Few minor questions about new Slackware installation.

unkn(0)wn · 01-25-2013, 07:50 AM

First of all i would like to tell you this is most stable Linux Distro i had ever seen after Debian. I am also using Ubuntu 12.10 and i crashes twice a DAY!

Now when i finally found such a great distro i would like to furnish it a little. So kindly, if possible help me in it.

1. My brightness Control on DELL XPS L501X are not working. Currently i am using

Code:

 echo 2000 > /sys/class/backlight/intel_backlight/brightness

to maintain my display but i want my keys doing that. As in ubuntu it was usually fixed by adding

Code:

GRUB_CMDLINE_LINUX="quiet splash acpi_backlight=vendor"

.

2. It's like 15 times i already tried installing Nvidia drivers on my every Linux Distro i used and all of them had given me nothing but broken X.
Can i install my NVIDIA GEFORCE GT 420M drivers on Slackware without broking my X ?

business_kid · 01-25-2013, 08:51 AM

Congratulations on your recent promotion to Slackware. A little knowledge and willingness to adjust stuff is presumed, but the result is stable, and you know what's going on.

1. There are events that can be mentioned in /etc/acpi/events. The only entry there at the moment is probably a default. move that somewhere, and in an console, run

Quote:

/etc/rc.d/rc.acpid stop
acpid -l
tail -f /var/log/messages

The end of the log will remain open and acpi events will appear in the log. Try the lid button, and each of the Fn + Fn combinations.You'll have scripts and events aplenty in ubuntu, and just copy the style. The event has the form

ACPI_EVENT_NAME
/etc/acpi/this_script

/etc/acpi/this_script has the form

Write an intro
make a few checks
do something

2. The Nvidia driver. Provided you haven't had the ati driver blob installed, go for it. When it blows up, be sure to notice how :-P. Somebody will have written a doc on it.

Didier Spaier · 01-25-2013, 08:55 AM

(1) Just put the line:

echo 2000 > /sys/class/backlight/intel_backlight/brightness

in /etc/rc.d/rc.local.

It will be executed at every startup.

(2) Use the slackbuilds for nvidia-driver and nvidia-kernel available @ http://slackbuilds.org

Read carefully the instructions.

PS Re-reading your post I see that business_kid's answer is better for (1).

unkn(0)wn · 01-25-2013, 10:17 AM

Thanks for listening me, and sorry for being a Noob, but...

1.

Code:

#Lowering brighness key
Jan 26 09:51:26 unkn0wn-XPS acpid: procfs received event "video DD02 00000087 00000000"
Jan 26 09:51:26 unkn0wn-XPS acpid: rule from 2381[0:4] matched
Jan 26 09:51:26 unkn0wn-XPS acpid: notifying client 2381[0:4]
Jan 26 09:51:26 unkn0wn-XPS acpid: 1 total rule matched
Jan 26 09:51:26 unkn0wn-XPS acpid: procfs completed event "video DD02 00000087 00000000"


#Increasing brighness key
Jan 26 09:51:28 unkn0wn-XPS acpid: procfs received event "video DD02 00000086 00000000"
Jan 26 09:51:28 unkn0wn-XPS acpid: rule from 2381[0:4] matched
Jan 26 09:51:28 unkn0wn-XPS acpid: notifying client 2381[0:4]
Jan 26 09:51:28 unkn0wn-XPS acpid: 1 total rule matched
Jan 26 09:51:28 unkn0wn-XPS acpid: procfs completed event "video DD02 00000086 00000000"

is the result of above activity. Now how do i define/assign work to this activity?
I tried loading Ubuntu's script into slackware but didn't succeed!

2. Real panic is in this one. I dont want to lose my X again! I alreavy have nouveau installed. Should i remove nouveau before installing non-free drivers?

if yes,
What do i install first?
Nvidia-kernel or Nvidia Driver ?

thanks for bearing me.

ponce · 01-25-2013, 10:20 AM

You can't install the nvidia driver because their driver don't support optimus on linux, so you have to use the intel ones.

I know that you got an optimus laptop from here (pag.54)
http://support.dell.com/support/edoc...n/SG/sg_en.pdf

unkn(0)wn · 01-25-2013, 10:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ponce

You can't install the nvidia driver because their driver don't support optimus on linux, so you have to use the intel ones.

Thats sad. I have heard something about "Bumblebee" but never tried it. Is there nothing i can do? It's painful to see system at 60+ degrees C.

Again, i was searching and found this http://in.download.nvidia.com/XFree8...E/optimus.html . Please do read.

ponce · 01-25-2013, 10:45 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by unkn(0)wn

Is there nothing i can do?

Linus himself tried showing the finger to Nvidia, I suppose to point them in the right direction, but seems it hadn't helped.

It's a very remote possibilty because I avoid those models like plague, but if some relative will gift me of an optimus laptop (never had such gifts!), I will write to Nvidia to express my pain, they're the only responsible for the commercialization of a windows-only technology (and the ones that can do something).

The document you point to says that if you don't have a switch in the bios to use the nvidia as your primary graphic card you cannot do much.

unkn(0)wn · 01-25-2013, 10:58 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ponce

commercialization of a windows-only technology

I totally agree with you on this.

Well after reading lots of blogs on Installing Nvidia on Optimus Laptops, i finally decided to leave Nvidia at its own peace. Its really not that much necessary to use it. Although i found few ways to install using BumbleBee, but its worthless until you have some objective in mind, as games, modelling, which i dont have. So i think i'll let intel gpu to work.

As a programmer all i need is compilers and vim

, which works much fine on a black screen!

BTW, i was searching some links to learn more about usage of Slackware. I guess Pimp my Slack! will do fine. Will it?

ponce · 01-25-2013, 11:04 AM

the best reads that you can have on the matter are docs.slackware.com and the slackbook.

brianL · 01-25-2013, 11:08 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by unkn(0)wn

BTW, i was searching some links to learn more about usage of Slackware. I guess Pimp my Slack! will do fine. Will it?

Yeah, interesting site (

to ponce ). Have a look at the Slackware Documentation Project, as well. There's a link in my signature below.

EDIT
Another

to ponce for being a faster typer.

brianL · 01-25-2013, 11:22 AM

And don't forget Alien Bob's blog: Alien Pastures.

unkn(0)wn · 01-25-2013, 11:43 AM

Thank you brainL,

Just few minutes ago before your comment i was reading a thread where you'd provided some solution!

I recognized you by your description line!

Code:

If at first you don't succeed, read the instructions.

. Funny it totally applies on me!

By the way, i am going to open new thread about installation of mysql-workbench on slackware 14. I'll be helped fast if you guys can take a look there! Thank you.

brianL · 01-25-2013, 11:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by unkn(0)wn

Thank you brainL,

Just few minutes ago before your comment i was reading a thread where you'd provided some solution!

That's rare - me knowing a solution. Almost a miracle.

Quote:

Originally Posted by unkn(0)wn

I recognized you by your description line!

Code:

If at first you don't succeed, read the instructions.

. Funny it totally applies on me!

Me, too.

Even worse, I read instructions, then do what I think they've said instead of what they've actually said.

onebuck · 01-25-2013, 02:19 PM

Hi,

Look here;

Quote:

Originally Posted by onebuck

Hi,

I just finished with a bumblebee install for Nvidia Optimus on a Dell XPS. Nice work by jgeboski for the Bumblebee.Slackbuild which was updated 5 days ago; Previous build was six months old and would not work on this XPS. The README is very helpful so a user should follow this to the 'T'.

One thing is to be sure to use: http://slackware.mirrors.tds.net/pub...eau-blacklist/ or manually blacklist nouveau. Be sure to restart your 'X' session.

NASA picture of the day looks beautiful in firefox using 'optirun firefox'. I have been running 'optirun firefox' since the install on Slackware 14.0 Rc5. Fan does run and temps remain stable.

Awesome!

And here;

Quote:

Originally Posted by onebuck

Hi,

Optimus on some equipment does require additional work to get things going. While others just won't work.
On my Dell XPS it took some time & effort to get things going with BumbleBee: https://www.linuxquestions.org/quest...ml#post4801567

I do think you should really look at the video adapters for the netbook. If you use 'Optimus' the battery won't last long.

I run 'optirun firefox' and boy you can tell the differnce from the Intel GPU. No performance problems when you setup 'Bumblebeed' properly.

If you do a search here at LQ Slackware forum for 'optimus' and 'onebuck' author you will find more post to help setup your Dell laptop. Why waste good hardware when it is just a matter of setting things up properly?

BTW, If you are using 'KDE' then you need to use the 'Fn' plus 'F4' or 'F5' when wanting to set brightness up or down.
HTH!

unkn(0)wn · 01-25-2013, 04:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by onebuck

Why waste good hardware when it is just a matter of setting things up properly?

BTW, If you are using 'KDE' then you need to use the 'Fn' plus 'F4' or 'F5' when wanting to set brightness up or down.

Thanks onebuck for your suggestion. Just to use my hardware properly i was still trying to install Nvidia drivers. But this process always took much of my time. Thats why i didn't wanted to mess with my beautiful Slackware like other Distros.

Also, i am aware of Fn+F4 keys, they are just not working!

Thank you!

EDIT: And guess what i also found a LQ moderator with same System configuration working on same distro as me!