How do you rate this laptop with Linux? * Excellent * Good * Fair * Poor * Unusable ====== Asus UL20A ====== ===== Introduction ===== This is a netbook-notebook hybrid. Quite small, with extremely long battery life, but very powerful. Specs as tested: ASUS UL20A 2X022V, Core2 Duo ULV SU7300 1.3 GHz, RAM 3 GB DDR2 800 MHz, HDD 320 GB 5400rpm. Linux distro 1: ubuntu 9.04 Jaunty, kernel version 2.6.28-17. Linux distro 2: ubuntu 10.04 Lucid, kernel version 2.6.32-24. This page is just for discussing using Linux on the Asus UL20A. For a general discussion about this laptop you can visit the [[http://www.lapwik.com/asus_ul20a|Asus UL20A 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+ul20a|Asus UL20A specifications page]]. |Name|Asus UL20A| |Processor|Intel Core2 Duo Processor SU7300 : 1.3 GHz \\ Intel Core2 Solo Processor SU3500 : 1.4 GHz \\ Intel Celeron Processor SU2300/734 : 1.2 GHz| |Screen|12.1" HD (1366x768) LED Color-Shine (Glare-type)| |Graphics|Intel GMA 4500MHD| |RAM|Up to 4GB| |HDD|160GB to 320GB - 5400rpm| |Optical Drive|No| |Network|10/100 \\ WLAN Atheros AR9582| ===== Linux Compatibility ===== ^Device^Compatibility^Comments^ |Processor|Works| | |Screen|Works|1366x768 resolution auto-detected| |External FullHD monitor|Works|1920x1080 only with ubuntu Lucid Lynx| |HDD|Works|ubuntu install with manual partitioning, windows7 partition compressed, swap, root, home| |Graphics|Works|OpenArena runs nicely| |Sound|Works| | |Ethernet|Works|see below| |Wireless|Works|see below| |Bluetooth|Works|paired with a Motorola V3i phone| |USB|Works|ubuntu 9.04 installed from bootable USB stick, obviously| |Card Reader|Works| | |Webcam|Works|tested with UCview| ===== Notes ===== Neither ethernet, nor WLAN was detected upon installation. I compiled the compat-wireless kernel modules and tried to load the ath9k.ko module. It did not help initially, as they were for the wrong kernel version. But after a reboot all network cards worked miraculously. It was probably "make unload" that had helped... ===== Summary ===== ASUS UL20A seems to be quite Linux-friendly, after all, despite being a brand-new model. I'm ecstatic, honestly... ===== Lucid Lynx ===== I've reinstalled Ubuntu Lucid Lynx on the laptop. I'm even more ecstatic now, for 3 reasons: - Reboot time 9s faster than Jaunty; - Kernel command line "acpi_backlight=vendor" works wonders with the brightness buttons; - My 32" fullHD TV is really fullHD (1920x1080) as an external monitor, unlike Jaunty.