OpenSUSE vs Toughbook CF19_MK6

Hello, recently I've acquired a toughbook cf19-mk6, and I've been wrestling quite some time to have OpenSUSE 13.2 KDE to be installed on it properly.

So far, the laptop is given a 512gb SSD, 16gb RAM and is doing excellent on the Windows 7 side, but it's being very stubborn on the linux side. There are 2 issues that I'd like to address, all of which I do believe is driver issue.

All buttons are picked up, and respond correctly to respective functionality, but they have no physical effect.

a) Screen bright/dim buttons, and FN + F1/F2 shows that the KDE is "trying" to change things, but the actual screen doesn't change its brightness.
b) Same exact issue with the sound, and in fact, it is not making any sound for the time being.

After doing a bit of reading, I tried a kernel upgrade:
4.12.3-2.g880dbd7-default #1 SMP PREEMPT Sat Jul 22 01:04:04 UTC 2017 (880dbd7) x86_64 x86_64 x86_64 GNU/Linux

no cigar yet. I am constantly looking things online, but if someone has something to share, please do.

My suspicion is that on the boot/grub, acpi is currently set to load vendor, if I can blacklist or load a specific one, I'll be golden. I've had this issue with Lenovo T410s v.s. Linux Mint before.

Thank you for your time.

 

Hi,

backlight via front buttons and function keys works just fine with grub_cmdline_linux "acpi_backlight=Linux acpi_osi=", at least on qubes3.2/fedora23 with kernel 4.4.67.

Give alsactl init a shot for sound.

 

Thank you Karl, the screen brightness is now working.

alsactl init didn't quite work. Back to more reading/trying. Please let me know if you have other suggestions. Thanks again!

 

Hi SJLPHI,

regarding sound: What do dmesg and lsmod report?
sample output of my cf19mk6 191HC51FL included for reference

Did you hit mute while/if/during it was booted into Windows? (win & lin seem to (un)mute differently...)


$:~> dmesg | grep snd
[ 38.683616] snd_hda_codec_realtek hdaudioC0D0: autoconfig for ALC269VC: line_outs=1 (0x14/0x0/0x0/0x0/0x0) type:speaker
[ 38.683622] snd_hda_codec_realtek hdaudioC0D0: speaker_outs=0 (0x0/0x0/0x0/0x0/0x0)
[ 38.683625] snd_hda_codec_realtek hdaudioC0D0: hp_outs=1 (0x15/0x0/0x0/0x0/0x0)
[ 38.683630] snd_hda_codec_realtek hdaudioC0D0: mono: mono_out=0x0
[ 38.683633] snd_hda_codec_realtek hdaudioC0D0: inputs:
[ 38.683638] snd_hda_codec_realtek hdaudioC0D0: Front Mic=0x19
[ 38.683643] snd_hda_codec_realtek hdaudioC0D0: Rear Mic=0x18

$:~> lsmod | grep snd
snd_hda_codec_realtek 86016 1
snd_hda_codec_generic 69632 1 snd_hda_codec_realtek
snd_hda_intel 40960 4
snd_hda_codec 126976 3 snd_hda_codec_realtek,snd_hda_codec_generic,snd_hda_intel
snd_hda_core 61440 4 snd_hda_codec_realtek,snd_hda_codec_generic,snd_hda_codec,snd_hda_intel
snd_hwdep 16384 1 snd_hda_codec
snd_seq 69632 0
snd_seq_device 16384 1 snd_seq
snd_pcm 118784 3 snd_hda_codec,snd_hda_intel,snd_hda_core
snd_timer 32768 2 snd_pcm,snd_seq
snd 77824 17 snd_hda_codec_realtek,snd_hwdep,snd_timer,snd_pcm,snd_seq,snd_hda_codec_generic,snd_hda_codec,snd_hda_intel,snd_seq_device
soundcore 16384 1 snd

 

Hey Karl, you're totally right. When I unmute on Window side, then alsactl init, I seem to get sound properly until reboot.

SUPERNET:/etc/init.d # dmesg |grep snd
[ 17.417562] snd_hda_codec_realtek hdaudioC0D0: autoconfig for ALC269VC: line_outs=1 (0x14/0x0/0x0/0x0/0x0) type:speaker
[ 17.417564] snd_hda_codec_realtek hdaudioC0D0: speaker_outs=0 (0x0/0x0/0x0/0x0/0x0)
[ 17.417565] snd_hda_codec_realtek hdaudioC0D0: hp_outs=1 (0x15/0x0/0x0/0x0/0x0)
[ 17.417565] snd_hda_codec_realtek hdaudioC0D0: mono: mono_out=0x0
[ 17.417566] snd_hda_codec_realtek hdaudioC0D0: inputs:
[ 17.417568] snd_hda_codec_realtek hdaudioC0D0: Front Mic=0x19
[ 17.417568] snd_hda_codec_realtek hdaudioC0D0: Rear Mic=0x18
SUPERNET:/etc/init.d # lsmod |grep snd
snd_hda_codec_realtek 102400 1
snd_hda_codec_generic 94208 1 snd_hda_codec_realtek
snd_hda_intel 49152 3
snd_hda_codec 167936 3 snd_hda_intel,snd_hda_codec_generic,snd_hda_codec_realtek
snd_hda_core 98304 4 snd_hda_intel,snd_hda_codec,snd_hda_codec_generic,snd_hda_codec_realtek
snd_hwdep 16384 1 snd_hda_codec
snd_pcm 147456 3 snd_hda_intel,snd_hda_codec,snd_hda_core
snd_timer 40960 1 snd_pcm
snd 106496 13 snd_hda_intel,snd_hwdep,snd_hda_codec,snd_timer,snd_hda_codec_generic,snd_hda_codec_realtek,snd_pcm
soundcore 16384 1 snd
SUPERNET:/etc/init.d #

I am going to tell it to initialize alsa on boot from this point, but is there a way to bypass the Windows mute?

 

Well, this is getting a bit frustrating, putting alsactl init at the bottom of /etc/init.d/boot.local didn't work.

 

I didn't dig deeper into the Win-mute vs Lin-mute issue,
as I usually pick either Win or Lin and virtualize the other.

SuSE is using systemd now, which means we lack a trusty, useable init system.
How about an @Reboot /usr/sbin/alsactl init crontab instead?

 

I will look into that Karl after I complete my avenue of approach.

I've also tried to chmod permission the alsa to be accessible for non-root and tried to run it as user so it can be called from autostart in a script. No avail.

Right now, some people have found a very well working solution, to directly install Realtek HD audio codec driver provided by RealTek.

I am however at a loss because the driver simply will not compile, so I will have to do more reading.

For reference, on the Windows side the sound is controlled by Realtek HD,

Linux version is also available here:
http://www.realtek.com.tw/downloads...=24&Level=4&Conn=3&DownTypeID=3&GetDown=false

There is a nice set of instructions for installation available here:
http://airbornesurfer.com/2015/04/how-to-install-realtek-hd-audio-driver-in-linux/

 

This problem sounds familiar.

 

Very familiar

 

My searching has brought me the best answers:
Give up OpenSUSE and go off to Vector linux, Ubuntu, etc. Which are not my options.

 

I'm confused. Why give up on OpenSuSE?
It seems to be working perfectly fine, according to linux standards of "perfectly fine".

 

I'm not sure,
I like OpenSUSE, and I was on the verge of leaving it when they came up with LEAP 42.1 it was bad, then 42.2 was decent.

In the midst of hardware failure, I wanted to make sure that at least I know OS is good to go, so I went back to 13.2, and that's the standard I intend to have until I have 1 month of free time eventually. In this time, I will also go from Windows 7 to Windows 10.

For the time being, I am still searching for methods to get CF19Mk6 to play nicely with OpenSUSE, specifically the soundcard.

I am using a work-around, but there are draw-backs, i.e. I need to run the script on boot, and if Windows has the mic off, it still doesn't work

 

Now, THAT is funny....

 

Yes, very familiar...try this post for insight:
http://forum.notebookreview.com/threads/cf-191hyax1m-how-to-make-sound-stick.805726/

 

many years ago , i started out with "red hat" ... uuuggghhh ... drivers ... what drivers !?
then i switched to ubuntu ... wow ... what a difference ... about like when i went out with my gf's big sister !
for a while ubuntu was good ... worked very well for what i was doing ...
then i began to notice things were *changing* ... i started becoming more and more frustrated with the lack of certain functionalities and shortcomings .
the final stick-a-fork-in-me-i-am-done was when a bunch of twits decided that copying that *fisher-price* desktop of windows was a good idea .
i started looking around and found "linux mint" .
yeppers ... i have been fairly happy since ... it does have some of the same audio problems of other 'nix versions but these can be overcome .

 

That's what we used to say at the bus garage all the time.

 

I read through that thread UNCNDL1, but I'm confused, was there a conclusive solution?

CWB32, I actually went backward.
I went from Linux Mint 16 -> Ubuntu 14.04 -> OpenSUSE 13.1 ->OpenSUSE LEAP 42.1 -> RHEL -> OpenSUSE 13.2, and I am holding ground.

 

Not referring to anyone in particular.
Maybe it's too dumbed down for most Linux snobs, but Zorin works. Out of the box works.
I know it is shiny Ubuntu but it works.

This is from a Windows user who wants fully working OSX on a Toughbook.

 

I have to say that Zorin is freakin awesome. (I even paid for the Pro version) It seems to work on my CF-31s without a hitch. Haven't tried it with the CF-C1... I hear the screen rotation buttons don't play nicely but I'm not sure.

 

To be honest, if I adjust to Windows 10 properly, with their bash, I could probably work out of it entirely, but for the time being, I need reliability, so far W7 has been flawless, and OpenSUSE 13.2 with its flaws still is extremely reliable and I am familiar with, apparently not with peripherals though

 

"I read through that thread UNCNDL1, but I'm confused, was there a conclusive solution?"

There were some answers that seemed to work for some. I like simple, and for me when I needed the sound to work I just followed the steps I outlined in Terminal to Un-Mute. The CF-19 MK 6 has some different hardware that's for sure. Did you try Zorin or Mint LMDE2? I run Linux for a reason. It works well on my main daily machine (CF-53) and I can get to all my company sites via Citrix. My CF-19 is collecting dust in the closet until I decide to give it away to a family member

 

Well, I decided on not to mute from the Windows side, just instead put the volume down all the way then run
alsactl init

on boot, where in boot I'm going to put it? I will get back to you, because it's not taking it kindly on rc.local

 

how about a nice cup of cron?

 

I would like some very direct help, as to what I should to get the Cron to set up.

My "vacation"(recovery and setting up new laptop time) is over, and I really am short on time and resources

 

@Reboot /usr/sbin/alsactl init
lowercase reboot .. the forum software forces uppercase r due to being programmed by php monkeys

 

Karl, where should I put that command exactly?

 

ah, sorry. into
crontab -e

might also be - depending on distro defaults -
sudo crontab -e

 

Excellent! Thank you! Works for now.

Eventually, I do want to investigate a permanent solution instead of a work around.

 

Funny development.

Everytime I unplug a headset, I need to re-initiate alsactl. Well, I don't even know how to start with this.