Sunday, March 01, 2009

Access denied error in flashnul or a try to install other Linux for new-purchased HP 2133

Today I've just purchased a HP 2133 - really nice netbook with VIA C7-M 1.6GHz, 1GB RAM and 120 GB Hard Disk, costs about 350$. Everything is good, except the OS pre-installed is Suse Linux. I'm not from those Ubuntu lovers, who can always take Ubuntu Netbook Remix. I'm looking for something from Fedora or Xandros, but at the moment I have no choice.


So I downloaded UNR img file from their server, followed the instruction - used flashnul to write the image to a USB stick, but got an access denied error message. If you have the same problem, you must indicate the drive name instead of its number, for example:

D:\flashnul\flashnul.exe G: -L D:\unr-1.0.1.img

Now I'm installing UNR from the USB stick...

P.S. you can get UNR and more information from ubuntu wiki.

Update 1: there is something wrong with flashnul and I didn't get a bootable USB device. I used dd command on the pre-installed SuSE Linux and it works fine. But the installation could not be continued because the installer "did not find an installation target device".

I'm going to install Ubuntu 8.10 and then UNR packages...

Update 2: now I have a Ubuntu system installed, of course with difficult in Xorg configuration. You can get more documentation from ubuntu wiki. Here is my xorg.conf, taken from Internet (pay attention on PanelID, because if it's wrong, all windows will be bigger than the screen):

# /etc/X11/xorg.conf for hp Mini-Note 2133 FU339EA ubuntu 8.10
# with ubuntu 8.04 change the PanelID option
# based on the xorg.conf published on http://hp2133.umsw.de/xorg.conf

Section "Device"
Identifier "Device 0"
Driver "via"
VendorName "VIA Technology"
Option "NoDDCValue"
Option "ActiveDevice" "LCD"
# Option "PanelID" "17" # si ubuntu 8.04
Option "PanelID" "9" # si ubuntu 8.10
Option "DisplayHardwareLayout" "LCD" #for chip (CX700, CX800) with LVDS/TMDS support. Not set for(CN896, CN700).
Option "ForceLCD" "TRUE"
Option "Refresh" "60"
EndSection

Section "Monitor"
Identifier "Monitor 0"
DisplaySize 196 116
HorizSync 28-50
VertRefresh 43-60
Option "DPMS"
# mode "1024x600": 49.0 MHz, 37.3 kHz, 60.0 Hz
Modeline "1024x600_60" 48.96 1024 1064 1168 1312 600 601 604 622 -hsync +vsync # http://hp2133.umsw.de/xorg.conf
# mode "800x600": 40.0 MHz, 37.9 kHz, 60.3 Hz
Modeline "800x600_60" 40.00 800 840 968 1056 600 601 605 628 +hsync +vsync
# mode "800x600": 36.0 MHz, 35.2 kHz, 56.2 Hz
Modeline "800x600_56" 36.00 800 824 896 1024 600 601 603 625 +hsync +vsync
# mode "800x480": 40.0 MHz, 37.9 kHz, 60.3 Hz
Modeline "800x480_60" 40.00 800 832 960 1056 480 541 545 628 -hsync +vsync
# mode "720x576": 32.7 MHz, 35.9 kHz, 60.1 Hz
Modeline "720x576_60" 32.70 720 744 816 912 576 577 580 597 -hsync +vsync
EndSection

Section "Screen"
Identifier "Screen 0"
DefaultDepth 24
SubSection "Display"
Depth 24
Modes "1024x600_60" "800x600_60" "800x600_56" "800x480_60" "720x576_60"
EndSubSection
SubSection "Display"
Depth 32
Modes "1024x600_60" "800x600_60" "800x600_56" "800x480_60" "720x576_60"
EndSubSection
Device "Device 0"
Monitor "Monitor 0"
EndSection

Section "Device"
Identifier "Device 1"
BoardName "Chrome9 HC IGP"
Driver "via"
Option "DeviceSwitchHotkey" # si écran externe
Option "MergedFB" "TRUE"
EndSection

Section "Monitor"
Identifier "External"
Option "DPMS"
EndSection

Section "Screen"
Identifier "Screen 1"
Device "Device 1"
Monitor "External"
Subsection "Display"
Depth 24 # Depth 16 broke
EndSubsection
EndSection

Section "ServerLayout"
Identifier "Default Layout"
Screen "Screen 0"
Screen "Screen 1"
Option "RandR" "False" # d' après viax.conf via
EndSection

I'm going to install UNR interface...

Update 3: The netbook-launcher has been removed because it's still buggy. For example, there is not Firefox in Internet section. What's a shame! The maximus tool works quiet fine. What about HP 2133 in general? It's perfect: beautiful design, small (of course), fast and compatible with Linux. The only minus is heating because of CPU type - Via C7. But HP 2140 and newer will resolve this problem with Intel Atom.

7 comments:

Anonymous said...

you saved my day ;)

Anonymous said...

Hi:

"Update 2: now I have a Ubuntu system installed..."

How did you get there?
I get stuck into this "cannot find installation target device".

Really frustrating, since I too want to get rid of the SLED...

thanks.

Santtu

Phan Vinh Thinh said...

Hi Santtu,
Just install from Ubuntu 8.10 CD as usual if you have an external CD/DVD drive. If not Google to see how you can copy that CD to an USB Flash.
There is very detail instruction on ubuntu.com.

Anonymous said...

Hi again.
I do not have USB-DVD now, but I have tried with various USB - flash
bootable disks without success too.

Closest one was with Debian - netinstall flash disk, which failed after installation to "Can't access tty; Job control turned off" error.

Second closest was with ubuntu netinstall, which also failed after installation to "invalid partition" - did the installation twice with same results.

Getting really frustrated with this device now....

Thanks again .

Santtu

Phan Vinh Thinh said...

Hi Santtu,
Ok. I see you have some problems with Google. I'll give you some links:
1. https://wiki.ubuntu.com/LaptopTestingTeam/HP2133/ - Ubuntu installation guide. I followed this manual and now have a working machine. Please read it carefully.
2. http://www.hp2133guide.com/ubuntu-distro-for-the-mini-note-minbuntu/ - Ubuntu-ready for HP Mini.
3. http://www.hp2133guide.com/forums - ask for help here if you still have questions.

Good luck!

Anonymous said...

Thanks a million Phan!

I will try the mini-note Ubuntu some day: I also got Linux Mint from unetbootin usb-flash working!

Screen resolution is low, but it works anyway !
(and wireless also)

Best Regards.

Santtu

Phan Vinh Thinh said...

You're welcome Santtu. I very enjoy my HP 2133 with Linux not SuSE. Have fun, too.