Ubuntu 10.04 on Acer TravelMate 661LCi

Intro

Okay, here we go for a clean install of Ubuntu Lucid Lynx 10.04.

I've purchased a desktop (CORE i5 (2.66), ASUS EAH5750 1Gb, 4Gb RAM), so I decided to install Ubuntu 10.04 on the whole laptop (no more dual boot).

I downloaded the iso and checked the MD5-sum with HashTab and UbuntuHashes. All good to go !

Burning to CD sucks, so I 'install' the iso to an USB-stick. LiLi USB Creator is my preferred application, as it has the ability to boot the iso in VirtualBox.

Booting

WHAT A PIECE OF CRAP ! WORST RELEASE EVER !
Seriously... Booting just stops at a given point. Black screen. Nothing to do, can't even open a terminal (Alt+F1)!
Do you think Ubuntu mentions some issues on their homepage? Nooooo... !
It had to boot in VirtualBox to see some error logs. The logs mention something about 'ureadahead', but the Ubuntu Bugtracker says that it is an error... It displays 'ureadahead', but is has nothing to do with it...
After searching and searching and searching, I found out it might have something to do with the graphics card (Intel i855GM).

Thanks to this post, I got Ubuntu to boot:
- press Tab on the 'menu' when Ubuntu boots,
- you now see the booting parameters. Remove the 'quiet splash --' at the end of the line and type 'i915.modeset=1'.
- Yeey: Ubuntu finally boots as it should !
- install ubuntu to HDD.

On reboot, the system will not boot, again the issue of the black screen.
Now for he next problem: we need to put the 'i915.modeset=1' in the bootingsequence. Pretty FUCKING SHIT there is no way to boot into a terminal...
Basically, we need to disbable the gdm.
Let's reboot into VirtualBox... When the Ubuntu desktop shows in VirtualBox, open a terminal:
- cd /media/<whatever_your_HDD_is>/etc/X11 (I had something like /media/3AR4184BFT-54FDEGH/etc/X11)
- sudo mv default-display-manager default-display-manager_bak(make a backup)
- cd /home/ubuntu/Desktop
- gedit default-display-manager When gedit (=texteditor) opens: just save it as an empty file.
- sudo cp default-display-manager /media/<whatever_your_HDD_is>/etc/X11
- now reboot. After a while, the booting seems to 'hang'. No worries, this is normal since we just disabled the gdm.
- press Alt+F1 to open a terminal.
- you can now login in the commandline.
- When logged in: echo options i915 modeset=1 | sudo tee /etc/modprobe.d/i915-kms.conf
sudo update-initramfs -u
We have put the 'i915 modeset' in the bootingparameters now!
We have only one last thing to do: re-enabled the gdm: sudo cp /etc/X11/default-display-manager_bak /etc/X11/default-display-manager
Now you should be able to boot normally :-)

Specs
Pentium-M 1,4 Ghz
512 MB RAM (2 x 256)
Toshiba 40GB 4200rpm HDD (replaced with a new HDD after mechanic failure)
Intel i855GM chipset 400 MHz FSB with integrated graphics
15" TFT display designed for 1400x1050 with 1 ext. VGA port
Broadcom 4401 10/100 Ethernet Card
Smart Link v.92 internal modem
Intel PRO/Wireless 2100 802.11b card
O2 Micro smart card reader
SmartMedia/MMC/SD/MemoryStick reader
1 32bit type II PCMIA CardBus slot
1 IR, 1 IEEE 1394 (FireWire), 4 USB 2.0
1 S-VHS out, 1 Parallell, 1 RJ-11, 1 RJ-45
1 Headphone/Line-Out, 1 Line-In, 1 Mic-In

1400*1050 resolution
1400*1050 works OUT OF THE BOX !! (like in Ubuntu 8.04).

Broadcom 10/100 Ethernet Card
Just works.

Intel Pro/Wireless 802.11b
Just works.
The network manager was updated, it should be able to handle more connections (wired, wireless, vpn,..).

Keyboard and USB-mouse (Logitech)
Just works.

Touchpad
Just works. Seems a bit extra-sensitive...

Sound
Just works.
PulseAudio manages all the sound. No problems so far...

Not tested
* Suspend to disk/ram
* Hibernate
* Infrared (needs kernel module?)

Cardreader
* works with memorycard of digital camera

CD-burner
GnomeBaker/Brasero/the Gnome cd-writer should do the trick.

Webcam (Logitech QuickCam Zoom)
YeeY, this works out-of-the-box :-)

Outro
Also check the customization page !