I am a windows 7 user with a brand spanking new HP Pavilion G7-1110so laptop. I’ve used ubuntu in the past and was about to migrate back to it, but due to issues with the fan while in ubuntu - i decided to give opensuse a fair shot. I ran the live CD and i absolutely LOVE what i saw!
The graphic worked pretty well straight out out of the box, even as i have a RADEON chipsset.
The only thing that didn’t work, and that is an absolute must for me, is the wifi.
My laptop uses the Ralin RT5390 802.11/b/g/n Wifi adapter. Is there any simple and easy way to install drivers for this wifi adapter on this laptop? This is really the only thing that is keeping me from migrating to opensuse right now.
There may be a problem with the RT5390. In the recent past, there were two
drivers for this device - rt2860sta and rt2800pci. As rt2800pci was in its
infancy, openSUSE was configured to only use rt2860sta. In kernel 3.0, rt2800pci
had improved enough to remove rt2860sta. Unfortunately, the openSUSE
configuration was not changed at that time. That problem has been fixed.
When you install openSUSE, the wireless will probably not work; however, you
will then be able to install kernel 3.0.3. I’m not going to post the link right
now, but when you get openSUSE running, post again, and the link and
instructions will be provided.
On 08/25/2011 06:06 PM, DeceptiveHornet wrote:
>
> So…
>
> Install opensuse 11.4
> update system
> download driver that fits the updated kernal version of OS
> install and connect?
>
> Sorry, i’m a bit new with this fiddling. I’ve been spoilted with it
> workin directly out of box on my other laptops
>
> How do i find out exactly which kernal version i have?
and select your architecture (i586 for 32-bit or x86_64). Browse to the
desktop-3.0.3 rpm and click. When the download screen comes up, choose to open
the package with KpackageKit. Once that finishes, you will have new options in
the GRUB menu. Before you reboot, use YaST => Software Manager to make certain
the kernel-firmware package is installed. After that, boor the 3.0.3 kernel and
you should be able to configure wireless.
Before i do this, i am curious about a few thigns. What happens the next time the kernal is updated? How often is this? Do i need to visit the directory and download it all over again to match the new kernel version on my laptop? How well updated is this directory? Can i expect there to be a new update as soon as my wifi goes down due to kernel updates?
I’d hate to have a working wifi that goes down when i update the OS and no way of getting it back up.
Sorry for the dubbelposting but the forum wouldn’t let me edit the previous entry.
Before i go through with this, i just need to know a few things.
1. The Driver
So in order to get this wifi working i need to install this driver, that corresponds to my kernel version. What happens the next time there’s a system update for my laptop. Will it completely break my wifi or can i still update the system? How often are kernel updates released?
The repo?
The directory you linked me to in your last post: How well updated is it? When / if a system update crashes my wifi, can i expect / assume there’ll be an update in there that’ll allow me to get my wifi back up and running or do i have to wait for people to “fix it”?
Also. I checked the directory out. Just to make sure that i’d get the right package, is this the one?:
What happends when the laptop says there are updates? Would this break the wifi? What does this rpm file really do?
Does it update my laptops kernel, or add a secondary one i pick during GRUB bootup?
then you can update your kernel in “software management” using few clicks.
You don’t have to update your kernel, just if you want/need to (something is not working, you have very fresh hardware).
After update you can remove/diable this repo, unless you want always newest available kernel installed.
No linux distribution is using as fresh kernel as you can find in this repository.
For example Ubuntu 11.04 has 2.6.38 or 2.6.39 and you can have 3.0.3 now.
So if OpenSuSE won’t work chances are no other linux will work, unless you find external driver for your adapter.
> What happends when the laptop says there are updates? Would this break
> the wifi?
you can enable kernel multiversion so that grub will let you get back to
the previous, easily…just select it from the first green screen, see
how to set that up:
LOL Sorry for all questions! Is there any way to just update the kernel i get from when updating the laptop when having a fresh install, to 3.0.3?
Somehow it feels a bit easier with just the one kernel. Then how do i prevent the system from updating to any higher version kernels once i have the 3.0.3?
On 08/27/2011 03:36 AM, DeceptiveHornet wrote:
>
> lwfinger:
>
> I like this. Is there any way to set grub up to select 3.0.3 by
> default, or do i need to select it manually everytime i boot the laptop?
YaST =>System => Boot Loader. You will find everything you want there, including
the “Set Default” button.
