topic Support for Linux in PCs & Accessories

Support for Linux

wilporta — Sun, 25 May 2008 09:20:58 GMT

I work in the IT industry and - like many people - I prefer to have both Windows and UNIX operating systems on a laptop. The Sony Vaio is a very nice laptop, but it there are a number of problems relating to Linux support. The main one which makes the laptop unpleasant to use is that the brightness of the monitor cannot be controlled. The hot keys do not work and there are a number of posts to NVIDIA, who make the GeForce card, Suse and Ubuntu relating to difficulties in getting the brightness control to work. I am surprised that Sony do not work with NVIDIA and Linux groups to resolve this problem. I am sure that a better support for Linux would be cheap to provide and would result in more sales.

There seem to be a number of half-hearted attempts to fix this problem with sonypi and spicctrl (which don't seem to work and which may apparently damage the laptop hardware). This is unsatisfactory.

I would be interested in knowing whether Sony's plans to support Linux better. Can I look forward to a time when I can use my Sony Vaio in Linux without wearing sunglasses?

Surely all that Sony and NVIDIA need to do is to make the interface specifications available to the Linux community so that these people can include the support? And this information must already exist because the brightness control works under other platforms like Windows Vista. What are the problems in making this information more widely available?

I quite understand that Sony recommend that Windows Vista be used as an operating system for the VGN-NR21Z. However, it would be useful if basic support were provided for other common platforms as well.

Re: Support for Linux

benste — Mon, 26 May 2008 06:48:16 GMT

Sounds nice.
Maybe we should use this thread as a general announcement to sony from all linux users.

I'll send your request to Brussles maybe they'll consider that they can publish their data according japan does allow it.

Main Argument would be The Ubuntuforum.org Vaio thread.
But amybe one of you has more arguments for sony to publish their data-

let's collect arguments (sony don't want to publish - because of support needed fopr linux pcs)

Re: Support for Linux

Seeps — Mon, 26 May 2008 13:28:17 GMT

My first time on the forum!

I've had my Vaio VGN-A417M for over three years now, and am fed up with Microsoft and want to move on to either LINUX only operating system or a partioned hard drive with both Windows and Linux operating as and when needed - but there seems little advice or support on Club Vaio to help me do this - I'm not an IT person, and want to be able to look into how I can do this safely.

Any advice from the people at Sony?

Thinking of moving away from Sony to Dell or Asus as they seem to support the open source movement and colloborate working better.

Cheers

Re: Support for Linux

benste — Mon, 26 May 2008 15:22:02 GMT

Welcome on board,
There is no advice and support from Sony like Wiliam said, but I for your first steps going to linux I can help you.
Only thing which doesn't work in Linux on Vaios are the FN-Keys.
BUt all other things are runnning faster and easier.

As you may know there are several distributions of linux you may heard of Debian Redhat Suse and Ubuntu.
Ubuntu is also the ones Dell sells whith their computers.

If you consider to install a linux system I would advise you to download ubuntu. Ubuntu is today the userfrendliest environoment which comes with a live CD which you simply download from http://www.ubuntu.com/getubuntu/download.
After booting from this disk you'll see the system. There in you can click on install it will ask you for further names and user configurations and so on.

ONe important step if you want to have a dual boot system is that you can use one partition of windows. YOu shouldn't remove the recovery partition simply use the 3rd partition create there a 1 GB Swap and the rest as ext3 for /
That's all after that it installs automaticly including a boot loader.
You may could try the new feature called WUBI which allows you to install directly from windows.

For further questions after install don't hesitate to ask me or better subscribe to http://ubuntuforums.org/
[+ my desktop]

Re: Support for Linux

nielsslot — Tue, 27 May 2008 15:26:22 GMT

Hi all,

This is my first post here too. I'm an experienced Linux user and bought a Sony Vaio VGN-FZ38M a few weeks ago. After booting up Ubuntu 8.04 I noticed I couldn't control the brightness of the screen. Besides that, almost everything seemed to work perfectly. I haven't tried the webcam though.

After searching on the internet I found out two things:
- The FN keys do work, they send an ACPI event to the Linux kernel. They don't however, change the brightness.
- On Vaio laptops with an older NVidia video card or an Intel video card it is possible to control the brightness (with nvclock and xbacklight). However with newer NVidia card (Geforce 8M) it is impossible to change this.

There is a topic running about this at the NVNews forums: http://www.nvnews.net/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=100494

I also contacted NVidia about this. They are aware of the problem. But they didn't say anything about if or when they will fix this.

I there is anything Sony could do to help I would really appreciate it.

Re: Support for Linux

splash.nicklas — Tue, 03 Jun 2008 22:33:07 GMT

Hello Sony team,
I am a proud sony vaio fz1zz owner since about a year. I'm also using ubuntu since i bought this notebook. Its almost everything runnig, what i need, expecting the brightness control. This is a very important part of a notebook, so can you pls tell me a fix for that problem?
I'm an informatics student, so I have to work this maschine in different places.
I was tould by nvidia, that it's your job to managa the mobile drivers.

Thanks for your work

Nicklas

Re: Support for Linux

benste — Wed, 04 Jun 2008 15:05:42 GMT

welcome splash.niklas to Club Vaio,
you're right here, this is a thread which is submitted to sony, and asking about a solution for FN-Keys Brightness control and Memory card reader. Currently you can try:

nvclock -S 50%

for diming your screen if you have a nvidia based card.

@all: linked articles:

Nvidia Forum -->http://www.nvnews.net/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=100494
Ubuntu Forum -->
1. initial ask Sony threadhttp://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=702879
2. calling all Vaio owners - trying to fix problemhttp://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=465491
TZ 100% compability ?http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=514292
Launchpad (Ubuntu bugtracing) --> unable to change screen brightness Vaio
https://bugs.launchpad.net/bugs/152095
https://bugs.launchpad.net/bugs/173652
https://bugs.launchpad.net/bugs/76924

I think this is enough at first time:
if there is another important link please add it.
If you're a developer @ nvclock or ubuntu feel free to post specific questions on how to ... they may be answered soon (or not).
If you're using Ubuntu and only missing this features, feel free to post that you would like to have help.

--> edit:
feel free to add links to CV threads which handle the same topic.
like: http://club.vaio.sony.eu/clubvaio/gb/en/forum/viewthread?thread=54850&lastpage=yes

Re: Support for Linux

sraikos — Wed, 04 Jun 2008 17:17:20 GMT

Hi all!
I was to install Ubuntu some time ago but I was always moving back. For me it is not a very big deal when the FN keys won’ t work but I would really like to know if the third partition on the hard disk is being created during the installation procedure after being asked or if there is something special I should do prior to installation. I intend to install ubuntu by using a cd that I have burnt instead of wubi.exe of which the calculated hash value doesn’ t respond the one given as many times as I have tried to download it. What do you suggest?
Tnx in advance

Re: Support for Linux

benste — Wed, 04 Jun 2008 18:02:18 GMT

I would suggest to downlaod the CD via torrent - burn it to a disk.
than - if you want to leave windows and recovery
clean you i think it's D:/ partition with windowes explorer - write down the size

Boot from ubuntu CD - use the custom partition in the installer
delete the former partition D:/ create a 1Gb Swap and the rest as ext3 for /
the rest (including grub bootloader) will be done automaticly.

If you want to have special answer on UBuntu questions it would be better if you post into ubuntuforums.org

Re: Support for Linux

sittingpenguin — Fri, 06 Jun 2008 17:53:33 GMT

Hello Sony folks,

please disclose the registers used by the Vaio Event Manager so that Linux modules can be completed, especially for the brightness control.

We would be very grateful because we love our Vaio and would like to use it with our favourite OS.

Kind Regards,
Claudio.

Re: Support for Linux

Sealbhach — Sat, 07 Jun 2008 12:03:34 GMT

Hi,

I recently installed Ubuntu 8.04 on my Vaio as a dual boot with Vista.

I've got a VGN-FZ21M. Most things work OK, even my Skypephone.

However, most Vaio users can't get the webcam working.

I would ask Sony to do all they can to support Linux from now on - Linux is only going to get bigger with Dell and Asus And Acer shipping products already preloaded with Linux - all these new low-cost laptops (netbooks) are going to be Linux only.

So come on Sony, don't miss out!

.

Re: Support for Linux

margheor — Sat, 07 Jun 2008 19:48:23 GMT

nielsslot, I also bought a FZ38M, but am having trouble installing Ubuntu 8.04. I was wondering if you had any problems during installation as I can't get my Grub to boot. I didn't have any trouble with Fedora but Ubuntu doesn't want to boot up? Any advice??
Incidentally my MotionEye doesn't work on fedora either, wondering how soon Sony might release the driver or allow programmers the code to do so themselves.

Re: Support for Linux

nielsslot — Mon, 09 Jun 2008 17:28:49 GMT

nielsslot, I also bought a FZ38M, but am having trouble installing Ubuntu 8.04. I was wondering if you had any problems during installation as I can't get my Grub to boot. I didn't have any trouble with Fedora but Ubuntu doesn't want to boot up? Any advice??
Incidentally my MotionEye doesn't work on fedora either, wondering how soon Sony might release the driver or allow programmers the code to do so themselves.

Hi martheman,

I haven't had any problems. This could be because I only installed Ubuntu through Wubi. I want to get it running properly before I install it on a dedicated partition. With Wubi everything works fine. Did you get any error messages from Grub?

Re: Support for Linux

benste — Tue, 10 Jun 2008 11:44:54 GMT

Hy, nice to hear that there are some more users here in the post - If someone has problems with his Vaio in special postition, I would like to pleaseantly ask you - make a new thread or better - use ubuntuforums.org.

Motion Eye camera isn't a very big problem at all, several laptops works fine when using V4L - I'm not quiet shure what your problem is, but ask it in Ubuntuforum please.

wondering how soon Sony might release the driver or allow programmers the code to do so themselves.

- I'm in contact with them, but it's quiet unsure how they will decide - react. But I also hope for my FN Keys 🙂 that they'll publish it asap

Re: Support for Linux

mr.nicis — Tue, 10 Jun 2008 20:34:00 GMT

bab

Hello Sony folks,

please disclose the registers used by the Vaio Event Manager so that Linux modules can be completed, especially for the brightness control.

We would be very grateful because we love our Vaio and would like to use it with our favourite OS.

Kind Regards,
Claudio.

Hi claudio are you italian? if is true please post also in italian board
beast regards

Fabrizio (aka mr.nicis)

Re: Support for Linux

benste — Wed, 11 Jun 2008 15:29:07 GMT

wow this theme got hot 🙂
I didn't think that they're so many users who are also using linux.

Best wishes , benste

Re: Support for Linux

sittingpenguin — Thu, 12 Jun 2008 08:56:15 GMT

@Fabrizio
yes I am Italian unfortunately, is there a thread already running to which you would like me to participate?

@Benste
so has this gotten hot enough that we get the registers?

Re: Support for Linux

mr.nicis — Thu, 12 Jun 2008 19:03:02 GMT

@Fabrizio
yes I am Italian unfortunately, is there a thread already running to which you would like me to participate?

Hi Claudio, is this one
http://club.vaio.sony.eu/clubvaio/gb/en/forum/viewthread?thread=54850
tankyou in advance
Ciao

Re: Support for Linux

sittingpenguin — Sun, 15 Jun 2008 09:10:48 GMT

Well I have installed Vista on my VGN-FZ, what makes the special keys work is a thing called "Vaio Shared Library", without that bit actually less stuff works in Vista than in Linux. Upon the shared library sits the "Vaio Event Service", which actually controls the keys, but it won't work without the library, so I believe there is where the registry keys are.

Anyway installing Vista clean (with a Vista install DVD, not a Sony recovery disc) is a major pain where the sun never shines, worse than Linux; this laptop is so dependent upon Sony specific software that I came to think that it's really not the right choice to run Linux, or any OS other than Vista 32 bit for that matter, in fact installing Vista 64 bit you end up with the same functionality (or lack thereof) as with Linux.

Re: Support for Linux

benste — Mon, 16 Jun 2008 12:04:08 GMT

Sounds important, I didn't test it,
Sony may concern that customers more and more love open products.
And it's a big shame if even windows clean install doesn't work properly 🙂