Brief introduction

I’m really sorry I don’t have time to write detailed instruction and howto. Maybe with time I can do it in a better way, until then don’t esitate to ask if you can’t work around a problem I solved.

Prerequisite

It is clear the fact you must have experienced installing and configuring Debian Woody and the kernel. If you don’t so, please use the hundred HOWTO avariable in the distro or around in the net.

Status

• CPU 1900Mhz/1300Mhz ok
• Sound ok
• irda ok (only with 2.4.xx kernel)
• button (on / off) ok
• suspend (not tested)
• usb ok
• pcmcia (not tested)
• X11 (working only using VESA driver)
• soft-modem ok
• network ok
• tv-out (not supported)
• dvd ok
• frame buffer (not tested, but they’re working on cle266 support)

In short (really short!)

• Boot with bf24 and no vesa frame buffer support, see help (f1, f2 etc.) on boot.
• Install Debian base and configure it. Ethernet module is via-rhine included.
• Download latest kernel source. (I use 2.6.4) from www.kernel.org
• Download latest slmodem-2.9.6.tar.gz from http://www.smlink.com/
• Compile the kernel. I can’t find where nsc-ircc modules is in 2.6 kern, that’s the one needed to use irda interface. But since I’m able to use bluetooth I don’t care much about it:)
• …need to be compleated

Why so many source non-debian download?

• The kernel 2.6 or a 2.4 with -ac patch or powernow patch When you boot with 2.4 debian kernel you have an 800Mhz cpu clock :( Installing the ac-patch and enabling k7-powernow on boot you have full speed cpu.
• Alsa (only 2.4.xx) The via82cxxx_audio.o work without recording in 2.4.22, but the latest alsa driver working better.
• ac'97 modem… you need it, if you want to use it.

Kernel

There is a problem using stock kernel with frame buffer enabled (as during install), so we must use at lilo prompt something like:

linux "video=vga16:off"

Now you can install woody watching what’s goin’on :)

Why recompiling kernel:

You must have powernow-k7 patch to switch the cpu speed to 1300/1900Mhz. ACPI support to check battery, fan speed and on/off button, no APM support in this notebook. ALSA driver, more volume than via82cxxx_audio.o, recording from microphone, some glich using xmms. Softmodem patch if you wish to use modem.

IRDA

The kernel module is nsc-ircc, you’ll find it under the net/irda section. I hope sooner or later to get it back on 2.6.

Here you’ll find a really good place for reading:

http://www.logic.at/people/preining/acer/#irda

Usefull links (search the web if they’re not updated)

http://tuxmobil.org/

# backports xfree 4.3
deb http://people.debian.org/~nobse/xfree86 woody main

# kernel 2.6 e tools
deb http://www.backports.org/debian woody kernel-2.6

# buez bluetooth support
deb http://bluez.sourceforge.net/download/debian/woody/ ./
deb-src http://bluez.sourceforge.net/download/debian/woody/ ./