Installing Ubuntu 10.04 on Acer e-machines e-727

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 *Update: Finally after going through tens of webpages and trying out a number of things, I've a solution to display brightness problem on my e-machine e-727.
Apparently all I was needed was:
1. Edit /etc/default/grub file.
$sudo gedit /etc/default/grub
2. Change GRUB_CMDLINE_LINUX="" to GRUB_CMDLINE_LINUX="acpi_osi=Linux"
3. Save and close the file. And update grub.
$sudo update-grub

Before I tried various other malodies, but none of them worked for me. That included
1. Trying to input brightness value manually
$sudo su
#echo -n 30 > /proc/acpi/video/OVGA/DD02/brightness

2. Another method was very similar to the one above except we added "acpi_backlight=acer".

3. One method which was partially worked was restarting the machine and adjusting the brightness at grub (The keys worked at grub.)
And then booting the OS from there.

That is it.

Last updated: 6-9-2010

General Hardware Specifications of e-machines e-727:
Hardware Components
Status under Linux
Notes
Pentium D Processor, 2.3 GHz Works No special procedure required during installation.
ACPI Support Works No special procedure required during installation
15.6 WXGA TFT Display Works No special procedure required during installation
INTEL GMA 4500MHD Works No special procedure required during installation
1GB DDR3 RAM Works No special procedure required during installation
250GB SATA Hard Drive Works No special procedure required during installation
Integrated 10/100 Network Card Works No special procedure required during installation
8X DVD/RW Drive Works No special procedure required during installation
Realtek 802.11 B/G/N WiFi Works No special procedure required during installation
58 WHr Lithium-Ion Battery Works No special procedure required during installation
Realtek Integrated Sound Works No special procedure required during installation
External Display Yet to try No Info
Multi Card Reader Yet to Try No Info
This laptop is operating under Kernel version 2.6.32
Basic Installation of Ubuntu 10.04:



  • Ubuntu 10.04 (Lucid) is the latest LTS version from Canonical. It's stable, fast and the new look is cool.



  • You can get it from www.ubuntu.com



  • Please follow the same procedure as a desktop installation of ubuntu. After the reboot you'll have almost everything working. The sleep function worked. The display resolution was set perfect. The audio/wifi/plugs everything worked out of the box. The only problem was with display brightness. It can't be changed. The Fn+Left/Right combo shows the brightness notification but there is no change.



Unresolved issues



  • The Brightness cannot be changed. (Perhaps it's a driver issue. I'm searching for a solution.)
Contact Information



  • You can contact me at : vaibhav[DOT]dlv[AT]gmail[DOT]com



  • Or you can leave comments for me at : pointelement[DOT]blogspot[DOT]com
Links:




Linux On Laptops

Comments

  1. Vaibhav DalviApril 12, 2012 at 9:24 AM

    Its been more than a year since this entry and I have tried numerous applications on my cheapo plastiky machine (I love it nonetheless!), and it's a pleasure for me to tell you that almost all of them worked out of the box. I have never faced any issue other than the brightness change out of the box.
    But even there adding the 'acpi_osi=Linux' to boot defaults has solved it. So I'm a well pleased fellow as of now!

    ReplyDelete

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