General Hardware Specifications of dv5194ea:

Hardware Components	Status under Linux	Notes
Intel Core Duo T2400 (1,8Ghz)	Works	No special procedure required during installation, SMP support with the 686 linux kernel package
15.4 WXGA	Works	No special procedure required during installation.
Nvidia GeForce Go 7400	Works	3D support with NVIDIA Proprietary driver
1024MB, DDR2	Works	No special procedure required during installation
100GB SATA 5400rpm	Works	No special procedure required during installation
DVD-RW (+/-R +/-RW) Double Layer	Works	No special procedure required during installation
Intel PRO/100 Network Card	Works	No special procedure required during installation, e100 module.
Internal 56k Modem	Doesn’t work	In progress
Intel 3945ABG Wireless Card	Works	With Intel’s proprietary daemon and firmware
Intel ICH7 Sound Card	Works	No special procedure required during installation, snd_hda_intel module.
Texas Instruments Multimedia Card Reader 5in1	Work	support included since 2.6.20
Texas Instruments PCIxx12 Firewire Port	Doesn’t work	In progress

This laptop is operating under Kernel version 2.6.15-23-686 .

Basic Installation of Kubuntu 6.06:

Before install Kubuntu i’ve tryied to install Debian sarge but it fails because the module “e100” needed for the ethernet card wasn’t present (i need it because i want to install packages from an adsl router), so i’ve tryied Debian etch (the future stable) but it fails because the buggy ACPI support, you can install etch only by typing “linux acpi=off” at the grub prompt.
If you try Knoppix, gparted or another live-distro remember to use the “acpi=off” options at the grub prompt, otherwise the system will halt after a few seconds.
I’ve installed Kubuntu 6.06 and everything went fine, no particular steps needed.
UPDATE: On June i’ve installed “Debian Etch” and it works good, you have to configure some things (wifi) by hand.

Setting up additional features for Kubuntu 6.06:

SMP (Intel Core duo) support:

Only one processor is supported with the default kernel, so if your run:
# cat /proc/cpuinfo
you will see only one processor even if the Intel Core duo contain two processors.
To enable the second processor install, from internet or cd, the package:

# dpkg -i linux-image-2.6.15-23-686.deb

(note the 686 suffix)

Then reboot, now you with
# cat /proc/cpuinfo
you will see two processor.

3D support with NVIDIA GeForce Go 7400:

Go to http://www.nvidia.com/object/unix.html and download the latest “Linux IA32” driver, then run:
# sh /tmp/NVIDIA-Linux-x86-xxxx.run
This will compile and load the “nvidia” proprietary kernel module, after that edit /etc/X11/xorg.conf and sobstitute
Driver “nv”
with
Driver “nvidia”
Now run
# /etc/init.d/kdm restart
This will restart the graphic interface, if you see the nvidia splashscreen the driver is loaded properly.

Multimedia keys:

The HP keyboard has some multimedia keys: audio +, audio -, audio off, dvd, image.
You can assegnate to the keys “audio +”, “audio -” and “audio off” the proper KDE function by running.
# xev
xev will tell you the keycode associate to any key, so press the 3 keys and you will get a similar output

Read the “keycode xxx” line and write down the keycode associated to every multimedia key, now create the file ~/.Xmodmap with this content:

keycode 174 = F13
keycode 160 = F14
keycode 176 = F15

Where 174 is the keycode shown by xev, and Fxx is the virtual key associated, use only key bigger than F12.
Now run
$ xmodmap ~/.Xmodmap
This will load the new keys, now you can open kmixer, go to the menu settings / configure global shortcut, double click to every action and associate the right multimedia key.
Now you can press the multimedia key and raise, off or lower the volume!
To get this keys works every time you boot the system create a script named “modmap” with this content:

#!/bin/bash
xmodmap ~/.XModmap

save it in the “~/.kde/Autostart/” directory and then chmod 755 it.
Unresolved issue: i would like to setup the “dvd” key but if you press it during xev it doesn’t print any keycode… if you find how to make it works please send me an email.

ACPI, power managment:

On Kubuntu ACPI is already working, you can setup it simply by using the KDE control center on the “hardware” section then “battery”, here you can setup the “auto off” of the lcd monitor and other issue, other advanced features like hybernate or cpu scaling are not available.
If you try to recompile the kernel, or enable some “hybernate” function you will find that ACPI is the most tricky function to setup in this laptop. I’m trying to recompile the kernel and make it works so when i’ll success i’ll write down here how i done it.

Intel Wireless card:

$ sudo apt-get install linux-restricted-modules-386 .

Then press the wireless button and run the “wireless assistant” program.

Remote control:

It works out of the box, automagically! no lirc needed.

Multimedia Card Reader:

Since 2.6.20 you need to load the modules:

tifm_7xx1
tifm_core
tifm_sd

Then insert SD o MMC card and the icon will appear in a few seconds.
As of 2.6.21 XD, MS are SM are not supported.

Unresolved issues

• ACPI hybernate and cpu frequency scaling, work in progress

Configuration Files:

More Specific Information. Specific stuff such as:

• lspci

Contact Information

Links:

• HP dv5194ea
• Linux Laptop
• sd reader
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