Acer Aspire Timeline 4810T

i got both graphic cards working now

http://en.gentoo-wiki.com/wiki/Vga_switcheroo#Hprofile

Everything works for me on Ubuntu 10.04 (Lucid Lynx).

Not out of the box:
- Optical Drive: Needed to switch to IDE mode in BIOS
- Multitouch Trackpad: Used this solution

It seemed to me, at least from the entries here, that Fedora 11 will work with this laptop, however my case has not been so. I just installed it with the DVD I ordered from pctech101 but many very important things are not working :

Wireless : No
Ethernet : says no network device
Optical drive : does not eject
Bluetooth : OK
Webcam : not tested

I need to know how u guys got your's to work, please.
I must also state that I tried Fedora 12 first, but it did not even install.

I created a blog for using this computer with Gentoo:
http://gentoo4810tzg.blogspot.com/
Commenting should be available for anyone, so please contribute if you have knowledge.

Xubuntu 9.10 and 4810TGZ.

Issues:
1. fan keeps spinning.
2. Touchpad lock does not work. The touchpad is locked, but you cannot unlock it.
3. Multitouch touchpad. Works but not as multitouch.
4. Switching graphic cards does not work.

In Win 7 there's an Acer application that turn off the DVD player if the laptop runs on battery. Any equivalent in Linux (*buntu)?

Hi! I also plan to purchase this notebook, I would like to use with Fedora (currently with 12). how much is recommended? Switch between the ATI and Intel VGA's work?

the code for the script :

#!/bin/bash
# Run as root, of course.
tty -s; if [ $? -ne 0 ]; then gnome-terminal -e “$0”; exit; fi
sudo modprobe -r psmouse && sudo modprobe psmouse

Solution for locked touchpad :
my solution on acer timeline 4810T
I create in keyboard shorcuts a new key F7
it run a script with sticky bit key to be as root

Code:
#!/bin/bash
# Run as root, of course.
tty -s; if [ $? -ne 0 ]; then gnome-terminal -e “$0”; exit; fi
sudo modprobe -r psmouse && sudo modprobe psmouse
no password asked no more trouble just one more key
thanks OrnithO for solution !
from: External Link

screen brightness solved on:
http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=1217421&highlight=4810t

some useful links:

https://help.ubuntu.com/community/AspireTimeline
http://ubuntuguide.org/wiki/Ubuntu:Karmic

all it need is a bit of tweek!

Can anyone out there help me?

I attempted an Ubuntu 9.10 install as dual boot on my new Aspire Timeline with Windows 7 using Ubuntu installer for windows (WUBI). I watched it download the 64-bit image (as expected) and do the install – I got to see the nice slideshow about Ubuntu and everything seemed to unpack and install with no problem. When it came time to boot, Grub gave me the boot menu of Windows 7 or Ubuntu. I selected Ubuntu, but instead of the OS I get landed in the Grub command line instead. The error message that I got before I was put there flashed by so quick I couldn't really see it, but it looked something like:

NTFS85: no XXXXXuir (where the XXXXX is some lower-case letters I didn't catch)

or something like that, about 3 times.

Is grub not finding the partition where Ubuntu was installed?

Advice greatly appreciated.

-David

Severely disappointed with this laptop for linux. Cannot recommend.

Ubuntu 9.10 (fully updated) - CD-ROM problems. Using the eject keyboard button (poor design) confuses Ubuntu, leaving it locked up for over a minute. Subsequently inserted CD's don't register. Even using the eject command doesn't allow me to get past disk 1 of multi-disk install in WINE.

Fedora 12 (fully updated) - Needed to track down bug to give kernel parameter to do install. Oddball H2O BIOS misreports memory handling. Bug in Fedora Bugzilla very critical of BIOS. Kernel bug locks computer for ~30 seconds after every boot.

Debian Lenny - Unable to detect Ethernet. Can't find any documentation of Ethernet card beyond “Gigabit LAN”.

I'm continuing to fight this beast, as I'm past my return window, and doubt I'll get enough selling it.

I'm done with Acer, and hope I save someone else the trouble.

optical drive solution : http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=490087
quote ” Try to edit /etc/fstab file :
/dev/hda /media/cdrom0 auto,user,noauto 0 0
if it works then everything ok!
İf doesn't work, apt-get udf tools package.”

I use ubuntu 9.10
how to prolong battery time?

I just put Ubuntu 9.10 on my laptop, fully upgraded (as of Dec. 21). The internal microphone doesn't appear to work, either in Skype or Sound Recorder. I don't see internal microphone addressed in any of the comments above. Can anyone comment that there's is or isn't working?

I'm just starting to research this, but the comments here suggest a backport solution…

http://www.linlap.com/wiki/acer+aspire+1410

I just installed Linux Ubuntu 9.10 on acer 4810T after the Visa died a premature death and gave up waiting on Windows 7 mailed by Acer for this new laptop but yet to be delivered.

Well it is ABSOLUTELY FABULOUS, every thing (brightness display and control, Volume display and control, SD card slot, Wifi, Suspend) worked out of the box. I simply reformated and gave the entire HDD to Linux Ubuntu 9.10. The only thing I had to install was flash on Firefox from Adobe website to watch Youtube videos.

Did I mention that the complete boot-up time is really fast abt. 30 sec. and I dont think I will be installing Windows 7 now.

kubuntu 9.10 on 4810T. I really like the notebook. It is fast and types nicely.

Processor Works
Screen Works. The backlight keys are not working.
HDD Works
Optical Drive NOT REALLY. Was able to install kubuntu, but can not work with it afterwards
Graphics Works
Sound Works
Ethernet Not tested
Wireless Works
Bluetooth Works. Even the hotkeys works
Modem Not Tested
USB Works
Card Reader Not tested
Webcam Works

RE: CDRom Under Ubuntu.
This seems to be an issue with the eject button not reporting to the OS that the disk is ejecting. The best way around this so far is to create a launcher icon with the terminal command “eject cdrom”. Use the launcher rather than pressing the button and all will be good.

For the ethernet you need to load the latest atheros drivers downloadable from their website.

Just put a fedora 11 on my new timeline 5810T. Did the thing with the liveCD and most features just worked out of the box. But the problems I'm facing are :
It's a 64-bit linux (my first one) and some details aren't yet up-to-date (ie flash-plugin for firefox is experimental)
No access to filemanager-preferences through the menu (so when I click a directory-icon it keeps on opening a new window, nice when you want to fill your working space asap, but I don't like the clutter), it crashes nautilius…
Got an issue with the trackpad, during install I used an USB-mouse, so maybe that's the cause, but I didn't got into CLI to check things out.
There's an issue with the good-bad-ugly codec family for gstreamer, bad and good give a conflict (didn't check further yet, could be that if I delete the original “good”-series and take everything from the fusion-repo it works…)
Sound is really crappy, but that for vista too, so I take it as HW-thing.
OK that's it for now. I'll be back when I solve this (hopefully).
My advice to jackjack : take the liveCD, run it as a liveCD and check things out. When you decide to put it on your HD, free a partition (with acronis or a similar one, 50G 's OK, even 20G can do) and go for it. As for your data, you get the possibility to mount your windowsHD in linux so don't worry for space too much. I have no problems at all for dual booting through GRUB (just changed the menu-item from “other” to “vista”). If you're into networking a good choice could be OpenSolaris too. This comes with an analyser for drivers, so you know upfront what will give some trouble

Jack, I use Linux since 1998, always using RedHat, but when they stop producing the free version, RedHat 9, I became a Fedora Core user. Jack, I jut download the ISO DVD, and everything its OK. I still dont have time to try using the toucpanel zoom and others effects. Realy, I dont like this. Well, I dont use dualboot, I've made a backup from the Vista that come with the Notebook, and install just Linux. I realy dont like, and dont know how tu use Microshit OS.

If you need more details please report here.

Jack, I use Linux since 1998, always using RedHat, but when they stop producing the free version, RedHat 9, I became a Fedora Core user. Jack, I jut download the ISO DVD, and everything its OK. I still dont have time to try using the toucpanel zoom and others effects. Realy, I dont like this. Well, I dont use dualboot, I've made a backup from the Vista that come with the Notebook, and install just Linux. I realy dont like, and dont know how tu use Microshit OS.

If you need more details please report here.

opensuse 11.1 x64

Device Compatibility Comments
Processor Yes
Screen Yes
HDD Yes
Optical Drive NO
Graphics Partial Backlight controls do not function
Sound Yes
Ethernet NO
Wireless Yes
Bluetooth n/a
Modem n/a
USB Yes
Card Reader Yes
Webcam Yes

4810T

Kubuntu 9.04

Works or not:

Processor Yes
Screen Yes
HDD Yes
Backlight control Yes
Sound Yes

Bluetooth seems to work fine (though using Bluetooth button to turn “off” reports a crash, then turning “on” works fine)

Wireless Yes
USB Yes

Optical Drive NO Ubuntu 9.04 and Kubuntu 9.04 (any solutions for this? please report, thank you)

I have the 4810TZ.

Ubuntu 9.04
Device Compatibility Comments
Processor Yes
Screen Yes
HDD Yes
Optical Drive NO Also fails to function in Ubuntu 9.10 Alpha 4
Graphics Partial Backlight controls do not function
Sound Yes
Ethernet NO Have not tested in Ubuntu 9.10 Alpha 4
Wireless Yes
Bluetooth n/a
Modem Not Tested
USB Yes
Card Reader Yes
Webcam Yes

Everything listed as compatibility “yes” worked out-of-the-box. Sleep button on keyboard works, hibernate button does not, though both work when engaged through software.

I have this laptop and I am using Fedora Core 11. Fast Notebook !!! Great !!! Everything working good. I recomend using Fedora on this Notebook, 15 sec to start.

Processor OK
Screen OK
HDD OK IDE MODE and AHCI
Optical Drive OK
Graphics OK
Sound Perfect
Ethernet OK
Wireless OK
Bluetooth Not instaled
Modem Not instaled
USB OK
Card Reader Perfect
Webcam Perfect