Installing GNU/Linux CentOS 5 (Final) on a ASUS G73JW Laptop

Revision history
Revision 1.0
 2011-06-05
 Initial publication
Install Centos 5.6 x86_64

This document describes how to install and configure the GNU/Linux CentOS 5 on a Asus G73JW Laptop



Specifications:
Type
 		Description
 		Status
 		Notes
Processor
 Intel Core i7 740QM (1.73 GHz, 6 MB L2 cache, 4 cores, 8 threads)
 Work
 No special procedure required during installation
Main Memory
 8192 MB (2x4096 SODIMM, 1033MHz DDR3 SDRAM)
 Work
 No special procedure required during installation
Storage
 700 GB (SATA-II 7200 RPM)
 Work
 No special procedure required during installation
Optical
 DVD+/-RW BluRay 8x Double Layer
 Work
 No special procedure required during installation
Network
 Atheros Gigabit Wthernet AR8131
 Work
 See ethernet note
Wireless
 Atheros AR9285 b/g/n
 Work
No special procedure required during installation
Screen
 17.3" FHD WLED 1920 x 1080 (1080p)
 Work
 No special procedure required during installation
Video
 Nvidia GeForce GTX 460M, 1536 MB (HDMI connector, VGA connector)
 Work
 See video notes
USB
 USB 2.0 Intel  3400 Chipsetp (3 connectors), USB 3.0 Fresco Logic xHCI 1400 (1 connector)
 Work
 No special procedure required during installation
Memory reader
 SD/MMC-MS/Pro/xD
Work
 No special procedure required during installation
Audio
 nVidia THX High Definition Audio, Intel High Definition Audio
 Work
 See audio notes
Battery
 Battery Module, capacity 75 Watts
 Work
 No special procedure required during installation
Bluetooth
Work
 See bluetooth notes
Multimedia keys
Work
 See multimedia keys notes


Hardware information reported by lspci command
00:00.0 Host bridge: Intel Corporation Core Processor DMI (rev 11)
00:03.0 PCI bridge: Intel Corporation Core Processor PCI Express Root Port 1 (rev 11)
00:08.0 System peripheral: Intel Corporation Core Processor System Management Registers (rev 11)
00:08.1 System peripheral: Intel Corporation Core Processor Semaphore and Scratchpad Registers (rev 11)
00:08.2 System peripheral: Intel Corporation Core Processor System Control and Status Registers (rev 11)
00:08.3 System peripheral: Intel Corporation Core Processor Miscellaneous Registers (rev 11)
00:10.0 System peripheral: Intel Corporation Core Processor QPI Link (rev 11)
00:10.1 System peripheral: Intel Corporation Core Processor QPI Routing and Protocol Registers (rev 11)
00:16.0 Communication controller: Intel Corporation 5 Series/3400 Series Chipset HECI Controller (rev 06)
00:1a.0 USB Controller: Intel Corporation 5 Series/3400 Series Chipset USB2 Enhanced Host Controller (rev 06)
00:1b.0 Audio device: Intel Corporation 5 Series/3400 Series Chipset High Definition Audio (rev 06)
00:1c.0 PCI bridge: Intel Corporation 5 Series/3400 Series Chipset PCI Express Root Port 1 (rev 06)
00:1c.1 PCI bridge: Intel Corporation 5 Series/3400 Series Chipset PCI Express Root Port 2 (rev 06)
00:1c.3 PCI bridge: Intel Corporation 5 Series/3400 Series Chipset PCI Express Root Port 4 (rev 06)
00:1c.4 PCI bridge: Intel Corporation 5 Series/3400 Series Chipset PCI Express Root Port 5 (rev 06)
00:1c.5 PCI bridge: Intel Corporation 5 Series/3400 Series Chipset PCI Express Root Port 6 (rev 06)
00:1d.0 USB Controller: Intel Corporation 5 Series/3400 Series Chipset USB2 Enhanced Host Controller (rev 06)
00:1e.0 PCI bridge: Intel Corporation 82801 Mobile PCI Bridge (rev a6)
00:1f.0 ISA bridge: Intel Corporation Mobile 5 Series Chipset LPC Interface Controller (rev 06)
00:1f.2 SATA controller: Intel Corporation 5 Series/3400 Series Chipset 4 port SATA AHCI Controller (rev 06)
01:00.0 VGA compatible controller: nVidia Corporation Device 0dd1 (rev a1)
01:00.1 Audio device: nVidia Corporation Device 0be9 (rev a1)
03:00.0 Network controller: Atheros Communications Inc. AR9285 Wireless Network Adapter (PCI-Express) (rev 01)
04:00.0 USB Controller: Fresco Logic Device 1400 (rev 01)
05:00.0 Unassigned class [ff00]: Realtek Semiconductor Co., Ltd. Device 5209 (rev 01)
06:00.0 Ethernet controller: Atheros Communications AR8131 Gigabit Ethernet (rev c0)
ff:00.0 Host bridge: Intel Corporation Core Processor QuickPath Architecture Generic Non-Core Registers (rev 04)
ff:00.1 Host bridge: Intel Corporation Core Processor QuickPath Architecture System Address Decoder (rev 04)
ff:02.0 Host bridge: Intel Corporation Core Processor QPI Link 0 (rev 04)
ff:02.1 Host bridge: Intel Corporation Core Processor QPI Physical 0 (rev 04)
ff:03.0 Host bridge: Intel Corporation Core Processor Integrated Memory Controller (rev 04)
ff:03.1 Host bridge: Intel Corporation Core Processor Integrated Memory Controller Target Address Decoder (rev 04)
ff:03.4 Host bridge: Intel Corporation Core Processor Integrated Memory Controller Test Registers (rev 04)
ff:04.0 Host bridge: Intel Corporation Core Processor Integrated Memory Controller Channel 0 Control Registers (rev 04)
ff:04.1 Host bridge: Intel Corporation Core Processor Integrated Memory Controller Channel 0 Address Registers (rev 04)
ff:04.2 Host bridge: Intel Corporation Core Processor Integrated Memory Controller Channel 0 Rank Registers (rev 04)
ff:04.3 Host bridge: Intel Corporation Core Processor Integrated Memory Controller Channel 0 Thermal Control Registers (rev 04)
ff:05.0 Host bridge: Intel Corporation Core Processor Integrated Memory Controller Channel 1 Control Registers (rev 04)
ff:05.1 Host bridge: Intel Corporation Core Processor Integrated Memory Controller Channel 1 Address Registers (rev 04)
ff:05.2 Host bridge: Intel Corporation Core Processor Integrated Memory Controller Channel 1 Rank Registers (rev 04)
ff:05.3 Host bridge: Intel Corporation Core Processor Integrated Memory Controller Channel 1 Thermal Control Registers (rev 04)

Hardware information reported by lsusb command
Bus 001 Device 003: ID 13d3:5122 IMC Networks
Bus 001 Device 001: ID 0000:0000 
Bus 001 Device 002: ID 8087:0020 Intel Corp. Integrated Rate Matching Hub
Bus 001 Device 004: ID 0b05:1788 ASUSTek Computer, Inc.
Bus 002 Device 002: ID 8087:0020 Intel Corp. Integrated Rate Matching Hub
Bus 002 Device 001: ID 0000:0000 


Ethernet notes
You only need download and install the Ethernet driver RPM-file,

To verify the sucessfull loaded driver, execute "dmesg | grep iwl" and you get the next result


Video
The Video driver (in CentOS distribution) work without problems, but if you like a 3D efects, run video some fast, or you like to use LCD panel and external monitor simultaneous, you need download the nVidia driver for Linux. Note: You need install the kernel-devel package.
To install the nVidia driver you need boot the laptop without X-Windows enviroment, and execute NVIDIA-Linux-x86_64-270.41.19.run. If you like to modify the X-configuration fie by handle read this file. I change the /etc/X11/xorg.conf file,  I put only the add/modified sections.
Section "ServerLayout"
    Identifier     "Layout0"
    Screen      0  "Screen0" 0 0
    Screen      1  "Screen1" RightOf "Screen0"
    InputDevice    "Keyboard0" "CoreKeyboard"
    InputDevice    "Synaptics" "CorePointer"
EndSection

Section "Files"
    RgbPath         "/usr/lib/X11/rgb"
    FontPath        "unix/:7100"
EndSection

Section "Module"
    Load           "dbe"
    Load           "extmod"
    Load           "type1"
    Load           "freetype"
    Load           "glx"
EndSection

Section "ServerFlags"
    Option         "Xinerama" "0"
EndSection

Section "Monitor"
    # HorizSync source: edid, VertRefresh source: edid
    Identifier     "Monitor0"
    VendorName     "Dell"
    ModelName      "1920x1200 Laptop Display Panel"
    HorizSync       30.0 - 75.0
    VertRefresh     60.0
    Option         "DPMS"
EndSection

Section "Monitor"
    # HorizSync source: edid, VertRefresh source: edid
    Identifier     "Monitor1"
    VendorName     "Unknown"
    ModelName      "Default Monitor"
    HorizSync       25.0 - 100.0
    VertRefresh     56.0 - 120.0
    Option         "DPMS"
EndSection

Section "Device"
    Identifier     "Videocard0"
    Driver         "nvidia"
    VendorName     "NVIDIA Corporation"
    BoardName      "GeForce GTX 460M"
    BusID          "PCI:1:0:0"
    Screen          0
EndSection

Section "Device"
    Identifier     "Videocard1"
    Driver         "nvidia"
    VendorName     "NVIDIA Corporation"
    BoardName      "GeForce GTX 460M"
    BusID          "PCI:1:0:0"
    Screen          1
EndSection

Section "Screen"
    Identifier     "Screen0"
    Device         "Videocard0"
    Monitor        "Monitor0"
    DefaultDepth    24
    Option         "metamodes" "DFP: nvidia-auto-select +0+0"
    SubSection     "Display"
        Depth       24
        Modes      "1920x1200" "1680x1050" "1600x1200" "1600x1024" "1280x1024" "1024x768" "800x600" "640x480"
    EndSubSection
EndSection

Section "Screen"
    Identifier     "Screen1"
    Device         "Videocard1"
    Monitor        "Monitor1"
    DefaultDepth    24
    Option         "metamodes" "CRT: nvidia-auto-select +0+0"
    SubSection     "Display"
        Depth       24
        Modes      "1600x1200" "1280x1024" "1024x768" "800x600" "640x480"
    EndSubSection
EndSection

This configuration permit you to use two simultaneus and independient monitor (separete X screen), the laptop is a screen0 and the external monitor is a screen1.


Audio
This machine have to Audio cards, Intel and nVidia, the last no work at this moment, to activete the Intel Audio controller, verify the file /etc/modprobe.conf have the next lines. by default, the index value es "1", change to "0"
alias snd-card-0 snd-hda-intel
options snd-card-0 index=0
options snd-hda-intel index=0
remove snd-hda-intel { /usr/sbin/alsactl store 0 >/dev/null 2>&1 || : ; }; /sbin/modprobe -r --ignore-remove snd-hda-intel


Bluetooth notes
It's posible when you run the "hcitool scan" yue get the messages "Inquery failed: Conection time out". You only need reset the bluetooth device. I recommended put the next line in the "/etc/rc.d/rc.local" file. See also this forum post.
hciconfig hci0 reset


Multimedia Keys
The multimedia keys have the next keycodes.
Action
 Keycode
 Function Name
Volume mute
 160
 XF86AudioMute
Volume down
 174
 XF86AudioLowerVolume
Volume up
 176
 XF86AudioRaiseVolume
Play/pause
 162
 XF86AudioPlay
Previous track
 144
 XF86AudioPrev
Next track
 153
 XF86AudioNext
Stop
 164
 XF86AudioStop

Add the next lines in the /etc/X11/Xmodmap file
!  Multimedia keys.
keycode 160 = XF86AudioMute
keycode 174 = XF86AudioLowerVolume
keycode 176 = XF86AudioRaiseVolume
keycode 162 = XF86AudioPlay
keycode 144 = XF86AudioPrev
keycode 153 = XF86AudioNext
keycode 164 = XF86AudioStop

You could configure the multimedia keys using the Keyboard Shortcuts from Prefernce menu or run gnome-keybinding-properties whichever suits your fancy. Go to the Sound category in the Actions column is expanded, then click on the desired action. The entry in the Shortcut column will change to "New accelerator...." Press the desired key for the binding, and the shortcut is made.
Action
 Shortcut
Volume mute
 XF86AudioMute

Or add the next line in the ~/.gconf/apps/gnome_settings_daemon/keybindings/%gconf.xml file
<?xml version="1.0"?>
<gconf>
        <entry name="volume_up" mtime="1190054305" type="string">
                <stringvalue>XF86AudioRaiseVolume</stringvalue>
        </entry>
        <entry name="volume_down" mtime="1190054303" type="string">
                <stringvalue>XF86AudioLowerVolume</stringvalue>
        </entry>
        <entry name="volume_mute" mtime="1190054292" type="string">
                <stringvalue>XF86AudioMute</stringvalue>
        </entry>
</gconf>


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