Installing Arch Linux on Asus N56JN-CN047

General Hardware Specifications

Component

Type

Status (x86_64)

Note

Processor

Intel Quad-Core i7-4700HQ (6M Cache, 2.40 GHz)

Works

8 threads

Chipset

Mobile Intel HM86 Express

Works

RAM

8 GB DDR3 1600 MHz (2x 4 GB)

Works

7 872 MB (real)

Display

15.6" LED-backlit TFT LCD @ 1920x1080

Works

Video

Intel HD Graphics 4600 + NVIDIA GeForce GT 840 (N15S-GT)

Works

See the notes after the installation.

Audio

Intel High Definition Audio

Works

Tested internal speakers, headphones, and microphone.

HDD

SATA 750 GB 7200 RPM 2.5"

Works

698.7 GB (real)

Optical Drive

HL-DT-ST DVDRAM GTA0N (DVD±RW/RAM)

Works

Tested reading a DVD.

LAN

Realtek RTL8111/8168/8411 PCI Express Gigabit Ethernet Controller

Works

Tested both the 100Mbit and 1Gbit modes.

WLAN

Intel Wireless 7260 (802.11 b/g/n)

Works

Tested a managed 802.11n mode.

Bluetooth

v4.0

Works

Install bluez and bluedevil (HOWTO).

USB

4x USB 3.0

Works

Tested on a flash drive, keyboard, and mouse.

Card Reader

SD/MMC/MS

Works

Tested on an SD card.

Webcam

HD Web Camera

Works

Add yourself to the video group.

VGA Port

Works

Tested on an external monitor.

HDMI Port

Works

Tested on an external monitor (just video).

Touchpad

Works

Install xf86-input-synaptics.

Linux Identification (Outputs)

Installation

Get a recent image of Arch Linux and write it to a USB stick. Then, use this image to install the base system (guidelines). I've used archlinux-2014.09.03-dual.iso.

I had to install the system with UEFI+EFI. Otherwise, with BIOS+MBR, I was unable to boot the system after the installation. In a greater detail, I had to create an EFI system partition (128 MB, type EF00, FAT32 file system, mountpoint /boot) and use the Gummiboot bootloader. There are many tutorials on how to perform this kind of an installation (e.g. this or that).

The kernel version I'm using is 3.16.3-1 (Linux 3.16.3-1-ARCH #1 SMP PREEMPT Wed Sep 17 21:54:13 CEST 2014 x86_64 GNU/Linux).

Video

The notebook uses the nVidia Optimus technology. To make it work properly, perform the following steps:

Install the following packages: nvidia xorg-server xorg-server-utils xorg-xrandr xf86-video-modesetting intel-dri xf86-video-intel bumblebee.

Use my xorg.conf (put it into /etc/X11).

Ensure that after your desktop manager starts, the following commands are automatically executed:

export DISPLAY=:0
xrandr --setprovideroutputsource modesetting NVIDIA-0
xrandr --auto

If you use slim, include the following export before export DISPLAY=:0:

export XAUTHORITY=/var/run/slim.auth

Add yourself to the bumblebee group and start/enable bumblebeed.

To run an application through the nVidia card, execute optirun your_application.

For more details, see this and this HOWTOs. The most important part is the commands that have to be run after a desktop manager/X server starts. Without them, you will only see a blank screen.

Changelog

2014-10-02 - Published the first version of this article.

Feel free to send me your remarks, questions, ideas, or hints that you may have at s3rvac@gmail.com.

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