Alex's Acer Aspire 1524WLMi

Install Linux Ubuntu 5.04 on Acer Aspire 1524WLMi

CPU	AMD Athlon 3,4 GHz 64 bit	[ OK ]
Graphic Card	NVIDIA GeForce FX Go 5700, 64 MB	[ OK ]
Hard Disk	60 GB HDD	[ OK ]
Screen	15,4 WXGA wide TFT LCD	[ OK ]
RAM	512 MB DDR	[ OK ]
CD/DVD-ROM drive	Slimtype CD-R CD-RW DVD+/-R DVD+/-RW SOSW-852S, ATAPI	[ OK ]
Ethernet	10/100/1000 Gigabit Ethernet	[ OK ]
Wi-Fi	802.11 b/g wireless LAN	[ NT ]
USB ports	4 USB 2.0 ports	[ OK ]
TV Output	TV Output	[ NT ]
Screen Output	Screen Output	[ NT ]
IRDA	FIR	[ NT ]
PCI driver	PCI driver	[ NT ]
FireWire	IEEE 1394	[ NT ]
Parallel Port	LPT	[ OK ]
Modem	AC97	[ NT ]
Audio	Output Audio	[ OK ]
Audio	Input Audio	[ NT ]

CPU

AMD Athlon 64 bit 3,4 Ghz

This CPU works pretty fine. Its power it's merabilious, above all with the Ubuntu 64 bit where you can perform all the processor.

Graphic Card

NVIDIA GeForce FX Go 5700, 64 MB

The Graphic Card works well with the driver nv, but the system is very slow, above all when the graphic card should work (probably it doesn't). My advice is to install the NVidia driver from the nvidia site: www.nvidia.com. Then, you have to install the driver. The commands to shift from X-server and console are CTRL+SHIFT+F[1-6] and CTRL+SHIFT+F7 to return to X-server. Then you have to set some options in the file /etc/X11/xorg.conf to make all works perfectly (above all the resolutions), according to the README file with the driver just installed. The most important modify is the one where the driver is called: so modify "nv" to "nvidia" to call the nvidia-driver. Make a backup copy before any modifies. See my xorg.conf to see my configurations.

Hard Disk

60 GB HDD

The Hard Disk is efficent, with its 7200 rpm. The first times I used Linux on my laptop, if I didn't do nothing of special (e.g. reading), after few minutes I could heard from my Hard Disk a little noise like the one you can hear when the computer boots. The only difference is that, when it boots you hear it one times, instead in Linux the noise didn't stop itself. I was afraid for the integrity of my HD. I discovered that, after few minutes, the Hard Disk goes on stand-by and it awakes suddenly. I tried other distributions, and it makes the same noise. The only way it's to disable the Advance Power Management on the Hard Disk:

$ hdparm -B 255 /dev/hdc

this will disable it temporarily. To disable it definitively you have to modify the file /etc/hdparm.conf; add these lines at the end of file:

command_line {

        hdparm -B 255 /dev/hda
	}

When Linux boots, it will disable the Advance Power Management on the disk.

Screen
15,4 WXGA wide TFT LCD

The Screen works fine. You can deactive it with the combination Fn+F6 and you can define its illumination with the combination Fn+Left Arrow and Fn+Right Arrow, like in Windows.

RAM
512 MB DDR

The RAM have been worked without problems.

CD/DVD-ROM drive
Slimtype CD-R CD-RW DVD+/-R DVD+/-RW SOSW-852S, ATAPI

The drive doesn't have any problems. When you use, for example, cdparanoia, it can seem very slow: just setting /etc/hdparm.conf to set the drive's speed (just uncomment the line "#cdrom_speed = 16", cancel the "16" and write the correct drive speed - raccomended 24) and add at the end of file the lines:

/dev/hdc {

dma = on

}

to enable the DMA mode.

If you use a Linux 2.6, you can use cdrecord because it doesn't work with such that kernel: it's a pity because you can't write automatic script to burn CDs. I use k3b that works pretty fine. However, I bought five Platinum DVD-RW 4x, but k3b makes an error at every time :-( . I tried nautilus burner, but it makes an error too: so, don't buy Platinum DVD-RW 4x. K3b have ever been done good CDs and DVDs, I am satisfied.

Ethernet
10/100/1000 Gigabit Ethernet

The ethernet board works without problems, just insert the plug. I have used it with a direct connect with an other PC, but I'm sure that it works fine in a LAN too. Not tested with HUBs, swiches or routers.

Wi-Fi
802.11 b/g wireless LAN

Not tested yet. I'm quite sure that it doesn't work because there aren't driver for the 64 bit version. Obviously, if you don't use a 64 bit OS, it will work (maybe).

USB ports
4 USB 2.0 ports

Work fine. I have tested them with USB 1.0 devices (two usbpen), not with USB 2.0 one but I think it will work fine with the 2.0 speed. Tested with a USB ADSL modem (Aethra Starmodem).

TV Output
S-Video TV Output

Not tested. I know there is a line to add to /etc/X11/xorg.conf to able the TV output with the nvidia driver.

Screen Output
Screen Output

Not tested. You should add a line to /etc/X11/xorg.conf too.

IRDA
FIR

The IRDA device is a FIR one. I make it works (almost) with the SIR mode: I can't try it because I haven't an other IR device. I used the irda_utils.

PCI drive
PCI drive

Not tested.

Firewire
IEEE 1394

Not tested.

Parallel Port
LPT

It works fine. I tried it with a printer and a scanner. The printer was an EPL-3000 laser (year 1991) wich works with the HP Laser Jet driver (ljet3). The scanner was an Umax ASTRA 1220p (do you want an advice? don't get a parallel port scanner ;-) ).

Modem
AC97

I can't make it works. I know that it's a Linmodem (or Winmodem, it's the same thing), but I needed a driver that is called sl_modem and, obviously, there isn't the version for the 64bit.

Audio
Input Audio

It works good. If you wanna use a mic, you have to set the alsa mixer to boost the in-line: $ alsamixer, then with the arrows, select "Mic Boost" and press M to active it. In alsamixer you can set the volume of the mic and other things such this. Remember if you would like to register a pre-amplified source (like a radio), you have to deactive the boost: you risk to damage seriously the audio board.

Audio
Output Audio

It works very good. I hadn't to do nothing. I plug my Hi-Fi to the linux box, and it sounds very good.