Compaq NC6000 WiFi and volume buttons. Lubuntu 16.10
 

I installed Lubuntu 16.10 on a Compaq NC6000. (Yes, the CPU *does* have PAE support.)

Most things seem to be working but the Intel 2200BG is not connecting to WPA2 access points. That MiniPCI WiFi card does support WPA2. AFAIK this particular laptop had set around unused for a long time, so with XP it may not ever have been used to connect to a WPA2 network, so if the Windows drivers update the firmware, that wouldn't have been done.

sudo lshw -C network causes a segmentation fault. lspci shows the WiFi adapter in the listing. My WiFi access points are shown but it acts just like Windows does when attempting to connect to WPA2 with a WiFi adapter that doesn't support it.

I found the 3.1 firmware update, how do I install it?

Second thing, is there a way to get the volume buttons on the front to work? The Mute button mutes, a red LED turns on. But Linux does not recognize when the button is pressed again to unmute. Light goes out, sound stays muted.

Hi...

As it might help in diagnosing this issue, please open a terminal and run the following commands...

Then navigate to the location of the text file the script created and post the contents (or a link to them) in your next reply. :)

Unpack it and place the contents in /lib/firmware. You will most likely need to do this first using this command...

This will open a root window allowing you to move the files into that directory and possibly delete others, if needed.

You also might need to remove any older versions. Updating the firmware might address your issue, provided you're replacing an older version. I found a thread concerning this here.

Disclaimer: Be careful with commands that are prefaced with "su" or "sudo." They will essentially allow root access to your system. Mistakes could possibly damage or even destroy your OS.

Sorry, I don't have an answer regarding the mute button. Perhaps other members can help you with that.

Regards...

gksudo pcmanfm gksudo not installed, so I get to install that. Good thing the wired Ethernet works. Then I get to use that command, then I get to find how to navigate to the root level and from there find the lib folder.

Putting the 3.1 firmware files in, along with deleting the WiFi network and allowing it to rediscover the connection has fixed it. Dunno if the 3.1 firmware was already included. The files installed from the Lubuntu disc had a newer last modified date but all three were exactly the same size as what I replaced them with. Don't know, don't care - it works.

Edit: Another issue. This laptop has a touchpad and a trackpoint style input device. xinput -list only shows the Synaptics touchpad. Curiously, the left and right buttons for the trackpoint work, it's just not seeing the pointer itself. WhereTH is a GUI input device settings control panel? I've found that there *was* one that could be installed with apt-get install but development stopped on it back around 11 or 12. Now 16.10 and under Preferences no input devices? Openbox configuration manager has some very limited mouse settings - not including the capability of turning off touchpad tapping.

Now to install OpenOffice, which is the intent of putting Linux on this old laptop. Making it useful while also enabling it to be used with security and up to date online stuff. Some folks may shoehorn Win7 or Win8 even Win10 onto one of these but I figured a Linux distro built for 1 gig RAM or less would work better. Could upgrade it to 2 gig but I put enough money into it buying an old IDE hard drive, drive bracket, fixing the keyboard and buying a new battery. Unfortunately the new (likely sitting around for years) battery is refusing to fully charge, despite having been given a full cycle three times.

Pulled it out of where I'd put it away. Still issues with WiFi. Where the sam hill is the button or thing to click that *makes it connect* to WiFi. I can find all the places to input all the information to connect to an access point, but where is the button to actually tell it to CONNECT?

Another thing, every time it's booted and rebooted, it disables WiFi. So I turn it on but still no way I can find to make it go ahead and use the WiFi.

Windows has this nifty little button with "Connect" right on it, and things to click to make it *always* connect to the selected WiFi when it's available... After all these years why isn't this sort of *easy to use* user interface stuff in Linux?

Hi...

If you click on the network icon in the toolbar and then on your network, you should see a window that comes up asking for your password. This window has a button that says "Connect" in the lower right hand corner. If you don't, please post a screenshot of what you're seeing.

Please follow my instructions in post #2 above. Open a terminal and enter these commands...

Navigate to where the script placed the results (or log file) and post the information in its entirety in your next reply. You may need to transfer the file to a thumb drive and then access it using a computer that has an internet connection to post it.

To be honest, I find logging into a network in Lubuntu just as easy as Windows. The Connect button is there, at least in 14.04, I'm just not sure why you're not seeing it. :scratch:

Regards...

Thanks for the help, but this laptop is just too ancient for this. Found out today the SD card reader is not working with Linux. For some reason it also mutes the audio every time it's booted. I had to use the hack option to force PAE just to install Lubuntu 16.10. The CPU has PAE but doesn't explicitly tell the OS it does (Intel's first CPU series with PAE), not needed since it maxes at 2 gig RAM.

Just for fun I tried playing an HEVC video that's higher resolution than the display and amazingly it played it, smoothly. Though the frame rate must have been going slightly slow as the audio got progressively out of sync.

A friend wants to buy it as a backup for his DJ business, with XP and MIXXX installed. I know there's MIXXX for Linux (I installed it on this laptop just to see if it'd work) but he's familiar with XP. Right now I'm doing a 'nuke and pave' on his VAIO PCG-GR270P, for the third time in several years.

Hi...

You're welcome. If you no longer need assistance on this thread, please mark this thread as "SOLVED" by clicking on "Thread Tools" directly above your initial post. Thanks! :)

Regards...