HOW-TO: Ubuntu Karmic 9.10 on HP TouchSmart tx2-1050el Notebook PC

**nicolaasuni** · October 29th, 2009

This is an HOW-TO guide for solving some problems related to the installation of Ubuntu 9.10 (Karmic Koala) AMD64 Desktop on HP TouchSmart tx2-1050el Notebook PC (Product Number NJ433EA).

The Ubuntu version I'm using is a daily snapshot (2009-10-27).

Code:

2.6.31-14-generic #48-Ubuntu SMP Fri Oct 16 14:05:01 UTC 2009 x86_64 GNU/Linux

(now I'm working with 2.6.31-19-generic)

Copy the ISO of "Ubuntu 9.10 (Karmic Koala) AMD64 Desktop CD" to a bootable USB pendrive using usb-creator and reserve some space to store your data.

Insert the USB pendrive on the notebook and power it on.

Push the ESC button on the keyboard to select the boot drive (choose the USB pendrive).

Launch Ubuntu in Live mode (first option).

Due to a bug, you have to make the following changes to speedup the installtion process:

Open the terminal (Applications > Accessories > Terminal) to edit a file:

Code:

sudo gedit /usr/lib/ubiquity/user-setup/user-setup-apply

chage the following line

Code:

dd if=/dev/zero of=$device 2>/dev/null || true

to

Code:

dd bs=16m if=/dev/zero of=$device 2>/dev/null || true

The original command was reading 512 bytes of zeroes, writing 512 bytes of zeroes to the disk, and looping. Very slow -- one sector at a time. Adding "bs=16m" means that each write zeroes 16 megabytes of disk. It's about 1000x as fast.

Now you can install Ubuntu as normal, following the indications.

Once installed reboot the system and log in.

Update the sytem using the following commands:

Code:

sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get dist-upgrade

Restart the system if required.

Go to System > Administration > Hardware Drivers and install the following drivers:

Broadcom STA wireless driver
Software modem
ATI/AMD proprietary FGLRX graphics driver

Restart the system.

Edit the following file to enable audio and mic:

Code:

sudo gedit /etc/modprobe.d/alsa-base.conf

add the following line at the end

Code:

options snd-hda-intel model=acer-dmic

Due to a bug that stops sound working on boot and hibernate/suspend, I force alsa reload by modifying the following scripts:

Code:

sudo gedit /etc/rc.local

and add the following line before the exit:

Code:

/sbin/alsa force-reload

Create a script to reload alsa on hibernate/suspend:

Code:

sudo gedit /etc/pm/sleep.d/fixsound

Code:

#!/bin/bash
alsa force-reload

make the script executable

Code:

sudo chmod +x /etc/pm/sleep.d/fixsound

To enable the N-trig digitizer (touch-screen) you need a patched hid-ntrig.c that will be included in kernel 2.6.32 (see the HOW TO: Set up the HP TX2z and Dell XT & XT2 (N-trig digitizer) in Ubuntu).

You have to remove the following package:

Code:

sudo apt-get purge wacom-tools xserver-xorg-input-wacom

Follow the instructions at How to Add Pen and Touch Patch to Karmic to patch the N-Trig kernel module in Karmic.

edit the following file:

Code:

sudo gedit /etc/modules

and add the following line at the end

Code:

hp-wmi

Replace your xorg.conf with the following to enable the N-trig digitizer touchscreen:

Code:

sudo gedit /etc/X11/xorg.conf

Code:

Section "Screen"
    Identifier    "Default Screen"
    DefaultDepth    24
EndSection

Section "Module"
    Load    "glx"
EndSection

Section "Device"
    Identifier    "Default Device"
    Driver    "fglrx"
EndSection

Section "InputDevice" 
    Identifier        "stylus" 
    Driver            "wacom" 
    Option        "Device"    "/dev/input/by-path/pci-0000:00:14.5-usb-0:2:1.0-event-mouse"
    Option            "Type"        "stylus"
    Option            "USB"         "on" 
    Option            "Button2"     "3"  # make side-switch a right button 
    Option        "TopX"        "0"
    Option        "TopY"        "0"
    Option        "BottomX"    "9600"
    Option        "BottomY"    "7200"
EndSection 

#Section "InputDevice" 
#      Identifier        "eraser" 
#      Driver            "wacom" 
#    Option        "Device"    "/dev/input/wacom"
#      Option            "Type"           "eraser"
#      Option            "USB"            "on" 
#EndSection 

Section "InputDevice" 
    Identifier        "touch" 
    Driver            "wacom" 
    Option        "Device"    "/dev/input/by-path/pci-0000:00:14.5-usb-0:2:1.0-event-mouse"
    Option          "Type"           "touch"
    Option          "USB"            "on" 
    Option        "TopX"        "0"
    Option        "TopY"        "0"
    Option        "BottomX"    "9600"
    Option        "BottomY"    "7200"
EndSection

Section "ServerLayout"
    Identifier    "Default Layout"
    Screen        "Default Screen"
    InputDevice    "stylus"    "SendCoreEvents"
#   Remove the comment below if you have an eraser.
#    InputDevice    "eraser"    "SendCoreEvents"
    InputDevice    "touch"        "SendCoreEvents"
EndSection

To automatically rotate the screen when you rotate the display, use create the following script on your home folder:

Code:

gedit ~/autorotate.sh

Code:

#!/bin/sh
OLDMODE=$(cat /sys/devices/platform/hp-wmi/tablet)
while true; do
    MODE=$(cat /sys/devices/platform/hp-wmi/tablet)
    if [ "$MODE" != "$OLDMODE" ]
    then
        #echo "$MODE - $OLDMODE"
        case "$MODE" in
            "0")
                # Do something
                echo "Normal mode"
                xrandr -o normal 
                xsetwacom set stylus rotate NONE 
                xsetwacom set touch rotate NONE 
                #xsetwacom set eraser rotate NONE
                #cellwriter --hide-window
                ;;
            "1")
                # Do something else
                echo "Tablet mode"
                xrandr -o inverted 
                xsetwacom set stylus rotate HALF 
                xsetwacom set touch rotate HALF 
                #xsetwacom set eraser rotate HALF 
                #cellwriter --show-window
                ;;
        esac
        OLDMODE=$MODE
    fi
    sleep 2s
done

make the script executable

Code:

chmod +x ~/autorotate.sh

Go to System > Preferences > Startup Applications and Add the above script.

Create a script to rotate the screen 90 degrees a time:

Code:

gedit ~/rotate.sh

Code:

#!/bin/sh 

# Find the line in "xrandr -q --verbose" output that contains current screen orientation and "strip" out current orientation. 

rotation="$(xrandr -q --verbose | grep 'connected' | egrep -o  '\) (normal|left|inverted|right) \(' | egrep -o '(normal|left|inverted|right)')" 

# Using current screen orientation proceed to rotate screen and input tools. 

case "$rotation" in 
    normal) 
#    -rotate to the left 
    xrandr -o left 
    xsetwacom set stylus rotate CCW 
    xsetwacom set touch rotate CCW 
    xsetwacom set eraser rotate CCW 
    ;; 
    left) 
#    -rotate to inverted 
    xrandr -o inverted 
    xsetwacom set stylus rotate HALF 
    xsetwacom set touch rotate HALF 
    xsetwacom set eraser rotate HALF 
    ;; 
    inverted) 
#    -rotate to the right 
    xrandr -o right 
    xsetwacom set stylus rotate  CW 
    xsetwacom set touch rotate CW 
    xsetwacom set eraser rotate CW  
    ;; 
    right) 
#    -rotate to normal 
    xrandr -o normal 
    xsetwacom set stylus rotate NONE 
    xsetwacom set touch rotate NONE 
    xsetwacom set eraser rotate NONE 
    ;; 
esac

make the script executable

Code:

chmod +x ~/rotate.sh

Now you can associate the script to a button or make a launcher with an icon.
Open System > Preferences > Keyboard Shortcuts and associate the rotate.sh script to the "gesture" button on the display (the button in the middle).

Enable the following repository on System > Administration > Software Sources > Other Software :
http://archive.canonical.com/ubuntu karmic partner

Install acroread using System > Administration > Synaptic Package Manager

Use the following command to install firefox plugin:

Code:

sudo sh /opt/Adobe/Reader9/Browser/install_browser_plugin

Once installed use the following command to disable digital signature support that chrashes Acrobat Reader when a signed document is opened:

Code:

sudo mv /opt/Adobe/Reader9/Reader/intellinux/plug_ins/DigSig.api /opt/Adobe/Reader9/Reader/intellinux/plug_ins/DigSig.api.disable

**cocoa117** · October 29th, 2009

thanks, I will try it when 9.10 released. Shame the audio problem remains here. And we have to recompile the model every time when the kernel upgrade is released. Hate it already in 9.04

**markkupaakkonen** · October 29th, 2009

Get the hid-ntrig.ko and hid-wacom.ko

Where can I find the hid-wacom.ko?

Cheers,
Markku

**nicolaasuni** · October 29th, 2009

Originally Posted by markkupaakkonen

Where can I find the hid-wacom.ko?

I've attached here the archive containing the hid-ntrig.ko and hid-wacom.ko files.

**markkupaakkonen** · October 29th, 2009

Nope, didn't work for me. X is not starting. Gets stuck in some kind of loop, just flashing login text.

My model is HP touchsmart tx2-1050eo, product number KM148EA

From Karmic release notes: The wacom driver in Ubuntu 9.10 supports automatic configuration, but it conflicts with manual device entries for wacom tablets in /etc/X11/xorg.conf, causing the X server to crash either on startup or shutdown. Please comment out or remove the entries from xorg.conf to get rid of the crashes. (358643) This the reason?

Markku

**nicolaasuni** · October 30th, 2009

Originally Posted by markkupaakkonen

Nope, didn't work for me. X is not starting. Gets stuck in some kind of loop, just flashing login text.

Yes, I forgot to say that you have to remove the following package:

Code:

sudo apt-get purge wacom-tools xserver-xorg-input-wacom

**markkupaakkonen** · October 30th, 2009

Originally Posted by nicolaasuni

Yes, I forgot to say that you have to remove the following package:

Code:

sudo apt-get purge wacom-tools xserver-xorg-input-wacom

Ok, no worries, I'll do it again

BTW do you know when kernel 2.6.32 is out there?

Markku

**markkupaakkonen** · October 30th, 2009

Ok, problems.

Removed wacom-tools and xserver-xorg-input-wacom and the boot is ok but

- there is touch, but the cursor is not following finger and you cant do any clicks with it
- same with stylus, the cursor moves faster than the tip and when the screen is rotated cursor moves in opposite direction than stylus

Edit. More problems: I re-installed and the looping thing at start-up reappeared. So it's not the wacom thing i guess. I think I'll go back to Jaunty for the time being...

Markku

**nema.arpit** · October 30th, 2009

Markku

Try the following :
Restore the original hid-ntrig.ko and hid-wacom.ko ( in attached tar, in case you did not back 'em up)
purge the packages wacom-tools and xserver-xorg-input-wacom.

Patch, compile and install the linuxwacom drivers : from thread http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?p=6546012

1)Download the official linuxwacom driver from http://linuxwacom.sourceforge.net/

Code:

cd ./Desktop

wget http://nchc.dl.sourceforge.net/project/linuxwacom/linuxwacom/0.8.4-4/linuxwacom-0.8.4-4.tar.bz2

In case wget does not work, check the site and download the latest version.Also download the n-trig patch in the attachment and rename it to n-trig.patch.Make sure the tar and n-trig.patch are in same directory.
2) Install needed libraries

Code:

sudo apt-get update

sudo apt-get install build-essential libx11-dev libxi-dev x11proto-input-dev xserver-xorg-dev tk8.4-dev tcl8.4-dev libncurses5-dev

sudo apt-get upgrade

sudo apt-get install wacom-tools xserver-xorg-input-wacom

sudo apt-get purge wacom-tools xserver-xorg-input-wacom

3)Extract and patch the linuxwacom (important )

Code:

tar xjvf linuxwacom-0.8.4-3.tar.bz2
patch linuxwacom-0.8.4-3/src/xdrv/wcmUSB.c < n-trig.patch

4)
The patched linuxwacom won't make without hid-ids . So get it and put it in place

Code:

wget http://kernel.ubuntu.com/git-repos/ubuntu/linux-2.6/drivers/hid/hid-ids.h

sudo cp ./hid-ids.h /lib/modules/`uname -r`/build/drivers/hid/hid-ids.h

5)Now make and install

Code:

cd linuxwacom-0.8.4-3
./configure --enable-wacom --prefix=/usr
make
sudo make install

6)Now update you xorg.conf (nicolaasuni's xorg works ;however don't just replace your xorg (you might be using different graphics driver) ,rather add the relevant sections), and importantly add wacom to /etc/modules

Code:

sudo gedit /etc/modules

Also add hp-wmi to get auto-rotation working (see nicolaasuni's post above)
Reboot and see if this works ( did for me -the steps are same as those which I followed to set up touch on Arch)

UPDATE : I replaced the hid-*.ko files with the ones nicolaasuni provided and now the Touch is much better than before . I would suggest to everyone to try it : just make sure you backup you original driver files first.