This guide is intended to provide you details on how well this laptop works with Linux and which drivers you need to configure. For details on how to actually install and configure the required drivers have a look at our guides section for distribution specific instructions.

Page Contents Introduction Editing This Page Specifications Linux Compatibility Notes Related Resources

Introduction

This is a guide to running Linux with the Asus A9Rp laptop.

Editing This Page

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Specifications

Processor	Intel Celeron-M 440 1.8GHz
Screen	15" XGA
RAM	512MB
HDD	60GB
Optical Drive	DVD+-RW
Graphics	ATI Radeon Express 200M
Network	10/100 Ethernet, ZyDAS ZD1211 802.11g Wireless, Bluetooth
Other	3 x USB2.0, 1 x Firewire

Linux Compatibility

Device	Compatibility	Comments
Processor	Yes
Screen	Yes
Optical Drive	Yes
Graphics	Yes
Sound	Yes
Ethernet	Yes
Wireless	Yes
Bluetooth	Not Tested
56K Modem	Not Tested
USB	Yes
Firewire	Not Tested
SD Card Reader	Yes
PCMCIA	Not Tested

Notes

This laptop requires the latest BIOS version for it to even boot Linux.

For the graphics chip you can use either the open source radeon driver or ATI's proprietary fglrx driver. For installation instructions, you can view our Configuring an ATI graphics chip guide. For 3D support, you will need the proprietary driver. Some older versions of X may not have support for the ATI Radeon Express 200M, in this case you will need to use the proprietary driver.

Every thing is detected but WIRELSS,Audio(Built in speakers are OK but the 3.5 mm jack has weak sound),Modem

To solve audio and wireless problems, users follow the instructions bellow:

1-Download and install kernel sources, I copied it to /usr/src/

2-Get this patch for audio and decompress to your kernel source root folder, say it is:/usr/src/linux-2.6.21-5
ftp://ftp.alsa-project.org/pub/kernel-patches/alsa-git-2007-05-03.patch.gz
so, you should have alsa-git-2007-05-03.patch in your linux kernel source folder

3-Open console and run:
patch -p1 <alsa-git-2007-05-03.patch
OK, Now kernel is patched for audio, we proceed to wireless.

4-Say your kernel source folder is /usr/src/linux-2.6.21-5, open this file:
/usr/src/linux-2.6.21-5/drivers/net/wireless/zd_usb.c and add this line to the ZD1211-B section:
{ USB_DEVICE(0x0b05, 0x171b), .driver_info = DEVICE_ZD1211B },
Save the file.

5-Now you should download this file and decompress the content into /lib/firmware/zd1211(if this directory does not exist, create it)
http://sourceforge.net/project/showfiles.php?group_id=129083

OK,we are almost done!Now, you should compile the new kernel and install it.You can open /usr/src/linux-2.6.21-5/README.txt to find out how to do so. what I did:

cd /usr/src/linux-2.6.21-5
Make oldconfig
Make
Make modules_install
Make install

If using GRUB, you are done!Reboot and enjoy:)
If using LILO, reinstall LILO and reboot and enjoy!

The above procedures should work all of the linux distributions.

Related Resources

Preparing your laptop for Linux
Configuring an ATI graphics chip
Increasing battery life


Have you installed Linux on this laptop? If so how about leaving a comment about your success in the comments section below.