Date: 10/21/06
Updated 2/5/07
Introduction:
This page describes how to install Fedora Core 5 on this Acer Aspire Laptop.
Installation:
This laptop comes with pre-formatted partitions, all fat32, as such;
sda1 = Acer's Recovery partition (3.9 gigs).
sda2 = Windows Installation (53.70 gigs)
sda3 = Acerstorage (fat32 storage space) (54.19 gigs)
This configuration allows the user to manipulate the third partition to make room for Linux. I used qtparted from my System Rescue CD to resize the sda3 partition, leaving about 25 gigs unformatted for Fedora. I then allowed Fedora to do a default installation on the unformatted space. This installed Fedora with the LVM partitioning scheme and created a /boot partition for Grub. Fortunately, Grub was installed on sda and was configured properly to dual boot both operating systems.
The first problem I had was with my FC5 DVD. The DVD drive just hung on any installation attempts, so I copied the 5 Fedora iso files to the second partition and passed the linux askmethod command at the FC5 splash screen. The installation was able to proceed normally, when I pointed the installation source to the iso files.
On my first boot into Fedora, I was greeted by a hanging system, at starting udev, preceded by messages for problems with the PCI express on my system;
“cannot allocate resource region 7 of bridge...”
“cannot allocate resource region 8 of bridge...”
“cannot allocate resource region 9 of bridge...”
After doing some googling, I found that this was a common problem. The fix is to alter the /etc/udev/rules.d/60-pcmcia,rules file. One must change the file to another name, such as, rules.d/60-pcmcia,rules.origional. Additionally, the etc/X11/xorg file had to be modified. In the video card section of the xorg file, I added the option;
Option “MonitorLayout” “LVDS”
I was able to boot into Fedora after making these changes.
Hardware Detection:
Audio:
Works fine. The audio is detected as an Intel ALC882 High Definition Controller.
Networking:
Not connected during the initial installation. This laptop has a
Broadcom hardwired NIC card and a Intel Pro 3945ABG wireless card.
Plug in a cat5 cable and the connection can be set active in
System-->Administration-->Networking (in the Gnome desktop).
Since I have a DSL connection, I also set up a DSL account in
this section and entered my appropriate username and password.
Since I originally started this article, I switched to Verizon Fios, which is always on. Eth0 is configured using DHCP in the Network Manager for the wired connection.
It looks as if the wireless will be a bit more challenging. There is no native support for this card. However, I was able to set up wireless using the referenced articles. 1 2
I ran into a particular quirk with both Fedora Core 5 and 6, in terms of the lack of a correct kernel link to the kernel source files. You may have to add an appropriate symbolic link to point to the kernel source files.
ln -fs /usr/src/kernels/<kernel-version> /lib/modules/`uname -r`/build |
For the first time in when I can remember, I elected to upgrade my
Fedora Core 5 installation to Fedora Core 6. I ran into some perplexing
problems with wireless. See the next page on that installation for
details.
Fedora Core 6 Upgrade on an Acer Aspire 5672WLMi Laptop
References: