Kubuntu 12.04 on ASUS EeePC 1025C

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This netbook (and also the EeePC 1025CE) contains an Intel N2800 Atom processor (Cedar Trail) that it comes with a GMA3600 graphics processor. The processor is a 64 bit processor but the 64 bit instruction set has been disabled from the bios so you need to get a 32 bit distribution.
The GMA3600 is based (like the GMA500/Poulsbo) on PowerVR core so you need a recent kernel with the GMA3600 driver that is required if you want to use the right screen resolution (1024×600) on your netbook.
Unlikely other intel graphics processors this one has been badly supported by the linux kernel, but recently the support to this graphics processor has been added but you need to install a 3.4 kernel on your (K)ubuntu system if you want  everything working without ugly workarounds. The graphics driver provided by the kernel doesn’t support 3D acceleration that anyway is not required if you want to have graphics effects. There are also some closed source drivers (with 3D acceleration) available but I didn’t tried them.

The GMA500/GMA3600 driver is not included by default on Ubuntu 3.4 kernel so I’ve built a kernel with that driver and Atom optimizations enabled. You can use it also on any other laptop with a GMA3600 graphics core.

(K)ubuntu installation:

If you want to install kubuntu on this netbook you need to do the following steps:

How to build an Ubuntu kernel with GMA500 support:

If you don’t like to use my kernel package you can build the kernel by yourself. You just need to read this howto, to get vanilla kernel, to download ubuntu patches and to enable CONFIG_DRM_GMA500 and CONFIG_DRM_GMA3600.

Suspend:

Suspension causes graphics corruption (and a reboot is needed after that).

Sound (EeePC 1025C specific):

You need to configure ALSA/Pulse audio to use always mono output for the internal speaker otherwise you’ll hear only one audio channel.

Wifi (EeePC 1025C specific):

Supported: you don’t need to install anything else.

Webcam (EeePC 1025C specific):

Supported: you don’t need to install anything else.

 

17 thoughts on “Kubuntu 12.04 on ASUS EeePC 1025C”

  1. Thanks for this Linux 3.4 kernel with the GMA500 support. I installed Xubuntu 12.04 on my son’s eee PC 1025c (dual boot with Windows 7) and was so frustrated that the Cedar Trail chipset would only support 800×600 video. With your help, the 1024×600 option comes up in settings, and the screen is now sharp.

    I’m not sure why copying and pasting from the instructions above didn’t work correctly. I executed each line of the dpkg -i separately, and the install worked.

    The system seemed to work fine, and then the wireless went out. I rebooted the computer on the prior kernel, and wifi worked fine. Rebooting under the 3.4 kernel took a few minutes for the wifi to take, but is connected at the moment. If I run into more issues, I’ll leave another comment.

  3. @syed: I didn’t try the bluetooth. I will take a look at it as soon as I get it back.
    What do you mean with “touchpad disability”?

    @David Ing: I didn’t have any problem with the wifi when I’ve installed that kernel. Do you remember which error dpkg has reported?

  5. nice info, thanks for sharing. By the way it will be same with linux backtrack?

  6. Thanks for this post! I have written a batch file based on your instructions to make installation easier.

    # sudo su
    # cd Public
    # mkdir Patch
    # cd Patch
    # sudo wget https://blog.uninstall.it/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/linux-kernel-3.4.0-030400-generic_3.4.0-030400.201205210521_i386.tar.gz
    # sudo gunzip *.gz
    # sudo tar xf linux-kernel-3.4.0-030400-generic_3.4.0-030400.201205210521_i386.tar
    # sudo dpkg –install linux-image-3.4.0-030400-generic_3.4.0-030400.201205210521_i386.deb linux-headers-3.4.0-030400_3.4.0-030400.201205210521_all.deb linux-headers-3.4.0-030400-generic_3.4.0-030400.201205210521_i386.deb
    # sudo reboot

  7. It worked for me! Thank you, saved my day!!

    I was first thinking “Ok, maybe i can stay with windows for a while…” after one minute thinking, the result is NO WAY!

  8. Hello Uninstall.
    Just got my netbook 3 days back and tried to install ubuntu days and nights but it comes to no avail.
    My netbook spec is Intel Atom D2500, GMA 3600/3650, 2GB of RAM.
    I’ve tried to install ubuntu, xubuntu, kubuntu, and lubuntu.
    All of them can’t be installed.
    I’ve tried to install with wubi inside windows and at the end of installation it says,
    An error occurred :
    ‘NoneType’ object has no attribute ‘get info’.
    For more info, please see the log file:
    wubi-12.04-rev265.log
    There was times when the installation seems successful and it asks to reboot, but got stuck in the bios with the command, gs_change+0x13/0x13
    So I never get the chance to log into ubuntu.
    My question is, how do I put all the sudo apt command without getting into ubuntu?
    Or I’ve done mistakes somewhere?
    Really need your help on this matter. I’m looking forward for your response.
    Millions of thanks for your help and time.
    P/s: I’ve tried to install it with wubi and bootable pen drive iso.But the result is still the same.

    • I think you should try to boot the installer from your usb pen drive. If the graphical installer doesn’t work you should go for the text mode installer. All that commands are useless if you are not able to install *ubuntu correctly on your system.

      • i am using pen drive boot installer from the very start.
        how do i go into text mode installer?

  10. Hello Uninstall.
    when i installing ubuntu 12.04.that shows error message has ‘NoneType’ object has no attribute ‘get info’.
    For more info, please see the log file:
    wubi-12.04-rev265.log
    My pc spec is Intel i3 processor, GMA 3600/3650, 2GB of RAM.
    I’ve tried to install ubuntu, xubuntu, kubuntu, and lubuntu.
    There was times when the installation seems successful and it asks to reboot, but got stuck in the bios with the command, gs_change+0×13/0×13
    So I never get the chance to log into ubuntu.

    Really need your help on this matter. I’m looking forward for your response.
    Millions of thanks for your help and time.
    i am installing ubuntu through the booting cd. what will be solution for this please help me.i am trying almost 1 week….

  11. used your kernel and it did the magic 😀
    but…
    video reproduction shows LOTS of problems whenever I try to go fullscreen with either VLC or mPlayer, and mp4 reproduction is utterly impossible.

    Suggestions? ç_ç

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