Linux on Asus L8400C

Hardware

• Intel Celeron 550MHz
• 128MB RAM
• 14,1" TFT Display
• 10GB Harddisk
• CD-ROM, Floppy (internal)
• Graphic S3 Savage MX
• Soundchip ES1988 (Allegro1)
• Modem ESS (Winmodem)
• NIC RTL8139

    00:00.0 Host bridge: Intel Corporation 440BX/ZX - 82443BX/ZX Host bridge (rev 03)
    00:01.0 PCI bridge: Intel Corporation 440BX/ZX - 82443BX/ZX AGP bridge (rev 03)
    00:06.0 Multimedia audio controller: ESS Technology ES1988 Allegro-1 (rev 12)
    00:06.1 Communication controller: ESS Technology ESS Modem (rev 12)
    00:07.0 ISA bridge: Intel Corporation 82371AB PIIX4 ISA (rev 02)
    00:07.1 IDE interface: Intel Corporation 82371AB PIIX4 IDE (rev 01)
    00:07.2 USB Controller: Intel Corporation 82371AB PIIX4 USB (rev 01)
    00:07.3 Bridge: Intel Corporation 82371AB PIIX4 ACPI (rev 03)
    00:08.0 Ethernet controller: Realtek Semiconductor Co., Ltd. RTL-8139 (rev 10)
    00:0a.0 CardBus bridge: Ricoh Co Ltd RL5c476 II (rev 80)
    00:0a.1 CardBus bridge: Ricoh Co Ltd RL5c476 II (rev 80)
    01:00.0 VGA compatible controller: S3 Inc. 86C270-294 Savage/MX-/IX (rev 11)
    

Installation

Video

XFree86 3.x

XFree86 4.x

Audio

    alsa.rpm
    alsa-driver-laptop.rpm

Network

Modem

APM

• The network is not working after resume from suspend:
  You have to restart the network-interface with
  ifconfig ethX down; ifconfig ethX up
  You can add the following to your /usr/sbin/apmd_proxy in the RESUME-section:
  

      if ifconfig ethX 2>/dev/null; then
        ifconfig ethX down
        ifconfig ethX up
      fi
      

• The laptop doesn't suspend or standby when you close it.
  I would like to add this feature but I have no clue how to do it. There are no settings in the BIOS to achieve this, but Win98 can do it. :-(( If someone can give me a hint, feel free to send me a Mail

Other: IrDA, PCMCIA, Hardware monitoring ...

    CONFIG_I2C=m
    CONFIG_I2C_PIIX4=m
    CONFIG_SENSORS=m
    CONFIG_SENSORS_ADM1021=m
    CONFIG_SENSORS_EEPROM=m
    

• first put this line in /etc/modules.conf (not needed for SuSE Linux)
  alias char-major-89 i2c-dev
• load this modules (in some startup script like /etc/init.d/boot.local)
  modprobe i2c-piix4
modprobe adm1021
• add the following to your config-file /etc/sensors.conf:

  # Config for Asus L8400C laptop
  # ----------------------
  # If you uncoment set low and over settings, and run "sensors -s"
  # you can change the trigger level for the fan, as soon as either is
  # over temp_over the fan starts. 
  # Check the bios settings for "Installed O/S", in some settings the system
  # hangs if you try to change the limits. Also it changes the behaviour when
  # overheating, read
  #  http://www.asus.com/products/Notebook/l8400-b/qades.html#bd2
  #
  # A full cold-boot (wait 15-20 secs) resets the temp levels to normal
  #
  
  chip "adm1021-*" "max1617a-*"
       # Get rid of pointless die code message...
       ignore die_code
  	   
       # This is the more or less motherboard temperature,
       # or actually inside the temp-sensing chip
       label temp "General"
       #set temp_low 20
       #set temp_over 60
  			     
       # CPU Temperature
       label remote_temp "CPU"
       #set remote_temp_low 0
       #set remote_temp_over 70       
          

Additional comments

• I've observed at least one strange thing on my model:
  There is an SVGA-TV-Out which you can use instead of the TFT-Display, but the display is designed for 1024x768 whereas the TV-Out cannot display the full screen. You have to resize your graphic-resolution to 800x600 to get the full screen on TV.