Suspending a Gazelle laptop (Pete's notes)

From: Lincoln Durey
To: EmperorLinux Empkernel EmperorLinux-Empkernel@lists.EmperorLinux.com
Date: 08 Sep 2003 16:34:10 -0400
Cc: EmperorLinux Support support@EmperorLinux.com
Subject: [EmperorLinux-Empkernel] empkernel (2420p6a0328sw) swsusp +

Dear portable Linux Enthusiast,

The new empkernel is out, and has a great many new goodies for our Linux laptop and notebook customers. I've been working off and on with this for some time (some of you with very recent shipments are already running emp_2420p6a0328sw).

To get this new kernel, go to www.EmperorLinux.com/support/kernels and get the four empkernel rpms in the 2.4.20 directory. Then get the README files also:

wget www.EmperorLinux.com/support/kernels/README
wget www.EmperorLinux.com/support/kernels/2.4.20/README.swsusp

This empkernel (emp_2420p6a0328sw) is based on the 2.4.20 + 2421pre6 patches, and includes these new features:

SwSusp, or Software Suspend, will allow most customers with ACPI-only BIOSes to finally have a hibernate function in Linux. If you want to use swsusp features, please see the system-specific instructions (malied to the system-specific lists soon). This provides software hibernate for Sony and Dell systems. IBM systems may upgrade to this kernel, but should continue to use the hardware APM suspend mode.
Small patches:
- update ltmodem (some IBM's)
- built in Broadcom bcm4400, bcm5700 ethernet support (Dell's)

CONFIG options (new):

        IP_MULTICAST=y (some advanced user requests for this)
        IPV6=m (and this)
        NET_PKTGEN=m (for advanced packet hacking)
        KALLSYMS=y (for debugging)
        AGP_SIS=y (for GRT100 frame buffer)
        FB_SIS=m (for GRT100 frame buffer)
        NCP_FS=m (for Angela... some windows thing...:-)
        USB_SERIAL_KEYSPAN_* (many new USB to serial converters)

On the ToDo list (not in this release):

CryptoAPI, the Linux Cryptographic API so you can encrypt the data you store on your USB memory keys and memory sticks. (this was in our 2.4.16 through 2.4.19 empkernels, but was dropped from the first 2.4.20's...
Firewire, Yes, you all already have firewire / ieee1394 support, but the kernel FireWire code is changing significantly in 2.4.21/22 and we don't want to break your currently working firewire. So until we can get a stable 2.4.22 build and update your FW scripts to the newer Firewire, we will keep the 2420p6 as up-to-date as we can...

Feel free to call or email if you have any technical questions, or are ready to place an order.

-- Lincoln

From: Lincoln Durey
To: EmperorLinux Gazelle EmperorLinux-Empkernel@lists.EmperorLinux.com
Date: 09 Sep 2003 12:54:34 -0400
Cc: EmperorLinux Support support@EmperorLinux.com
Subject: [EmperorLinux-sys-Gazelle] swsusp: suspend.sh for GRX, GRV Gazelle (not GRT yet)

Gazelle system owners,

As recently indicated on the Empkernel list, we are now ready to offer software suspend as a beta-test feature. If you'd like to play, read on... This will enable you to hibernate your system (write the RAM image to disk, halt, and read the disk back into RAM instead of the full boot) This is very convenient, especially if you are "bursty" in your laptop usage. This makes efficient use of your battery power, and won't keep you halting and rebooting all the time.

This has been tested on the Gazelle GRX700, and works quite well under the emp_2420p6a0328sw empkernel. The GRX, GRV, and GR series, models the Gazelle should work fine.

The Current GRT100 series is a completely different story, and we are working to be sure it is fine (it has a SiS ethernet, and NVidia X, which are both a bit picky about suspend as yet)

Please find the attached suspend.sh. run it as root via:

sh suspend.sh --install

This will create the needed scripts /usr/sbin/hibernate and config files /etc/suspend.conf for your system. Reboot your system (with the grub.conf indicating that /dev/hda4 is the resume partition)

"resume=/dev/hda4 \"

(described previously on the Empkernel mailing list)

then "hibernate" will do the magic.

suspend.sh is also available from:

wget www.EmperorLinux.com/support/misc/suspend.sh

You should be aware that the swsusp procedure involves the shutdown of system services and removal of kernel modules for any services/modules that are not as yet happy with software suspend. These include things like networking, sound, some filesystems, pcmcia, ... Most of these are reloaded/restarted transparently when the system resumes. If services you use are not properly re-started, please respond with the commands you use to re-enable it, and we'll include those in the updates.

If you have any difficulty, please e-mail EmperorLinux Support support@EmperorLinux.com

Enjoy, and please recommend EmperorLinux to your friends.

-- Lincoln

Pete Siemsen

Last modified: Mon Sep 15 10:12:18 MDT 2003