Trisquel Newbie LTS Support & Graphics Driver Questions
My 2011 machine has an Intel i5 processor with an integrated ¡915 graphics driver (skybridge). I have been using Debian and Ubuntu or their derivatives and/or flavors for three years with no issues until the release of Ubuntu 16.04 with the newer kernel. As far as I can determine, both Intel and the kernel developers have ceased support for my graphics driver. The Intel site says it's no longer supported, and the last kernel I have been able to use with the driver is 4.2.x. When one installs Ubuntu 16.04 one cannot get the machine to display in the default resolution (1920x1080). I tried many suggested fixes before deciding that the driver simply will no longer work on the latest kernels at this time, and in light of how the kernel process seems to go I suspect later versions will not include support for my driver, either. For this reason, I have fallen back to distros that employ the older kernels with long term support (Debian Stable, Ubuntu 14.04, PointLinux, MX-15, wattOS, BunsenLabs Linux), but for a variety of reasons haven't yet settled on one. Trisquel 7 interests me due to the availability of three more years of support and the free software commitment. My two questions are: 1) when version 8 is released, is there any way an option to use an older kernel could be provided so I could update and still see my screen? 2) if that is not possible, could separate driver for my (and many other) machine be included?
Thanks, in advance.
Intel Core i5 should be Sandy Bridge. Sandy Bridge has no issues. I have HD 3000 and it works out of the box.
Skybridge is an AMD product.
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Paste here the output of
lspci -nnk | grep VGA
I don't think the OP has an ATI for he would have experienced the issue on the Trisquel 7 default kernel too.
> when version 8 is released, is there any way an option to use an older kernel could be provided so I could update and still see my screen?
Sure, you just install the older kernel and select it in grub during the initial boot. You will either need to compile the older linux libre kernel or simply add the repo provided by the excellent Jxself, that is if you trust him enough to give him root on your machine; and who in their sane mind wouldn't trust Jxself? :P
> could separate driver for my (and many other) machine be included?
I don't understand your question. If you are asking if **you** can install the proprietary **firmware** the answer is: I guess, yes, if you want do do so, but no one here is gonna help you with that.
If the question is if the developers are gonna add the firmware for your machine: if proprietary, absolutely not; if free, it should already be there in the kernel.
Yes, I meant to type Sandybridge, not skybridge. Here is the requested output:
$ lspci -nnk | grep VGA
00:02.0 VGA compatible controller [0300]: Intel Corporation 2nd Generation Core Processor Family Integrated Graphics Controller [8086:0102] (rev 09)
My desire is to run the distro(s) that come with newer applications and still be able to see my screen. I do not want to install proprietary firmware to do so.
Thanks for the interest.
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Should work with the libre kernel. I have no idea..
In any case, you say the latest kernel it worked fine with is 4.2. The LTS jxself packages is 4.1 and will be supported until September 2017, so you should be good for quite some time.
SuperTramp83: Thanks very much. Good information. I still don't know if Trisquel 8 will use a newer kernel or not, or if a free driver will be provided to go with it, but I have a new (to me) resource to assist me (h-node). You appear to know more about hardware than I do; do you have any advice about buying a new bare bones machine that might work into the extended future with GNU/Linux? Do you have any thoughts on AMD vs. Intel? I appreciate AMD's commitment to open source, but also would not want to spend $ on a new machine that did not work with GNU/Linux. My usage is primarily just internet browsing, word processing, and spreadsheets. No gaming.
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yw mate, I'm pretty sure the developers will deblob the LTS kernel Ubuntu 16 lts ships with (check the version of it, I don't know).
If your question is, and considering your needs which, excluding gaming, appear to be pretty basic, "will I be fine with a libreboot X200 for the next 5 years?", then yes, of course. If not you can also get yourself an older laptop (2006) that works perfectly with GNU and doesn't require blobs nor contain the hidden cpu that is Intel ME.. I am doing my stuff on a 2003 laptop which I got for ridiculously cheap and it **flies** with Xfce for all the activities you mentioned (browsing, word, spreadsheets and videos up to 720p and even many 1080p..)
Generally speaking and AFAIK, you will need to check 2 things:
the GPU has to be- no ATI, intel earlier than the latest skylake or nvidia up to Kepler (someone correct me if I'm wrong), but you better check on hnode before buying.
The wifi adapter has to be a Atheros series AR9xxx or AR5xxx. Those are easy and cheap to find on ebay or whatever. Or external dongle.
cheers
Very well. Thanks to everyone. I understand and consider this issue resolved.