WARNING: all informations below are without warranty!

Installing and setting Ubuntu 6.10 (Edgy Eft) on HP 500 notebook

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Setting 1280x800 resolution

When you have installed Ubuntu from boot CD on this notebook for the first time, you can see that picture seems to be not sharp. Yes, cause it's running on 1024x768 resolution.
To make it run correctly, you need to edit source list and download utility. Open Terminal (Applications->Accessories->Terminal) and type:

sudo gedit /etc/apt/sources.list

replace all sources here by this ones:

deb http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ edgy main restricted universe multiverse
# deb-src http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ edgy main restricted universe multiverse

deb http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ edgy-updates main restricted universe multiverse
# deb-src http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ edgy-updates main restricted universe multiverse

# deb http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ edgy-backports main restricted universe multiverse
# deb-src http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ edgy-backports main restricted universe multiverse

deb http://security.ubuntu.com/ubuntu edgy-security main restricted universe multiverse
# deb-src http://security.ubuntu.com/ubuntu edgy-security main restricted universe multiverse

update sources:

sudo aptitude update

install 915resolution utility:

sudo aptitude install 915resolution

after installation is finished, you need to set 915resolution tool:

sudo gedit /etc/default/915resolution

set this values:

MODE=auto
XRESO=1280
YRESO=800
BIT=

SAVE it and close Gedit. Restart computer sudo reboot and you will probably see the correct sharp resolution on your screen.

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Optimizing Linux kernel for HP500 notebook and making touchpad working

First, before you make your own kernel compiling, you need to update source list like in previous config for 915resolution and update this sources.

now you need to get kernel source codes:

sudo aptitude install linux-source-[you get latest source code using TAB key]

last version 2.6.17 size is 49.7MB. Downloaded compressed source code is located in /usr/src. You need to decompress it:

cd /usr/src/
sudo tar -xvjf linux-source-

After this command you will have source codes in /usr/src/linux-source-2.6.17 directory, now you need to edit source code of keyboard and mouse driver to make touchpad working correctly:

sudo gedit linux-source-2.6.17/drivers/input/serio/i8042.c

on the line 608 add RETURN 0; command and SAVE file:



Download compilation tools:

sudo aptitude install build-essential
sudo aptitude install bin86
sudo aptitude install kernel-package
sudo aptitude install gcc
sudo aptitude install gcc-3.4
sudo aptitude install libncurses5
sudo aptitude install libncurses5-dev
sudo aptitude install libqt3-headers
sudo aptitude install libqt3-mt-dev

get into the source codes directory:

cd linux-source-

and start graphical editor for kernel:

sudo make xconfig

You will see QCONF, where you can choise many options for your own kernel settings. I suggest to make only this changes for the first time:

Processor type and features:

disable Symmetric multi-processor support
select Pentium M processor family
disable Generic x86 support
enable Local APIC support on uniprocessors
enable IO-APIC suport on uniprocessor
disable Toshiba + Dell laptop support
disable Enable X86 board specific fixups for reboot
disable /dev/cpu/microcode - Intel IA32 CPU
Hight memory support - set to OFF
set Timer frequency to 1000Hz
disable kexec system call

After this select SAVE, close QCONF and you can continue:

sudo make-kpkg clean
sudo make-kpkg --initrd --stem linux --revision=hp500.1.0  kernel_image

after few minutes you have compiled your own new kernel. The last thing is to decompress and use it:

  cd ..
  sudo dpkg -i linux-image- [linux-image-2.6.17.13-ubuntu1_hp500.1.0_i386.deb]
  sudo reboot

In GRUB boot loader you will see your new kernel (-ubuntu1), when it starts, touchpad is working!

CAUTION: the last kernel sources disable Wifi function, I will look to find solution how to get it working back and post here this info!

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Last updated 18.2.2007
created by Alik at hp500.xf.cz