Linux on Ferrari 4005

I've had my Ferrari since August and I've been very happy with it. Recently I've been trying to get a Linux dual boot working. I've encountered various hardware problems with both Debian and Mandriva and I've yet to have Linux work well (at best it loads with blurring, streaks, weird resolution). Most of the problems seem to be related to support for the X700 radeon.

Are there 4005 users out there with any Linux distro running on it? Did you encounter any problems or am just exceptionally inept at using Linux? I just want to know if it's a lost cause or not.

 

I'm currently getting help from a friend installing my first linux build on the Ferrari ... There is lots of help on the net, but no one has used the distro you are using. Most people are using Gentoo, Mandriva and Ubuntu...

The install guides I have read have been mostly successful, although in nearly every aspect of the Ferrari there is a challenge eg. the Bluetooth, WLAN buttons/lights, the 1680x1050 resolution and other things.

I couldn't possibly reccomend a specific distro as I am a complete linux newb, but the people who've had the most success with linux on the ferrari seem to have used gentoo (although I gather that the initial install is about as fun as long distance running in stilletos.)

google "acer ferrari 4005" gentoo OR mandriva OR ubuntu...
there are links in the gentoo main site to various working installs.

:glossy: :hardfind: :amd64: :acer:

 

i don't believe it's that hard to get Linux on the Ferrari systems, hardware support moves along glacially on linux since it's done as an afterthought if it's done at all in most cases. i installed gentoo after re-partitioning the drive to give linux about 10gb from the spare partition.

i read through the ubuntu / gentoo guides, the kicker is that i'm used to gentoo, so the macabre style of doing every little thing to get it working is a little more intense than ubuntu/FC4/mdriva

the gentoo guide is far far more detailed, but still a little bit sparse. i read through the guides that you can find on http://www.omgwtfbbq.com.au/ferrari/ , but the gentoo-wiki site has more details, http://gentoo-wiki.com/HARDWARE_Gentoo_Acer_Ferrari_4005WLMi_Manual


the only features that are missing IIRC are the USB flash reader and the IRDA, and some ACPI features that are only missing because the ATI chipset isn't supported fully in Linux or in the new kernel. the really annoying thing was that the clock moved 2x normal, but there is a patch to APIC, of all things, so it's very quickly useable if you can get over the brief hurdles that occur with every linux system.

 

Suse 10.0/x64 works fine. You need to use ndiswrapper to activate wireless card and that's it. Bluetooh and GigE works out of the box. ATI has x64 driver for suse as well! Even Bluetooh mouse works!