Enabling keyboard backlit on Ubuntu

sudo apt-get install bzr

bzr branch https://code.launchpad.net/~flozz/asus-keyboard-backlight/asus-keyboard-backlight_0.1-N76VZ

cd asus-keyboard-backlight_0.1-N76VZ
sudo ./install.sh --install

Enjoy backlit with Fn+F3 or Fn+F4 !
Thanks flozz!

Original source :
https://launchpad.net/asus-keyboard-backlight
https://answers.launchpad.net/asus-keyboard-backlight/+question/241242

Install Lubuntu 14.04.1 with nvidia drivers 331 while keeping Windows 8 on the side

1) Install Lubuntu 14.04.1 fresh using alternate image with RAID support.

Link to ISO image :

http://cdimage.ubuntu.com/lubuntu/releases/14.04/release/lubuntu-14.04.1-alternate-amd64.iso

2) After reboot :

sudo apt-get install nvidia-331 nvidia-prime

3) To add Windows 8 entry in grub, here is the magic recipe :

sudo vi /etc/default/grub

Replace :
GRUB_HIDDEN_TIMEOUT=0
GRUB_HIDDEN_TIMEOUT_QUIET=true
With :
GRUB_HIDDEN_TIMEOUT=10
GRUB_HIDDEN_TIMEOUT_QUIET=false

4) Search for the magic String !
This command :

sudo grub-probe --target=fs_uuid /boot/efi/EFI/Microsoft/Boot/bootmgfw.efi

will output a String like XXXX-XXXX, copy it and then create a custom menu entry for Windows 8.

sudo vi /etc/grub.d/40_custom and append these lines :

menuentry "Microsoft Windows_8" {
search --fs-uuid --no-floppy --set=root XXXX-XXXX
chainloader (${root})/EFI/Microsoft/Boot/bootmgfw.efi
}

5) Run sudo update-grub so that the menu entries gets regenerated

6) Reboot and enjoy !

Install Lubuntu 13.10 (Saucy Salamander) with nvidia drivers and keep Windows 8 on the side

Long time no blog... quite busy both at work and with my little one ;-)
Barely have time to play around with my laptop...

So here is the deal :

1) Install Lubuntu 13.04 following one of my previous posts (why starting with 13.04 ? Because the alternate installer for 13.10 is crashing during software installation :-( - at least for me)

2) When you have 13.04 fresh, just perform a :

sudo do-release-upgrade and follow instructions

3) Then (don't install nvidia-prime yet or it will mess up everything unless you're on unflavored Ubuntu) :

sudo apt-get install nvidia-319 nvidia-settings-319

4) For your records, here is the original thread on launchpad regarding the nvidia-prime issue :

https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/nvidia-prime/+bug/1224098

Now download nvidia-prime_0.4.2~ubuntu13.10.1_all.deb

and install it using :

sudo dpkg -i nvidia-prime_0.4.2~ubuntu13.10.1_all.deb

5) Reboot and enjoy nvidia power ;-)

6) Also, if you ever lost your Windows 8 entry in grub on the way, here is the magic recipe :

sudo vi /etc/default/grub and add GRUB_DISABLE_OS_PROBER=true at the end

7) Search for the magic String !
This command :

sudo grub-probe --target=fs_uuid /boot/efi/EFI/Microsoft/Boot/bootmgfw.efi

will output a String like XXXX-XXXX, copy it and then create a custom menu entry for Windows 8 with sudo vi /etc/grub.d/40_custom like this :

menuentry "Microsoft Windows_8" {
search --fs-uuid --no-floppy --set=root XXXX-XXXX
chainloader (${root})/EFI/Microsoft/Boot/bootmgfw.efi
}

8) Run sudo update-grub2 so that the menu entries gets regenerated

9) Reboot and enjoy !

HOW-TO install the latest nvidia 319.23 drivers

After spending a lot of time trying to figure this out, I could finally make it without HDMI external output connected. The original Nvidia documentation needs to be tweaked for the 319.23 to actually work (intel instead of modesetting driver + autologin)

Install kernel 3.9

Download the latest 3.9 kernel files from the mainline and put them in a same folder :

http://kernel.ubuntu.com/~kernel-ppa/mainline/v3.9-raring/linux-headers-3.9.0-030900-generic_3.9.0-030900.201304291257_amd64.deb
http://kernel.ubuntu.com/~kernel-ppa/mainline/v3.9-raring/linux-headers-3.9.0-030900_3.9.0-030900.201304291257_all.deb
http://kernel.ubuntu.com/~kernel-ppa/mainline/v3.9-raring/linux-image-3.9.0-030900-generic_3.9.0-030900.201304291257_amd64.deb

sudo dpkg -i *.deb

Add xorg-edgers amd Canonical X-Staging PPAs

sudo add-apt-repository ppa:canonical-x/x-staging
sudo apt-get update && sudo apt-get upgrade
sudo apt-get install xserver-xorg-video-intel

Open Synaptic Package Manager and lock version (click on package then Package/Lock Version) of xserver-xorg-input-synaptics (should be version 1.6.3-0ubuntu1.1)

sudo add-apt-repository ppa:xorg-edgers/ppa 

sudo apt-get update && sudo apt-get upgrade

Install latest nvidia driver and create xorg.conf / .xsessionrc

sudo apt-get install nvidia-319

sudo vi /etc/X11/xorg.conf

Section "ServerLayout"
    Identifier "layout"
    Screen 0 "nvidia"
    Inactive "intel"
EndSection

Section "Device"
    Identifier "nvidia"
    Driver "nvidia"
    BusID "PCI:01:00:0"  #adjust to your Nvidia's GPU ID if necessary
EndSection

Section "Screen"
    Identifier "nvidia"
    Device "nvidia"
    Option "UseDisplayDevice" "none"  #only on muxless Laptop. Most are.
EndSection

Section "Device"
    Identifier "intel"
    Driver "intel"
EndSection

Section "Screen"
    Identifier "intel"
    Device "intel"
EndSection

Note : Your BusID can be obtained by running lspci | grep -i nvidia

sudo vi ~/.xsessionrc

xrandr --setprovideroutputsource Intel NVIDIA-0
xrandr --auto

Compile and install xrandr 1.4 from source

sudo apt-get install mesa-utils xutils-dev libxrandr-dev automake synaptic gksu
wget http://cgit.freedesktop.org/xorg/app/xrandr/snapshot/xrandr-1.4.0.tar.gz 

tar -xzvf xrandr-1.4.0.tar.gz

cd xrandr-1.4.0/

./autogen.sh

make

sudo make install

Add autologin feature in lightdm

sudo /usr/lib/lightdm/lightdm-set-defaults --autologin <username>

REBOOT and enjoy !!!

Add glxspheres to benchmark

wget http://ftp.jaist.ac.jp/pub/sourceforge/v/project/vi/virtualgl/VirtualGL/2.3.2/virtualgl_2.3.2_amd64.deb

sudo dpkg -i virtualgl_2.3.2_amd64.deb 

/opt/VirtualGL/bin/glxspheres64

P.S. : Thanks to @pogopuschel for providing the initial HOW-TO that I adapted according to my experience.

Note : after installing this driver the tap to click feature of the touchpad is not working anymore. It seems to be related to the version of the xserver-xorg-input-synaptics package (1.6.99+git20130104.ce7565ea-0ubuntu0sarvatt). If someone finds a way to fix it please share.

UPDATE 04/06/2013 : I found a way to fix the touchpad issue => see purple section above ! Cheers !

Quickest way to install/reinstall Ubuntu 13.04

After applying several updates (12.04 LTS > 12.10 > 13.04) and messing around with the nvidia drivers, my Ubuntu install became a bit unstable... so I wanted to find a quick way to re-install 13.04 to be able to mess around again but from a clean install ;-)

The main hurdle here is that the main Ubuntu distribution does not provide the alternate installer (which embeds raid support) anymore...

However, I recently found out that the Lubuntu distribution still provides the alternate installer !
ISO image is available here : http://cdimages.ubuntu.com/lubuntu/releases/raring/release/

After my first try to install Lubuntu, Windows 8 was actually removed from the EFI loader (even from the bios). I followed the instructions posted here : http://www.tweakhound.com/2012/11/13/how-to-fix-the-windows-bootloader/ and hopefully the automatic repair worked for me (don't forget you need to make a recovery drive in Windows 8 prior to do this).

Other than that, I'm now running Lubuntu and find it great (quick to install, minimal set of apps, etc.)

I can now see that HDMI is supported out the box (with the nouveau driver) but is really buggy and cannot be used as is. Next step for me is to try to install the latest beta nvidia drivers with Optimus support again... Will keep you posted on that.

HOW-TO install nvidia 319.12 drivers on Ubuntu 13.04 [Dual Screen with HDMI working!]

Hi there,

Just wanted to confirm that I was - finally @2am today - be able to install the latest nvidia 319.12[beta] drivers that now support Optimus natively (no need for bumblebee anymore).

Thanks a lot to pogopuschel (from the nvidia forums) who figured out the steps to be able to make it!

The most important feature it enables (at least for me) is that now you can have dual screen working if you're using an HDMI external monitor (VGA was already working out of the box), so after frustration comes a big relief !

I will try to put together an HOW-TO asap but for the impatients I invite you to check his thread on the nvidia forums :

https://devtalk.nvidia.com/default/topic/539322/linux/blank-screen-with-319-12-on-optimus-laptop/3/?offset=38

UPDATE : in fact pogopuschel has already put together the HOW-TO here :

http://paste.ubuntu.com/5601226 

UPDATE (30/04) : seems like there is no need to downgrade anymore (check the nvidia thread). I have to test that asap.

Also, I wanted to mention that in my case the setup is only working if I use an external HDMI Monitor. In that case I'm able to login (with no .xsessionrc) on the HDMI Monitor and after login executing this xrandr command will enable my laptop display :

xrandr --setprovideroutputsource modesetting NVIDIA-0
(at this stage intel or modesetting are both working for me)

Good news is that dual screen is now working but I couldn't get it working (black screen) yet when using laptop display only... :-(

Cheers!

Nvidia 319.12 drivers and Optimus

Finally it seems that Nvidia has released Linux beta drivers that include support for Optimus and RandR 1.4 according to this article :

http://www.phoronix.com/scan.php?page=news_item&px=MTM0NzE

That's a really good news since it brings hope for all Optimus laptop owners to have native support of the Nvidia GPU including HDMI output and so on...

Can't wait to test this along with Ubuntu 13.04 when they will both be stable/released!