Installing LL 3.4 on Lenovo Yoga 710, i7/7th gen

[CaperAsh]

[size=1em]From a thread about Legacy boot versus new method:

First, edited Grub file (a first) and now new LL3.4 installation boots up - fast. To effect this, altered a line using instructionsGRUB_CMDLINE_LINUX_DEFAULT="modprobe.blacklist=i2c_hid"(from page: [color=rgb(51, 68, 102)]https://forums.lenovo.com/t5/forums/v3_1...958/page/2[/color][/size] )
Boots great now.The Touchscreen doesn't work (which is fine for now)The network/internet is not working well. Intermittent connection, often disconnects.
The panel items are strange too, sometimes when connected not showing any wifi connections (I only have wifi here), sometimes refusing to show the only one which works. Also showing 5 bars even when no activity possible.
I used this page to tune up my current (dying) HP which was also intermittent:https://www.freecinema2022.gq/forums/insta...connects)/
I have a Realtek on that laptop and decided to take a chance since it's dying anyway. It made a huge difference.But the new Lenovo 710 is not Realtek (I don't think).It is a Qualcomm Atheros QCA6174 802.11ac.After that on the lspci readout:Unassigned Class: [ff00] Realtek Semiconductor RTS5229 PCI Express Card Reader.I will try to post the lspci output, but the new laptop is busy very slowly downloading Chrome and until finished and set up over there cannot access that output. I am hoping for help to get this connection working properly. Hopefully now the booting issues are resolved, even if the graphics situation cannot improve much until there are chip updates in a week or so, if I can get a solid connection then will be willing to work with the new machine, which I like. And I LOVE the way LL looks on this much nicer screen resolution.

[CaperAsh]

Here is the output from the lspci command:

baronash@ashlap:~$ lspci
00:00.0 Host bridge: Intel Corporation Device 5904 (rev 02)
00:02.0 VGA compatible controller: Intel Corporation Device 5916 (rev 02)
00:14.0 USB controller: Intel Corporation Sunrise Point-LP USB 3.0 xHCI Controller (rev 21)
00:14.2 Signal processing controller: Intel Corporation Sunrise Point-LP Thermal subsystem (rev 21)
00:15.0 Signal processing controller: Intel Corporation Sunrise Point-LP Serial IO I2C Controller (rev 21)
00:15.1 Signal processing controller: Intel Corporation Sunrise Point-LP Serial IO I2C Controller (rev 21)
00:16.0 Communication controller: Intel Corporation Sunrise Point-LP CSME HECI (rev 21)
00:17.0 SATA controller: Intel Corporation Sunrise Point-LP SATA Controller [AHCI mode] (rev 21)
00:1c.0 PCI bridge: Intel Corporation Device 9d10 (rev f1)
00:1c.5 PCI bridge: Intel Corporation Sunrise Point-LP PCI Express Root Port (rev f1)
00:1d.0 PCI bridge: Intel Corporation Device 9d18 (rev f1)
00:1e.0 Signal processing controller: Intel Corporation Sunrise Point-LP Serial IO UART Controller (rev 21)
00:1f.0 ISA bridge: Intel Corporation Device 9d58 (rev 21)
00:1f.2 Memory controller: Intel Corporation Sunrise Point-LP PMC (rev 21)
00:1f.3 Audio device: Intel Corporation Device 9d71 (rev 21)
00:1f.4 SMBus: Intel Corporation Sunrise Point-LP SMBus (rev 21)
01:00.0 3D controller: NVIDIA Corporation GM108M [GeForce 940MX] (rev a2)
02:00.0 Network controller: Qualcomm Atheros QCA6174 802.11ac Wireless Network Adapter (rev 32)
03:00.0 Unassigned class [ff00]: Realtek Semiconductor Co., Ltd. RTS5229 PCI Express Card Reader (rev 01)

[Valtam]

Just a quick question. When I change someone over to Linux, I take a LL loaded USB drive into the retail store and ask to load up LL (with Secure Boot and UEFI disabled of course). Only when all of the hardware proves to work and there are no major issues, does the person commit to a purchase. Have you tried this approach? It is of course, in the interests of the store in question to secure a sale, so they will nearly always cooperate.

[CaperAsh]

I will do that next time. And I will take that answer from the Developer as a suggestion to drop trying to get this one to work given the many hurdles invoved. I also apologise for a couple of confusing threads that started with one topic and then morphed into another, albeit they were simply steps on a continuous journey of trying to work through the problems.

I actually have everything working fine now except the wifi which is intermittent. And the possible solutions online which involve installing the Atheros driver are complicated and insufficiently explained for my skill level, especially with intermittent internet. I ran into another issue: had tried to turn my 3 usb sticks into bootables. Only one seems to have succeeded. But now I can't use the other two easily since don't have permission (having wiped them in gparted as ext4). Which makes it hard to go to dying laptop to download stuff, then transfer over to new laptop to try to load. Doable, by opening as root in places, but clunky. In any case, it looks like:

Close, but no cigar!

[CaperAsh]

I got a T530 Lenovo on Ebay for $200 inc. postage and 1yr service. Arrived 12.50; fully up and running including restore point by around 13.30, now transferring files. No issues whatsoever - internet continuous, screen fine, booting fine. I just got an education about getting the latest models...sorry for any confusion contributed to yr forum. Thanks for the distro.

[torreydale]

[member=3540]CaperAsh[/member],

Glad you're able to start enjoying the distro.

Jerry's recommendation is a good one on buying a new computer from a retail outlet.  And of course, there are the outlets like HP, Dell, and System76 who can ship a new computer with Linux installed.  But at least this way, you save $500+ dollars.

As you can see with the compatibility of your Lenovo Thinkpad T530, business grade PCs are a good way to go for Linux distributions.  In addition to Jerry's tip, business grade is something else to lean towards in selecting Linux hardware, new or used.

[CaperAsh]

Actually I did bring a usb stick but there wasn't anyone there who knew the keys to get into the BIOS with and I didn't insist. Since I tend to keep machines for 5-6 years I thought I might spring a few extra $$$ to get something with really good processors and memory etc. But I didn't understand about kernel-driver issues and having never had serious installation problems, I didn't give it much thought. The one I have now has only 8 GB Ram (vs 16 on the Yoga), no SSD drive, and a standard screen from a few years back, non-glare, which is fine, but definitely not the same Apple-like level of clarity. But it runs better than my old HP from the same year and is not nearly so much of a memory hog, don't know why, nor is it running hot at all. So it is $200 well spent. And if it keeps running this well, then I really won't need the extra performance from the much more expensive models and chips.

Anyway, thanks again.

[Valtam]

If you're happy with the performance, that's as happy as you can be

Some tips:

- For printers, select HP, they have great driver support and an awesome control panel.
- For computers, my go to is either Lenovo or Dell (earlier models)
- Webcams - Logitech
- Wifi dongles - Panda