My Mom was asking me for a small laptop for her to use and I figured that the best thing would be to get a netbook. With my sons and nephew in tow, we trooped down to VivoCity to see what’s on offer. Best Denki was the first stop and nothing that caught my eye. I had with me, my USB drive that runs F11 so I can test out the machines before I buy them. Better than using a live CD because not all the systems have CD drives.
Then we moved to Challenger and I was pleasantly surprised to see on offer the Acer Aspire One D250 preinstalled with Andriod and the some other OS version 7. I promptly, with a puzzled sales person overseeing me, plugged in my USB drive and booted the machine. Fedora 11 came up sprightly and the built-in camera, audio, wifi, bluetooth, 3 USB ports, ethernet and SD card reader all were detected and configured.
I did check out the set on display and the Android is a customized edition. The challenger sales person asked me if I wanted to “set up the machine”. I asked him why and he said that the Other OS is pre-loaded, but not configured. I said that doing a configuration would mean I have to agree to use that Other OS which I am not prepared to and that I am really interested in the Android and Fedora as the two OSes. He was not much of a help because “you are trying to run a freeware from your storage USB drive?”. I told him that, like Android, I am running another Linux distribution, called Fedora and that I would not need any other OS – especially the Other OS in the machine.
It appears that I can default the machine to boot from Android but I will first have to “set up” via the Other OS, which I might just do, so that I can get this machine to Mom.
Here are the specs of the machine (from lspci -vv):
00:00.0 Host bridge: Intel Corporation Mobile 945GME Express Memory Controller Hub (rev 03) Subsystem: Acer Incorporated [ALI] Device 022f Control: I/O- Mem+ BusMaster+ SpecCycle- MemWINV- VGASnoop- ParErr- Stepping- SERR- FastB2B- DisINTx- Status: Cap+ 66MHz- UDF- FastB2B+ ParErr- DEVSEL=fast TAbort- TAbort- MAbort+ SERR- PERR- INTx- Latency: 0 Capabilities: access denied Kernel driver in use: agpgart-intel 00:02.0 VGA compatible controller: Intel Corporation Mobile 945GME Express Integrated Graphics Controller (rev 03) (prog-if 00 [VGA controller]) Subsystem: Acer Incorporated [ALI] Device 022f Control: I/O+ Mem+ BusMaster+ SpecCycle- MemWINV- VGASnoop- ParErr- Stepping- SERR- FastB2B- DisINTx- Status: Cap+ 66MHz- UDF- FastB2B+ ParErr- DEVSEL=fast TAbort- TAbort- MAbort- SERR- PERR- INTx- Latency: 0 Interrupt: pin A routed to IRQ 16 Region 0: Memory at 58280000 (32-bit, non-prefetchable) [size=512K] Region 1: I/O ports at 60f0 [size=8] Region 2: Memory at 40000000 (32-bit, prefetchable) [size=256M] Region 3: Memory at 58300000 (32-bit, non-prefetchable) [size=256K] Expansion ROM at unassigned [disabled] Capabilities: access denied Kernel driver in use: i915 Kernel modules: i915 00:02.1 Display controller: Intel Corporation Mobile 945GM/GMS/GME, 943/940GML Express Integrated Graphics Controller (rev 03) Subsystem: Acer Incorporated [ALI] Device 022f Control: I/O+ Mem+ BusMaster+ SpecCycle- MemWINV- VGASnoop- ParErr- Stepping- SERR- FastB2B- DisINTx- Status: Cap+ 66MHz- UDF- FastB2B+ ParErr- DEVSEL=fast TAbort- TAbort- MAbort- SERR- PERR- INTx- Latency: 0 Region 0: Memory at 58200000 (32-bit, non-prefetchable) [size=512K] Capabilities: access denied 00:1b.0 Audio device: Intel Corporation 82801G (ICH7 Family) High Definition Audio Controller (rev 02) Subsystem: Acer Incorporated [ALI] Device 022f Control: I/O- Mem+ BusMaster+ SpecCycle- MemWINV- VGASnoop- ParErr- Stepping- SERR- FastB2B- DisINTx- Status: Cap+ 66MHz- UDF- FastB2B- ParErr- DEVSEL=fast TAbort- TAbort- MAbort- SERR- PERR- INTx- Latency: 0 Interrupt: pin A routed to IRQ 16 Region 0: Memory at 58340000 (64-bit, non-prefetchable) [size=16K] Capabilities: access denied Kernel driver in use: HDA Intel Kernel modules: snd-hda-intel 00:1c.0 PCI bridge: Intel Corporation 82801G (ICH7 Family) PCI Express Port 1 (rev 02) (prog-if 00 [Normal decode]) Control: I/O+ Mem+ BusMaster+ SpecCycle- MemWINV- VGASnoop- ParErr- Stepping- SERR- FastB2B- DisINTx+ Status: Cap+ 66MHz- UDF- FastB2B- ParErr- DEVSEL=fast TAbort- TAbort- MAbort- SERR- PERR- INTx- Latency: 0 Bus: primary=00, secondary=01, subordinate=01, sec-latency=0 I/O behind bridge: 00005000-00005fff Memory behind bridge: 57100000-581fffff Prefetchable memory behind bridge: 0000000050000000-0000000050ffffff Secondary status: 66MHz- FastB2B- ParErr- DEVSEL=fast TAbort- TAbort- MAbort- SERR- PERR- BridgeCtl: Parity- SERR- NoISA- VGA- MAbort- Reset- FastB2B- PriDiscTmr- SecDiscTmr- DiscTmrStat- DiscTmrSERREn- Capabilities: access denied Kernel driver in use: pcieport-driver 00:1c.1 PCI bridge: Intel Corporation 82801G (ICH7 Family) PCI Express Port 2 (rev 02) (prog-if 00 [Normal decode]) Control: I/O+ Mem+ BusMaster+ SpecCycle- MemWINV- VGASnoop- ParErr- Stepping- SERR- FastB2B- DisINTx+ Status: Cap+ 66MHz- UDF- FastB2B- ParErr- DEVSEL=fast TAbort- TAbort- MAbort- SERR- PERR- INTx- Latency: 0 Bus: primary=00, secondary=02, subordinate=02, sec-latency=0 I/O behind bridge: 00004000-00004fff Memory behind bridge: 56100000-570fffff Prefetchable memory behind bridge: 0000000051000000-0000000051ffffff Secondary status: 66MHz- FastB2B- ParErr- DEVSEL=fast TAbort- TAbort- MAbort- SERR- PERR- BridgeCtl: Parity- SERR- NoISA- VGA- MAbort- Reset- FastB2B- PriDiscTmr- SecDiscTmr- DiscTmrStat- DiscTmrSERREn- Capabilities: access denied Kernel driver in use: pcieport-driver 00:1c.2 PCI bridge: Intel Corporation 82801G (ICH7 Family) PCI Express Port 3 (rev 02) (prog-if 00 [Normal decode]) Control: I/O+ Mem+ BusMaster+ SpecCycle- MemWINV- VGASnoop- ParErr- Stepping- SERR- FastB2B- DisINTx+ Status: Cap+ 66MHz- UDF- FastB2B- ParErr- DEVSEL=fast TAbort- TAbort- MAbort- SERR- PERR- INTx- Latency: 0 Bus: primary=00, secondary=03, subordinate=03, sec-latency=0 I/O behind bridge: 00002000-00003fff Memory behind bridge: 55000000-560fffff Prefetchable memory behind bridge: 0000000052000000-0000000052ffffff Secondary status: 66MHz- FastB2B- ParErr- DEVSEL=fast TAbort- TAbort- MAbort- SERR- PERR- BridgeCtl: Parity- SERR- NoISA- VGA- MAbort- Reset- FastB2B- PriDiscTmr- SecDiscTmr- DiscTmrStat- DiscTmrSERREn- Capabilities: access denied Kernel driver in use: pcieport-driver 00:1c.3 PCI bridge: Intel Corporation 82801G (ICH7 Family) PCI Express Port 4 (rev 02) (prog-if 00 [Normal decode]) Control: I/O+ Mem+ BusMaster+ SpecCycle- MemWINV- VGASnoop- ParErr- Stepping- SERR- FastB2B- DisINTx+ Status: Cap+ 66MHz- UDF- FastB2B- ParErr- DEVSEL=fast TAbort- TAbort- MAbort- SERR- PERR- INTx- Latency: 0 Bus: primary=00, secondary=04, subordinate=04, sec-latency=0 I/O behind bridge: 00001000-00001fff Memory behind bridge: 54000000-54ffffff Prefetchable memory behind bridge: 0000000053000000-0000000053ffffff Secondary status: 66MHz- FastB2B- ParErr- DEVSEL=fast TAbort- TAbort- MAbort- SERR- PERR- BridgeCtl: Parity- SERR- NoISA- VGA- MAbort- Reset- FastB2B- PriDiscTmr- SecDiscTmr- DiscTmrStat- DiscTmrSERREn- Capabilities: access denied Kernel driver in use: pcieport-driver 00:1d.0 USB Controller: Intel Corporation 82801G (ICH7 Family) USB UHCI Controller #1 (rev 02) (prog-if 00 [UHCI]) Subsystem: Acer Incorporated [ALI] Device 022f Control: I/O+ Mem- BusMaster+ SpecCycle- MemWINV- VGASnoop- ParErr- Stepping- SERR- FastB2B- DisINTx- Status: Cap- 66MHz- UDF- FastB2B+ ParErr- DEVSEL=medium TAbort- TAbort- MAbort- SERR- PERR- INTx- Latency: 0 Interrupt: pin A routed to IRQ 16 Region 4: I/O ports at 60a0 [size=32] Kernel driver in use: uhci_hcd 00:1d.1 USB Controller: Intel Corporation 82801G (ICH7 Family) USB UHCI Controller #2 (rev 02) (prog-if 00 [UHCI]) Subsystem: Acer Incorporated [ALI] Device 022f Control: I/O+ Mem- BusMaster+ SpecCycle- MemWINV- VGASnoop- ParErr- Stepping- SERR- FastB2B- DisINTx- Status: Cap- 66MHz- UDF- FastB2B+ ParErr- DEVSEL=medium TAbort- TAbort- MAbort- SERR- PERR- INTx- Latency: 0 Interrupt: pin B routed to IRQ 17 Region 4: I/O ports at 6080 [size=32] Kernel driver in use: uhci_hcd 00:1d.2 USB Controller: Intel Corporation 82801G (ICH7 Family) USB UHCI Controller #3 (rev 02) (prog-if 00 [UHCI]) Subsystem: Acer Incorporated [ALI] Device 022f Control: I/O+ Mem- BusMaster+ SpecCycle- MemWINV- VGASnoop- ParErr- Stepping- SERR- FastB2B- DisINTx- Status: Cap- 66MHz- UDF- FastB2B+ ParErr- DEVSEL=medium TAbort- TAbort- MAbort- SERR- PERR- INTx- Latency: 0 Interrupt: pin C routed to IRQ 18 Region 4: I/O ports at 6060 [size=32] Kernel driver in use: uhci_hcd 00:1d.3 USB Controller: Intel Corporation 82801G (ICH7 Family) USB UHCI Controller #4 (rev 02) (prog-if 00 [UHCI]) Subsystem: Acer Incorporated [ALI] Device 022f Control: I/O+ Mem- BusMaster+ SpecCycle- MemWINV- VGASnoop- ParErr- Stepping- SERR- FastB2B- DisINTx- Status: Cap- 66MHz- UDF- FastB2B+ ParErr- DEVSEL=medium TAbort- TAbort- MAbort- SERR- PERR- INTx- Latency: 0 Interrupt: pin D routed to IRQ 19 Region 4: I/O ports at 6040 [size=32] Kernel driver in use: uhci_hcd 00:1d.7 USB Controller: Intel Corporation 82801G (ICH7 Family) USB2 EHCI Controller (rev 02) (prog-if 20 [EHCI]) Subsystem: Acer Incorporated [ALI] Device 022f Control: I/O- Mem+ BusMaster+ SpecCycle- MemWINV- VGASnoop- ParErr- Stepping- SERR- FastB2B- DisINTx- Status: Cap+ 66MHz- UDF- FastB2B+ ParErr- DEVSEL=medium TAbort- TAbort- MAbort- SERR- PERR- INTx- Latency: 0 Interrupt: pin A routed to IRQ 16 Region 0: Memory at 58344400 (32-bit, non-prefetchable) [size=1K] Capabilities: access denied Kernel driver in use: ehci_hcd 00:1e.0 PCI bridge: Intel Corporation 82801 Mobile PCI Bridge (rev e2) (prog-if 01 [Subtractive decode]) Control: I/O+ Mem+ BusMaster+ SpecCycle- MemWINV- VGASnoop- ParErr- Stepping- SERR- FastB2B- DisINTx- Status: Cap+ 66MHz- UDF- FastB2B- ParErr- DEVSEL=fast TAbort- TAbort- MAbort- SERR- PERR- INTx- Latency: 0 Bus: primary=00, secondary=05, subordinate=05, sec-latency=32 Secondary status: 66MHz- FastB2B+ ParErr- DEVSEL=medium TAbort- TAbort- MAbort+ SERR- PERR- BridgeCtl: Parity- SERR- NoISA- VGA- MAbort- Reset- FastB2B- PriDiscTmr- SecDiscTmr- DiscTmrStat- DiscTmrSERREn- Capabilities: access denied 00:1f.0 ISA bridge: Intel Corporation 82801GBM (ICH7-M) LPC Interface Bridge (rev 02) Subsystem: Acer Incorporated [ALI] Device 022f Control: I/O+ Mem+ BusMaster+ SpecCycle- MemWINV- VGASnoop- ParErr- Stepping- SERR- FastB2B- DisINTx- Status: Cap+ 66MHz- UDF- FastB2B- ParErr- DEVSEL=medium TAbort- TAbort- MAbort- SERR- PERR- INTx- Latency: 0 Capabilities: access denied Kernel modules: iTCO_wdt, intel-rng 00:1f.2 SATA controller: Intel Corporation 82801GBM/GHM (ICH7 Family) SATA AHCI Controller (rev 02) (prog-if 01 [AHCI 1.0]) Subsystem: Acer Incorporated [ALI] Device 022f Control: I/O+ Mem+ BusMaster+ SpecCycle- MemWINV- VGASnoop- ParErr- Stepping- SERR- FastB2B- DisINTx+ Status: Cap+ 66MHz+ UDF- FastB2B+ ParErr- DEVSEL=medium TAbort- TAbort- MAbort- SERR- PERR- INTx- Latency: 0 Interrupt: pin B routed to IRQ 28 Region 0: I/O ports at 60d8 [size=8] Region 1: I/O ports at 60fc [size=4] Region 2: I/O ports at 60d0 [size=8] Region 3: I/O ports at 60f8 [size=4] Region 4: I/O ports at 6020 [size=16] Region 5: Memory at 58344000 (32-bit, non-prefetchable) [size=1K] Capabilities: access denied Kernel driver in use: ahci 00:1f.3 SMBus: Intel Corporation 82801G (ICH7 Family) SMBus Controller (rev 02) Subsystem: Acer Incorporated [ALI] Device 022f Control: I/O+ Mem- BusMaster- SpecCycle- MemWINV- VGASnoop- ParErr- Stepping- SERR- FastB2B- DisINTx- Status: Cap- 66MHz- UDF- FastB2B+ ParErr- DEVSEL=medium TAbort- TAbort- MAbort- SERR- PERR- INTx- Interrupt: pin B routed to IRQ 17 Region 4: I/O ports at 6000 [size=32] Kernel driver in use: i801_smbus Kernel modules: i2c-i801 01:00.0 Network controller: Atheros Communications Inc. AR9285 Wireless Network Adapter (PCI-Express) (rev 01) Subsystem: Foxconn International, Inc. Device e016 Physical Slot: 1 Control: I/O+ Mem+ BusMaster+ SpecCycle- MemWINV- VGASnoop- ParErr- Stepping- SERR- FastB2B- DisINTx- Status: Cap+ 66MHz- UDF- FastB2B- ParErr- DEVSEL=fast TAbort- TAbort- MAbort- SERR- PERR- INTx- Latency: 0, Cache Line Size: 32 bytes Interrupt: pin A routed to IRQ 16 Region 0: Memory at 57100000 (64-bit, non-prefetchable) [size=64K] Capabilities: access denied Kernel driver in use: ath9k Kernel modules: ath9k 03:00.0 Ethernet controller: Attansic Technology Corp. Device 1062 (rev c0) Subsystem: Acer Incorporated [ALI] Device 022f Control: I/O+ Mem+ BusMaster+ SpecCycle- MemWINV- VGASnoop- ParErr- Stepping- SERR- FastB2B- DisINTx+ Status: Cap+ 66MHz- UDF- FastB2B- ParErr- DEVSEL=fast TAbort- TAbort- MAbort- SERR- PERR- INTx- Latency: 0 Interrupt: pin A routed to IRQ 29 Region 0: Memory at 55000000 (64-bit, non-prefetchable) [size=256K] Region 2: I/O ports at 2000 [size=128] Capabilities: access denied Kernel driver in use: atl1c Kernel modules: atl1c
This is the fdisk output:
fdisk -l Disk /dev/sda: 250.0 GB, 250059350016 bytes 255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 30401 cylinders Units = cylinders of 16065 * 512 = 8225280 bytes Disk identifier: 0x7529554a Device Boot Start End Blocks Id System /dev/sda1 1 1567 12586896 27 Unknown /dev/sda2 1568 2090 4200997+ c W95 FAT32 (LBA) /dev/sda3 * 2091 2103 104422+ 7 HPFS/NTFS /dev/sda4 2104 30401 227303685 f W95 Ext'd (LBA) /dev/sda5 2104 30401 227303653+ 7 HPFS/NTFS
The Android partition is /dev/sda2. I have backed up each partition and kept them as a tgz file. The android partition is about 1.3G uncompressed.
I think my next task is to file for a Other OS refund. Looking forward to the fun.
Hello, could you tell that shop’s detailed position in VivoCity?
Why Android is installed on a FAT32 partition?
and I found there is some “access denied” phrases from lspci output, that is because you run that command under normal user’s privilege,
Capabilities: access denied
Could you please run it again with root privileged? Thanks,
Re: Hello, could you tell that shop’s detailed position in VivoCity?
It was from Challenger. I am sure you can get it at Funan. I don’t think the error messages are not because of privilege. I did run it as root.
In any case, I does appear that after the “install” of the other OS, the partition holding Android seems to have disappeared. I need to figure this out. Need to send a bunch of questions to Acer.
Re: Hello, could you tell that shop's detailed position in VivoCity?
And I also don’t like the Other OS version 7, interesting about the refund, have you succeeded to get refund? How do you achieve?
“I think my next task is to file for a Other OS refund. Looking forward to the fun.”
You must know in Singapore, it seems hard to find&buy one netbook/notebook pre-installed with linux or just be friendly to linux, so do you have some advice to those novice computer-buyers who just want linux (don’t pay for M$ shit)?
Thanks,
Re: Hello, could you tell that shop's detailed position in VivoCity?
I have not asked for the refund yet. It is on my to do list.