Ubuntu 12.04 on ASUS n56v


This blog is a collection of solutions to issues or not preferred settings in Ubuntu when installing on ASUS n56v

Press f2 to get into bios

  1. After installing Ubuntu fix Grub to boot Windows 8 again.
    1. So installing Ubuntu 12.04 along with a EFI partition with GRUB will result in a boot error for Windows8 (from /dev/sda[some number]), some thing like: error: unknown command 'drivemap' error: invalid EFI file path. While there are many threads online discussed about this issue. Here is the most elegant solution I found: using the Boot-Repair tool. Here is how: 
       1. After Ubuntu is installed (make sure you can access the internet), open the terminal:

      sudo add-apt-repository ppa:yannubuntu/boot-repair
      sudo apt-get update
       2. Press Enter. 
       3. Then type:
       
       sudo apt-get install -y boot-repair
       boot-repair
       4. Press Enter, let this software figure everything out for you.
      It will automatically generate the GRUB files such that your Windoes8 can boot again.
       
      Best to choose the Recommended option to fix your boot issues in boot-repair

  2. Get the nvidia card working
    1. taken from, http://askubuntu.com/questions/163900/ubuntu-any-version-and-650m-cuda
    2. NOTE: if using Ubuntu 12.04.2 read these first 
      1. http://askubuntu.com/questions/256995/ubuntu-12-04-2-wont-boot-after-bumblebee-instalation 
      2. https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/cedarview-drm-drivers/+bug/1132584
        1. Yes your integrated graphics will no longer work.
    3. Short story if Ubuntu 12.04:

      sudo add-apt-repository ppa:ubuntu-x-swat/x-updates
      sudo add-apt-repository ppa:bumblebee/stable
      sudo apt-get update
       
      sudo apt-get install bumblebee bumblebee-nvidia linux-headers-generic
       
      # If using Ubuntu 12.04.2 with the hardware enablement stack use this to install bumblebee instead
       
      sudo apt-get install bumblebee bumblebee-nvidia linux-headers-generic-lts-quantal 
       
      Log out and log back in to update your user groups
       
      optirun glxspheres

      Basically to make sure the graphics for the program you want to run is handled by the graphics card run it with optirun. 

  3. Fixing Eithernet
    1. http://www.linuxfoundation.org/collaborate/workgroups/networking/alx
    2. Worked great
  4. Multi-Touch
    1. http://askubuntu.com/questions/127049/help-trying-to-get-two-finger-scrolling-to-work-on-asus-ul80vt/220299#220299 
  5. Fix computer freezing ever couple of hours
    For whatever reason the computer seem to freeze every so often. Looks to occur whenever I go to save something.

    Apparently it can be easily remedied by enabling the long term service hardware stack like so:

    sudo apt-get install linux-generic-lts-quantal xserver-xorg-lts-quantal
    After this you should have kernel version >= 3.5.0 which is the point of enabling the hardware support.
    1. Fix auto brightness
      You could try adding a line to /etc/rc.local that will set the desired brightness level. To edit the file, run
      gksudo gedit /etc/rc.local
      and add the following
      echo X > /sys/class/backlight/intel_backlight/brightness
      so that the end result looks like this
      #!/bin/sh -e
      #
      # rc.local
      #
      # This script is executed at the end of each multiuser runlevel.
      # Make sure that the script will "exit 0" on success or any other
      # value on error.
      #
      # In order to enable or disable this script just change the execution
      # bits.
      #
      # By default this script does nothing. 
       
      # Max vlaue seems to be 4882 
       echo X > /sys/class/backlight/intel_backlight/brightness

      exit 0
      Substitute the X by the desired brightness level.

      1. Sub woofer
        1. Source is http://doc.ubuntu-fr.org/asus_n76vm#son in french
        2. Basically add

          echo 0x16 0x99130112 > /sys/class/sound/hwC0D0/user_pin_configs
          echo 1 > /sys/class/sound/hwC0D0/reconfig
           
                            To /etc/rc.local                      Before exit 0
                            reboot
                            Might need to change some settings in alsamixer. 



        Using PYSdm
        http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=872197
        Use: user,exec,auto,uid=1000,gid=1000,utf8,dmask=027,fmask=007

        References
        1. http://askubuntu.com/questions/166263/fn-keys-not-working-on-an-asus-n56v
        NOTES:
        1. Kernel 3.5.x will not work with the cedarview GPU on Intel chips. Find the bug here. https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/cedarview-drm-drivers/+bug/1132584