CrypticBlade
March 5th, 2007, 08:54 PM
*** Update ***
I have moved my script into the public domain by publishing it to SourceForge.net under the project name Laptop Configuration for Ubuntu Linux.
Please send me any modifications or improvements you make to this program so I can consider them for merge into my version.
http://sourceforge.net/projects/lc4ul/
I am looking for testers, Perl developers, or anyone interested in participating in this great project. Contact me through my SourceForge email.
I am in the process of writing a script (currently in Perl) to fully automate the configuration and installation of my new Dell Latitude D620 laptop. I intend for my script to automate hardware configuration in the same manner that Automatix and Easy Ubuntu automate package configuration.
The goal is that after a clean install a user simply runs this script and reboots. When the user boots back into Ubuntu everything “just works”. The unsupported wireless card, WPA for wireless, 3D video driver; EVERYTHING.
Currently the script is very focused on the hardware that I have on my Latitude D620, but fortunately the hardware on most modern Dell laptops is not that varied. For example you either have an Intel integrated, NVidia, or ATI graphics card.
Currently my script is non-interactive, you simply run it and it prints status messages as it goes. I imaging that enabling more robust support for more laptops would require an interactive experience requiring the script to ask the user what hardware they have. Another alternative might be to “grep” the result of “lspci” to determine certain hardware?
At any rate I hope to expand this script to service all those Ubuntu users who want to configure their hardware with one click after a clean install of Ubuntu.
I am entertaining the idea of starting a SourceForge project for this script and enlisting the help of one or two dedicated Perl gurus. Let it be known that I am a Java programmer and learned just enough Perl to create the script that I currently have.
The script I have now is fully functional and completely configures my hardware perfectly. I would have killed for something like this if it had already existed and I hope that some other Dell laptop owners out there get excited by this.
Maybe there is something out there that already does this, please let me know if there is, but I have never heard of this existing before, therefore I wrote my own.
I am looking for some feedback and volunteers for this idea and possible project.
Currently my Perl script does the following:
Resolve High Pitch CPU Noise:
Sets CPU ACPI state – by default Ubuntu’s ACPI implementation sets the “max_cstate” to C3 for processors. While this setting may save slightly more power when running on batteries, it cause an annoying subtle high-pitch noise to eminate from the processor every 5 to 15 seconds. Setting the “max_cstate” to C2 resolves this issue.
Resolve Internal Speaker Beeps at Max Volume on Shutdown:
Blacklists kernel module “pcspkr” – this modules causes annoying loud beeps during shutdown and other operations.
Resolve Default Wireless Driver Breaks ndiswrapper:
Blacklists kernel module “bcm43xx” – this driver does not support my Dell 1390 wireless adapter and conflicts with ndiswrapper.
Resolve Synaptic Touchpad Lags and Not Very Sensitive:
Tweaks Synaptic Touchpad sensitivity – makes the touchpad more sensitive to mimic behavior experienced when running other operating systems.
Resolve Synaptic Touchpad Lacks Vertical and Horizontal Scroll:
Adds vertical and horizontal scrolling to Synaptic Touchpad – vertical and horizontal scrolling don’t work by default.
Resolve Dell 1390 Wireless Not Natively Supported:
Downloads, compiles, installs, and configures wireless network support – my Dell 1390 wireless card is not natively supported so downloading, compiling, and installing ndiswrapper and the proper drivers is always something I have had to do manually. This portion of the script also downloads and configured NetworkManager. When it is finished and I reboot, my wireless “just works” WITH WPA SUPPORT!
Resolve Beryl Window Manager Not Installed By Default:
Downloads, installs, and configures Beryl window manager – Beryl takes several steps to be enabled; these steps were easily automated.
Regards,
CB
I have moved my script into the public domain by publishing it to SourceForge.net under the project name Laptop Configuration for Ubuntu Linux.
Please send me any modifications or improvements you make to this program so I can consider them for merge into my version.
http://sourceforge.net/projects/lc4ul/
I am looking for testers, Perl developers, or anyone interested in participating in this great project. Contact me through my SourceForge email.
I am in the process of writing a script (currently in Perl) to fully automate the configuration and installation of my new Dell Latitude D620 laptop. I intend for my script to automate hardware configuration in the same manner that Automatix and Easy Ubuntu automate package configuration.
The goal is that after a clean install a user simply runs this script and reboots. When the user boots back into Ubuntu everything “just works”. The unsupported wireless card, WPA for wireless, 3D video driver; EVERYTHING.
Currently the script is very focused on the hardware that I have on my Latitude D620, but fortunately the hardware on most modern Dell laptops is not that varied. For example you either have an Intel integrated, NVidia, or ATI graphics card.
Currently my script is non-interactive, you simply run it and it prints status messages as it goes. I imaging that enabling more robust support for more laptops would require an interactive experience requiring the script to ask the user what hardware they have. Another alternative might be to “grep” the result of “lspci” to determine certain hardware?
At any rate I hope to expand this script to service all those Ubuntu users who want to configure their hardware with one click after a clean install of Ubuntu.
I am entertaining the idea of starting a SourceForge project for this script and enlisting the help of one or two dedicated Perl gurus. Let it be known that I am a Java programmer and learned just enough Perl to create the script that I currently have.
The script I have now is fully functional and completely configures my hardware perfectly. I would have killed for something like this if it had already existed and I hope that some other Dell laptop owners out there get excited by this.
Maybe there is something out there that already does this, please let me know if there is, but I have never heard of this existing before, therefore I wrote my own.
I am looking for some feedback and volunteers for this idea and possible project.
Currently my Perl script does the following:
Resolve High Pitch CPU Noise:
Sets CPU ACPI state – by default Ubuntu’s ACPI implementation sets the “max_cstate” to C3 for processors. While this setting may save slightly more power when running on batteries, it cause an annoying subtle high-pitch noise to eminate from the processor every 5 to 15 seconds. Setting the “max_cstate” to C2 resolves this issue.
Resolve Internal Speaker Beeps at Max Volume on Shutdown:
Blacklists kernel module “pcspkr” – this modules causes annoying loud beeps during shutdown and other operations.
Resolve Default Wireless Driver Breaks ndiswrapper:
Blacklists kernel module “bcm43xx” – this driver does not support my Dell 1390 wireless adapter and conflicts with ndiswrapper.
Resolve Synaptic Touchpad Lags and Not Very Sensitive:
Tweaks Synaptic Touchpad sensitivity – makes the touchpad more sensitive to mimic behavior experienced when running other operating systems.
Resolve Synaptic Touchpad Lacks Vertical and Horizontal Scroll:
Adds vertical and horizontal scrolling to Synaptic Touchpad – vertical and horizontal scrolling don’t work by default.
Resolve Dell 1390 Wireless Not Natively Supported:
Downloads, compiles, installs, and configures wireless network support – my Dell 1390 wireless card is not natively supported so downloading, compiling, and installing ndiswrapper and the proper drivers is always something I have had to do manually. This portion of the script also downloads and configured NetworkManager. When it is finished and I reboot, my wireless “just works” WITH WPA SUPPORT!
Resolve Beryl Window Manager Not Installed By Default:
Downloads, installs, and configures Beryl window manager – Beryl takes several steps to be enabled; these steps were easily automated.
Regards,
CB