Running Linux on the EZBook 2?

[Michael]

Found this critical part in dmesg:

[ 1.219148] sdhci: Secure Digital Host Controller Interface driver
[ 1.219155] sdhci: Copyright(c) Pierre Ossman
[ 1.235285] mmc0: SDHCI controller on ACPI [80860F14:00] using ADMA
[ 1.247709] sdhci-acpi 80860F14:01: failed to setup card detect gpio
[ 1.252672] mmc1: SDHCI controller on ACPI [80860F14:01] using ADMA

 

[ 3.103124] i2c_designware 808622C1:06: I2C bus managed by PUNIT
[ 3.153059] usb 1-3.3: device descriptor read/64, error -32
[ 3.203055] i2c_designware 808622C1:06: punit semaphore timed out, resetting
[ 3.203076] i2c_designware 808622C1:06: PUNIT SEM: 2
[ 3.207891] i2c_designware 808622C1:06: couldn’t acquire bus ownership
[ 3.207937] i2c_designware: probe of 808622C1:06 failed with error -110

 

Sorry to spam this thread with my posts. I’ll try emailing David Box from Intel with a stack trace.

[GilDev]

My touchpad is sometimes going crazy on Windows 10, like jumping everywhere when I touch it and clicking when I don’t click… Pressing “Esc” seems to temporarily stop the problem. Has anyone encountered the same problem?

EDIT: Seems that you should not have too many surface of your finger in contact with the touchpad. Just swipe on it with the tip. =)

[BBaker]

A question about Windows 10 on a Linux thread is probably not the best place for your question. You’ll prob get more responses in another thread or it’s own thread.

[Salvatore Siano]

This is my results:

WIFI: On UEFI Bios you need to set in SSC Configuration the SDIO Wifi mode to PCI (ACPI–>PCI), but the problem is to find the drivers

Touchpad: Nothing

Audio:  ES8316 Audio Codec, found this https://github.com/mq002/miqi-kernel/tree/69ce63419e6d6035a70cd90b8e0c79a9e867b8ce/sound/soc/codecs running over Intel SST Audio Device (firmware-intel-sound available for linux)

Graphics works perfectly on Ubuntu 16.04

Hopefully linux kernel 4.8 will fix some issue with cherry trail soc

 

[Michael]

As a side-note, brightness can be controlled via (kernel 4.8):

xdotool key –clearmodifiers XF86MonBrightnessUp
xdotool key –clearmodifiers XF86MonBrightnessDown

There reason I mention this is because it seems from what I read on the internet, a lot of baytrail/cherrytrail tablets/laptops don’t have brightness control.

[Michael]

I freaked out today thinking my emmc was dying (write performance was nearly 0 and dmesg gave errors), but I figured out that I had to trim it. Just run sudo fstrim / periodically to do that. It was my own stupidity but I figured I’d post it here in case no one has used an SSD before or has forgotten about trim.

[Alessandro Valenti]

Hi all!
I am searching for a budget 14 ” laptop and i have seen this Ezbook2 that is now on like 150 € ca. on gearbest.
The problem is that for the use that i am supposed to do (gnuplot / latex / light programming, i study physics) it would be a lot better using a Linux based OS than windows 10. Anyone found the solution for the problems i read here? (wifi, touchpad, bluetooth, ecc.)
(Otherwise can you suggest one budget 14″ for the use i’m going to do? :’) )

[BBaker]

Michael wrote:

As a side-note, brightness can be controlled via (kernel 4.8):

xdotool key –clearmodifiers XF86MonBrightnessUp
xdotool key –clearmodifiers XF86MonBrightnessDown

There reason I mention this is because it seems from what I read on the internet, a lot of baytrail/cherrytrail tablets/laptops don’t have brightness control.

The Chuwi Hi12 (Atom Cherry-Trail Z8300) is reported to have brightness control working on Ubuntu 16 with the latest kernel (4.8-rc5 at time of this post) but I think it was working with kernel 4.7 as well, perhaps earlier ones. Also the realtek r8723bs wifi and goodix touchscreen drivers are working on the Hi12 with 4.8.

[BBaker]

Alessandro Valenti wrote:

Hi all!
I am searching for a budget 14 ” laptop and i have seen this Ezbook2 that is now on like 150 € ca. on gearbest.
The problem is that for the use that i am supposed to do (gnuplot / latex / light programming, i study physics) it would be a lot better using a Linux based OS than windows 10. Anyone found the solution for the problems i read here? (wifi, touchpad, bluetooth, ecc.)
(Otherwise can you suggest one budget 14″ for the use i’m going to do? :’) )

Since you want “budget” and you are not looking for touchscreen ability I would go for an Intel Bay-Trail device instead of Cherry-Trail. You will likely have a MUCH better chance in getting Linux running completely on it as Bay-Trail is better supported right now – via the various devices you mentioned – wifi, BT, audio, power, screen, etc. An Atom Z8300 will have little or zero performance improvement over something like an Atom Z873X running Linux. You also have many more choices of notebooks to choose from running bay-trail Atom and Celeron processors and from big name brands that will have better hardware support and also support from Linux device driver developers and user discussion forums (eg. Ubuntu and LinuxMint). I’d try to find a good price on one from Dell, Lenovo, HP, Asus, or Acer. Chromebooks are generally cheaper but some of them are not so easy to change over to running Linux proper (not via Crouton) – some you have to flash the BIOS. Many of the Chromebooks it can be done, but I’m not sure it’s worth the trouble since there are many inexpensive Windows notebooks.

[BBaker]

Michael wrote:

Found this critical part in dmesg:

[ 1.219148] sdhci: Secure Digital Host Controller Interface driver
[ 1.219155] sdhci: Copyright(c) Pierre Ossman
[ 1.235285] mmc0: SDHCI controller on ACPI [80860F14:00] using ADMA
[ 1.247709] sdhci-acpi 80860F14:01: failed to setup card detect gpio
[ 1.252672] mmc1: SDHCI controller on ACPI [80860F14:01] using ADMA

[ 3.103124] i2c_designware 808622C1:06: I2C bus managed by PUNIT
[ 3.153059] usb 1-3.3: device descriptor read/64, error -32
[ 3.203055] i2c_designware 808622C1:06: punit semaphore timed out, resetting
[ 3.203076] i2c_designware 808622C1:06: PUNIT SEM: 2
[ 3.207891] i2c_designware 808622C1:06: couldn’t acquire bus ownership
[ 3.207937] i2c_designware: probe of 808622C1:06 failed with error -110

I saw this and remembered your MMC -110 error. Note this is a custom/patched Linux distro made specifically for Intel cherry-trail “compute sticks” but may work better on cherry-trail tablets than the stock Ubuntu distro’s. It also may enlighten what’s causing the SD card failures in the stock distro’s…

Micro SD card support on Intel Compute Cherry Trail Sticks

“The latest stable 4.7.2 Ubuntu kernel for Intel Compute Cherry Trail Sticks (STK1AW32SC/STK1A32SC) now supports micro SD cards albeit with limitations.
It seems most Class 10 and below cards from any manufacturer (update: except Sandisk – see comment below) work without problem. However not all UHS cards work. I’ve found Samsung UHS Speed Class 3 and UHS Speed Class 1 work. Whereas similar Sandisk cards fail, crashing the device sometimes on inserting or removing or erroring with:

mmc1: error -110 whilst initialising SD card
mmc1: card never left busy state

Still getting any micro SD cards working on these devices is a great forward step. I’ve patched the 4.7.2 Ubuntu kernel to make it work on Intel Compute Sticks and you can download the upgrade script from http://goo.gl/5gEyrf and install this latest kernel after making it executable (enter ‘chmod 755’) and then running it as ‘root’. Once the script has finished executing GRUB should update automatically but if it doesn’t then simply run ‘update-grub’ as ‘root’. Your device will then need to be rebooted to use the new (patched) kernel.”

Also read the user’s comments under the post on that Linuxium blogspot page.

[Alessandro Valenti]

BBaker wrote:

Michael wrote:

Found this critical part in dmesg: [ 1.219148] sdhci: Secure Digital Host Controller Interface driver [ 1.219155] sdhci: Copyright(c) Pierre Ossman [ 1.235285] mmc0: SDHCI controller on ACPI [80860F14:00] using ADMA [ 1.247709] sdhci-acpi 80860F14:01: failed to setup card detect gpio [ 1.252672] mmc1: SDHCI controller on ACPI [80860F14:01] using ADMA [ 3.103124] i2c_designware 808622C1:06: I2C bus managed by PUNIT [ 3.153059] usb 1-3.3: device descriptor read/64, error -32 [ 3.203055] i2c_designware 808622C1:06: punit semaphore timed out, resetting [ 3.203076] i2c_designware 808622C1:06: PUNIT SEM: 2 [ 3.207891] i2c_designware 808622C1:06: couldn’t acquire bus ownership [ 3.207937] i2c_designware: probe of 808622C1:06 failed with error -110

I saw this and remembered your MMC -110 error. Note this is a custom/patched Linux distro made specifically for Intel cherry-trail “compute sticks” but may work better on cherry-trail tablets than the stock Ubuntu distro’s. It also may enlighten what’s causing the SD card failures in the stock distro’s… Micro SD card support on Intel Compute Cherry Trail Sticks

“The latest stable 4.7.2 Ubuntu kernel for Intel Compute Cherry Trail Sticks (STK1AW32SC/STK1A32SC) now supports micro SD cards albeit with limitations. It seems most Class 10 and below cards from any manufacturer (update: except Sandisk – see comment below) work without problem. However not all UHS cards work. I’ve found Samsung UHS Speed Class 3 and UHS Speed Class 1 work. Whereas similar Sandisk cards fail, crashing the device sometimes on inserting or removing or erroring with: mmc1: error -110 whilst initialising SD card mmc1: card never left busy state Still getting any micro SD cards working on these devices is a great forward step. I’ve patched the 4.7.2 Ubuntu kernel to make it work on Intel Compute Sticks and you can download the upgrade script from http://goo.gl/5gEyrf and install this latest kernel after making it executable (enter ‘chmod 755’) and then running it as ‘root’. Once the script has finished executing GRUB should update automatically but if it doesn’t then simply run ‘update-grub’ as ‘root’. Your device will then need to be rebooted to use the new (patched) kernel.”

Also read the user’s comments under the post on that Linuxium blogspot page.

Thank you!
I will watch.
I have also seen this http://www.gearbest.com/laptops/pp_353954.html , i know it’s a bit off topic but have you ever heard of this? Seems very good, and linux should go without issues (it’s an i3), the only thing i am scared from buying on chinese shops, what if i need assistence? (i live in italy)

[BBaker]

For around that price you can probably find something similar from a big company with better support and more likely to have working Linux drivers… from Asus, Acer, or perhaps HP or Lenovo.

[Damian Rodriguez]

Let’s get back to the matter: ezBook 2, cherrytrail, linux, that awefully hard to get combination…

Apparently we are not the only ones trying to get cherrytrail support, i wish there was a way to combine fixes from everyone looking into it..

[BBaker]

Damian Rodriguez wrote:

Let’s get back to the matter: ezBook 2, cherrytrail, linux, that awefully hard to get combination…

Apparently we are not the only ones trying to get cherrytrail support, i wish there was a way to combine fixes from everyone looking into it..

There is, but you have to know how to build (compile) modules/driver and patches from Github and kernel repo’s.
People have gotten Ubuntu 16 running on the Chuwi Hi12 and Hi10 tablets. The details are on this thread but you have to dig and apply various tweaks which require decent Linux knowledge – compiling, shell scripts, etc. http://techtablets.com/forum/topic/linux-mint-on-a-chuwi-hi10-tablet/page/20/#post-50105

TL;DR – step one is getting Ubuntu 16.04 installed and upgrade to the very latest kernel 4.8 RC5 (release candidate 5) or newer. Then go after getting WiFi working which often requires compiling the associated driver (eg., the Realtek rtl8723bs driver if that’s the WiFi device you tablet has).

[Ricardo Simões]

BBaker wrote:

… step one is getting Ubuntu 16.04 installed and upgrade to the very latest kernel 4.8 RC5 (release candidate 5) or newer. Then go after getting WiFi working which often requires compiling the associated driver (eg., the Realtek rtl8723bs driver if that’s the WiFi device you tablet has).

UAU! This is so cool!!!! It seems only internal audio is not working (which for me is a BIG must), but I hope it can be supported in the future as well… right?

Best regards
Ricardo

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