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acidreign
Tux's lil' helper
Joined: 21 Apr 2002
Posts: 122
Location: Brisbane, Australia
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 Posted: Thu Oct 23, 2003 2:51 am Post subject: Compaq evo N600c - Gentoo 1.4 - Kernel 2.6 test8 HOWTO |
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This will all be summarised into a webpage, once people are happy with the explanations. expect many edits.
Rationale:
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I am currently running Linux 2.6 on the rest of my machines at home, I didnt think my Evo should be any different. This document contains informatino on how to get Gentoo Linux 1.4 running on an compaq Evo N600C. Having one kernel version across many machines makes my life easier, and getting it working before 2.6 comes out ensures that this laptop is going to work in the upcoming kernel.
Installation
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This Machine that I am using has a DVDROM/CDRW in the back righ hand corner of the machine. Booting from the Gentoo 1.4 LiveCD was a simple method of going into the bios and selecting the boot order that I wished to start with.
After Saving and exit (use F10 to agree with changes at each PAGE in the bios menu) you can reboot and should be prompted with a blue menu of which drive to boot from. In this case it is the DVD/CDRW in which is inserted the Gentoo LiveCD. You should not need any special parameter sto pass to the kernel to boot correctly.
Shortly aftewards, the Gentoo Linux should boot from the CD and you should be dropped at a root shell. At this time the root password is set to a random string.
Change this now, to something you are comfortable in remembering.
Follow the Gentoo Install Guide, by partitioning your disks as you see fit, starting from the stage you want. It is my personal opinion to start from a stage 3 from the i686 CD. This saves me time, effort and sanity. Many people have heat problems (random lockups, rebooting during the initial emerge stage, and these are addressed in this formum thread, https://forums.gentoo.org/viewtopic.php?t=98976&highlight=n600c . In short disable speedstep in the bios and boot the kernel with acpi=off as a kernel parameter (go figure).
Because im a "cutting edge" kinda guy, and the ladies like it (not really.) I decided to attempt the 2.6 series to keep it in sync with the rest of the machines on my home network.
Dont get me wrong, there is nothing wrong with 2.4, its just not as sexy or as well behaved as 2.6.
From the livcCD, I'd reccomend to set hdparm, to ensure that your install time is cut down, I found the advice from http://www.psychosis.net/evo-linux/ , to be useful
| Code: |
hdparm -c 1 -d 1 -u 1 -k 1 /dev/hda
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Kernel
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After trawling the web, and coming up with some really average pages on setting up the evo with 2.4, I was unable to find something with information on setting it up with 2.6, hence the purpose of this page. I have decided to use mm-sources, as it was an emergable kernel and was reccomended by a good source (pun  )
For those of you who care, I was using the 2.6.0-test8-mm1. At the time of writing this was not in x86 but you can emerge it manually by issuing the command....
| Code: |
emerge /usr/portage/sys-kernel/mm-sources/mm-sources-2.6.0_beta8-r1.ebuild
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After considerable amounts of disk thrashing, you should have a shiny new directory in /usr/src named linux-2.6.0-test8-mm1.
You could/should make a symlink from this directory to /usr/src/linux by issuing the command
| Code: |
ln /usr/src/linux-2.6.0-test8-mm1 /usr/src/linux -s
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Whats that you say ? it just makes things "nicer" to play with. Now, 2.6 has some interesting tricks that may or may not be relavant to your setup. There has been many issues when dealing with 2.6, although this base configuration should be enough to get
you started.
After emerging the code, you must then patch it with the patch available from:
ftp://ftp.kernel.org/pub/linux/kernel/people/lenb/acpi/patches/release2.6.0-test8/acpi-20031002-2.6.0-test8.diff.bz2
move this file into your /usr/src/linux directory, and then apply the patch.
I did it like this
| Code: |
patch -p1 < acpi-20031002-2.6.0-test8.diff.bz2
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This is the ONLY patch that I had to apply to have the system working. NO OTHER PATCHES SHOULD BE APPLIED.
It is early so bear with me, I think i had a few hunks fail on tblundelete or something, but that didnt seem to affect anything.
Yippie Kai Yah, you now have a patched kernel, and you are ready to compile. Fortunately for you, I have a configuration file available for download from http://blog.subverted.net/personal/n600cConfigs/config
This file should be renamed to .config (yes a dot then config) and copied into the /usr/src/linux directory)
This is the current config that I am typing this system on. It has support for the synaptics touchpad enabled in the kernel (although i am unable to test if this is necessary).
After modifying the kernel to your personal tastes, you will need to build and install the kernel.
2.6 is fundamentally different from 2.4 and no longer requires you to 'make bzImage', you can do it all in 3 commands.
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cd /usr/src/linux
make menuconfig
# set your machine up
make
make modules
make modules_install
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From this point, you will have to copy your /arch/i386/boot/bzImage, into /boot (Just like the Gentoo Documentation says so), modfiy your bootloader, reboot and be on your merry way.
If you use the above configuration file, you will need to modify the module autoload feature so that the correct modules are loaded at boot time.
Add these lines to your /etc/config/modules.autoload.d/linux-24 (yes, 2.4 !! dont ask). And add these lines along with any other kernel module you wish to have loaded at boot time
| Code: |
evdev
speedstep_ich
snd_maestro3
button
thermal
ac
processor
fan
battery
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CPU
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This CPU supports a technology called autostepping which allows the speed of the CPU to be tuned to how you want the machine to perform. Lower speeds means more battery life, but applications run slower.
With the configuration above, I was able to use cpufreqd, to control the speed and "profile"
of the CPU.
| Code: |
root@angel wmealing # emerge sys-apps/cpufreqd
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You will need to make some settings to some file, FIXME here
Xfree86
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But of course, if you use the config above, you might find your text terminal to be a little.. squashed. I have read in other laptop howto's that you should be able to set a horizontal stretch option on the bios, although I could never find it.
Back to business.
Synaptics TouchPad
if you use the below XF86Config file you will need to use the synaptics module to have
the Xserver start correctly. Note that I dont have both the joymouse working as I find these things an abomination to laptops.
| Code: |
root@angel / # emerge /usr/portage/x11-misc/synaptics/synaptics-0.11.8.ebuild
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This will place the snaptics module in your X11's module input directory. This is all that you
you should need to do, but if you have any problems visit the Gentoo forums url in the references.
Display
The evo n600c uses a mobile 32mb Radeon Card. It performs well in basic 2d work and moderate in 3d applications (Want 3d ? Get a desktop )
The model that I have supports a 1400x1050 pixel display. Below is listed my XF86Config
for this model. If your evo does not support this resolution modify the line to the maximum supported resolution (1024 x 786 maybe ?) If you run at anything other than the native resolution, fonts can look shaded or slightly blurred, this is not a fault of the laptop.
You can grab my working XF86Config file from
| Code: |
http://blog.subverted.net/personal/n600cConfigs/XF86Config
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Put this in your /etc/X11 directory and start X as you would any other time (gdm, kdm, startx, whatever).
I believe that the XF86Config is running in FrameBuffer mode, because my glxgears is only getting around 140 frames per second.
Todo:
ACPI events (Saw thread on forums.gentoo.org regarding this)
Check that the Radeon card is working in 3d mode
Integrate the radeon tool to turn of the screen when xscreensaver runs
References:
Gentoo Forums: HOWTO get synaptics touchpad working on 2.6.0
https://forums.gentoo.org/viewtopic.php?t=67852&highlight=synaptics
ACPI4Linux:
http://acpi.sourceforge.net/download.html
Running Linux on a Compaq Evo N600c
http://www.psychosis.net/evo-linux/
CPUfreqd:
http://sourceforge.net/projects/cpufreqd
Heat Problems during install:
https://forums.gentoo.org/viewtopic.php?t=98976&highlight=n600c
Final Version of this doucment
http://blog.subverted.net/personal/evoN600c/
_________________
Gentoo Server Project
http://www.subverted.net
Last edited by acidreign on Tue Oct 28, 2003 2:23 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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quantum_mechanics
n00b
Joined: 07 Feb 2003
Posts: 13
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| Posted: Thu Oct 23, 2003 7:01 am Post subject: |
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great info mate, thanks
I'm currently running mm-sources (test8) on an N600C, but have been patching the osl.c and dsdt table files to get acpi working. Looks like u don't have to do this with your method, sensational |
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Kujo
n00b
Joined: 30 Sep 2002
Posts: 2
Location: Montreal, Qc, Canada
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| Posted: Thu Nov 06, 2003 4:33 pm Post subject: |
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Thats exactly what I was looking for! Great! Thanks!
Unfortunately, the links to his kernel and XFree86 configs seem to be broken. Does anybody know where I could find them? Or maybe just post them here.
Thanks, have a nice day!
Kujo |
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darkgamorck
n00b
Joined: 15 Jan 2003
Posts: 41
Location: Greenville, SC
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| Posted: Mon Nov 17, 2003 6:40 pm Post subject: I've mirrored them |
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His website seems to have bandwith issues and doesnt seem to be available all the time. I managed to snag the XF86Config and Kernel config files off his machine (with a lot of luck involved). I've mirrored these files on my personal website:
http://www.jaylittle.com/jaylittle/downloads/n600c_kernel_config.txt
http://www.jaylittle.com/jaylittle/downloads/n600c_XF86Config.txt
1) Download the kernel config file and place it in your /usr/src/linux directory and rename it to .config
2) Download the XF86Config file and place it in your /etc/X11 directory and rename it to XF86Config
As always back up your old shit before installing this new shit. I plan on trying these files out when I get home using 2.6test9-bk7 as the only thing I couldn't get working with that version was ACPI. Hopefully this configuration will make a difference.
J |
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DJ_Grijander
n00b
Joined: 15 Aug 2003
Posts: 58
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| Posted: Mon Dec 01, 2003 8:00 pm Post subject: |
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I have followed the indicated steps, but when I reboot this is what I get:
| Code: | Dec 1 18:15:00 Tron syslogd 1.4.1: restart.
Dec 1 18:15:01 Tron kernel: klogd 1.4.1, log source = /proc/kmsg started.
Dec 1 18:15:01 Tron kernel: Cannot find map file.
Dec 1 18:15:01 Tron kernel: No module symbols loaded - kernel modules not enabled. |
Consequently, no module is loaded and although the system starts-up many things don't work (ACPI, sound, modem...). My n600c worked (and still works) fine with kernel 2.4.20. What can I be doing wrong to get that strange message at boot-up with 2.6.0? Thanks. |
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DJ_Grijander
n00b
Joined: 15 Aug 2003
Posts: 58
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| Posted: Tue Dec 02, 2003 2:50 am Post subject: |
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I answer myself: to compile kernel modules 2.6 it is necessary to have module-init-tools. So if you haven't done it yet, before compiling your new kernel go type:
| Code: | | # emerge module-init-tools |
And now a different question. What happens with the modem? The ltmodem driver that I was using in kernel 2.4.x does not compile under 2.6. Don't you guys use the modem, or am I missing something? Thanks. |
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DJ_Grijander
n00b
Joined: 15 Aug 2003
Posts: 58
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| Posted: Tue Dec 02, 2003 3:09 pm Post subject: |
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OK, I answer myself again (won't this be an early schizofrenia?). The ltmodem driver for kernel 2.6 can be found at http://linmodems.technion.ac.il/packages/ltmodem/kernel-2.6/. Download and follow the instructions at README file. You will need to build a modprobe.conf file. If it helps, this is what I did:
| Code: | #You need root privileges, so get them
su
#Create a /etc/modprobe.conf file based on the /etc/modules.conf file that you had in kernel 2.4
generate-modprobe.conf
#Edit your brand new modprobe.conf and adjust at will
nano /etc/modprobe.conf |
These are the lines I added for the ltmodem:
| Code: | alias char-major-62 lt_serial
alias /dev/tts/LT0 lt_serial
alias /dev/modem lt_serial |
Hope it helps. |
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DJ_Grijander
n00b
Joined: 15 Aug 2003
Posts: 58
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| Posted: Wed Dec 03, 2003 8:33 pm Post subject: |
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This one I don't know how to fix it: if I enable the "load glx" line in my XF86Config, the screen brightness control stops working. If I eliminate the glx module, then I can control the brightness as usual (i.e., using Fn+F10 and then using the arrow keys), but of course I can't use glx.
This already happened with 2.4.x kernels, but I thought that maybe 2.6 would fix this issue. Does this happen to anybody else? Any possible solution? |
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DJ_Grijander
n00b
Joined: 15 Aug 2003
Posts: 58
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| Posted: Fri Dec 05, 2003 1:15 pm Post subject: |
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| Another issue that I have just found with kernel 2.6. Some of my easy-access-buttons have stopped working, and xev doesn't even show a keycode for them... With kernel 2.4 I was able to read the keycodes and assign them actions with keybindings. Any idea? |
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