Ubuntu 12.04 on ASUS n56v

This blog is a collection of solutions to issues or not preferred settings in Ubuntu when installing on ASUS n56v

Press f2 to get into bios

1. After installing Ubuntu fix Grub to boot Windows 8 again.
So installing Ubuntu 12.04 along with a EFI partition with GRUB will result in a boot error for Windows8 (from /dev/sda[some number]), some thing like: error: unknown command 'drivemap' error: invalid EFI file path. While there are many threads online discussed about this issue. Here is the most elegant solution I found: using the Boot-Repair tool. Here is how: 
 1. After Ubuntu is installed (make sure you can access the internet), open the terminal:

sudo add-apt-repository ppa:yannubuntu/boot-repair
sudo apt-get update
 2. Press Enter. 
 3. Then type:
 
 sudo apt-get install -y boot-repair
 boot-repair
 4. Press Enter, let this software figure everything out for you.
It will automatically generate the GRUB files such that your Windoes8 can boot again.
 
Best to choose the Recommended option to fix your boot issues in boot-repair


2. Get the nvidia card working
1. taken from, http://askubuntu.com/questions/163900/ubuntu-any-version-and-650m-cuda
2. NOTE: if using Ubuntu 12.04.2 read these first 
1. http://askubuntu.com/questions/256995/ubuntu-12-04-2-wont-boot-after-bumblebee-instalation 
2. https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/cedarview-drm-drivers/+bug/1132584
1. Yes your integrated graphics will no longer work.
3. Short story if Ubuntu 12.04:
   

   
   sudo add-apt-repository ppa:ubuntu-x-swat/x-updates
   sudo add-apt-repository ppa:bumblebee/stable
   sudo apt-get update

   sudo apt-get install bumblebee bumblebee-nvidia linux-headers-generic

   # If using Ubuntu 12.04.2 with the hardware enablement stack use this to install bumblebee instead

   sudo apt-get install bumblebee bumblebee-nvidia linux-headers-generic-lts-quantal 

   Log out and log back in to update your user groups

   optirun glxspheres

   Basically to make sure the graphics for the program you want to run is handled by the graphics card run it with optirun. 

3. Fixing Eithernet
1. http://www.linuxfoundation.org/collaborate/workgroups/networking/alx
2. Worked great
4. Multi-Touch
1. http://askubuntu.com/questions/127049/help-trying-to-get-two-finger-scrolling-to-work-on-asus-ul80vt/220299#220299 
5. Fix computer freezing ever couple of hours
   For whatever reason the computer seem to freeze every so often. Looks to occur whenever I go to save something.
   
   Apparently it can be easily remedied by enabling the long term service hardware stack like so:
   
   sudo apt-get install linux-generic-lts-quantal xserver-xorg-lts-quantal
   After this you should have kernel version >= 3.5.0 which is the point of enabling the hardware support.
   
6. Fix auto brightness
   
   You could try adding a line to /etc/rc.local that will set the desired brightness level. To edit the file, run
   

   gksudo gedit /etc/rc.local
   

   and add the following
   

   echo X > /sys/class/backlight/intel_backlight/brightness
   

   so that the end result looks like this
   

   #!/bin/sh -e
   #
   # rc.local
   #
   # This script is executed at the end of each multiuser runlevel.
   # Make sure that the script will "exit 0" on success or any other
   # value on error.
   #
   # In order to enable or disable this script just change the execution
   # bits.
   #
   # By default this script does nothing. 

   # Max vlaue seems to be 4882 

    echo X > /sys/class/backlight/intel_backlight/brightness
   
   exit 0
   

   Substitute the X by the desired brightness level.
   
   
7. Sub woofer
1. Source is http://doc.ubuntu-fr.org/asus_n76vm#son in french
2. Basically add
   

   
   echo 0x16 0x99130112 > /sys/class/sound/hwC0D0/user_pin_configs
   echo 1 > /sys/class/sound/hwC0D0/reconfig
   

    

                      To /etc/rc.local                      Before exit 0
                      reboot
                      Might need to change some settings in alsamixer. 

Using PYSdm
http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=872197
Use: user,exec,auto,uid=1000,gid=1000,utf8,dmask=027,fmask=007

References

1. http://askubuntu.com/questions/166263/fn-keys-not-working-on-an-asus-n56v

NOTES:

1. Kernel 3.5.x will not work with the cedarview GPU on Intel chips. Find the bug here. https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/cedarview-drm-drivers/+bug/1132584