U6S(g) running Linux

Think I'm going to order one of these. Only thing is, I'm 100% linux these days and can't stand windows - so I'm looking for people who've used the U6S(g) with linux? Intending to run Ubuntu - probably 32bit version.

Specifically looking for info about:

* hardware compatibility - are there any features which don't work at all
* performance - is there much of a difference (pos/neg) between performance under windows
* open gl - very keen to use the laptop for graphics ... bit of blender and some open gl programming (vis processing)... so any info about nvidia driver performance appreciated.

Also - I noticed there isn't firewire... does anyone know of a way to add a firewire port .. I have a dvcam which I'll want to use.

cheers :0)

luke

 

also - does anyone know if an alternative smaller power supply can be used..? I read that the standard adapter is massive :/

 

I don't know about Linux. And it seems all the ASUS 90W adapters are like that... the only thing to do is look for a 3rd party adapter with the right voltage, current, and power ratings. And the right tip. And smaller

 

Is this useful?

http://binblog.wordpress.com/2008/06/14/status-of-linux-on-the-asus-u6s/

 

great, helps a lot thx

 

@E.B.E. : thx, I might try and find an alternative smaller adapter, seems a bit rubbish to have such a nice small laptop with such a large brick of a power-adapter.

 

Hello. I'm running Ubuntu 8.04 with dual-boot to Vista. If you have some (simple) specific tests you would like me to run, I can try them. However, I'm very very linux-noob, this is actually my first touch with linux, so I'm not very adept at running very complex benchmarks etc.

For now, I can confirm the stand-by resume error - it just doesn't wake up. Also, I get some (for me, strange) text errors when going to/waking from hibernation, but other than that it works most of the time. Graphics work as far as I can see (haven't done any 3D though). Haven't tried the fingerprint reader, either, nor know how to do that. Oh, and I do get audio. I haven't tried the webcam yet.

 

Are you running with the latest 304 bios? I seem to recall that something like that was fixed in the 304 bios release.

 

I've now updated the bios, but I haven't tried the resume yet. I don't think there was a mention of this in the bios-update details, but I'll try it later.

 

My mistake, it reads:

Wishful thinking I guess.

 

I'm running Ubuntu 8.04 64-bit on this notebook and for the most part, it runs flawlessly. Default drivers work somewhat, but the performance suffers quite a bit, which shouldn't happen for such a new card (I'm not running anything tremendously graphically intense). I've updated to the 173.14.09 driver and performance appears to be better. I don't run any intensive applications, so I don't think I could really confirm that it would be adequate for your needs. Everything else, with the exception of camera, fingerprint reader, waking up from sleep, worked flawlessly out of the box.

 

Hey has there much progress with Ubuntu on the Asus U6S? I'm sick and tired of the Windows Vista Business currently installed. This thing reboots on its own and I'm tired of constantly reformating this thing (upto every 3 months now).

I'm interested in running Pidgen, Firefox, Thunderbird (i really like Outlook 2007 and Thunderbird just looks and feels like crap, any suggestions on an alternative?), Open Office, and a few other minor programs (burning, watching DVDs, etc)

I am totally open to suggestions and willing to try other flavors of linux. (SuSe, Mandrake, etc)

Thanks for your input!