Using the Asus eeePC 900 with PCLinuxOS 2010

[sɔǝʌɐp]

The eeePC has two solid state media built in, 4Gb and 16GB, and the 4Gb formats to 3.7Gb. I used that as the root partition, and the larger one as /home.

There are a couple of small hiccups, which involve the amount of space on the root partition. If you have a lot of updates at once, it might run out of space. The way to avoid that is to make the downloads use the larger partition.

First, create a memory stick or plug in a USB optical drive, and boot the live CD/USB. Install, the hardware is all detected. The Wireless On/Off, Brightness Up/Down, Volume Up/Down/Mute, all work perfectly. The Sleep, Lid Down and Power Button functions all work perfectly and can be set in the KDE Control Centre.

In order to create space to download rpms what I did was to open Konqueror Super User Mode, and do Window > Split View Left/Right. Set one window to /var/cache/apt and the other to /home. Move the folder archives to /home. Now drag it back, but instead of copying or moving, do Link Here. All the downloads will go to the larger drive. This is a good time to do the updates.

Despite doing this, when I tried to install OpenOffice, the GetOpenOffice program reported insufficient space. So I had to use Synaptic. You should find and select a repository with the following specs, if not, create one:

URI: http://ftp.nl.freebsd.org/pub/os/Linux/distr/texstar/openoffice/apt/
Distribution: pclinuxos/2009
Section(s): openoffice

After the reload, you will need to install the "task-openoffice" for your locale. Then you can unselect that repo again.

It boots fast now. No hacks which I posted on the site using a couple of outside rpms are needed now. All hardware works from the kernel. The only hacks needed were in order to fit everything needed onto the root partition. Brilliant.

[sɔǝʌɐp]

I have found a problem on this machine if you wish to use Skype, and, let's face it, that is a good use for this machine. The microphone sound does not work correctly with the 2.1.0.81 version of Skype, on certain hardware. I'm not even sure if it varies from one sample to another. This is how to get around it if you have this problem, by using an earlier Skype version. It's reply #9 you need to read:

http://www.pclinuxos.com/forum/index.php/topic,72486.msg597889.html#msg597889

[craesz]

I had this problem in the past... with the new install of 2010, I do not. I did switch the mic setting from default though. You might try that.

[sɔǝʌɐp]

The microphone sound does not work correctly with the 2.1.0.81 version of Skype, on certain hardware. I'm not even sure if it varies from one sample to another.

http://www.pclinuxos.com/forum/index.php/topic,72486.msg597889.html#msg597889

I had this problem in the past... with the new install of 2010, I do not. I did switch the mic setting from default though. You might try that.

As I said, it varies from one to another. Small version variations in hardware, maybe not even documented, can make all the difference. All possible settings were tried. But whatever worked for you.

[hugtheslug]

Hello, long time ....

Anyway, I have just bought an eee 900 with a single 16gb SSD (now upgraded to 32gb) and installed PCLOS 2010 KDE4 with no problems. Compiz is excellent on the low end graphics.
However, sound is not working through the speakers. If I put my head down to the speakers with volume turned right up I can hear hissing. Headphone sound is OK but a little quiet.
I have rerun alsaconf to no avail; the only driver found is the Intel HDA.

I know the hardware is fine because I have another OS installed with no sound problems.

Can somebody please push me in the right direction to sort this out?

Cheers

Hugh

[hugtheslug]

OK, from the troubleshooting section of Control Center,

lsmod gives

Code:

[eee900@localhost ~]$ /sbin/lsmod
Module                  Size  Used by
snd_ac97_codec         89701  0
ac97_bus                 946  1 snd_ac97_codec
snd_usb_audio          64903  0
snd_usb_lib            13866  1 snd_usb_audio
snd_rawmidi            16323  1 snd_usb_lib
af_packet              14122  2
ipv6                  222865  18
snd_hda_codec_realtek   191735  1
snd_hda_intel          19013  2
snd_hda_codec          66319  2 snd_hda_codec_realtek,snd_hda_intel
snd_hwdep               4802  2 snd_usb_audio,snd_hda_codec
snd_seq_dummy           1266  0
snd_seq_oss            22774  0
snd_seq_midi_event      5464  1 snd_seq_oss
snd_seq                40753  5 snd_seq_dummy,snd_seq_oss,snd_seq_midi_event
snd_seq_device          5214  4 snd_rawmidi,snd_seq_dummy,snd_seq_oss,snd_seq
snd_pcm_oss            29040  0
snd_pcm                58960  5 snd_ac97_codec,snd_usb_audio,snd_hda_intel,snd_hda_codec,snd_pcm_oss
snd_timer              15794  2 snd_seq,snd_pcm
snd_mixer_oss          11096  1 snd_pcm_oss
pcspkr                  1382  0
uvcvideo               47937  0
rng_core                3002  0
lib80211_crypt_tkip     6959  0
snd                    46351  19 snd_ac97_codec,snd_usb_audio,snd_usb_lib,snd_rawmidi,snd_hda_codec_realtek,snd_hda_intel,snd_hda_codec,snd_hwdep,snd_seq_oss,snd_seq,snd_seq_device,snd_pcm_oss,snd_pcm,snd_timer,snd_mixer_oss
i2c_i801                6754  0
videodev               31136  1 uvcvideo
soundcore               5680  1 snd
wl                   1267871  0
snd_page_alloc          6506  2 snd_hda_intel,snd_pcm
v4l1_compat            11213  2 uvcvideo,videodev
iTCO_wdt                8782  0
atl2                   19322  0
iTCO_vendor_support     2302  1 iTCO_wdt
sg                     21491  0
lib80211                4749  2 lib80211_crypt_tkip,wl
binfmt_misc             5590  1
cpufreq_ondemand        7009  0
cpufreq_conservative     8144  0
cpufreq_powersave        698  0
p4_clockmod             2771  0
freq_table              3091  2 cpufreq_ondemand,p4_clockmod
speedstep_lib           3177  1 p4_clockmod
nvram                   5352  0
ohci1394               22696  0
sbp2                   16049  0
raw1394                16911  0
ieee1394               69727  3 ohci1394,sbp2,raw1394
eeepc_laptop           12019  0
sparse_keymap           2813  1 eeepc_laptop
rfkill                 13919  1 eeepc_laptop
dm_mod                 55938  0
fuse                   49640  0
led_class               2692  1 eeepc_laptop
joydev                  7351  0
ac                      2650  0
battery                 8252  0
evdev                   6341  14
pci_hotplug            22676  1 eeepc_laptop
rtc_cmos                6929  0
thermal                10903  0
processor              29811  1
ata_piix               18324  0
ahci                   28814  0
libata                145448  2 ata_piix,ahci
usb_storage            35774  3
uhci_hcd               16806  0
ohci_hcd               17668  0
ehci_hcd               27927  0
usbcore               124336  8 snd_usb_audio,snd_usb_lib,uvcvideo,usb_storage,uhci_hcd,ohci_hcd,ehci_hcd
sd_mod                 27633  4
scsi_mod              132396  5 sg,sbp2,libata,usb_storage,sd_mod
crc_t10dif              1195  1 sd_mod
ext4                  266225  2
jbd2                   64781  1 ext4
crc16                   1303  1 ext4
i915                  240888  4
drm_kms_helper         23902  1 i915
drm                   144709  5 i915,drm_kms_helper
i2c_algo_bit            4134  1 i915
button                  4713  1 i915
i2c_core               18110  6 i2c_i801,videodev,i915,drm_kms_helper,drm,i2c_algo_bit
video                  17141  1 i915
output                  1735  1 video
[eee900@localhost ~]$

grep sound-slot gives

Code:

[eee900@localhost ~]$ grep sound-slot /etc/modprobe.conf
alias sound-slot-0 snd_hda_intel
[eee900@localhost ~]$

list sound (and also list alsa)

Code:

[eee900@localhost ~]$ /sbin/chkconfig --list sound
sound           0:off   1:off   2:on    3:on    4:on    5:on    6:off   7:off
[eee900@localhost ~]$

Hope this helps

Cheers

Hugh

[hugtheslug]

Me again ...

SOLVED

I ran alsamixer from terminal and found that although I had Master and PCM on 100% the speaker volume was down at the bottom. All sound working fine now.

Thanks for bearing with a very silly person

Cheers

Hugh

[Frits]

There are no stupid questions, but there are smart solutions.....

Have fun with your Eee and PCLOS 2010, I have it also on my 1000H. Very happy with it.  

[hugtheslug]

Thanks, yes, I'm enjoying it a lot, especially KDE4 and it's difficult to control widgets, but I think I'm on top of it all now.
I mainly bought the 900 for it's 9" screen and portability for taking to work.

Last time I used PCLinux was about 4 years ago with KDE 3.5, and they've certainly come on with leaps and bounds since then.

Cheers

Hugh

[Frits]

With Synaptic in Gnome I installed all the other desktops (Phoenix, LXDE, E17 and KDE). Using KDE now. Works like a charm.

[sɔǝʌɐp]

Me again ...

SOLVED

I ran alsamixer from terminal and found that although I had Master and PCM on 100% the speaker volume was down at the bottom. All sound working fine now.

Thanks for bearing with a very silly person

Cheers

Hugh

For some reason, KDE mixer (KMix) seems to default to some crazy settings on certain hardware. Always try to sort out KDE mixer or alsamixer before panicking! That's a general lesson - sometimes KDE updates cause similar problems.

[hugtheslug]

For some reason, KDE mixer (KMix) seems to default to some crazy settings on certain hardware. Always try to sort out KDE mixer or alsamixer before panicking! That's a general lesson - sometimes KDE updates cause similar problems.

Point taken, and thanks for the help.

BTW I've now trashed KDE and gone for the XFCE Phoenix version, same great functions but more lightweight and suitable for a little laptop always on the move.

Cheers

Hugh

[Ferdes Fides]

Hello,

I've got one of those EeePC 900's.   Run KDE and Xfce from flash drives.
The 16gb SSD inside is slow, but the upgrades are supposed to be fast. 
Everything else is working OK speedwise and otherwise.

Is that 32gb upgrade much faster ?   Just wondering.


thanks,

patrick013

[hugtheslug]

Oh yes, the difference is tremendous, probably five times faster at reading / writing.

Of course they are also very expensive so you have to weigh the cost up against the performance increase, and the extra space gained.

Cheers

Hugh

[Ferdes Fides]

Yes, I see five times faster.   The only other thing is writing cd's.
The cd writers need a 1.5 ghz processor and this thing is only
900 mhz.   I have to put iso's on flash drives with LiveUSBCreator then.

I'll wear this one out before I buy another computer. 


thanks for the response,

patrick013