508 replies to this topic

[adamm]

I've just finished producing the first version of a set EeePC-optimized kernel and modules for Ubuntu 8.04 (hardy) as .deb packages.

These packages contain the following features:

* Kernel optimized for Pentium-M processors.
* Extra and unnecessary kernel modules and features have been stripped out.
* The 40-wire UDMA patch has been applied to ata_piix.ko (much faster I/O throughput.) (See http://lkml.org/lkml/2008/4/20/283)
* The Elantech touchpad driver port has been applied to psmouse.ko. (See http://forum.eeeuser...ic.php?id=30685)
* The eeepc-acpi module is included
* The madwifi modules are included (madwifi-hal-0.10.5.6 branch)
* The eeepc-linux overclocking module is included (v0.2)
* The uvcvideo module is included (svn r215)

These packages have been customized from the linux-image-2.6.24-19-generic and linux-ubuntu-modules-2.6.24-2.6.24 source packages to become
linux-image-2.6.24.19-eeepc and linux-ubuntu-modules-2.6.24-19-eeepc

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Update 2008-06-11:
The linux-image-eeepc packages are now available with a debian repository!
To get the kernel packages (and updates) all you need to do is: sudo apt-get install linux-eeepc linux-headers-eeepc

Update 2008-06-20:
The website's been redesigned to have more information, packages, faqs, etc

Update 2008-08-12:
A public read-only git repository is now available for accessing the source code, including all original patches and customized code:
git://www.array.org/ubuntu-hardy.git
git://www.array.org/ubuntu-hardy-lum.git
git://www.array.org/ubuntu-hardy-meta.git

Repository setup and download instructions can be found online at:
http://www.array.org/ubuntu/

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Disclaimer:

I am not a kernel developer, nor am I an ubuntu or .deb developer. This might possibly break your EeePC.
I only produced these packages as a proof of concept. I've never actually done this before :O
I offer no guarantee that these packages will a) solve a problem, b) cause multiple problems, or c) do absolutely nothing useful at all.

Good luck! :P

Edited by adamm, 12 August 2008 - 06:59 AM.

[damian]

Nice one Adam!!!!

[StewieGriffin]

Great job!

[mkrishnan]

I'm going to give them a shot on my 701; I'll report back any findings. :) Thanks!

[adamm]

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I'm going to give them a shot on my 701; I'll report back any findings. :) Thanks!

I expect the 701 to mostly work, the only piece I wasn't sure about was the Elantech Touchpad driver.

FWIW, this version does not yet contain the eeepc-linux module for overclocking the FSB on the 70xs,
re: http://wiki.eeeuser....to:overclockfsb

[mjpatey]

adamm,

Which EeePCs have you tested so far? I'm on a 900 (you referred me here from my thread about kernel-update-related WiFi woes)... am happy to be a guinea pig, but just curious to know what I might expect.

-Mark

[painbrain]

yhank you! :D

[cicciocant]

great work. thaaaaaaaaaank you very mutch.
is it possibile to add this new kernel directly in the iso of ubuntu 8.04 as the default kernel?

[ironclaw]

This is really quite amazing - just by using this custom kernel I cut off about 10 seconds from boot time! The convenience of having all the modules built in is another plus, of course.

[painbrain]

someone prepare a distro of ubuntu with this kernel? :)

[Sgozz]

Thanks, it works perfectly... but... why the "Elantech touchpad driver" patch? Hardy default kernel had touchpad with multitouch working perfectly, with this patch i have to configure it in xorg.conf and triple touch seems to not work correctly (in default ubuntu triple touch is the right click, really useful).
What about a non touchpad patch version? :-D
And a repository? :-D

[StewieGriffin]

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Thanks, it works perfectly... but... why the "Elantech touchpad driver" patch? Hardy default kernel had touchpad with multitouch working perfectly, with this patch i have to configure it in xorg.conf and triple touch seems to not work correctly (in default ubuntu triple touch is the right click, really useful).
What about a non touchpad patch version? :-D
And a repository? :-D

Elantech fully supported? No, it is not supported by default. It is detected as a Logitech Wheel Mouse. You cannot configure the touchpad at all because there is no driver in the generic Linux kernel for it. You are only able to use the default behavior of the touchpad if you don't have a driver for it.

In order to turn off the tap-to-click and turn on/off other options, you need the Elantech driver. You can use a graphical program or manually configure xorg.conf for it if you want.

If you actually like the default behavior (and don't mind making mistakes clicking on things when you move the mouse pointer, etc.) then you can replace the psmouse.ko from this build with the one from your previous build, which is still on your hard disk.

Edited by StewieGriffin, 11 June 2008 - 01:35 PM.

[painbrain]

ok test done. all right :)

[Sgozz]

You are right, it's just that i like the default behaviour... and i couldn't manage to have the same with the new driver.
(right click with three fingers touch.. someone achieved it with the new driver?)

About tap-to-click problems while writing on keyboard, i used this howto: http://ubuntuforums....ad.php?t=271052

So i can use all 3 usual mouse buttons without the real touchpad buttons of the eeepc (they seem a bit fragile).

By the way, thanks, i will try changing the psmouse.ko.

[adamm]

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great work. thaaaaaaaaaank you very mutch.
is it possibile to add this new kernel directly in the iso of ubuntu 8.04 as the default kernel?

Heh, I have no idea. I know of no one who's on the inside of ubuntu, nor am I registered as a developer. I suppose I can look into it.
I have no idea how things work there :/

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Thanks, it works perfectly... but... why the "Elantech touchpad driver" patch? Hardy default kernel had touchpad with multitouch working perfectly, with this patch i have to configure it in xorg.conf and triple touch seems to not work correctly (in default ubuntu triple touch is the right click, really useful).
What about a non touchpad patch version? :-D
And a repository? :-D

There's got to be a way to turn it the driver off selectively. In all honesty I kind of threw this in at the last minute assuming that it would be helpful :P
Now that I think about it, it may be possible to spin the elantech code off into a sub-module, dependent upon psmouse.ko. Then, if you didn't like it just blacklist it. Could that work?

BTW, a repository for updates to this kernel is next on my list.

[dirtboy]

There is a missing dependency on linux-headers-2.6.24-19-eeepc_2.6.24-19.33ubuntu1_i386.deb. It says it requires linux-headers-2.6.24-19 but I do not find that in the regular repository. It only goes up to 18 at the moment. Do you have to turn on the proposed list?

[Sgozz]

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There's got to be a way to turn it the driver off selectively. In all honesty I kind of threw this in at the last minute assuming that it would be helpful :P
Now that I think about it, it may be possible to spin the elantech code off into a sub-module, dependent upon psmouse.ko. Then, if you didn't like it just blacklist it. Could that work?

Wonderful, if you do this, i will call my eeepc with your name :D

[adamm]

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There is a missing dependency on linux-headers-2.6.24-19-eeepc_2.6.24-19.33ubuntu1_i386.deb. It says it requires linux-headers-2.6.24-19 but I do not find that in the regular repository. It only goes up to 18 at the moment. Do you have to turn on the proposed list?

Hm, yes you would need to add hardy-proposed, or download linux-headers-2.6.24-19 directly from ubuntu:
http://us.archive.ub...4-19.33_all.deb

In hindsight it might have been better to just use -18 as its the standard hardy release. When I setup the apt repository I suppose I can create both versions for both 'hardy' and 'hardy-proposed'.

Edited by adamm, 11 June 2008 - 04:42 PM.

[dirtboy]

Yeah, enabling proposed allowed me to satisfy all the dependencies.

[StewieGriffin]

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You are right, it's just that i like the default behaviour... and i couldn't manage to have the same with the new driver.
(right click with three fingers touch.. someone achieved it with the new driver?)

About tap-to-click problems while writing on keyboard, i used this howto: http://ubuntuforums....ad.php?t=271052

So i can use all 3 usual mouse buttons without the real touchpad buttons of the eeepc (they seem a bit fragile).

By the way, thanks, i will try changing the psmouse.ko.

That is a nice how-to, but you WILL need the Elantech driver for that to work. With the Elantech touchpad driver installed, the Elantech will behave like a Synaptic instead of a Logitech Wheel Mouse.