I wrote yesterday that I couldn’t install Ubuntu on my new netbook because the keyboard will not respond. Well, it seems there is a fix.
I found a BIOS patch on Acer’s website that solves the issue.
Here is what to do:
- Start your netbook on Windows 7.
- Go to this website.
- Select “Netbook -> Acer Aspire -> AO521 ” You should see a table with different downloads below your selection now.
- Click on BIOS.
- Select the first update that says “Fixes Keyboard issue in Linux.“
- Unzip the downloaded file in the same folder and go to folder BIOS_Acer_1.08_Windows\WINDOWS\
- Finish anything else you were doing on the machine. Close all other programs before you proceed. This is important. Once the installation starts, it won’t let you do anything.
- Double click on the EXE file there. The installation should start, and then the system will reboot automatically.
You should be able to work with Linux now.
I am now going to try out two flavours- OpenSUSE and Ubuntu and to completely remove Windows from this machine. If you want to do this, make sure you create a system image on an external disk and a recovery disk. Otherwise you won’t be able to get your windows back if you want.
UPDATE:
Quick note: It is a 64 bit processor, so it is better to use the 64 bit version.
Update on Operating System: I tried SuSE and it seemed to crash during installation.
Ubuntu is mostly working fine except for three glitches I found:
1. System fails to come up after a “suspend.”
2. The audio jack does not work.
3. Battery status is not shown in the status bar.
I will try to bring this to the developer’s attention. Not only for the improvement of Ubuntu, but because this is one of the few AMD netbooks out in the market.
UPDATE II: Acer support is so unresponsive!
Now for some fun.
Quick note: It is a 64 bit processor, so it is better to use the 64 bit version.
Update on Operating System: I tried SuSE and it seemed to crash during installation.
Ubuntu is mostly working fine except for three glitches I found:
1. System fails to come up after a “suspend.”
2. The audio jack does not work.
3. Battery status is not shown in the status bar.
I will try to bring this to the developer’s attention. Not only for the improvement of Ubuntu, but because this is one of the few AMD netbooks out in the market.
[…] III: Problem partially solved. Possibly related posts: (automatically generated)Ubuntu Netbook remix (9.10) and Acer Aspire One […]
Thanks a lot for this, is just what i need, now i can have ubuntu in this great machine. =D
Did you ever find a solution to the suspend issue?
I fixed the battery indicator by recompiling the kernel with a patch. Instructions are here http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?p=10126099#post10126099