Model Acer Extensa 3001WLMi_a
with 15.4” WXGA wide TFT LCD
Ubuntu 9.10 + Ubuntu 10.04 LTS (upgrade)
Used a machine with just 512 MB RAM installed.
As always be sure to turn on WLAN before or during boot-up
(e.g. using the switches on the case panel).
Previously installed Ubuntu 9.10 gnome 32-bit, everything worked fine, except
for virtualbox, the laptop is either way to slow or lacks sufficient memory for
running virtualbox sufficiently fast enough.
3 Months later updated to ubuntu 10.04 LTS.
Performed update using the Ubuntu GUI:
Menu System
→ Administration
→ Update Manager
→ chose update to Ubuntu 10.04.
Update worked fine, UNTIL first reboot.
Then had a blank/black screen, switching to terminal using CTRL-ALT-F1 etc did not work
, computer frozen, magic keys ALT-SYSREQ-K and ALT-SYSREQ-R→E→I→S→U→B without effect.
Same malfunction when booting from Ubuntu CD-ROM 10.04 LTS, blank screen, computer frozen.
Found out this is a issue with the integrated intel chipset 855GM (?) and kernel-based
mode settings for the new X-Windows graphics driver.
Detailed Info @ https://wiki.ubuntu.com/X/Bugs/Lucidi8xxFreezes
To be able to boot from Ubuntu CD-ROM use a different grub boot line:
add boot-option “i915.modeset=1” after “quiet splash”, then continue boot.
When booting from grub version 1, select the boot-system-entry and press “e”
to edit grub-script, add the above option and press CTRL-X when done to
continue boot with your modified grub script.
After being able to boot using this workaround, permamently enabled kernel based mode
setting by creating file ”/etc/modprobe.d/i915-kms.conf” with the following content:
“option i915 modeset=1”
This could be done e.g. by the line
user@computer:~$cd /etc/modprobe.d
user@computer:/etc/modeprobe.d$sudo echo “option i915 modeset=1” | sudo tee /etc/modprobe.d/i915-kms.conf
I used this workaround rather than editing the grub script permanently or creating
a /etc/X11/xorg.conf with e.g. a vesa fixed driver.
If at a later time after an ubuntu update including kernel or X11 changes this issue appears
again, I would look at this setting again (e.g. trying turning it off or on again).
This seems to be a linux-wide (cross-distribution) issue, so after a kernel fix
this workaround may have be deactivated or re-activated again.
Everything else (WLAN, LAN, sound (headphones and internal speakers)
works fine, without any tuning or fixing.
2010-05-28: Not quite correct: Laptop always hangs when shutting down using
the gnome GUI Shutdown button, this produces an ubuntu shutdown screen
with the 5-dots-progress-bar progressing endlessly, also ALT-SYSREQ-REISUB
does not work.
Just have to switch the computer off using the power-button an the casing
(press for 10 seconds).
Anyone got an idea how to get the shutdown working correctly ?
Discussion