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Acer Aspire 7745G
Introduction
This is a compatibility guide to running Linux with the Acer Aspire 7745G laptop.
This page is just for discussing using Linux on the Acer Aspire 7745G. For a general discussion about this laptop you can visit the Acer Aspire 7745G page on LapWik.
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Specifications
For full specifications see the Acer Aspire 7745G specifications page.
| Name | Acer Aspire 7745G |
| Processor | Intel® Core™ i7-720QM Mobile Processor (6MB Intel® Smart Cache, 1.6GHz) Intel® Core™ i3-350M Mobile Processor (3MB Intel® Smart Cache, 2.26GHz) |
| Screen | 17.3” 1600×900 Widescreen |
| RAM | Up to 16GB - Intel i7 Up to 8GB - Intel i3 |
| HDD | up to 500GB |
| Optical Drive | DVD+-RW Blu-ray |
| Graphics | ATI Mobility Radeon™ 5650 |
| Network | 10/100/1000 Ethernet Acer InviLink Nplify 802.11b/g/n |
Linux Compatibility
| Device | Compatibility | Comments |
|---|---|---|
| Processor | Works | |
| Screen | Works | |
| HDD | Works | |
| Optical Drive | Works | |
| Graphics | Works | |
| Sound | Works | |
| Ethernet | Works | |
| Wireless | Works | In Ubuntu 10.10, active with the Additional Drivers program |
| Bluetooth | Works | |
| Modem | Not Tested | |
| USB | Works | |
| Card Reader | Works | |
| Webcam | Not Tested |
Notes
For proper ACPI support from this laptop (to get battery, suspend/resume, etc working properly) you need to install at least BIOS version 1.03.
Make sure you use a Linux distribution with at least kernel version 2.6.35, such as Ubuntu 10.10. Older distributions have problem with sound and wireless.
Summary
The Acer Aspire 7745G is not the easiest laptop to setup with Linux, however with a bit of work good results can be achieved.
Discussion
I still had a version downloaded a year ago
http://dl.dropbox.com/u/7660331/AR81Family-linux-v1.0.1.13.tar.gz
it could helps.
Thank you.
I also have a ACER 7745G (i7 720QM - ATI Radeon 5650 - 6GB RAM- 1TB) and first installed Ubuntu on the second HDD and it worked fine. I started messing with it and everything kept working.
I than decided to install it on my first HDD. I used the partition tool in the setup to clear everything from my first HDD (including the recovery partition).
Then the misery started. Sometimes my linux freezes (no particular reason) even several reinstallations didn't do the trick
created a new installation cd and now it seems to work (fingers crossed).
I already read a lot, but no definite explanation found yet
I've been having trouble locating the connectors and such that I need for the second disk drive bay for my 7745G. What did you do for a second disk drive?
Art
My second HDD came already installed, so had no troubles with it.
Sorry I can't be of any help. But I remember I saw a few internet pages addressing the issue.
Good luck.
At the moment my laptop is in the shop. I think my first HDD seemed corrupt. After working I heard a distinctive ticcing sound and then the system freezed. Let's hope that is the solution.
Got my laptop back…
They changed the HDD en reset that to factory settings (4 partitions on the first HDD)
I installed ubuntu using the whole HDD and again strange things happens. Not really freezes, but some applications just close (without any reason i.e. Firefox and on reopening Firefox, it doesn't do a thing) and whan I want to start System monitor I get errors and there's nothing else to do than restart.
The frequency of this problem is not predictable… Very strange stuff happening. I might guess it may have something to do with the 64-bit compatibility or something…
All of that, except of microphone, worked in Ubuntu Maverick without extra pain.
Still wonder:
i7z program also adds some value: http://code.google.com/p/i7z/
I installed Ubuntu lucid (2.6.32-24-generic-pae) at acer aspire 7745G.
All hardware is working (finally), but that wasn't easy.
Here I would like to share my Notest…
Make LAN working
solution source: http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=1555540
• #sudo apt-cdrom add # not necessary with mobile network which I had
• sudo apt-get update
• sudo apt-get install build-essential
• #Download AR81Family Linux Driver from http://partner.atheros.com/Drivers.aspx
• tar zxvf AR81Family-linux-v1.0.1.13.tar.gz
• cd src
• sudo su
• make install
• modprobe atl1e
Make battery detectable
Updated BIOS helped:
• sudo dmidecode -s bios-version #check current BIOS version V1.00
• Find and download new version of BIOS from www.acer.com:
- top menu: Service and Support
- left menu: Driver Download
- select product family: Notebook
- select product line: Aspire
- select product model: Aspire 7745G
- tab above bottom table: BIOS
- click on download icon for version: 1.03
Note: There are newer versions, but because of waring message (red text: ”…possibility of product failure.”), I choose lower version which is bigger then current.
• Update BIOS from Windows. (power cable must be plugged on).
Make sound working
• sudo apt-get install linux-backports-modules-alsa-lucid-generic-pae
• sudo shutdown -r now
Make microphone working
solution source: http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=927270
• Download lastest driver from ftp://ftp.alsa-project.org/pub/driver/
• bunzip2 alsa-driver-1.0.23.tar.bz2
• tar xf alsa-driver-1.0.23.tar
• cd alsa-driver-1.0.23/
• ./configure
• make
• sudo make install
• sudo vim /etc/modprobe.d/alsa-base.conf Added this two lines:
• sudo shutdown -r now
Sound Preferences…
• tab: Hardware > device: Internal Audio > profile: Analog Stereo Duplex
• tab: Input > connector: Microphone 2 > device for sound input: Internal Audio Analog Stereo
• tab: Output > device for sound output: Internal Audio Analog Stereo
Make microphone working also with Skype
source: http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=1308090
• Open alsamixer (in console),
• push F6 to choose the Audio card.
• Push F5 (All).
• Move with arrow keys on CAPTURE.
• Push Z to decrease the left column and E to raise the right one.
Oddly but it works!
Make wireless working
solution source:
https://help.ubuntu.com/community/WifiDocs/WirelessTroubleShootingGuide
http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?p=1071920
• lspci | grep -i net #Check for Device Recognition
• sudo lshw -C network #Check for driver (was UNCLAIMED)
(Optional:) package linux-backports-modules-wireless-$(uname -r) should not be installed,
remove it (if is):
• sudo apt-get purge linux-backports-modules-wireless-lucid-generic-pae
• sudo apt-get autoremove
• Menu: System → Administration → Hardware Drives, There is: Broadcom STA wireless driver – so activate it
Thanks for leading the way, majnet. I also have the 7745G with Ubuntu 10.4. I wasn't sure about which bios, but after reading your experience, went ahead with the 1.03 (it was 1.00), and that fixed the no battery problem. The Atheros family driver also fixed the hard-wired Ethernet problem. The download doesn't unpack cleanly, but I read another post that it worked anyhow, so I went ahead with the install steps, and it now works fine also. Thanks again for posting your experience. Now, if I could just get the connector I need for the second disk drive in this thing!
Art
Thanks majnet for pushing me in the right direction to do a BIOS update. I was looking for a way to manipulate the ACPI-Tables in the BIOS but didn't have the idea that the manufacturer might have solved the problem (that is not a problem in Windows) with a new BIOS-version.
For me it not only solved the invisible-battery problem but also let me use suspend, dim the backlight and recognize lid-down events.
Now my notebook really feels like a notebook.
Uwe
http://partner.atheros.com/Drivers.aspx is unavailable.
Where i can download AR81Family Linux Driver now?
Google hasn't helped.