# Gateway 7510GX Laptop - Howto [delayed]

## jasonpf

This is my first How-to, I hope it comes in handy for others.

I just purchased a Gateway 7510GX Laptop.  I'm currently in the process of getting Gentoo fully installed on it and wanted to save people any of the pains I am having with this laptop.  My first hurdle has just been overcome - a Marvell NIC - one which the 2.6.13-gentoo-r1 kernel is unable to handle - tried with skge and with sk98lin, both to no avail.  After about a day of tinkering w/o network on this system, I've finally gotten it to work.  First off, a few specs:

Gateway 7510GX

Mobile AMD Athlon 64 3700+

1 GB RAM

100 GB HDD

DVD+RW DL

ATI Radeon Mobility X600 w/ 128 MB VRAM

S-Video Out

Marvell 10/100 NIC

Broadcom WLAN

USB/Firewire

MMC/CF reader/writer

1 PCMCIA slot

~$1400 US @ Best Buy (Not available from Gateway directly as far as I can tell)

lspci output:

__ TODO __ (once I get X up on this system)

I installed the x86_64 version of Gentoo from a LiveCD, using a stage3 tarball.  There are other docs that cover that, so I won't.  I DO suggest you use a stage3 install with this one.  Since you won't have networking until you compile/install your own kernel.  I did an "abbreviated" stage3 install, you might say.  I just got the files extracted, and proceeded as quickly as possible to getting the system bootable.  I did this in hopes of getting networking going.  I tried installing the 2.6.12-gentoo-r6 which comes on the LiveCD, but this didn't get my NIC working, either with the skge or the sk98lin drivers.  Using genkernel, I got most of the basic hardware working, however.  I had the MMC slot available so I could transfer files by way of scp to my Sharp Zaurus directly onto the MMC card and then putting that mmc card into the laptop.  I could have burned files to a CD-R, but didn't have any blanks handy.  Since the 2.6.12-gentoo-r6 didn't work, I transfered the files needed for 2.6.13-gentoo-r1 via mmc card.  I copied the following files over:

__ TODO __ (same reason as above, so I can copy/paste)

Note:  To find out what I copied, sync the portage tree on another system and do an emerge -pv gentoo-sources (~x86 I think) and copy those files (you can use emerge -f gentoo-sources to get them).  Don't forget to copy the ebuild from sys-kernel/gentoo-sources.  You'll need to 

```
ebuild <path to ebuild file> digest
```

Once you get your system up (I used genkernel, you don't have to) and running without the NIC with the kernel you want to use (I'm going to assume 2.6.13-gentoo-r1, since I know that one works), here's how to get the NIC working:

Marvell 88E8036 Fast Ethernet Controller (Arima)  (Currently displays as "Unknown device 4351 (rev 10)")

1)  Download NIC drivers from Marvell  http://www.marvell.com/drivers/upload/install-8_24.tar.bz2

2) Create /usr/src/nic

3) Extract drivers to /usr/src/nic and apply

```
cd /usr/src/nic

tar -xvjpf <path+filename for install-8_24.tar.bz2>

cd DriverInstall

./install.sh
```

Choose 2 to generate a patch and answer questions as necessary

Follow instructions at the end of generating the patch to incorporate it into your kernel sources.

4) Maybe not necessary, but I did a

```
make mrproper
```

Note: If not using genkernel, make sure to copy your .config before you make mrproper!

5) Run genkernel again, but add proper driver into the kernel (I added into the kernel, not as a module)

```
genkernel --menuconfig all
```

Go to "Device Drivers -> Network device support -> Ethernet (1000 Mbit)"  and choose "Marvell Yukon Chipset / SysKonnect SK-98xx Support"

Note:  I also chose "Use Rx polling (NAPI)

6) Boot from this kernel.

7) NIC now works!

Ok, I'm now going to install the rest of the basic options, like a syslogger, cron daemon, etc. and get the rest of the system up and running.  I'll continue this how-to when I run into the next snag and get it fixed (and to update my TODO items of course).Last edited by jasonpf on Tue Oct 04, 2005 4:45 am; edited 1 time in total

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## thereisnospoon

I've been trying to do a stage 1 install on the same model laptop, and yesterday I finally booted.  It took lots of work because, as you said, the NIC sucks.  I had to a lot of downloading in windows/copying over etc.  But, I tried your instructions with the driver today, and the patch said it was successful, i recompiled the kernel followed all your steps, but ifconfig eth0 still couldn't find the device.  Is there something I"m doing wrong?  I'm running 2.6.13-r3.  

Thank you,

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## jasonpf

I scraped my install due to some issues with video, I thought maybe it was flaky 64-Bit support from ATI, but I later, after reinstalling with just 32-Bit support, I still had the same issues.  I found out that having a framebuffer console seems to corrupt video memory.  I disabled framebuffer - video=radeonfb:off  and voila!  I now have X working.  I will probably continue installing with 32-Bit support for now, and update the Howto, as everything seems to apply to it too.

As far as the NIC issue, I used gentoo-sources (which gave me the 2.6.13) and although I use genkernel, I manually went into /usr/src/linux and I forget exactly what I did the second time around, but something like this:

```

cd /usr/src/linux

make clean

make mrproper

zcat /proc/config.gz > .config

make menuconfig

<exit out of menuconfig>

cat <full path of patch> |patch -p1

```

It asked me about a file that doesn't exist and had a "Assume -R? [n]" printed, I first picked the default [n] and it failed.  I then tried it with "y" and it continued without fail.

I hope that helps.

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## thereisnospoon

I'll try that tomorrow, there are a couple commands there that weren't in your original instructions, so it seems to have a good chance of success.  I'm not sure why gateway screwed us over with those shitty network adaptors, but I sure wish they hadn't because doing a stage 1 install without one was DIFFICULT.  Glad to see someone made it to the other side, though.  Thank you, you are the wind beneath my wings.

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## thereisnospoon

Tried it again, and tried using the skge driver, which is for the gigabit ed. with no success.  I'm running out of patience/ideas/people to ask.  Any help at all would be greatly appreciated

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## jasonpf

Sorry for the delay in getting the how-to updated.  I'm a bit busy with work at the moment and need to accomplish a few things personally before I get back to the documentation -> I really want to devote enough time to it to do it properly.  I'll try to get back to it in the next week or 2.  As far as the NIC not working for you, thereisnospoon, I'm running 2.6.12-gentoo-r6.  I'd imagine that future kernels will eventually support this NIC by default, a new maintainer for the skge driver was appointed by the kernel developers, I'd go with 2.6.12-gentoo-r6 for now and patch that, I know that works, not sure if any changes that were made to the skge driver in the .13 release might have affected the patch.  Good luck.

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## thereisnospoon

Sorry, forgot to update.  I got it to work, I compiled it in the kernel before, and when I compiled as a module, it worked fine.  My audio is "working" ie, some programs recognize it, but some don't.  Thanks for the help.

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## oraldlight

I turned off framebuffer in the kernel and my X/GUI problems have stopped. Fluxbox runs like a champ . Just as you suggested, I'm now awaiting teh KDE emerge to see what happens.

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## darjeeling

oraldlight :

 *Quote:*   

> I turned off framebuffer in the kernel and my X/GUI problems have stopped. Fluxbox runs like a champ . Just as you suggested, I'm now awaiting teh KDE emerge to see what happens.

 

Did you emerged your KDE finally? How was the installation? What happened?   :Question: 

Do you recommend this laptop? The Gateway MX7515 seems to have some nice features for the price but I don't know how it will behave with Linux / Gentoo...

Thanks!

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## oraldlight

Got KDE 3.4.1 installed and it's working great since FrameBuffer is disabled. 

  I like this laptop a ton, but need to sort out my WIFI and onboard nic problems (noob deficiencies mainly). Battery life is decent ~1-2 hours of work, decent performance and graphics look great. Everyone asks about this laptop since the glossy screen makes images much more lifelike and presentable. Obviously there is the ocassional glare problem, but not enough to deter. I would not hesitate recommending this laptop to 'better than noob' status linux users. I don't think I'm using the full potential of this yet. Time to rebuild now that teething pains are over.

  I hope to have the laptop configured for digiatl photo and occassional video editing usage.

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## arabis

Before beginning the installation of Gentoo, is it possible to modify, on a other computer, the livecd by incorporating a kernel patched with the Marvell NIC driver?

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## jasonpf

 *Quote:*   

> Do you recommend this laptop?

 

Yes, I would - no issues with this laptop so far.  Sorry for not updating this post, but I want to try a 64-Bit installation again sometime and will update when I do that... for now its working fine with 32-Bit mode.  As far as the question about pre-patching a kernel for the NIC drivers - I suppose you could patch them, gzip them back up and make yourself a custom e-build.  You could probably even reuse an existing kernel ebuild, as long as you modify the original sources of the ebuild, not after it patches them.

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## bswenson

I just got this laptop today, threw in the amd64 2005.1-r1 minimal, and found no NIC support as mentioned. I will hack at it this weekend and report back to everyone my success. 

arabis...catalyst allows you to create custom LiveCD's with the kernel of your choice. This is the most Gentooish way to add support to the LiveCD. Once I have my system optimized to my liking I will make a LiveCD for it and post the url.

Thanks to everyone who has posted thier info to date.

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## pjp

Moved from Documentation, Tips & Tricks

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## arabis

 *Quote:*   

> arabis...catalyst allows you to create custom LiveCD's with the kernel of your choice. This is the most Gentooish way to add support to the LiveCD. Once I have my system optimized to my liking I will make a LiveCD for it and post the url

 

Thanks bswenson for this hint. As you can see in my signature, I finally got a Acer Ferrari laptop (great laptop, by the way, many features to configure).

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## kabage

I cant boot usb flash, used this howto http://www.gentoo.org/doc/en/liveusb.xml , takes all of 5 minutes to make 

a liveUSB.  It does boot on my desktop but not the 7510gx, went up and down with gateway support.  Does have usb: cdrom  usb: hdd and usb: floppy options in bios but does not recognize the flash drive.  

Gateway told me you cant boot usb devices cause there's no  mdsdos on the usb ports.  What?

Exactly there no dos on anyport or you would not need a bios!  I guess what I could use is someone who maybe has changed the bios chip in this system

and what generic bios if any may work to really boot usb devices.

I could have sworn when I was testing ubuntu on my usb hdd (not a flash) it booted. (maybe not, maybe I used my desktop) 

Man this sucks, ideas options, apparantly I have to write my own bios now.   Maybe the uae shoud manage gateways bios division.

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## wolfenstein2890

everything works for this laptop and the MX7515 (the same thing, pretty much) as of Gentoo 2006.0

except for wireless, of course  :Sad: 

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## kabage

on the 7510gx I have the wireless working ,  just the modem and booting usb are the only things I dont have working.

I havn't tried suspend, hibernate stuff though.

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## wolfenstein2890

im assuming that you used ndiswrapper... right?

also, what arch you usin?

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