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last modified: Monday, 21-Jul-2003 08:50:48 CEST
Introduction
Document Versions
Hardware
Abstract
Resources
Partitioning the Harddrive
Installing Debian Woody and Linux 2.4.18
The Bootloader
Framebuffer and LILO
CD-RW
XFree86
Omnibook Kernel Module
keyboard++
Software Suspend
HP's support
This page describes my experiences with the HP Omnibook XE3 GF (F3888H) notebook, from a Debian Woody / Linux user's point of view.
Update: I meanwhile updated to Debian Sarge, as the
XFree86-version 4.2.1 available there has native accelerated support
for the I830M graphics chipset.
03-07-21:
03-03-15:
03-02-20
03-02-11:
03-02-10:
03-01-22:
Previous:
Would I recommend it?
PRO:
CONTRA:
Install the base system with a custom-built kernel.
Unfortunately, with the kernel-2.2.20-based Debian cd I used I could not get the NIC to
work. (Update: I installed from a Debian-3.0-pre-release snapshot.
The final-release version of Woody ships with both a 2.2 and a 2.4 kernel based boot system.
My problems with the NIC drivers of kernel 2.2.20 thus might already be dealt with when booting and
installing with Linux 2.4 ...)
I got kernel-2.4.18.tar.gz
(don't use .tar.bz2 unless you have several cd's, as
for some reason I don't understand the bzip2-package is not on the first Debian-cd :(, but then again
this could have changed too with the officially released "Debian 3.0r0" aka "Woody" images)
via a seperate cd and compiled it using
this config.
It is definitely not perfect as I didn't have much experience with neither kernel 2.4 nor notebooks
at the time of this writing, but I tried some settings.
Generally spoken all of the really important hardware (except for the modem which I didn't
try to configure yet) works now.
Update -- 03-01-22:
I meanwhile use Linux 2.4.20, compiled with
this config.
The key options are:
If you want to use menuconfig, you'll either need more than the first Woody cd or the download and install the package libncurses5-dev.
Finally, compile the kernel and its modules and install them
as usual.
In order to get a cool shell using all of the 15" screen, use the framebuffer device previously compiled into the kernel.
In order for this to work, add
vga=0x317
to the global LILO-section.
This gives you 1024x768 at 16 Bit (64k) colors.
See /usr/src/linux/Documentation/fb/vesafb.txt for details on other possible modes.
Also remember, that specifying the colors in HEX-mode only works within the lilo.conf. If you want to use a different one and add the value by yourself at the LILO-prompt, you'll have to transform the value to DEC-mode - which would result in vga=791.
I compiled the kernel with IDE-SCSI-support (which can be found in the section ATA/IDE/MFM/RLL).
Remember to also include SCSI-support for this to work - I included the following:
[y] SCSI support
[y] SCSI disk support (probabely not needed)
[y] SCSI CD-ROM support
[y] SCSI generic support
In lilo.conf, add
append=" hdc=ide-scsi"
to the corresponding section.
You'll have to access the CD drive via SCSI now, so replace the link "/dev/cdrom -> hdc" with "/dev/cdrom -> sr0".
Update - 02-11-13:
Debian Sarge (the current testing-branch) now has XFree86-4.2.1-packages. It is now possible
to use the graphics chip in an "accelerated" mode, as well as to use DPMS to save power
(which is especially interesting in combination with the omnibook-kernel-module mentioned
above and described below as the screen really "shuts down" and consumes no power anymore).
Here is my current XF86Config-4.
Update - 02-11-29:
The new Linux kernel 2.4.20 includes DRI-support for "Intel 830M" :).
(Just to be sure: DRI/DRM-stuff can be found in the "Character devices" section.)
Update - 03-01-22:
I just realized I didn't write it down before: Colour-Depth is now possible to use up to 24 bit due
to the improved graphics driver in XFree86-4.2.1.
Update -- 03-02-20:
Intel seems to ship
Linux graphics drivers.
I haven't tried them yet, and I don't know yet what's the real difference to the XFree86-4.2.1 drivers.
Nevertheless: it supports "Intel® 830M graphics-controller-based system running Red Hat 8.0 using
a 'Workstation' installation" and needs XFree86 >= 4.2.0 and Kernel >= 2.4.11 to be compiled and
used successfully.
I basically just installed tasksel's X-option, as far as I recall.
Unfortunately I had some mess when configuring it.
This was basically due to the fact that I tried it with 24bit color depth, but only 16bit seem to
be supported. This seems to be due to the framebuffer only support in XFree86-4.1.
IMHO it doesn't matter anyway with TFT-screens...
Using 16 bit from the beginning, everything should be a straight "walk through".
I generally used debconf to configure everything. Here's what I did:
XF86Config-4 handled by Debconf X server driver: vesa (not i810) [03-01-22: remember, for X-4.2.1, "i810" would be the right choice] User kernel framebuffer device interface: YES [...] Keyboard: pc104 -- de -- nodeadkey -- [no options] Mouse: /dev/psaux -- PS/2 Monitor _is_ LCD: Medium -- 1024x768 @ 60Hz 1024, 800, 640 -- 24 bit
Starting X resulted in "no screens found". using "16" (bit) as default depth in /etc/X11/XF86Config-4, it should work fine.
dpkg-reconfigure xserver-xfree86 handled by debconf vesa [03-01-22: remember, for X-4.2.1, "i810" would be the right choice] enter identifier video card's bus identifier: [left it blank] use kernel fb device interface: YES amount of memory: <_blank> keyoard: xfree86 -- pc104 -- de -- nodeadkeys -- [no additional keyboard options] mouse: /dev/psaux -- PS/2 -- emulate 3 buttons: YES -- enable scroll: YES monitor: enter identifier (monitor) -- LCD -- medium -- 1024x768 @ 60 Hz -- (1024, 800, 640) -- 16 bit all modules but "xtt" 2x "write? YES"
Update - 02-11-13:
With the new X-packages (4.2.1 from Debian Sarge), it is possible to use DPMS now.
In order to avoid the problem of X crashing after a deterministic amount of time or KDE not being able to load normally, comment the following line
# Option "DPMS"
In section "Monitor" of /etc/init.d/XF86Config-4. You'll be able to have
your machine running in X as long
as you want without having to interact with it all the time ;), you can use screensavers, xlock
the machine, etc.
Thanks to Stefan for this hint!
The Omnibook Kernel Module
Many thanks to Soos Peter et al for creating such a wonderful piece of software! :)
Download and extract it, read at least .../omnibook-200x-xx-xx/doc/(README|INSTALL).
Installation is basically just compiling the source resulting in a kernel module which you just have to
"install" and load.
If you use a "Debian-way self-compiled kernel", in order
to correctly compile the omnibook-module, simply add the kernel's EXTRAVERSION string (see appendix of
the output from uname -r, this would be "-03" with "2.4.20-03") to /usr/src/linux/Makefile,
4th line, variable EXTRAVERSION. Afterwards run make and make install.
I have the module loaded each time I boot by executing a script holding the following line:
/sbin/modprobe omnibook apmemu=1
The module (as of version 2003-01-09) most importantly for me turns off the screen as soon as it is blanked
(remember the DPMS-setting of X-4.2.1 mentioned above) and - due to the command-line parameter -
creates the file /proc/apm and hereby emulates APM-functionality. This is really a great feature
as it makes it possible to have common tools such as gkrellm use the standard APM-interface to
show you the current battery-charge.
(Remember to exclude APM from the kernel when compiling one yourself!)
Since 02-12-22 it is possible to turn the LCD backlight off and on using the simple commands "echo off > /proc/omnibook/lcd" and "echo on > /proc/omnibook/lcd".
If you want to use the four additional "Onetouch" keys (except the sleep-key which doesn't work for me as I can't determine a keycode for it), you can install linEAK:
1. Omnibook Kernel Module:
Get it working and check that the onetouch keys are enabled
("cat /proc/omnibook/onetouch").
2. Install lineakd:
apt-get install lineakd
3. Edit /etc/lineakkb.def by adding the following section:
#### HP Omnibook XE3 (4 keys) #### [HPXE3] brandname = "Hewlett-Packard" modelname = "Omnibook XE3-GF (4 keys) [KEYS] mail = 236 www = 178 arrow = 244 help = 243 [END KEYS] [END HPXE3] # end HP Omnibook XE3-GF
4. Create ~/.lineak/lineakd.conf:
# LinEAK - Linux support for Easy Access and Internet Keyboards # Copyright (c) 2001,2002 Mark Smulders < Mark@PIRnet.nl > # http://lineak.sourceforge.net # # lineakd configuration file # # example key configuration: # play = "xmms --play-pause" # eject = EAK_EJECT # # available special actions: # EAK_EJECT # EAK_VOLUP # EAK_VOLDOWN # EAK_MUTE # EAK_SLEEP # # LinEAK Configuration for Microsoft Natural Keyboard Pro USB # (generated by lineakconfig) # Global settings KeyboardType = HPXE3 CdromDevice = /dev/cdrom MixerDevice = /dev/mixer # Specific keys of your keyboard mail = "/opt/sylpheed/bin/sylpheed" www = "/opt/mozilla_start-this_max" arrow = "multi-gnome-terminal --use-factory --start-factory-server" help = "EAK_MUTE" # end lineakd.conf
5. Start lineakd:
Open an xterm and start "lineakd". Your keys should work now and do what you configured them for
in your lineakd.conf.
Finally, add "lineakd" to your Gnome-startup-sequence to have it being loaded each time you enter
your desktop-environment.
99. Add-Ons:
In order to detect the onetouch-keys' keycodes, run xev, move your mouse-cursor into the new window
and press the keys one by one.
If the onetouch keys were disabled, you can enable them by executing "echo 1 > /proc/omnibook/onetouch".
A description for your normal stand-alone PC can be found
here.
Be careful: Whatever commands you configure your add-on keys to run
will be executed even if you locked your screen! So mind to not use
these buttons with any kind of security or privacy related stuff!
I haven't tried it yet, sorry, but I'm placing a link here so I don't forget and will try in the (near) future. :)
Abstract: HP's support is great.
I've discovered the sound-chip had a malfunction in the way that when using the notebook with headphones plugged into line-out, after about 15 minutes the speakers turn on additionally to the headphones.
I contacted HP support (in Austria it's the telephone number 0810 - 00 60 80). They were very kind
and told me it's a known bug, they can repair this if I give it to them. It took HP only 4 working
days until I got the notebook back, it seems it had been mended in Manchester (UK).
everything works fine now.
Watch out!: my harddrive was totally erased by the support team installing a default
Windows XP HE image!
When I got the notebook back from the above mentioned repair, as a result of changing the
whole mainboard, the <>-key did not work anymore.
HP support told me that's because of "US-keyboard" was activated on the keyboard-controller.
Within a few minutes they sent me the tool "kbd_sel.exe"
(as I didn't have the default install of Win XP HE anymore where I would have found the programme too).
Here is a german description of how to use the programme (taken from
HP support's mail) to set the UK keyboard layout again and have a working <>-key.
Update - 03-01-22:
Unfortunately, I meanwhile spilled have a cup of coffee over the right hand side to rear of the
notebook (where the NIC is connected). This finally resulted in the battery not being charged anymore
and not being used as soon as the AC-cable was disconnected (the notebook just crashed instead of
using the still charged battery).
HP again repaired the notebook quite fast... great service again!
But: HP is not cheap: as HP charges kind of a "flatrate" for every error possible,
the invoice said to pay over 500,- EUR.
Well, as I said, not cheap, but good.