Unix in a low cost laptop (part 5)

Starting september 2008 I was able to install OpenSolaris 2008.05 on my Acer Aspire 5633 (5630) but disabling de ACPI functionality. In that case start the installed WiFi was impossible: the radio always was off and the special buttons were inoperable.

Yesterday, navigating in diverse forums, I found some messages about the pre-release of OpenSolaris 2009.06 and I decided to look for a solution for my problems. I found this bug in OpenSolaris Bugzilla and..... YES!!! Running!!!

Tonight I'm writing this post from OpenSolaris 2008.11. To install it I edited the LiveCD Grub by adding -B disable-pcic=true and then the same in the Grub cofiguration once installed in hard disk. All the hardware is working except the network interface (Broadcom NetXtreme) but I know how to install the driver because I installed the last time.

To modify the Grub configuration:

1. Open a terminal an be root: $ su
2. Start nautilus: # nautilus
3. Navigate to the folder /rpool/boot/grub/
4. Open menu.lst

My menu.lst file is:

splashimage /boot/grub/splash.xpm.gz
background 215ECA
timeout 30
default 0
#---------- ADDED BY BOOTADM - DO NOT EDIT ----------
title OpenSolaris 2008.11 snv_101b_rc2 X86
findroot (pool_rpool,0,a)
splashimage /boot/solaris.xpm
foreground d25f00
background 115d93
bootfs rpool/ROOT/opensolaris
kernel$ /platform/i86pc/kernel/$ISADIR/unix -B $ZFS-BOOTFS,console=graphics,disable-pcic=true
module$ /platform/i86pc/$ISADIR/boot_archive
#---------------------END BOOTADM--------------------

title OpenSolaris 2008.11 snv_101b_rc2 X86 text boot
findroot (pool_rpool,0,a)
bootfs rpool/ROOT/opensolaris
kernel$ /platform/i86pc/kernel/$ISADIR/unix -B $ZFS-BOOTFS,disable-pcic=true
module$ /platform/i86pc/$ISADIR/boot_archive

And that's all for today, now play with this beast OS.