<vote Asus-M50Vn-Rating check=ip>
How do you rate this laptop with Linux?
* Excellent
* Good
* Fair
* Poor
* Unusable
</vote>
====== Asus M50Vn ======
===== Introduction =====
This is a guide to running Linux with the Asus M50Vn laptop.

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

This page is just for discussing using Linux on the Asus M50Vn. For a general discussion about this laptop you can visit the [[http://www.lapwik.com/asus_m50vn|Asus M50Vn page on LapWik]].
===== Editing This Page =====
If you would like to edit this page please first view our [[Editing Guidelines]].
===== Specifications =====
For full specifications see the [[http://www.lapspecs.com/wiki/Asus+M50Vn|Asus M50Vn specifications page]].

| Name|Asus M50Vn|
| Processor|Intel Core 2 Duo|
| Screen|15.4" WXGA or WXGA+ or WSXGA+ Widescreen|
| RAM|1GB to 4GB|
| HDD|250GB to 500GB|
| Optical Drive|DVD+-RW or Blu-ray|
| Graphics|NVIDIA GeForce 9650M GT |
| Network|Ethernet 100/1000Mbps, Intel 3945ABG 802.11abg or Intel 4965AGN 802.11abgn or Intel 5100 802.11abg or AZWAVE NE771 802.11BG|
===== Linux Compatibility =====
^Device^Compatibility^Comments^
| Processor|Yes| |
| Screen|Yes| |
| HDD|Yes| |
| Optical Drive|Yes| |
| Graphics|Yes| |
| Sound| 1. With alsa =<1.0.17. Partial, use options snd-hda-intel model=3stack-dig (edit file /etc/modprobe.d/alsa-base). Inserting headphones doesn't mute speakers. Sound over hdmi doesnt work. \\ 2. With alsa >=1.0.18a. Fedora 10 and Ubuntu 8.10 sound is fine. Option "snd-hda-intel model=3stack-dig" need to be removed. For easy installation, you can use [[http://www.linuxant.com/alsa-driver/|Linuxant]]| |

| Ethernet|Yes| |
| Wireless|Yes| |
| Bluetooth|Yes| |
| 56K Modem|Not Tested| |
| USB|Yes| |
| Firewire|Yes| |
| Card Reader|Tested for Memory Stick Duo Pro card - not work; SD cards seem to work with sdhci module| |
| ExpressCard Slot|Yes. See note| |
| Fingerprint Reader|Yes| |
| Camera|Yes| |

===== Notes =====
You can enter any specific notes with running Linux on the Asus M50Vn here.

==== Light sensor ====
The ASUS m50vn notebook is equiped with an automatic light sensor,
this sensor must adapte the screen brightness according to the ambient light.
Under Linux the results is somehow not suitable, nevertheless it is possible to switch
the sensor off, in Fedora linux this can be done using a script:

''#!/bin/sh
#
# chkconfig: 2345 20 90
#
# description: Startup script for to stop/start
# the automatic brightness sensor on ASUS notebooks
#

RETVAL=0

start(){
echo -n $"Starting the automatic brightness sensor"
echo 1 > /sys/devices/platform/asus-laptop/ls_switch
touch /sys/devices/platform/asus-laptop/ls_switch
RETVAL=1
echo ""
return $RETVAL
}

stop(){
echo -n $"Stopping the automatic brightness sensor"
echo 0 > /sys/devices/platform/asus-laptop/ls_switch
touch /sys/devices/platform/asus-laptop/ls_switch
RETVAL=0
echo ""
return $RETVAL
}

restart(){
stop
start
}

case "$1" in
start)
start
;;
stop)
stop
;;
restart)
restart
;;
status)
status brightness
RETVAL=$?
;;
*)
echo $"Usage: $0 {start|stop|status|restart}"
RETVAL=3
;;
esac

exit $RETVAL''

Lets call the script ''brightness'' and lets put it in ''/etc/init.d'' and use chkconfig to configure it as a service:

''su -
cp brightness /etc/init.d
cd /etc/init.d
chmod 755 brightness
chkconfig --add brightness
chkconfig --level 2345 brightness on''

==== graphical start-up ====
It is possible to improve the start-up of the computer (on a graphical point of view)
by adding the following instruction to the kernel loading line in the ''/boot/grub/grub.conf'' file:

''kernel /vmlinuz .................... **vga=0x361**''

==== ExpressCard ====
Tested on AVerTV Hybryd Express Slim - Requires a reboot, the device was defined.
lspci:
...
04:00.0 Multimedia video controller: Conexant Systems, Inc. CX23885 PCI Video and Audio Decoder (rev 02)
...
The system has identified the device, but the tuner is not supported, therefore, fully test the slot is not possible :(


===== Summary =====
You can enter a summary of how well the Asus M50Vn works with Linux here.