Linux on Sony VAIO PCG-FR215E

Here are my notes for installing Linux on my Sony Vaio PCG-FR215E. It's not a problem !
This page is inspired by http://pantuflo.escet.urjc.es/~dgil/misc/vaio_howto/

sony vaio FR215

Specs

CPU: AMD Athlon XP 2200+ 1.7 Ghz
RAM: 768 DDR SDRAM 266 Mhz (256 MB, 1GB Max.)
HD: 40 GB (Ultra ATA/100)
Video: GeForce4 420 Go 16MB
Sound: VT8233 [AC97 Audio Controller]
Ethernet: Realtek (RTL-8139)
Ethernet: NetGear WG511T PCMCIA Card
Display: 15.0'' XGA (1024x768) TFT

lspci

00:00.0 Host bridge: VIA Technologies, Inc. VT8366/A/7 [Apollo KT266/A/333]
00:01.0 PCI bridge: VIA Technologies, Inc. VT8366/A/7 [Apollo KT266/A/333 AGP]
00:0c.0 Ethernet controller: Realtek Semiconductor Co., Ltd. RTL-8139/8139C/8139C+ (rev 10)
00:0e.0 CardBus bridge: Ricoh Co Ltd RL5c476 II (rev aa)
00:0e.1 CardBus bridge: Ricoh Co Ltd RL5c476 II (rev aa)
00:0e.2 FireWire (IEEE 1394): Ricoh Co Ltd R5C552 IEEE 1394 Controller (rev 02)
00:10.0 USB Controller: VIA Technologies, Inc. VT82xxxxx UHCI USB 1.1 Controller (rev 80)
00:10.1 USB Controller: VIA Technologies, Inc. VT82xxxxx UHCI USB 1.1 Controller (rev 80)
00:10.2 USB Controller: VIA Technologies, Inc. VT82xxxxx UHCI USB 1.1 Controller (rev 80)
00:10.3 USB Controller: VIA Technologies, Inc. USB 2.0 (rev 82)
00:11.0 ISA bridge: VIA Technologies, Inc. VT8235 ISA Bridge
00:11.1 IDE interface: VIA Technologies, Inc. VT82C586A/B/VT82C686/A/B/VT823x/A/C PIPC Bus Master IDE (rev 06)
00:11.5 Multimedia audio controller: VIA Technologies, Inc. VT8233/A/8235/8237 AC97 Audio Controller (rev 50)
00:11.6 Communication controller: VIA Technologies, Inc. Intel 537 [AC97 Modem] (rev 80)
01:00.0 VGA compatible controller: nVidia Corporation NV17 [GeForce4 420 Go] (rev a3)
02:00.0 Ethernet controller: Atheros Communications, Inc. AR5212 802.11abg NIC (rev 01)

Software

Mandrake Linux Official 10.1 - Kernel 2.6.8.1-12mdk

Ethernet

The builtin Ethernet controller is a generic Realtek. Just load the module 8139too.
My Wifi controller is a PCMCIA NetGear WG511T with an Atheros Chipset. Use the madwifi driver.

Sound

The VIA82xx chipset is detected during installation and works fine. In KDE, select ALSA as Input/Output method instead of Auto Detect to avoid unpleasant noises at startup time.
If something goes wrong, try :

$ alsaconf

Video

XFree 4.3.0 (or Xorg) includes a generic driver. You can install the nvidia driver from http://www.nvidia.com/linux (note : the kernel will be tainted) to enable 2D/3D acceleration and features like TwinView. Don't forget to update your X11 configuration file : replace nv by nvidia in section "Device".
For a full config with TwinView and Multihead (not tested), take a look at my configuration file.

ACPI

Everything is OK, except software suspend that doesn't work because of nvidia driver... it seems.

To enable ACPI support, parameters passed to the kernel at boot time needs to be modified in lilo.conf :

image=/boot/vmlinuz
        label="linux-orig"
        root=/dev/hda1
        initrd=/boot/initrd.dsdt
        append="resume=/dev/hda5 pci=biosirq acpi=on splash=silent"
        vga=788
        read-only

Battery status and thermal information work fine :

$ acpi -V
     Battery 1: charging, 100%
     Thermal 1: ok, 65.0 degrees C
  AC Adapter 1: on-line

I had a little problem with the power button. When i was pressing the power button, the laptop was stopping correctly but was falling in a lethargy ! I was having to press the switch for 5 seconds before it wakes up ! So, i've compiled my kernel with this configuration :

# Power management options (ACPI, APM)
#
CONFIG_PM=y
# CONFIG_PM_DEBUG is not set
CONFIG_SOFTWARE_SUSPEND=y
CONFIG_PM_STD_PARTITION="/dev/hda5"

#
# ACPI (Advanced Configuration and Power Interface) Support
#
CONFIG_ACPI=y
CONFIG_ACPI_BOOT=y
CONFIG_ACPI_INTERPRETER=y
CONFIG_ACPI_SLEEP=y
CONFIG_ACPI_SLEEP_PROC_FS=y
CONFIG_ACPI_AC=y
CONFIG_ACPI_BATTERY=y
CONFIG_ACPI_BUTTON=y
CONFIG_ACPI_FAN=y
CONFIG_ACPI_PROCESSOR=y
CONFIG_ACPI_THERMAL=y
# CONFIG_ACPI_ASUS is not set
# CONFIG_ACPI_TOSHIBA is not set
CONFIG_ACPI_DEBUG=y
CONFIG_ACPI_BUS=y
CONFIG_ACPI_EC=y
CONFIG_ACPI_POWER=y
CONFIG_ACPI_PCI=y
CONFIG_ACPI_SYSTEM=y
CONFIG_X86_PM_TIMER=y
CONFIG_ACPI_INITRD=y
# CONFIG_ACPI_TC1100 is not set

USB

This devices are ok : USB mouse, USB keys (removable mass storage), digital cameras (AGFA). Printers and scanners not tested.

Modem

This is a softmodem. Use linuxant conexant HSF drivers.

PCMCIA

Tested with my NetGear WIFI card. Works fine !

$ sudo cardctl ident
Socket 0:
  product info: "Atheros Communications, Inc.", "AR5001-0000-0000", "Wireless LAN Reference Card", "00"
  manfid: 0x0271, 0x0012
  function: 6 (network)

FireWire

Not tested

WIFI

I just have to compile madwifi drivers.

$ sudo iwconfig
lo        no wireless extensions.

eth0      no wireless extensions.

ath0      IEEE 802.11g  ESSID:"xxxxxxxxx"  Nickname:"xxxxxxxxx"
          Mode:Managed  Frequency:2.457GHz  Access Point: 00:09:5B:xx:xx:xx
          Bit Rate=54Mb/s   Tx-Power:50 dBm   Sensitivity=0/3
          Retry:off   RTS thr:off   Fragment thr:off
          Encryption key:off
          Power Management:off
          Link Quality:38/94  Signal level:-57 dBm  Noise level:-95 dBm
          Rx invalid nwid:0  Rx invalid crypt:0  Rx invalid frag:0
          Tx excessive retries:15  Invalid misc:15   Missed beacon:0

Pacôme MASSOL - pacome *-at-* pmassol.net - http://www.pmassol.net - Last update : 2005-03-25

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