Installing Arch on an Acer Aspire 3680-2633

Gullible Jones · 2007-06-01 01:31:15

After a brief period of using Windows Vista, I've decided that I'm going to have to install Arch on my new Aspire 3680. I've never installed it on a laptop before though, even one as compatible with Linux as this supposedly is, so I'd like to ask those of you who have experience with Acer laptops about any issues I might have. In particular:

- Would X have any trouble with the seemingly unusual (1280x800) screen resolution?

- Will the wifi require any mucking around?

- Is there anything out of the ordinary about suspend and ACPI support I ought to know?

(It would also be nice to know if the scroll button can be gotten to work, though its failure to do its think when using Vista doesn't exactly bode well.)

tardo · 2007-06-01 01:43:15

You shouldn't have a problem with the first two. Not sure about the third.

Gullible Jones · 2007-06-01 02:35:53

Thanks, that's good to know. I guess I'll just do the install and see what comes up.

(The sooner the better. Vista is annoyingly mediocre.)

Fatsobob · 2007-06-01 02:38:27

As a person who uses an Acer laptop, I can tell you that there are no real problems with it aside from the fact the graphics card is ATI.
The wireless card is atheros so you need madwifi drivers and the xorg should be fine. As far as ACPI, no issues. I do have a problem with suspend, but I think that is just my setup.
And to get the touchpad working, use this guide here. http://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/Touchpad_Synaptics
Just remember ath0 is the wireless and you will be fine.

Gullible Jones · 2007-06-01 02:51:09

Graphics on this one are Intel, thankfully. Does have the Atheros wireless though, I guess I'll have to do some research on getting that working along with the ethernet adaptor. Thanks for the info on the touchpad, that doesn't look like it will pose a big problem (though being able to hotplug my trackball and have it work properly might be).

elliott · 2007-08-29 19:07:15

I'm very interested to know how this worked out for you, I just picked up this exact laptop today for very cheap so I can get a feel of Vista. That preallocated partition is calling my name, any problems I may run into? This isn't my first Arch install on a laptop, but it is my first on one this new.

Last edited by elliott (2007-08-29 19:10:04)

jpablo · 2007-09-30 05:44:49

i have this laptop as well and it's running vista and arch (although i almost never use vista), i got the wireless to work with ndiswrapper, and i don't use suspend, because arch boots very fast

i had to use the fallback kernel to get it to boot and i don't know why exactly

the only "problem" i have is that i can't get my X to work completely, i mean, i have the intel driver but i don't have glx support (when i run glxgears or glxinfo i get a segmentation fault)

in average it works ok, but i would be really happy if i could get some opengl support

Gullible Jones · 2007-09-30 06:34:01

Hmm... Getting GL working was pretty easy for me. Have you installed libgl-dri?

Re wireless... Have you actually been able to connect to a wireless network? Because I seemed to have it working with ndiswrapper, but it wasn't able to see any networks, and when I tried to connect to one the lower orb in the networkmanager applet wasn't lit up and it didn't get anywhere - not sure what that was about, but it *looks* like the lower one is supposed to indicate activity (or lack thereof) on the local host's end - in other words, my wireless card might not have been broadcasting. I tried flicking the wireless toggle a few times, but that did nothing at all.

jpablo · 2007-10-01 20:26:57

libgl-dri worked, thanks , i had fglrx

i haven't tried the wireless conection yet (i've been busy) mostly because there isn't a wireless network near me, so i had to try that at my school, but if it works i'll tell you what i did

Gullible Jones · 2007-10-01 22:29:21

Yeah, you have to specify which libgl you want. Otherwise you'll be using software acceleration, or worse (due to alphabetical order) get stuck with fglrx at some point.

(If you can manage to get the wireless working for sure, tell me... as I mentioned earlier ndiswrapper looked like it worked for me but actually didn't, and the repos still don't have the new version of madwifi that's supposed to fix the evil ath_hal bug.)

elliott · 2007-10-01 23:04:02

Wireless works OK for me with ndiswrapper, since mine is an AR5007EG card madwifi doesn't support it yet. I don't use networkmanager or anything, just the network profile scripts. I'm hoping when madwifi adds support for this card the LED will work, it doesn't work with ndiswrapper, the switch does work though.

adlucem · 2007-10-02 03:08:23

First, sorry for this off-topic question..

I was about to buy an Acer, but then several people came up with horror stories about their after sales services, and a poor opinion of the craftsmanship (keyboards, screen, but repeatedly motherboards dying too early on (like, on day 367!).
So I changed my mind and I am about to order a Toshiba instead, at the same price for a similar config, but trading a 17'' for a 15'' and a reputable brand name.

So, my question is, are you, owners and heavy users of an Acer laptop, having hardware/post sales problems with it?

AlmaMater · 2007-10-02 06:16:28

i have an Aspire 3624

The only problem i got was that my super cdrw/dvd combo died, and i had to replace it
And thats about it, i have it for more than a year

elliott · 2007-10-02 19:20:22

adlucem wrote:

So, my question is, are you, owners and heavy users of an Acer laptop, having hardware/post sales problems with it?

I've got 2, my recently acquired Aspire 3680-2633 and my nearly 2 year old Aspire 3003LCi, both are great laptops. For what I paid for them, I couldn't be happier, just don't expect T series Thinkpad quality.

I did have a problem with the 3003's battery not fully charging, they sent me another battery under warranty, no questions asked and specifically told me not to send the old one.

jpablo · 2007-10-06 00:32:46

ok, i haven't been able to test the wifi on my laptop, the reason, all of the wireless networks on my campus suck, (i can't even connect to them in windows so... it's not a linux problem) i guess i'll try it on a starbucks or something or in a wireless network i know it works

adlucem · 2007-10-06 09:29:44

Thx AlmaMater & elliott for your feedback (FYI, I finally settled for a Toshiba). And sorry to all for the off-topic incursion! [/offtopic]

Lone_Wolf · 2007-10-06 12:12:01

I've got an acer aspire 5102 WLMI and an older aspire 3002 WLMI
The 3002 never gave problems.
The 5102 has some minor problems :
the webcam isn't working under linux - driver is in early alpha state
needed to edit /etc/pcmcia/config.opts to get my UMTS card working.
since kernel 2.6.21 it needs an usb device (mouse) plugged in or it hangs a lot.

jpablo · 2007-10-13 18:24:27

ok i was able to connect to one of the wireless networks in my campus, and it worked, so the atheros ar5700eg works with ndiswrapper and wifi-radar

elliott · 2007-10-13 20:44:35

Does the light on the front work for you? Today I found a driver that works with ndiswrapper and allows the light to function properly.

http://www.atheros.cz/download.php?athe … G&system=1
Version: 6.0.3.85

jpablo · 2008-06-19 15:51:35

sorry for bringing up such an old thread but i need to know if anyone knows how to configure the Fn+F5 to use an external display

Arch Linux

#1 2007-06-01 01:31:15

Installing Arch on an Acer Aspire 3680-2633

#2 2007-06-01 01:43:15

Re: Installing Arch on an Acer Aspire 3680-2633

#3 2007-06-01 02:35:53

Re: Installing Arch on an Acer Aspire 3680-2633

#4 2007-06-01 02:38:27

Re: Installing Arch on an Acer Aspire 3680-2633

#5 2007-06-01 02:51:09

Re: Installing Arch on an Acer Aspire 3680-2633

#6 2007-08-29 19:07:15

Re: Installing Arch on an Acer Aspire 3680-2633

#7 2007-09-30 05:44:49

Re: Installing Arch on an Acer Aspire 3680-2633

#8 2007-09-30 06:34:01

Re: Installing Arch on an Acer Aspire 3680-2633

#9 2007-10-01 20:26:57

Re: Installing Arch on an Acer Aspire 3680-2633

#10 2007-10-01 22:29:21

Re: Installing Arch on an Acer Aspire 3680-2633

#11 2007-10-01 23:04:02

Re: Installing Arch on an Acer Aspire 3680-2633

#12 2007-10-02 03:08:23

Re: Installing Arch on an Acer Aspire 3680-2633

#13 2007-10-02 06:16:28

Re: Installing Arch on an Acer Aspire 3680-2633

#14 2007-10-02 19:20:22

Re: Installing Arch on an Acer Aspire 3680-2633

#15 2007-10-06 00:32:46

Re: Installing Arch on an Acer Aspire 3680-2633

#16 2007-10-06 09:29:44

Re: Installing Arch on an Acer Aspire 3680-2633

#17 2007-10-06 12:12:01

Re: Installing Arch on an Acer Aspire 3680-2633

#18 2007-10-13 18:24:27

Re: Installing Arch on an Acer Aspire 3680-2633

#19 2007-10-13 20:44:35

Re: Installing Arch on an Acer Aspire 3680-2633

#20 2008-06-19 15:51:35

Re: Installing Arch on an Acer Aspire 3680-2633

Board footer