (not sure what's needed and not, it can't hurt to have those there anyway...). In the device section, add the following:
    2. Option "XAANoOffscreenPixmaps"
  2. And lastly, add this:
    3. Section "Extensions"
          Option "Composite" "Enable"
    EndSection
  3. Now restart X, and if everything's working, X should be ready for the bling. Install the compiz package (yum install compiz). Run the following:
    4. gnome-window-decorator & && compiz --replace &
This should automatically replace metacity with compiz. Start the program desktop-effects (either from the terminal or from "settings->more settings" and click the "Enable desktop effects" button. Now try to drag a window a bit, or why not just hit ctrl+alt+rightarrow. Isn't that cool!

PCMCIA CardExpress reader

If I understand it correctly this should work out-of-the-box. I haven't got any devices to try it out with thoughIt doesn't work for me though. Don't know why. I'll investigate it further when I get time. Check http://lkml.org/lkml/2006/5/30/213


5-in-1 card reader

Doesn't seem to work out-of-the-box. I'll continue my efforts to make it work...


Modem, firewire

I've really got no use for those. If they works, tell me and I will replace this text ;-)


Buttons

There are some hotkeys on the laptop. Some of them are easy to use: The five buttons for playback on the front and the buttons for starting web browser and e-mail program. Just start gnome-keybinding-preferences and assign them to something. The two buttons to the left of the power button marked P1 and P2 seems harder. I tried sniffing them with showkey and they doesn't show anything. This might be solvable using the program acerhk (http://www2.informatik.hu-berlin.de/~tauber/acerhk/), I just haven't tried that out yet.


The big problem seems to be the volume buttons on the right side of the computer. Sniffing them with showkey I found out that they emit a "pressed" signal when I press them, but there is no "released" signal. So when the buttons are pushed the system thinks they were never released, wich makes them completely unusable. Solutions to this are welcome!


Bluetooth

Well, I haven't ever used Bluetooth on a laptop, so I don't really know where to start, what to try configuring first. All i know is that gnome-bluetooth-manager doesn't start at all (it just says that it can't get device id of hci0), that "hcitool scan" says that there is "No such device", and that it doesn't seem to matter whether bluetooth services are started or not. The wireless indicator glows blue, which according to Zepto manual means that bluetooth isn't active. I have no idea where to go from this...


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