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hardware:lenovo-g780 [2012/10/05 12:13] – [Lenovo G780, laptop] UEFI in BIOS styblahardware:lenovo-g780 [2021/12/28 04:16] (current) – add more details about hardware stybla
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 Ehrm. I really hate to say this, but if you plan to have GNU/Linux on this laptop, then I think you should be better off.  Ehrm. I really hate to say this, but if you plan to have GNU/Linux on this laptop, then I think you should be better off. 
 Ok, that's a not really good start, is it? Sadly, I would rather pay $20-40USD more rather than to have AR8162, as an  Ok, that's a not really good start, is it? Sadly, I would rather pay $20-40USD more rather than to have AR8162, as an 
-Ethernet NIC, and BCM4313 for a WiFi. Because it seems to me like these two things do spoil otherwise great and snappy +Ethernet NIC, and BCM4313 for a WiFi. Because it seems to me like these two components do spoil otherwise great and snappy 
 configuration. configuration.
  
 I mean, Intel i5-3210M Ivy Bridge is quite good, 4GB RAM is enough and expandable, 1TB HDD is more than sufficient, battery  I mean, Intel i5-3210M Ivy Bridge is quite good, 4GB RAM is enough and expandable, 1TB HDD is more than sufficient, battery 
-time - I haven't tested that yet nor probably will, GT630M 2GB will be able to handle some games, so why oh why Lenovo,  +time - I haven't tested battery yet nor probably will, GT630M 2GB will be able to handle some games. So why, oh why, Lenovo  
-why have you spoiled the experience at connectivity front?+have you spoiled the experience at connectivity front?
  
-AR8162 is only 100Mbit/s NIC which is, for normal use and "standard" internet connection, and isn't enough, compared to  +AR8162 is only 100Mbit/s NIC which is good enough for normal use and "standard" internet connection, but it doesn't seem to  
-all Gbit/s NICs out there. It also doesn't have support in Linux kernel at the time of this writing.+be enough future-wise and compared to all Gbit/s NICs out there. It also doesn't have support in Linux kernel at the time of  
 +this writing.
 Broadcom's BCM4313 a/b/g/n is another pain. Despite it seems you have couple options how to make this card working,  Broadcom's BCM4313 a/b/g/n is another pain. Despite it seems you have couple options how to make this card working, 
-actually the only one half-worked for me. Sadly, it was Broadcom's proprietary(?) wl driver. And why half-worked? +actually the only one half-worked for me. Sadly, it was Broadcom's proprietary(?) //wl// driver. And why half-worked? 
-Why the pain? Because it works only in the US reg domain and the only available channels in 2.4GHz are 1-11 which is fine,  +Why the pain? Because it works only in the US reg domain and the only available channels in 2.4GHz are 1-11. This is fine  
-unless you live in EU, you have an access point sitting at channel 13 and you can't change the channel. Then you're out of  +as long as you don't live in EU and as long as you don't have an access point sitting at channel 13. And since you don't have  
-WiFi. Really, I would rather had an Intel WiFi and something else for Ethernet NIC.+Ethernet working you can't change WiFi channel and to get your WiFi connection going. 
 +Really, I would rather had an Intel WiFi and something else for Ethernet NIC.
  
-Yes, the above is kind of rant. I admit it. However, what I really don't understand is DVD drive. I'm sure drive itself is fine,  +Yes, the text above is kind of rant. I admit it. However, what I really don't understand is DVD drive. I'm sure drive itself is fine. 
-however the plastic cover is ruining it. And you have to really push it to get the doors closed. It is almost as they don't fit,  +However the plastic cover is ruining it. You have to really push it (with force) to get the doors closed. It is almost as they don't fit  
-or there is some (extra) locking mechanism. It that case, it is likely it's going to break some day.+or as there is some (extra) locking mechanism. It such case, it's likely it's going to break some day.
  
-Other than above, I find Lenovo G780 to be satisfying and I think it has great potential as desktop replacement. What else to say?  +Other than that, I find Lenovo G780 to be satisfying and I think it has great potential as a desktop replacement. What else to say?  
-LCD cover seems to be made from hard plastic and doesn't give in. +LCD cover seems to be made from sturdy plastic and doesn't give in. 
 Surroundings of keyboard are made from some kind of metal and have a nice and cooling effect. Keyboard seems to be ok as well,  Surroundings of keyboard are made from some kind of metal and have a nice and cooling effect. Keyboard seems to be ok as well, 
-although I can't get used to layout and would welcome bigger 'Enter' key rather than numeric keypad. +although I can't get used to layout and bigger 'Enter' key would be more than welcome. Yes, I'd gladly sacrifice numeric keypad. 
 Normal size touchpad with two-finger scrolling, no trackpoint, 2xUSB 3.0, 2xUSB 2.0, webcam, HDMI, VGA and that's about it. Normal size touchpad with two-finger scrolling, no trackpoint, 2xUSB 3.0, 2xUSB 2.0, webcam, HDMI, VGA and that's about it.
 Pretty much everything worked out-of-the-box in Ubuntu except networking. Even if I get over the networking, I can't get over DVD drive. Pretty much everything worked out-of-the-box in Ubuntu except networking. Even if I get over the networking, I can't get over DVD drive.
 I mean, **oh my**! I mean, **oh my**!
-Oh, and there is UEFI boot in the BIOS. I was very disabled to see it and to be honest, I broke my pledge not to buy any UEFI device. + 
 +Oh, and there is UEFI boot in the BIOS. I was very disappointed to see it and to be honest, I've violated my pledge not to buy any UEFI device. 
 However, this UEFI thing does nothing so far. Perhaps it will one day, at one point, with newer BIOS? Who knows. I'm just letting you  However, this UEFI thing does nothing so far. Perhaps it will one day, at one point, with newer BIOS? Who knows. I'm just letting you 
 know. know.
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 I've started with Slackware. However, since I was constantly failing at WiFi part, I've decided to move to Kubuntu(only to find out it's  I've started with Slackware. However, since I was constantly failing at WiFi part, I've decided to move to Kubuntu(only to find out it's 
 the same). Since almost everything worked, I can't give you too much advice what-where-how. But since it has nVidia GPU, you can either  the same). Since almost everything worked, I can't give you too much advice what-where-how. But since it has nVidia GPU, you can either 
-go with Nouveau or nV's proprietary driver. I'm rolling with Nouveau since this is not OpenGL is not needed. Don't forget to build your +go with Nouveau or nV's proprietary driver. I'm rolling with Nouveau since I don't need OpenGL. Don't forget to build your 
 kernel with support for switchable graphics(CONFIG_VGA_SWITCHEROO ?). As for sound card, Alsa or  kernel with support for switchable graphics(CONFIG_VGA_SWITCHEROO ?). As for sound card, Alsa or 
 OSS(no, it is not deprecated). Touchpad is Synaptics(or so I guess), webcam is Lenovo's EasyCam and will require V4L. USB 3.0 is XHCI. OSS(no, it is not deprecated). Touchpad is Synaptics(or so I guess), webcam is Lenovo's EasyCam and will require V4L. USB 3.0 is XHCI.
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 ==== Ethernet ==== ==== Ethernet ====
  
-FIXME+I thinks I've used this [[http://askubuntu.com/questions/157223/12-04-does-not-detect-eth0atheros-ar8162|link]] to fix the issue with ethernet not  
 +being present. I found it rather sad this driver was not yet in kernel after a such long time. But well, it happens. Some information is  
 +[[http://www.linuxfoundation.org/collaborate/workgroups/networking/alx|here]] as well. 
 + 
 +In case of unavailability of the site, I'll copy paste information there: 
 + 
 +<code> 
 +tar -xvf compat-wireless-2012-02-28-p.tar 
 +cd compat-wireless-2012-02-28-p 
 +scripts/driver-select alx 
 +make 
 +make install 
 +modprobe alx 
 +</code> 
  
 ==== WiFi ==== ==== WiFi ====
  
-FIXME+WiFi works out of the box, but only for channels 1-11 and only with proprietary(?) drivers. I had no luck to get channels 12-14 operational  
 +nor I had luck with mainline drivers(not even WiFi scanning). 
 + 
 +Anyway, some information is [[https://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/Broadcom_wireless|at ArchLinux wiki]]. Less said about this hunk of crap, the better. In other words, I suggest not to bother with this and either get hold of a solid USB WiFi adapter(which is challenging on its own and depends on luck, but I was lucky) or replace it with some Intel WiFi adapter at additional cost(which, in my opinion, is worthy, because Intel WiFi cards just work in Linux).
  
 ===== Hardware ===== ===== Hardware =====
  
   * CPU - Intel Core i5 3210M Ivy Bridge   * CPU - Intel Core i5 3210M Ivy Bridge
-  * RAM - RAM 4GB+  * RAM - RAM 4GB(Up to 8GB of DDR3 1600/1333Mhz memory in 2 SODIMM slots, 2x4GB)
   * LCD - 17.3" 1600x900 glossy   * LCD - 17.3" 1600x900 glossy
-  * GPU - NVIDIA GeForce GT630M 2GB +  * GPU - NVIDIA GeForce GT630M 2GB + Intel HD Graphics 4000 
-  * HDD - 1TB 5400 rpm(ST1000LM024 HN-M101MBB)+  * HDD - 1TB 5400 rpm(ST1000LM024 HN-M101MBB 2.5" SATAII, but SATAIII is supported)
   * DVD-RW   * DVD-RW
   * WiFi(BMC4313)   * WiFi(BMC4313)
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   * 6 cell battery   * 6 cell battery
   * pre-installed FreeDOS   * pre-installed FreeDOS
 +  * [[https://www.lenovo.com/lt/lt/laptops/lenovo/g-series/g780/|official tech specs]]
 +  * [[https://blogklink-pc.tech/en/how-to-disassemble-a-lenovo-g780-21b2-laptop-3/|how to disassemble]]
  
 <code> <code>
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 </code> </code>
  
-Output of # dmidecode ; is rather lenghty, but it's {{:hardware:lenovo-g780-dmidecode.txt|attached here}}.+Output of # dmidecode ; is rather lengthy, but it's {{:hardware:lenovo-g780-dmidecode.txt|attached here}}.
hardware/lenovo-g780.1349457216.txt.gz · Last modified: 2012/10/05 12:13 by stybla