Ubuntu On Sony Vaio FW Series

Thanks to Olivier Grégoire for supplying DSDT.aml for FW4 model. I have updated quick brightness guide post with new patch links, take a look.

This little guide is faster an easier version of previous brightness how to. Since Jaunty already have sony-laptop patch included, we need to patch our DSDT bios table only and override default one with patched, while kernel is loading. I saw many people have problems with DSDT compiling, so I removed dsdt-error.patch patches from pack, and changed it with another line in terminal.

I have made a script which will make all what needed, you just need to select right patch for your model. Download new patches pack. Unpack it, then pop up your terminal and go into that directory, where you’ve unpacked it. There is 3 patches included dsdt-ati-fix-fw1x.patch, dsdt-ati-fix-fw2x.patch, dsdt-ati-fix-fw3x.patch. If you have FW3x(x) model, then use dsdt-ati-fix-fw3x.patch and so on for FW1x(x)/FW2x(x). Ok, you’ve made your choice, now just type this in terminal:

Ok, I have changed script and make him choose the right patch for you, just type this in terminal then:

sudo ./dsdt-patch

That’s all

Here is a source code of that script, for those who interested:

#!/bin/bash
# by Anton Veretenenko <anton[email sign]veretenenko.ru>
# version: 0.2

patch_temp_dir=vaio_fw_patch
isroot=`whoami`

if [ ! $# -eq 0 ]
then
 echo "Use: sudo ./dsdt-patch"
 exit
fi

if [ ! "$isroot" == "root" ]
then
 echo "Error: Make sure you run this script with sudo"
 exit
fi

echo "Creating temp directory"
mkdir "/tmp/$patch_temp_dir"

if [ ! -x /usr/sbin/dmidecode ]
then
 # if dmidecode isn't found, let's install it too
 echo "Installing dmidecode"
 apt-get install dmidecode
else
 echo "dmidecode found"
fi

isfw1=`dmidecode --type system | grep -i -c -P -e "Product Name: VGN-FW(1).*"`
isfw2=`dmidecode --type system | grep -i -c -P -e "Product Name: VGN-FW(2).*"`
isfw3=`dmidecode --type system | grep -i -c -P -e "Product Name: VGN-FW(3).*"`
isfw4=`dmidecode --type system | grep -i -c -P -e "Product Name: VGN-FW(4).*"`
if [ "$isfw1" == "1" ]
then
 patch_file=dsdt-ati-fix-fw1x.patch
elif [ "$isfw2" == "1" ]
then
 patch_file=dsdt-ati-fix-fw2x.patch
elif [ "$isfw3" == "1" ]
then
 patch_file=dsdt-ati-fix-fw3x.patch
elif [ "$isfw4" == "1" ]
then
 patch_file=dsdt-ati-fix-fw4x.patch
else
 echo "Could not select the right patch for you, does it FW model? Contact me."
 rm -rfd "/tmp/$patch_temp_dir/"
 exit
fi

if [ ! -r "$patch_file" ]
then
 echo "Error: Could not read $patch_file file"
 rm -rfd "/tmp/$patch_temp_dir/"
 exit
else
 echo "Selected $patch_file patch for you"
fi

cp "$patch_file" "/tmp/$patch_temp_dir/"
cd "/tmp/$patch_temp_dir"

if [ ! -x /usr/bin/iasl ]
then
 # if iasl isn't found, let's install it
 echo "Installing iasl"
 apt-get install iasl
else
 echo "iasl found"
fi

if [ ! -x /usr/bin/acpidump ]
then
 # if acpidump isn't found, let's install it too
 echo "Installing acpidump"
 apt-get install acpidump
else
 echo "acpidump found"
fi

if [ ! -x /usr/bin/patch ]
then
 echo "Installing patch command"
 apt-get install patch
else
 echo "patch command found"
fi

echo "Dumping DSDT table to DSDT.aml"
acpidump -b -t DSDT -o DSDT.aml
if [ ! $? -eq 0 ]
then
 # if acpidump failed, show error
 echo "acpidump failed"
 rm -rfd "/tmp/$patch_temp_dir/"
 exit
fi

echo "Decompiling DSDT.aml to DSDT.dsl"
iasl -d DSDT.aml
rm DSDT.aml
if [ ! $? -eq 0 ]
then
 # if iasl failed, show error
 echo "iasl failed"
 rm -rfd "/tmp/$patch_temp_dir/"
 exit
fi

echo "Patching DSDT.dsl with $patch_file"
patch < "$patch_file"
if [ ! $? -eq 0 ]
then
 # if patching failed, show error
 echo "$patch_file patch failed"
 rm -rfd "/tmp/$patch_temp_dir/"
 exit
fi

echo "Fixing _T_0 errors in DSDT.dsl"
sed -i 's/_T_0/T_0/g' DSDT.dsl
if [ ! $? -eq 0 ]
then
 # if sed failed, show error
 echo "_T_0 fixing failed"
 rm -rfd "/tmp/$patch_temp_dir/"
 exit
fi

echo "Compiling patched DSDT"
iasl DSDT.dsl

if [ -f DSDT.aml ]
then
 echo "Compilation successfull, updating initramfs"
 cp DSDT.aml /etc/initramfs-tools/
 dpkg-reconfigure linux-image-`uname -r`
else
 echo "Error: DSDT compilation error"
fi

# deleting temp dir
rm -rfd "/tmp/$patch_temp_dir/"

if [ -f /etc/initramfs-tools/DSDT.aml ]
then
 echo "DSDT patch applied, you should reboot your system now"
fi

Just updated.
Brightness works out of the box if you have patched dsdt in initramfs =)
Sound works and not integrated mic.
Video/3D works with fglrx.
S1/AV and fn keys works.
I saw that usb flash/hdd drives are fast now but system load too much.

I guess I have problems with wireless, poor performance. I’ve noticed it because I’m using NFS shares through wifi, e.g. watching movies. And on Jaunty nautilus and player hangs more of a time. Something wrong there. Do you have such problems?

Just a bit of good news. My patch was accepted into 2.6.28-11.36 jaunty kernel update.

I’m working on new brightness changing method, stay tuned.