Samsung NC20

[aramiss]

I don't have a NC20, but neither can i find /etc/X11/xorg.conf.nc20

Anyway, i have installed the two debs from the archive, and after that i have renamed the word "openchrome" with "via" in the Device section in xorg.conf. After reboot: compiz, the cube and other effects started to work, and my monitor was recognised too. So, this means that the drivers where installed ?

[tom09]

Ok, here are some step-by-step installation instructions for driver installation on Ubuntu 10.10 *only*

1. Download the zip file from post #529 and unzip it somewhere (f.e. in your home directory)
2. open a terminal window and change into that directory ("cd ~" for home dir)
3. Install the "dkms" package from Ubuntu package repository

$ sudo apt-get install dkms

4. Install the kernel driver:

$ sudo dpkg -i chrome9-drm_87a.55689-maverick1_all.deb

5. Install the X.org driver:

$ sudo dpkg -i --force-confmiss --force-confnew xserver-xorg-video-chrome9_87a.55729-maverick1_i386.deb

6. Update /etc/X11/xorg.conf file
For NC20 owners only:
6a. Copy the provided xorg.conf.nc20 file to xorg.conf

$ sudo mv /etc/X11/xorg.conf /etc/X11/xorg.conf.backup
$ sudo cp /etc/X11/xorg.conf.nc20 /etc/X11/xorg.conf

For all other users:
6b. Modify /etc/X11/xorg.conf to use the via driver
Open /etc/X11/xorg.conf in a text editor

$ sudo mv /etc/X11/xorg.conf /etc/X11/xorg.conf.backup
$ sudo gedit /etc/X11/xorg.conf

and look for a line in the section "Device" beginning with "Driver". Change it to read:

Driver    "via"

and save the file. You might need to change other settings in this file depending on your hardware, but I cannot help you there (I only have a NC20)
7. Reboot Ubuntu
8. Check if it's working: Open /var/log/Xorg.0.log in a text editor. If you see several lines containing "VIA(0)", then the new driver is being used.

Some final notes:
1. The sample xorg.conf.nc20 is only installed if you add the "--force-confmiss --force-confnew" options to dpkg.
2. Although VIA marks the source code this hacked driver is based on as stable, I cannot guarantee it to be bug-free. Use with caution.

Happy installing
tom09

PS: Could someone with an Ubuntu wiki account verify these instructions and add them to the NC20 community documentation, please? So people do not have to crawl through a 500+ posts thread every time...

[Maltizzle]

thank you very much, it works fine, now.

[Uli_of]

Ok, here are some step-by-step installation instructions for driver installation on Ubuntu 10.10 *only*

1. Download the zip file from post #529 and unzip it somewhere (f.e. in your home directory)
2. open a terminal window and change into that directory ("cd ~" for home dir)
3. Install the "dkms" package from Ubuntu package repository

$ sudo apt-get install dkms

4. Install the kernel driver:

$ sudo dpkg -i chrome9-drm_87a.55689-maverick1_all.deb

5. Install the X.org driver:

$ sudo dpkg -i --force-confmiss --force-confnew xserver-xorg-video-chrome9_87a.55729-maverick1_i386.deb

6. Update /etc/X11/xorg.conf file
For NC20 owners only:
6a. Copy the provided xorg.conf.nc20 file to xorg.conf

$ sudo mv /etc/X11/xorg.conf /etc/X11/xorg.conf.backup
$ sudo cp /etc/X11/xorg.conf.nc20 /etc/X11/xorg.conf

For all other users:
6b. Modify /etc/X11/xorg.conf to use the via driver
Open /etc/X11/xorg.conf in a text editor

$ sudo mv /etc/X11/xorg.conf /etc/X11/xorg.conf.backup
$ sudo gedit /etc/X11/xorg.conf

and look for a line in the section "Device" beginning with "Driver". Change it to read:

Driver    "via"

and save the file. You might need to change other settings in this file depending on your hardware, but I cannot help you there (I only have a NC20)
7. Reboot Ubuntu
8. Check if it's working: Open /var/log/Xorg.0.log in a text editor. If you see several lines containing "VIA(0)", then the new driver is being used.

Some final notes:
1. The sample xorg.conf.nc20 is only installed if you add the "--force-confmiss --force-confnew" options to dpkg.
2. Although VIA marks the source code this hacked driver is based on as stable, I cannot guarantee it to be bug-free. Use with caution.

Happy installing
tom09

PS: Could someone with an Ubuntu wiki account verify these instructions and add them to the NC20 community documentation, please? So people do not have to crawl through a 500+ posts thread every time...

Hello Tom09,
I aways are keen to use your work on an opensuse s sytsem.
Can you please, as a benefit for other linux user,
release your work in source code as before ?
Thanks in advance.
Uli_of

[tom09]

Latest source code attached.

[aramiss]

Ok, so here's a short guide for those who don't have an NC20. This was tested on 2 different Intel's with via chrome9 hc igp,P4M900/VN896/CN896, ubuntu version 10.10. :

0. download and unzip the drivers from post #529
1. Fresh install of ubuntu 10.10
2. apt-get install dkms
3. dpkg -i chrome9-drm_87a.55689-maverick1_all.deb
4. check if xorg.conf DOES EXIST in /etc/X11/

comment: don't know why but alot of sistems don't have xorg.conf from the beggining of a fresh install

4a. if the file is not there, you can download the one i have attached here
4b. if the file is there, open it and add "via" at the Device Driver
5. dpkg -i xserver-xorg-video-chrome9_87a.55729-maverick1_i386.deb
6. reboot
7. drivers should be working and monitor recognised

[Tarpoon]

I followed the instructions from post 542 and everything seems to work fine.

I have plenty "VIA(0)" in the /var/log/Xorg.0.log and glxinfo tells me direct rendering is enabled.

glxinfo |grep rendering
direct rendering: Yes

However I cannot enable compiz

compiz
compiz (core) - Fatal: Software rendering detected.
compiz (core) - Error: Failed to manage screen: 0
compiz (core) - Fatal: No manageable screens found on display :0.0

Launching fallback window manager

Did I miss anything during installation?

Also I would like to know if I can test somehow if the video acceleration works.

[tom09]

Did I miss anything during installation?

You are using U10.10, right? Did you upgrade it from U10.04? If so, please check if the files /usr/lib/libGL.so and /usr/lib/libGL.so.1 (these are symlinks) point to /usr/lib/libGL.so.1.2.via_chrome9 and that this file is present. Also keep in mind that the 3D driver (via_chrome9_dri.so) is not compatible with U10.10 and has some problems (Xorg crashes, 3D apps hang or crash,...).

Also I would like to know if I can test somehow if the video acceleration works.

Depends on what you mean by "video acceleration". The actual video "drawing" on your screen is accelerated by the driver (XVideo extension), but there's no hw accelerated video decoding like VDPAU or XvBA or such things...and it probably will never be supported.

cheers, tom09

[ultix]

The incredible thing
I have frequent wi-fi disconnection when chromium browser is opened.
Does anyone have any similar issue? Any solution?

[HansHansen]

Hello there,

I am trying to get the via driver working on my Ideapad S12 for a while now. It installs fine, but after i set the driver up with the xorg.conf I can only get a working external monitor, the internal never works. I tried to disable RandR but this doesn't help. RandR identifies the internal monitor but can't activate it anyway. I hope someone got an idea how to get this fixed because this seems to be the only thread about via graphics drivers on the whole internet.

Thanks in advance!