debian stable - v11 - bullseye - netinst install - lenovo yoga c930
debian stable - v11 - bullseye - netinst install - lenovo yoga c930
Installing debian stable v11 bullseye to this laptop is a bit convoluted. It took me a few tries.
REFERENCES
This URL shows all the procedure steps, including how to to obtain the firmware: https://wiki.debian.org/InstallingDebianOn/Lenovo/Ideapad%20Yoga%20Slim%207%2015IIL05%20%28%20bullseye%20%29
PROCEDURE
You will need to create the NETINST CDROM, and USB stick with firmware files, on another preexisting PC, before beginning the actual installation.
Get into the BIOS menu by + buttons at power up.
Disable secure boot. Set BIOS to boot from USB. Save changes.
Create a NETINST CDROM of the amd64 ISO image.
Copy the *.deb file mentioned in the REFERENCE URL to the USB jump drive.
Extract the firmware files to its root directory: You need to use the "ar" command on the firmware-iwlwifi*_all.deb file to extract two tar files. Then you need to "tar -xvf" to expand and be able to obtain the "iwlwifi-Qu-c0-hr-b0-*" firmware files, and copy them to the root directory of the USB jump drive.
I was only successful using an external CDROM drive, connected to a USB adaptor that allows 2+ USB devices to then plug into the single USB port on the laptop, and the USB stick drive with the firmware files copied to its root directory, all plugged in together.
With both a USB CDROM drive and the USB jump drive connected to a USB adaptor that then plugs into the laptop, was successful to install via NETINST, and have the wifi work, then had the installation finish via wifi.
You have to do it this way, as this laptop model has no Ethernet port. You can only netinst via wifi, as far as I am aware.
For the installer screen that asks how to partition the harddrive (it is a SSD), tell the installer to use the entire disk.
Post installation
As root, add my primary user to the sudo group: adduser primaryUserName sudo
Then reboot. Confirm primary user has sudo powers with "sudo -l" command.
Using sudo, add the aptitude package manager: sudo apt install aptitude
The defaults for firefox result in the text being tiny. It feels like reading a dictionary. So changed the fonts to 20pt for all, and un-selected "allow sites to use their own fonts."
Unlike the REFERENCE URLs suggestion to set the CPUs to Performance, I don't like how warm/hot the laptop gets. I changed the setting to Powersave for all CPUs. Now the laptop just gets warm, perhaps a little above body temperature.
No audio output
EDIT 2022-04-23 Everything I use a debian PC for seems to be working fine, with one exception. There is no audio output, thru the speakers or when I have headphones plugged in. It is not a deal-breaker, as I have another debian PC that has sound just fine.
So, will be doing websearch investigations, dig dig dig, to learn about audio firmware, and what to do to troubleshoot/fix. If/when I am successful, will circle back with another EDIT, and document how to get audio output to work.
sudo lspci | grep -i audio | less 00:1f:3 Multimedia audio controller: Intel Corporation Sunrise Point-LP HD Audio (rev 21)
sudo aplay -l aplay: device_list:274: no soundcards found...
sudo dmesg | grep snd | less
Audio solution - headphone jack audio now working
EDIT 2022-04-23 After a few hours of websearch investigations, found a solution that allows the headphone audio to be successful!
URL of the solution: https://junhao.ca/2021/08/25/fix-lenovo-yoga-c930-sound-card-not-detected-on-linux/
robert@lenovoyogac930: cd /etc/modprobe.d/ cat alsa.conf options snd-hda-intel dmic_detect=0
Using sudo, added the above alsa.conf entry, then rebooted. Went to youtube, and now hear audio from the headphone jack. Output is in stereo (tried some EDM music to test), sound quality and volume output seems "normal." Happy!
Screen brightness seems to randomly slowly change by itself
The hardware has an "automatic brightness level" that seems wonky.
Screen brightness random change fix
Login.
On the upper right corner of the GUI display there is a small down arrow triangle. Click it.
Go to Settings == > Power == > Power Saving
UNSELECT "Automatic Brightness"
Recommended additional hardware
EDIT 2022-08-20 Now that I have had Debian Stable v11 Bullseye installed on this hardware for a while, I recommend adding two pieces of hardware, to make the experience of running Debian on this hardware, more enjoyable:
Add a 1-to-n USB port adapter. The laptop only has two USB ports. One is taken by the power supply cord, leaving only one available to peripherals. With the addition of an adapter, can do things like have both a phone plugged in, as well as use a USB mouse.
Add a standard 2button or 3button USB mouse. The laptop has a single-button built-in touch screen mouse, like a tablet. Most programs have menu or control key work-arounds for not being able to R-click, but it gets old. And some things, like trying to R-click on a mis-spelled word, using Firefox, could not find an easy work-around.
It's just easier to have the USB adapter and "standard" external mouse, to use for what I typically do.
***
EDIT 2022-12-18 I prefer to run the hardware processors in powersave mode all the time. The default is that the CPUs are run at full clock speed.
What I do is to, upon every debian software update, run a program/app that allows a sudo-er to change the default CPU performance from "performance" to "powersave." The app is called "cpupower-gui." You select all processors, then change the drop-down to powersave, and set the minimum CPU clockspeed on the slider to its minimum setting, click the "Apply" button.
For me, that setting stays persistent over logins/logouts. The only time the system looses my settings is when there is a debian package update/reboot.
But, to monitor it, I now launch that application and keep it running when I use this laptop.