Installing 5.5 on Toshiba Notebook
I have been forced to use Ubuntu on my Toshiba notebook because Trisquel won't recognize its graphics card (AMD A8-3500M based).
When I boot from CD it comes up to a command line. Ctrl+Alt+F7 reveals this text: "Starting load fallback graphics devices [fail]"
Can anybody point me in a direction to get started? I do not mind installing a non-free driver if that's the only choice to get it to work with Trisquel. However, I would prefer to use a free driver that supports its native resolution of 1600x900.
What do I need to look at to begin diagnosing and fixing?
Any help is appreciated. Thanks!
Best regards,
Rick C. Hodgin
You could try reading
dmesg|less
for any insights.
And installing the latest version of
www.fsfla.org/svnwiki/selibre/linux-libre/
I find this:
[83.953255] init: udev-fallback-graphics main process (3575) terminated
with status 1
[84.059919] lp: driver loaded but no devices found
...
[90.288738] init: plymouth-stop pre-start process (4131) terminated with
status 1
Best regards,
Rick C. Hodgin
On 06/27/2012 11:03 AM, name at domain wrote:
> You could try reading
> dmesg|less
> for any insights.
>
> And installing the latest version of
> www.fsfla.org/svnwiki/selibre/linux-libre/
>
You could try GNU/Linux Mint instead. Just to let you know, we're not suppose to discuss non-free software on this forum.
I am aware of that rule. However, Trisquel doesn't address all hardware. Had I known Trisquel was not supported by the AMD graphics card/device in my notebook (as I use only AMD graphics cards on all of my computer hardware and they all work with Trisquel 5.x), I would've gotten something else.
I bought Toshiba, by the way, because the Toshiba laptop I bought back in September 2007 is still working to this day, rock solid in fact. I've used it 10+ hours per day for several of those years, and it's proven to be the most stable machine I've ever had (desktop machines included).
Best regards,
Rick C. Hodgin
--- On Wed, 6/27/12, name at domain <name at domain> wrote:
> From: name at domain <name at domain>
> Subject: Re: [Trisquel-users] Installing 5.5 on Toshiba Notebook
> To: name at domain
> Date: Wednesday, June 27, 2012, 4:23 PM
> You could try GNU/Linux Mint instead.
> Just to let you know, we're not suppose to discuss non-free
> software on this forum.
>
Theres some possible help here on the Mint forum you might find useful.
There's links to some articles on the Ubuntu forums and help section: http://forums.linuxmint.com/viewtopic.php?f=49&t=99414
I am a member!
Free software users should avoid AMD. The company has not released the required specifications/code for a free version. It's released partial code that wraps around non-free code. It's not a solution. It is a PR stunt.
Intel Graphics are the answer. They come very close to NVidia on the low end and are actually better in a number of areas.
Chris, I was chatting with somebody at #fsf, and they said to totally avoid Intel, due to their integrating DRM into their CPUs and other freedom hostile things...
He said go with AMD and use Nouveau drivers for an nVidia car. His other option was not getting a new computer at all and donating the money to free software development instead!
Ruling out both AMD and Intel would make it almost impossible to find a CPU maker!
I am a member!
There is absolutely no way to produce a laptop based on x86 technology that is perfect. Everything is a compromise. Intel and AMD's tech is incorporating digital restrictions in the CPU. At least for the moment you can avoid proprietary graphics drivers by going with Intel and still get a system without TXT or Intel Insider. Going forward though I'm doubtful that you will be able to avoid at least the Intel Insider and equivalent. Until we have a non-x86 solution there will be compromises.
What we really need is more demand from the GNU/Linux community for free software products (not just hardware). In this case its laptops. It may be possible to manufacture a non-x86 laptop with a 15.6" screen that doesn't have TXT, Intel Insider, a proprietary BIOS, or other microcode (or equivalent tech). However you (the GNU/Linux / free software user) need to demand it. And you do that by buying the least restrictive solutions available today. Simply donating to free software developers isn't going to increase the demand for the hardware. We definitely need to contribute to development although we also need to increase demand for whatever the least restrictive tech this community can get get today is (hardware wise). This way we can eventually get the demand up to a point where we can go to China and get a non-x86 design manufactured without the issues we see now.
Things are getting better in some areas. non-x86 CPUs are getting faster for instance. Even though Trisquel is a tiny distribution it's actually positively impacting the demand for free software compatible hardware. It's helping to sustain ThinkPenguin. And that is letting us move forward with various projects. Including gaining support from larger distributions.
I'm working with the lead developers from some of the major distributions (which currently include non-free software). Many/most want to see free software friendly hardware on the market. I don't believe they are against free software and certainly there is no question about there being overlapping objectives. It's just not feasible for most users to adopt free software right now (exclusively) and I believe everybody (free and "open source") wants to get rid of it.
There is not a single Trisquel user who has not made a comprise. You simply can't get a system that is 100% free of these issues.That doesn't mean you don't support free software though. You just do the best you can do. So to entirely shame users who are dependant on non-free software or not helping them move off it. Shaming them is counter productive. I have no problem telling users the problem with non-free software and why they should get rid of it. For the most part we don't support non-free software either. Again though- nothing is 100% free technically- and there are some exceptions we will make like: supporting those who are moving away from proprietary solutions. Our hardware is compatible with free software although the hardware itself isn't necessarily 100% free (micro code and BIOS). It is the best you can currently get anywhere (of x86).