To be able to use the Via beta driver that was released in December 2008 in Ubuntu 8.10, you will need to do the following:
- Update the BIOS
The latest version of the BIOS is F.05F for the Mini-note that was released in Australia. You can download it from here. Instructions on how to update the BIOS can be found inside the zip package and you will need a USB flash drive to format and use as a boot device, which should automatically update your system’s BIOS. I found that once the BIOS has been updated, you can install Ubuntu in the normal way instead of having to rely on the ‘xforcevesa’ option when starting the installer. - Download the latest driver from VIA
Download the latest driver from VIA, make sure it is the one intended for Ubuntu 8.10 (there are two drivers, one is marked as the 2D driver and the other one is called gfx, the one with “2D” is the one I am using as I don’t care too much about Compiz and such). This has to be done after installing Ubuntu 8.10 using the vesa driver (very basic graphics functionality and it does not support external monitors) such as shown in the Ubuntu Wiki. - Unzip the package from VIA and run the setup process by using the the file called “v2dinstall”. This has to be done as root, so the command may look something like this:
sudo ./v2Dinstall [will prompt you for your password].
When the installer is done, edit your xorg.conf file so it will look somewhat like this:# xorg.conf (X.Org X Window System server configuration file)
#
# This file was generated by reidy90, by copying correct settings from
# the xorg.conf that was provided with the SUSE hp 2133.
#
# Edit this file with caution, and see the xorg.conf manual page.
# (Type “man xorg.conf” at the shell prompt.)
#
# This file is automatically updated on xserver-xorg package upgrades *only*
# if it has not been modified since the last upgrade of the xserver-xorg
# package.
#
# Note that some configuration settings that could be done previously
# in this file, now are automatically configured by the server and settings
# here are ignored.
#
# If you have edited this file but would like it to be automatically updated
# again, run the following command:
# sudo dpkg-reconfigure -phigh xserver-xorgSection “Device”
BoardName “Framebuffer Graphics”#Change the line underneath to “via” after you have installed the driver (step 3).
Driver “vesa”
Identifier “Device[0]”
Screen 0
VendorName “VIA Technology”
Option “NoDDCValue”
Option “ActiveDevice” “LCD,CRT”
Option “PanelID” “3”
Option “DisplayHardwareLayout” “LCD”
Option “ForceLCD”
#[<bool>]
Option “VideoOnDevice” “LCD”
# Option “LCDPort” “DVP0”
EndSectionSection “Monitor”
DisplaySize 250 150
HorizSync 28-500
Identifier “Monitor[0]”
ModelName “VIEWSONIC VA912-4SERIES”
Option “DPMS”
VendorName “VSC”
VertRefresh 43-60
UseModes “Modes[0]”
EndSectionSection “Modes”
Identifier “Modes[0]”
Modeline “1280×800” 120.33 1280 1368 1504 1728 800 801 804 839
Modeline “1280×800” 118.88 1280 1368 1504 1728 800 801 804 839
Modeline “1280×800” 116.21 1280 1360 1496 1712 800 801 804 838
# Modeline “1280×768” 114.53 1280 1360 1496 1712 768 769 772 806
# Modeline “1280×768” 113.01 1280 1360 1496 1712 768 769 772 805
# Modeline “1280×768” 111.63 1280 1360 1496 1712 768 769 772 805
Modeline “1280×768” 80.14 1280 1344 1480 1680 768 769 772 795 -HSync +Vsync
Modeline “1024×768” 92.05 1024 1088 1200 1376 768 769 772 806
Modeline “1024×768” 90.83 1024 1088 1200 1376 768 769 772 805
Modeline “1024×768” 89.72 1024 1088 1200 1376 768 769 772 805
Modeline “1280×600” 88.68 1280 1352 1488 1696 600 601 604 630
Modeline “1280×600” 87.48 1280 1352 1488 1696 600 601 604 629
Modeline “1280×600” 85.59 1280 1344 1480 1680 600 601 604 629
Modeline “1024×600” 71.11 1024 1080 1192 1360 600 601 604 630
Modeline “1024×600” 69.32 1024 1080 1184 1344 600 601 604 629
Modeline “1024×600” 68.48 1024 1080 1184 1344 600 601 604 629
Modeline “800×600” 55.22 800 840 928 1056 600 601 604 630
Modeline “800×600” 54.47 800 840 928 1056 600 601 604 629
Modeline “800×600” 53.80 800 840 928 1056 600 601 604 629
Modeline “768×576” 50.62 768 808 888 1008 576 577 580 605
Modeline “768×576” 49.92 768 808 888 1008 576 577 580 604
Modeline “768×576” 49.32 768 808 888 1008 576 577 580 604
Modeline “640×480” 34.80 640 672 736 832 480 481 484 504
Modeline “640×480” 34.38 640 672 736 832 480 481 484 504
Modeline “640×480” 33.90 640 672 736 832 480 481 484 503
EndSectionSection “Screen”
SubSection “Display”
Modes “1280×768”
EndSubSection
Device “Device[0]”
Identifier “Screen[0]”
Monitor “Monitor[0]”
EndSection - Under the driver option, you need to change the driver from “vesa” to “via”.
- Reboot the machine and you should end up with a netbook running Ubuntu 8.10 utilising the newest 2D driver form VIA.
I have not actually used the gfx unified driver provided by VIA, because I personally I do not care about or need the compiz desktop effects on a netbook as tiny as the HP 2133 Mini-note. I just want a netbook that I can write reports on. It just needs to have basic media capabilities such as playing video or audio files, without any major problems.
Good luck.