How to install Slackware on a Gateway LT2104u (Acer Aspire One 532h) netbook
 

STEP 1) Install Slackware 13.1 (everything works out of the box*)

Gotcha: 3d isn't enabled in X
Fix: Yes it is... run glxgears from a console or run glxinfo | grep render.


Gotcha: No CD drive to install from
Fix 1: Get a usb CDROM drive
Fix 2: Boot off of a thumbdrive using the usbboot.img (found on disc 6)

Gotcha: Card Reader (ENE Technology) doesn't work
Fix: You have to use the MMC driver-

modprobe mmc_core
modprobe sdhci
modprobe mmc_block

It should now show up in dmesg and /dev/mmcblk0p1 should be created if it is an SD card.

NOTE: SD Card portion works using SDHCI driver. NO DRIVERS for XD and MS cards yet.



*Card reader is gimped due to ENE Technology being evil.

Slackware has a howto on PXE boot. It's in one of the subdirs on the install cd/dvd. You need to be able to set up the bios to boot from network card, and need another box around to have a few servers on. Can you do that?

I didn't try the PXE boot. It was easier for me to boot from the usb image and then read the packages from my USB hard-drive.

This worked fine for me too! on an aspire one netbook and then I also used the excellent script from usb&pxe installers on the slackware13.1 tree called usbimg2disk.sh that lets you install the full Slackware dvd along with the setup program onto a bootable usb pen drive so now I can just plug that in and slackware is easily installed

I'll add another gotcha I've discovered today: no RAM upgrade is possible. You can find Gateway instructions to upgrade RAM and you can buy the exactly right 2GB card to replace the factory 1GB card (there's only one slot) - but if you go to terminal and run 'free' or do kInfoCenter from KDE you'll find that only 1GB of your new 2GB card is actually being used (verified on the Windows side as well). You can check the memory in F2 setup after powering down and it will report 2GB, but if you check it after a reboot you'll find it will report 1GB.

Did you reset the bios, or go to defaults? What you say sounds amazing
BTW, there may be some parameter to get it to thoroughly check memory.
http://www.kernel.org/doc/Documentat...parameters.txt

Wow .. 'everything' also means webcam, wireless, and X with 3D acceleration?

Not sure what you mean about resetting bios vs going to defaults. Procedure was this:

1. Unplug machine
2. Remove battery
3. Take out 1GB card and install 2 GB card
4. Put battery back in
5. Plug in and start machine
6. F2 to setup - BIOS reports 2GB (not editable)
7. Boot either Slack or Windows7
8. Operating system reports 1GB
9. Reboot and F2 - BIOS now says 1GB

To answer the question about does 'everything' work - yes, they all work including the camera, but the wireless is a bit flaky - known issues with ath9k.

With something like that, a good option in the bios is "Restore Defaults" they usually offer safe or optimized defaults. Failing those options, you can simply reset the bios.

Yes, only the card reader didn't play.

ive had a few probs installing 13.1 with my acer one 532h:
- my ethernet card is missing.
- synaptics pad is recognised by still not working in X

anyone else have similar probs they have fixed?

@ davinki: Please don't top post - start a thread of your own, with a subject that accurately describes your troubles. Then check for solutions (Find similar threads). If there's none suitable, post.

thanks man :)