Hp Dv2610us

Hello:
I finally (after lots of trial/errors) got OpenSuse 10.3 to work properly on this new Notebook from HP.

1) For the graphics, I had installed using the Nvidia file: (nothing else worked!).
"NVIDIA-Linux-x86_64-100.14.19-pkg2.run"
You have to be in single user mode:
as root type: "init 3"
Then runs the script.
then type "init 4"

If you invoke Sax, it will tell you that the driver does not support 3D, but it is enabled, and the game "BZFLAG" (require 3D acceleration) will run very well and very fast.
The KDE control Center does detect 3D acceleration enabled.
And the quality of the display is one of the very best I have ever seen on a notebook (congratulation HP designers there!).

Hopefully the Suse devellopers, will integrate this into YAST (note that 10.1 did support this quite well!) for an easier install for the "non geek" user.

2) For the Wireless, I could not find any way to extract the firmware from the 64 bits Broadcom Driver, but I could get NDISWRAPPER to work quite well (although a bit slower ).
Then I did compile and installed succesfully (using chechinstall, and then the rpm) "wlanassistant".
Its works well, but here too it was quite tedious.
Hopefully someone finds a way so extrating the firmware is possible: this will allow to use the kernel driver.
Also hopefully, the next version of Open Suse will by default install properly and easily "wlanassistant", or its newer KDE4 equivalent.

3) For now the only things which does not work, is the DVD-RAM but it does not work on Vista either... and several calls to HP tech support on this were not very encouraging.
On this I wish HP drops the Mashusita CD/DVD drive and come back to the LG drives which work flawlessly with DVD-RAM. I also had excellent experience with LG tech support who replaced a bad drive very quickly.
I have purchased several LG CD/DVD drives, and they work very well, and also (unlike Panasonic/Matshusita) provide good firmware updates.

4) Almost everything else that I have tested (USB wireless mouse, sound) works "out of the box" : Congratulations here to the OpenSuse developpers, and I have not tried yet the BueTooth and the WebCAm.
The sound is mediocre... like most notebooks!

5) I could not install Skype (will need to add the 32bits QT Libraries).
Hopefully Skype will make available a 64 bits version one day... or SuSE?

6) I tried also (all 64 bits) Ubuntu, Mandriva, and Fedora 8, but they all failed on the basic install, where OpenSuse basic install did work, on this new HP machine, allowing further tweaking.

Andre G.

I may also post this on the "Distrowatch" web site.

Andre,

Linux on Laptops would most likely enjoy your posting; they have a HP section @ http://www.linux-laptop.net/

I am in the process of writing an "apocrypha version" (written after the work was done, from my best recollection) step by step text of how to install Open Suse 10.3 x64, and the NVIDIA, as well as Broadcom WiFi drivers on this pretty nice notebook.

The results are good: excellent+very fast Graphics, and reliable WiFi connection using the "ndiswrapper" driver.
My only frustration is with HP technical support, who replied to my request email the 64 bits Linux drivers, that this machine is for Vista only! It is quite interesting :blink: that I downloaded them from the HP web site, after much searching, trial & errors.

So if any of you can ask in a courteous way, to "big HP" to be more Linux-x64 supportive... of their own "star products" by phone, email or posting, please do so: it can only help.

I will post the enhanced text by end of November 2007 (Shortly), my main source of income being writing firmware, mostly (but not only) for ARM processor these days.

Andre Gompel

Andre,

Linux on Laptops would most likely enjoy your posting; they have a HP section @ http://www.linux-laptop.net/
[/b]

The firmware should not be dependent upon 64-bit or not, but the fw-cutter tool might have an issue extracting it. You can download firmware from http://linuxwireless.org/en/users/Drivers/b43, this is the official page now for the bcm43xx and derivative drivers. I had a couple of dvxxxx laptops, and can confirm that the wireless works well with the bcm43xx. However, I do want to point out that you mentioned performance with ndiswrapper, it will actually provide better performance than the native drivers will, the devs even admit this. For average use when just surfing the internet on a laptop, the difference is negligible, but if you're trying to transfer files on a local network, it is noticeable. My own seat-of-the-pants experience can confirm this.

Still, I endorse the bcm43xx drivers for those that can get them working, wider usage will provide better feedback for the devs in order to help bring them to 100%, so just wanted to provide that clarification.

Cheers,
KV

I am in the process of writing an "apocrypha version" (written after the work was done, from my best recollection) step by step text of how to install Open Suse 10.3 x64, and the NVIDIA, as well as Broadcom WiFi drivers on this pretty nice notebook.

The results are good: excellent+very fast Graphics, and reliable WiFi connection using the "ndiswrapper" driver.
My only frustration is with HP technical support, who replied to my request email the 64 bits Linux drivers, that this machine is for Vista only! It is quite interesting :blink: that I downloaded them from the HP web site, after much searching, trial & errors.

So if any of you can ask in a courteous way, to "big HP" to be more Linux-x64 supportive... of their own "star products" by phone, email or posting, please do so: it can only help.

I will post the enhanced text by end of November 2007 (Shortly), my main source of income being writing firmware, mostly (but not only) for ARM processor these days.

Andre Gompel
[/b]

== HERE IS THE MOST COMPLETE VERSION ==

# == Notebook Hewlett Packard DV2610US Suse Linux ==
# Install OpenSuse 10.3 (64 bits version) on The Notebook Hewlett Packard DV2610US
#
# The following will describe how to install:
# a) The NVIDIA 64 bits drivers.
# B) The Broadcomm Wireless Driver with ndiswrapper.
# After Install a) the wireless is very reliable, and fast.
# B) the display is fast, and very crisp, the 3D acceleration is installed.
# Please if anything here, does not work, or need precision, please post: I will try to answer.
#

1) Install Nvidia drivers.
Get Driver from the NVIDIA web site (see name below).

su
init 3
NVIDIA-Linux-x86_64-100.14.19-pkg2.run
init 5

And possibly more....(Followed Nvidia instructions)
Note: The sax2 does not detect 3d acceleration.
The KDE config, does.
The game "bzflag" works well.. and very fast.

2) Install (using Yast/ OpenSuse 10.3 DVD) "checkinstall"



3) Install ndiswrapper
Create ndiswrapper-1.49-1.x86_64.rpm from ndiswrapper-1.49.tar.gz
(./configure, make, and checkinstall)
Then install the RPM
/usr/src/packages/RPMS/x86_64/ndiswrapper-1.49-1.x86_64.rpm


4) Install the driver (as root)
Get the Broadcom 64v bits driver:
wget ftp.hp.com/pub/softpaq/sp34001-34500/sp34152.exe
The diver is file: sp34152.exe (compressed).
md d.sp34152
cabextract -d d.sp35152 sp34152.exe # Extract files into dir
cd d.sp34152
ndiswrapper -i bcmwl5.inf # This file should be there!

modprobe ndiswrapper # later automatic...

5) Now Download wlanassistant 64 bits package.
wlassistant-0.5.7-1.guru.suse102.x86_64.rpm
And install it using Yast
(or rpm -Uvh lassistant-0.5.7-1.guru.suse102.x86_64.rpm)

6) Install (standard Yast Install) kdenetwork3-wireless-3.5.7-64.rpm
This is not necessarry, but contains "kwifimanager"
kwifimanager gives a nice visual feedback in the KDE environment.

7) Modify /etc/modprobe.d/blacklist
Add the following two lines at the end of file:

# Disable the kernel driver to use ndiswrapper
blacklist bcm43xx

8) Modify /etc/sysconfig/kernel as follows:
Replace line:
MODULES_LOADED_ON_BOOT=""
by
MODULES_LOADED_ON_BOOT="ndiswrapper"

This will automatically load module ndiswrapper at boot time.i

9) Reboot,

a) Verify that ndiswarpper is running. (see 10.a)
Verify that there is a network. (see 10.B)
Verify that there is at least one network. (see 10.c)

B) run (as root) "wlassistant" and connect to a network.
(first time the config wizard: select auto-connect and re-connect).

You may close wlassistant when the connection is etablished.
AT THIS POINT: The Wi-Fi should work.
Try FireFox, with a known Internet URL (www.google.com for eaxmple).
Make sure that Firefox is in "On-Line mode) (uncheck File-> Work-Off Line).

9) Getting feedback:

a) Verify that ndiswrapper is running, with Broadcomm driver:
typing: /usr/sbin/ndiswrapper -l
the system will prompt: "bcmwl5 : driver installed
device (14E4:4311) present (alternate driver: bcm43xx)"

B) running (as root) "kwifimanager" will give visual feedback.
This is not necessary for the WiFi to work, but visual feedback is always nice.
If the KDE environment is installed, just reduce the window, the toolbar will have the "field-meter".

c)Typing: /usr/sbin/iwlist wlan0 scan
Will prompt a very long text which start like this:

wlan0 Scan completed :
Cell 01 - Address: 00:0A:06:FF:99:14
ESSID:"NameOfTheNetwork"
Protocol:IEEE 802.11g
Mode:Managed
Frequency:2.462 GHz (Channel 11)
Quality:43/100 Signal level:-68 dBm Noise level:-96 dBm
Encryption keyff
Bit Rates:1 Mb/s; 2 Mb/s; 5.5 Mb/s; 6 Mb/s; 9 Mb/s
11 Mb/s; 12 Mb/s; 18 Mb/s; 24 Mb/s; 36 Mb/s
48 Mb/s; 54 Mb/s
Extra:bcn_int=100
Extra:atim=0
Cell 02: < -- Cut here -->

5) I could not install Skype (will need to add the 32bits QT Libraries).
Hopefully Skype will make available a 64 bits version one day... or SuSE?
[/b]

It is possible to install the 32 bit Skype rpm on 64 bit openSUSE 10.3.

32 bit version of libqt4 libraries for openSUSE 10.2 must be installed with option --force, and 32 bit version of libsigc++ must be installed in the regular way.

There may be a better way, though.