Asus N53

Introduction

Asus N53 community help.

This wiki is intended to help to fix problems related to Ubuntu and the Asus N53SV, but may be applicable to other models, such as the Asus N73 and N61 Series, where hardware specifications overlap.

Note This fixes have been tested under:
Ubuntu 11.04 (Natty Narwhal)
Ubuntu 11.10 (Oneiric Ocelot)
Ubuntu 14.04

Disclaimer

Warning I make no guarantees, nor take any responsibility for any consequences following the use of this wiki page. Use at your own risk.

Fixing or enabling notebook functionalities

This section will guide you through fixing bug or enable functionalities which doesn't work out of the box.

Suspend and Hibernate

To fix the suspension and hibernation bug you can use the 20_suspend-ehci-hcd script (also tested working in Ubuntu 11.10 & 14.04):

   1 #!/bin/sh
   2 #
   3 # Suspend and Hibernate Fix Script
   4 #
   5 # Credits: Cuong Tham
   6 
   7 TMPLIST_E=/tmp/ehci-dev-list
   8 TMPLIST_X=/tmp/xhci-dev-list
   9 E_DIR=/sys/bus/pci/drivers/ehci_hcd
  10 X_DIR=/sys/bus/pci/drivers/xhci_hcd
  11 E_BIND=$E_DIR""/bind
  12 E_UNBIND=$E_DIR""/unbind
  13 X_BIND=$X_DIR""/bind
  14 X_UNBIND=$X_DIR""/unbind
  15 
  16 unbindDev() {
  17   echo -n '' > $1
  18   for i in `ls $2 | egrep '[0-9a-z]+\:[0-9a-z]+\:.*$'`; do
  19     echo -n "$i" | tee $3
  20     echo "$i" >> $1
  21   done
  22 }
  23 
  24 bindDev() {
  25   [ -f $1 ] || return
  26 
  27   for i in `cat $1`; do
  28     echo -n "$i" | tee $2
  29   done
  30 
  31   rm $1
  32 }
  33 
  34 case "${1}" in
  35   hibernate|suspend)
  36     unbindDev $TMPLIST_E $E_DIR $E_UNBIND
  37     unbindDev $TMPLIST_X $X_DIR $X_UNBIND
  38     ;;
  39   resume|thaw)
  40     bindDev $TMPLIST_E $E_BIND
  41     bindDev $TMPLIST_X $X_BIND
  42     ;;
  43 esac

Paste the script in /etc/pm/sleep.d/20_suspend-ehci-hcd and save it

sudo nano /etc/pm/sleep.d/20_suspend-ehci-hcd

The script can have any name, but to ensure the load order, use the prefix 20_

add the execution permission:

sudo chmod 755 /etc/pm/sleep.d/20_suspend-ehci-hcd

Package available suspend-ehci-hcd


USB 3.0

IconsPage/info.png Fixed in Ubuntu 11.10


To get working USB 3.0 port with USB 2.0 devices add the following string to your grub boot parameters: pci=nomsi

sudo nano /etc/default/grub

replace

GRUB_CMDLINE_LINUX_DEFAULT="quiet splash"

with

GRUB_CMDLINE_LINUX_DEFAULT="quiet splash pci=nomsi"

save and update grub:

sudo update-grub


Keyboard functions keys

IconsPage/note.png Fixed in Ubuntu 11.10


The function ("fn") keys can be enabled using acpi4asus: http://acpi4asus.sourceforge.net

Package available acpi4asus-dkms


nVidia Optimus video card switching

You can now use your nVidia card, using bumblebee: https://github.com/MrMEEE/bumblebee (old version)

To use it, type the following into terminal: (old version)

git clone https://github.com/MrMEEE/bumblebee
cd bumblebee
sudo sh install.sh

Bumblebee is also available from PPA: https://launchpad.net/~mj-casalogic/+archive/bumblebee (new version!)

sudo add-apt-repository ppa:bumblebee/stable
sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get install bumblebee

If you want to run 32-bit apps in Oneiric, enable Multi-arch support for 32-bit and run: sudo apt-get install virtualgl-libs:i386 source: https://launchpad.net/~bumblebee/+archive/stable Then use optirun command before any program that needs your nvidia-card.

you can use ironhide too but it will provide some graphical gliches:

sudo add-apt-repository ppa:mj-casalogic/ironhide
sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get install ironhide ironhide-ui
sudo ironhide-configuration

Note: you need to reinstall xorg-video-intel for the intel 3d accelleration to work
Note: wine and stepmania will not work well when using a 64 bit system

If you still haven't got 3d accelleration on the intel GMA after reboot, you can optionally install the latest X.org-drivers: (note: don't do this if everything works without it!!)

sudo add-apt-reposity ppa:xorg-edgers/ppa
sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get upgrade
sudo ironhide-configuration

As of Ubuntu 11.04 (and 11.10) the ironhide-app-settings returns some error-codes. A workaround for this bug is to use the menu-editor (typ "main menu" into unity dash). Find your favorite app, select it, and click "properties". go to "command" (middle line below the name, but above the discription) and change "<myapp>" into "optirun <myapp>". (add optirun and a space at the beginning of each command that needs nVidia graphics card). now you can run those apps the conventional way and they will run onto the nVidia. If ironhide-indicator is running it will tell you when the discrete card is turned on.

Note that with ironhide you can only enable your nVidia-card when you are using AC power. Otherwise you could possibly overload your battery.


Bluetooth

IconsPage/note.png Fixed in Ubuntu 11.10


First, try install the compat wireless module and then restart. On Ubuntu 11.04 Linux-backports-modules-cw. If not, try compile from source:

download the source driver compat-wireless-2011-05-15.tar.bz2 (or more updated) from http://wireless.kernel.org/download/compat-wireless-2.6/

unpack it:

tar -xjvf compat-wireless-2011-05-15.tar.bz2

run the script for compile only the bluetooth modules:

cd compat-wireless-2011-05-16
./scripts/driver-select bt

compile and install:

make
sudo make install

disable current bluetooth modules and load the new ones:

sudo make btunload

sudo modprobe ath3k
sudo modprobe btusb

restart bluetooth demon:

sudo /etc/init.d/bluetooth restart

otherwise reboot the pc.

After that, if your Bluetooth does not work, do

lsusb

If your bluetooth chip is detected as 13d3:3304 in lsusb, you need to tell the ath3k driver that.

sudo gedit /etc/modprobe.d/ath3-bt.conf

and add this lines

install ath3k modprobe --ignore-install ath3k ; /bin/echo "13d3 3304" >> /sys/bus/usb/drivers/ath3k/new_id

You may want to stop here, but, if you want, reboot the computer, and did the modprobe -a ath3k and rmmod btusb again. After this, the modprobe configuration is no longer required and it can be deleted.


Ethernet

IconsPage/note.png Fixed in Ubuntu 11.10


This official Realtek ethernet driver fix the bug of 10 Mb/s max speed with some ethernet switch.

Version: 8.024.00
Date: 2011/05/27
MD5: eb6c56672c7e2b3efa3ad7e4369a4fee
Download

Last updated drivers can be downloaded here.


Intel Turbo Boost

The turbo boost is supported, use a CPU applet for Gnome or KDE to see it.

You will most likely need to load the module for it:

sudo modprobe msr

and after, to verify that it do work, install acpidump:

sudo apt-get install acpidump

then run turbostat in a terminal:

sudo turbostat

It will list you the speed of your cores.

To avoid to do this after each reboot, edit the modules file:

sudo nano /etc/modules

and in an empty line add:

msr


HDMI Support (Minor issue)

IconsPage/note.png This bug was finally fixed in kernel 3.5


Little problem with HDMI support, if you try to turn on the computer with the HDMI cable plugged into the computer, Ubuntu will never boot, it hangs just after grub. When POST or grub is displayed, try to switch the monitor/display using the Fn+F8 shortcut to the laptop LCD and then back to external HDMI monitor. If this doesn't work, you can unplug the HDMI monitor before you boot. When you plug it back it all works fine.


HDMI Video

Don't TO DO

Some TV's only allow you to use a resolution of 640X480. Most TV's can be used through 1280X720.


HDMI Audio

Don't TO DO

HDMI audio can be enabled by changing the default hardware profile of your soundcard in the sound-configuration screen. Note that you have to change it back every time when you stop using the HDMI-interface.


DVD

If DVDs don't play after installing CSS, then the region may not have been set on the DVD drive. Install regionset:

  sudo apt-get install regionset

and run it:

  sudo regionset


Multi-touch touchpad

Multi-touch gestures are supported for the N53's Elantech touchpad. First add the this PPA to your system:

  sudo add-apt-repository ppa:utouch-team/utouch

Then install it by running:

  sudo apt-get update && sudo apt-get install utouch

Reboot and open System Settings... > Mouse and Touchpad, then, in the Touchpad tab, under Scrolling, choose Two-finger scrolling.

Note: it is a good idea to untick the "Disable touchpad while typing" box, as this seems to cause the touchpad to stop responding on occasion. I haven't been able to trigger the bug manually, but it did seem to stop occurring once unticking this box.


Unity 3D

Unity 3D works "out of the box", without any modification to the standard installation. Although, during installation, notify-osd bubbles do contain some artifacts and have thick black borders. This does not carry through to the desktop once installed, thankfully.


External Links


Reference links:

Asus_N53 (last edited 2014-06-18 00:28:00 by 119)