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Asus Zenbook S 13 OLED UX5304MA laptop

January 10, 2025 — BarryK

I bought one. This has a very recent kernel; Intel Core Ultra 7 155U, hence the 6.12.9 kernel compile posted about earlier today:

Already have four laptops, do I really need another? Two reasons for the purchase. Firstly, for testing EasyOS -- someone recently contacted me to report getting a black screen trying to bootup on this CPU. Secondly, for touring.

I have posted about the panniers on my custom trike:

Those panniers have an internal pouch. Just enough space to slide a 13 inch laptop. But, it needs to be thin, so that the plastic containers will also fit into the pannier.

Didn't want to spend much money, but want 32GB RAM and at least 1TB SSD. Discovered the Asus Zenbook S13 UX5304MA, that ticks all the boxes. Also, Officeworks here in Australia were offering it very cheaply. Well, "cheap" is a relative term.

The Asus Zenbook S 13 originally had a Ryzen CPU. Sometime in 2023 they changed to an Intel Core i7 CPU, model UX5304VA. Then in January 2024 introduced the UX5304MA, with Intel Core Ultra 7 155U CPU:

https://press.asus.com/news/press-releases/asus-zenbook-s-13-oled-2024-intel-core-ultra-7/

What caused me some confusion is the price. The Asus AU website has it at AU$2,999 (but out of stock):

https://au.store.asus.com/zenbook-s-13-oled-ux5304ma-nq039w.html

Same thing at The Good Guys, an AU chain store, also AU$2,999:

https://www.thegoodguys.com.au/asus-zenbook-s-13-133-inches-evo-core-ultra-7-32gb-1tb-laptop-ux5304ma-nq039w

However, Officeworks had the same thing, online orders only, for only AU$1,997. So, bought it from them. Looked at their website yesterday, and it is now AU$2,797!

So that AU$1,997 must have been a promotion price. Great that I managed to get one 1,000 dollars cheaper.

Very thin, though those ridges underneath do make it thicker than 1cm:

img1

The big question, though, is Linux compatibility. Did some online research before buying, and reports are that most Linux distributions do not like the Intel Ultra 7 CPU. One guy tested several distros and reported that only Manjaro worked -- both video and sound.

I downloaded the Manjaro ISO and booted from a USB-stick -- at first got a black screen, but that is only because Manjaro is very slow to bootup. After several minutes, got a working desktop, and sound works.

Booted Easy Scarthgap 6.5.4, with the 6.12.9 kernel and some Xe firmware. At first got a black screen, but after some fiddling in the Xorg Wizard, did manage to get a low-resolution desktop. The 'xe.ko' kernel video module was loaded. No sound.

So this is a new project, a work-in-progress. Intend to get Easy working nicely on this CPU. Well, have motivation, as now own one of these. Here is a YouTube video:

"Asus ZenBook S13 ( UX5304M ) Intel Core Ultra 7 155U review"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZE26ZNVZzFE

Note that there are a lot of videos on YouTube for the superceeded UX5304VA, but I managed to only find one for the UX5304MA.

One thing that I am grumbling about is that this CPU is "AI-powered" with an Intel "AI-boost" NPU. As forum member Lobster commented, AI is "Augmented Incompetence".       

Tags: easy

Linux kernel 6.12.9 compiled in Scarthgap

January 10, 2025 — BarryK

Have compiled this kernel as want to get EasyOS working on a computer with Intel Core Ultra 7 CPU. Why? -- that's another story.

Started with the config file from the 6.6.67 kernel compile, updated the aufs patch, and off we go. Made these changes:

Device Drivers -> Graphic Support -> Direct Rendering Manager
    <m> Intel Xe graphics
        [*] Enable display support
        ()  Force probe xe for selected Intel hardware IDs

Device Drivers -> Sound card support -> Advanced Linux Sound Architecture -> ALSA for SoC audio support
    <m> Intel AVS driver

Device Drivers -> Pin controllers -> Intel pin controllers
    <m> Intel pinctrl and GPIO platform driver
    <m> Intel Meteor Lake pinctrl and GPIO driver

Also enabled some security "mitigations".

Running it now on my Lenovo desktop. Working OK. Huge kernel; 6.6.67 is 7,377KB, 6.12.9 is 8,869KB. Why has it grown by 1.5MB?!!! Is it because they have introduced rust code capability?    

Tags: easy

Basket for trike luggage rack

January 10, 2025 — BarryK

Continuing the custom trike project, here is the previous post:

Have now built a "basket" to go on the luggage-rack. It has to be fairly narrow, due to the panniers either side -- although they are below the luggage-rack, they open and expand upward.

Made it from some 25x25x1.4 mm angle that already had, and some scrap masonite for sides and bottom. First photo:

img1

Pretty simple. The side panels are laminated so have water protection. End and bottom panels are raw masonite, so coated them with Bondcrete to weatherseal. Another photo:

img2

If rain protection is required, could make a fabric cover.

Hmmm, wondering when the trike will be ready for a first short tour. Keep thinking of more things to do. Soon...   

Tags: light

Easy Scarthgap-series version 6.5.4 released

January 08, 2025 — BarryK

Version 6.5.3 was released on December 28, 2024, see announcement:

Since then, some important fixes, see 6.5.4 highlights:

Download:

http://distro.ibiblio.org/easyos/amd64/releases/scarthgap/2025/6.5.4/

Feedback welcome at the forum:

https://forum.puppylinux.com/viewtopic.php?p=139572#p139572    

Tags: easy

EasyOS Daedalus-series version 6.5.4 released

January 08, 2025 — BarryK

Version 6.5.3 was released on December 28, 2024, see blog announcement:

There have been some important fixes since then. Highlights since 6.5.3:

Download:

http://distro.ibiblio.org/easyos/amd64/releases/daedalus/2025/6.5.4/

Feedback is welcome at the forum:

https://forum.puppylinux.com/viewtopic.php?p=139569#p139569    

Tags: easy

Avidemux compiled in Scarthgap

January 07, 2025 — BarryK

I have compiled Avidemux 2.8.1 video editor in Easy Scarthgap and created a PET package. It will be in the next release of Easy Scarthgap, install via PKGget, but it will also be an "orange-ball" entry in the menu, Multimedia category.

I haven't compiled it in Easy Daedalus, as got put off by all the dependencies required; for Scarthgap, all deps are already builtin. I see that it isn't in the Debian package repository, which is odd.

Avidemux homepage:

https://avidemux.sourceforge.net/   

Tags: easy

Fix xkbcomp warning messages

January 05, 2025 — BarryK

We have had this issue for a very long time. File /tmp/xerrs.log records stdout and stderr when Xorg is started (see /usr/bin/xwin script), and this is part of it:

The XKEYBOARD keymap compiler (xkbcomp) reports:
> Warning:          Could not resolve keysym XF86CameraAccessEnable
> Warning:          Could not resolve keysym XF86CameraAccessDisable
> Warning:          Could not resolve keysym XF86CameraAccessToggle
> Warning:          Could not resolve keysym XF86NextElement
> Warning:          Could not resolve keysym XF86PreviousElement
> Warning:          Could not resolve keysym XF86AutopilotEngageToggle
> Warning:          Could not resolve keysym XF86MarkWaypoint
> Warning:          Could not resolve keysym XF86Sos
> Warning:          Could not resolve keysym XF86NavChart
> Warning:          Could not resolve keysym XF86FishingChart
> Warning:          Could not resolve keysym XF86SingleRangeRadar
> Warning:          Could not resolve keysym XF86DualRangeRadar
> Warning:          Could not resolve keysym XF86RadarOverlay
> Warning:          Could not resolve keysym XF86TraditionalSonar
> Warning:          Could not resolve keysym XF86ClearvuSonar
> Warning:          Could not resolve keysym XF86SidevuSonar
> Warning:          Could not resolve keysym XF86NavInfo
Errors from xkbcomp are not fatal to the X server
The XKEYBOARD keymap compiler (xkbcomp) reports:
> Warning:          Could not resolve keysym XF86CameraAccessEnable
> Warning:          Could not resolve keysym XF86CameraAccessDisable
> Warning:          Could not resolve keysym XF86CameraAccessToggle
> Warning:          Could not resolve keysym XF86NextElement
> Warning:          Could not resolve keysym XF86PreviousElement
> Warning:          Could not resolve keysym XF86AutopilotEngageToggle
> Warning:          Could not resolve keysym XF86MarkWaypoint
> Warning:          Could not resolve keysym XF86Sos
> Warning:          Could not resolve keysym XF86NavChart
> Warning:          Could not resolve keysym XF86FishingChart
> Warning:          Could not resolve keysym XF86SingleRangeRadar
> Warning:          Could not resolve keysym XF86DualRangeRadar
> Warning:          Could not resolve keysym XF86RadarOverlay
> Warning:          Could not resolve keysym XF86TraditionalSonar
> Warning:          Could not resolve keysym XF86ClearvuSonar
> Warning:          Could not resolve keysym XF86SidevuSonar
> Warning:          Could not resolve keysym XF86NavInfo
Errors from xkbcomp are not fatal to the X server
The XKEYBOARD keymap compiler (xkbcomp) reports:
> Warning:          Could not resolve keysym XF86CameraAccessEnable
> Warning:          Could not resolve keysym XF86CameraAccessDisable
> Warning:          Could not resolve keysym XF86CameraAccessToggle
> Warning:          Could not resolve keysym XF86NextElement
> Warning:          Could not resolve keysym XF86PreviousElement
> Warning:          Could not resolve keysym XF86AutopilotEngageToggle
> Warning:          Could not resolve keysym XF86MarkWaypoint
> Warning:          Could not resolve keysym XF86Sos
> Warning:          Could not resolve keysym XF86NavChart
> Warning:          Could not resolve keysym XF86FishingChart
> Warning:          Could not resolve keysym XF86SingleRangeRadar
> Warning:          Could not resolve keysym XF86DualRangeRadar
> Warning:          Could not resolve keysym XF86RadarOverlay
> Warning:          Could not resolve keysym XF86TraditionalSonar
> Warning:          Could not resolve keysym XF86ClearvuSonar
> Warning:          Could not resolve keysym XF86SidevuSonar
> Warning:          Could not resolve keysym XF86NavInfo
Errors from xkbcomp are not fatal to the X server

Those warnings have been there "forever", well, a long time. What is new is that 'xkbcomp' runs three times. Recent versions of Easy have been messing around with fixing the keyboard layout; something has caused this.

I don't know what causes 'xkbcomp' to run three times, but have found the cause of those warnings. The problem only occurs in Scarthgap, not Daedalus. In Scarthgap, the package 'xkeyboard-config' has file /etc/X11/xkb/symbols/inet, which causes the warnings. Debian/Devuan has 'xkb-data' DEB package and its 'inet' file does not cause those warnings.

So now using the 'inet' file from Debian, see commit:

https://github.com/bkauler/woofq/commit/1b3178e700ce3ed1042e9fe6656d82f33997a982

I googled several times trying to find why those warnings are happening. Lots of people report the problem, but noone found the cause; not that I could find anyway. So did my own detective work to track it down.

Wish I knew why 'xkbcomp' is running three times, but no cause jumps out at me.    

Tags: easy

Fix run X11 apps in containers

January 05, 2025 — BarryK

Alfons reported that X11 apps, such as ycalc, rubix, even lite-xl, do not start in containers. Try to run them in a terminal, and see "cannot load font" error message.

I found the cause. These apps need to load .pcf fonts, that are at /usr/share/fonts/misc; however, the Xephyr nested server does not look there. It does see the TrueType fonts in /usr/share/fonts/TTF

The fix is to explicitly add the path with the "-fp" option when launch Xephyr, see commit:

https://github.com/bkauler/woofq/commit/b1e82d7d7b11335b8c88108fc0343ae345626431

...although seems not needed, explicitly added the "TTF" and "X11" folder paths as well.      

Tags: easy