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Can I install Linux on a Cherry Trail laptop?

I've installed Linux on a Cherry Trail laptop and there is no sound.

I was wondering if anybody knows what sound card is on this computer - a Pipo W9S with a Cherry Trail Z8300 processor, and if it's possible to download the Linux driver for it.

Boot Mint Live and come back and post a (open a terminal and cut and paste my command in it

and look for yourself what is inside. Give the full readout of inxi -F so you have a permanent reference point of what hardware comes with your new laptop.

example from mine

Thanks for replying.

I hope I'm not making a duplicate response.

I ran inxi and aplay and got a "no card found" message.

What kernel? You might need 4.4 or newer.

Or possibly newish kernel + firmware if the cherry trail sound card is like the baytrail soundcard was.

~ $ uname -a

3.19.0-32-generic #37~14.04.1-Ubuntu SMP Thu Oct 22 09:41:40 UTC 2015 x86_64 x86_64 x86_64 GNU/Linux


I feel like a newbie again.


I have 3.19.0-32 and I need 4.4.X-X ?
Is there a distro that uses or will use this kernel (eg, Mint 18 Cinnamon, etc.?)

If it's a firmware issue, would I approach Intel for a download and install it?

Thank you both for taking the time to assist a senile Linux addict.

gunghang,

I am assuming that you are using Linux Mint17.*, based on Ubuntu 14.04 LTS.

You can upgrade to the 4.4.6 kernel by following these instructions:

http://linuxdaddy.com/blog/install-k...4-4-on-ubuntu/

Make sure that you select the correct 64 bit instructions, NOT 32 bit.

As Timothy Miller points out, you may ALSO need the latest firmware for the Cherry Trail card.

Thank you. I'm leaving for work now, but will attempt this later today.

I left a question on the Intel forum. Is this where I would get the firmware, if I need it?

The local internet connection has been a challenge, but I followed the linked instructions.

I fear that audio on Linux with a Cherry Trail is not meant to be.

The following is from the terminal when I tried to install the new kernel:

Error! The dkms.conf for this module includes a BUILD_EXCLUSIVE directive which
does not match this kernel/arch. This indicates that it should not be built.
Error! Bad return status for module build on kernel: 4.4.6-040406-generic (x86_64)
Consult /var/lib/dkms/ndiswrapper/1.59/build/make.log for more information.
Error! Bad return status for module build on kernel: 4.4.6-040406-generic (x86_64)
Consult /var/lib/dkms/virtualbox-guest/5.0.4/build/make.log for more information.
Setting up linux-image-4.4.6-040406-generic (4.4.6-040406.201603161231) ...
Running depmod.
update-initramfs: deferring update (hook will be called later)
Not updating initrd symbolic links since we are being updated/reinstalled
(4.4.6-040406.201603161231 was configured last, according to dpkg)
Not updating image symbolic links since we are being updated/reinstalled
(4.4.6-040406.201603161231 was configured last, according to dpkg)
Examining /etc/kernel/postinst.d.
run-parts: executing /etc/kernel/postinst.d/apt-auto-removal 4.4.6-040406-generic /boot/vmlinuz-4.4.6-040406-generic
run-parts: executing /etc/kernel/postinst.d/dkms 4.4.6-040406-generic /boot/vmlinuz-4.4.6-040406-generic
Error! The dkms.conf for this module includes a BUILD_EXCLUSIVE directive which
does not match this kernel/arch. This indicates that it should not be built.
Error! Bad return status for module build on kernel: 4.4.6-040406-generic (x86_64)
Consult /var/lib/dkms/virtualbox-guest/5.0.4/build/make.log for more information.
Error! Bad return status for module build on kernel: 4.4.6-040406-generic (x86_64)
Consult /var/lib/dkms/ndiswrapper/1.59/build/make.log for more information.
run-parts: executing /etc/kernel/postinst.d/initramfs-tools 4.4.6-040406-generic /boot/vmlinuz-4.4.6-040406-generic
update-initramfs: Generating /boot/initrd.img-4.4.6-040406-generic
Warning: No support for locale: en_US.utf8
run-parts: executing /etc/kernel/postinst.d/pm-utils 4.4.6-040406-generic /boot/vmlinuz-4.4.6-040406-generic
run-parts: executing /etc/kernel/postinst.d/zz-update-grub 4.4.6-040406-generic /boot/vmlinuz-4.4.6-040406-generic
Generating grub configuration file ...
Found background image: linuxmint.jpg
Found linux image: /boot/vmlinuz-4.4.6-040406-generic
Found initrd image: /boot/initrd.img-4.4.6-040406-generic
Found linux image: /boot/vmlinuz-3.19.0-32-generic
Found initrd image: /boot/initrd.img-3.19.0-32-generic
/dev/mmcblk0rpmb: read failed after 0 of 4096 at 4128768: Input/output error
/dev/mmcblk0rpmb: read failed after 0 of 4096 at 4186112: Input/output error
/dev/mmcblk0rpmb: read failed after 0 of 4096 at 0: Input/output error
/dev/mmcblk0rpmb: read failed after 0 of 4096 at 4096: Input/output error
No volume groups found
Found Windows Boot Manager on /dev/mmcblk0p1@/EFI/Microsoft/Boot/bootmgfw.efi
Adding boot menu entry for EFI firmware configuration
done


Thank you all very much for your time and replies.

I'll continue the quest for the firmware. Perhaps the kernel issue will resolve itself in a future Ubuntu or Mint release.

I've tried Open SUSE, Fedora, and Arch. (I didn't do at all well with Gentoo.) Perhaps I should try another distro?

Again, thank you all for all the time and effort spent helping me.

It seems that the new kernel will be in 16.04 Xenial, to be released on April 21.

I'll download and install to a flash drive one more time.

I checked with Pipo-store, and there is a firmware download should I need it, but it's Chinese and apparently I need to download a program to do the download, etc. I don't read nearly enough Chinese characters to really know. I have no idea if it would help with Ubuntu.

I'll post again in a month with the results of using 16.04.

gunghang,

In the meantime try using Ubuntu 16.04 Beta 2.

Well, my cherry trail experiment is over. The 2-in-1 device I got must have been defective. I couldn't get wifi to work in Windows OR Linux (Fedora/Mageia/Debian). So it's going back and I bought a Surface Pro 3 instead.

I just downloaded the ISO and used Pendrive Linux to put it on a flash drive.

Still no sound, but I haven't located the firmware. This may yet work!

Sorry to hear that.

I have a Surface RT, and it's served me very for the year that I've had it, first in the north of Thailand and now in the north of China. My little Pipo complements it, as did the HP Mini 110 I used for years before the Pipo.

I hope the Surface works out for you.

So far I like it. Got the 256 GB SSD one, so plenty of room for Windows and Linux to coexist while I test to see if the hardware is supported well enough to dump windows off it entirely. At any rate, even with Windows, it's nice so far. Haven't yet decided what linux to try on it, but knowing myself, it'll probably end up being Debian.

gunghang, did you solved the sound issue?

I'm running Debian (32 bits version with kernel 4.5) on a Pipo W9S. The system seems to recognize the sound card (i can see the sound menu, and change volume...), but i can't hear any sound. Could be a problem with the speakers?