This page contains instructions, tips, pointers, and links for installing and configuring Arch Linux on the ASUS Zenbook UX51Vz ultrabook. See the page for its 13" variant [ASUS Zenbook Prime UX31A](/index.php/ASUS_Zenbook_Prime_UX31A "ASUS Zenbook Prime UX31A") that has mostly orthogonal information to those here (may be only partially applicable to UX51Vz) ## Contents * [1 Installation](#Installation) * [1.1 Boot from USB medium](#Boot_from_USB_medium) * [2 Function keys](#Function_keys) * [3 Solid State Drive](#Solid_State_Drive) * [4 Touchpad](#Touchpad) * [5 Powersave management](#Powersave_management) * [6 Hardware and Modules](#Hardware_and_Modules) * [6.1 PCI](#PCI) * [7 Additional resources](#Additional_resources) ## Installation The UX51Vz comes in a variety of configurations, most of those sold in western Europe come with two SSDs (2x128GB or 2x256GB) in an Intel Rapid Storage (aka Intel Matrix) RAID 0 configuration. To install Arch Linux on the UX51Vz, you can follow the official [Installation guide](/index.php/Installation_guide "Installation guide"). Since the UX51Vz uses UEFI and GPT, make sure to also read the [UEFI](/index.php/UEFI "UEFI"), [GPT](/index.php/GPT "GPT") and [UEFI Bootloaders](/index.php/UEFI_Bootloaders "UEFI Bootloaders") pages. It is recommended to use rEFInd as a bootloader and mount the EFI partition on /boot. To prepare a UEFI USB device, read [UEFI#Create UEFI bootable USB from ISO](/index.php/UEFI#Create_UEFI_bootable_USB_from_ISO "UEFI"). The only way to preserve the pre-installed Windows instance is to install Arch with RAID without breaking up the RAID 0 array. See [RAID](/index.php/RAID "RAID") with the only difference that you should not create arrays, only assemble. **Note:** As of BIOS version 207 on UX51VZH there is no option to reconfigure the Intel RST setup through BIOS. Once you break your array, you cannot set it up again. For Linux-only users, mdadm software raid should be a better option. To report the RAID information from the Option ROM (for instance "Intel(R) Matrix Storage Manager"): ``` mdadm --detail-platform ``` To get general details: ``` mdadm -D /dev/md127 ``` To examine information (including members): ``` mdadm -E /dev/md127 ``` This is the important part that uses imsm (Intel Matrix) metadata! To assemble the RAID array inside the container, and/or to start it (the -e option declares the style of RAID metadata (superblock) to be used): ``` mdadm -I -e imsm /dev/md127 ``` To check the current state: ``` cat /proc/mdstat ``` To add it to the configuration file (to be activated automagically at boot): ``` mdadm --examine --scan >> /etc/mdadm.conf ``` Then proceed with partitioning and file systems creation as usual. ### Boot from USB medium Press `Escape` to get into the boot menu. If the USB bootable device is not listed, enter the configuration menu and directly press `F10` to save. Press `Escape` again on reboot: This time the USB bootable device should appear in the menu. Select 'Boot Arch Linux (x86_64)" and press `Enter`. The installation system will be booted and you will end up with a terminal. ## Function keys The function keys are largely the same as described in [ASUS Zenbook Prime UX31A](/index.php/ASUS_Zenbook_Prime_UX31A "ASUS Zenbook Prime UX31A"). This goes for both screen backlight (which actually works out of the box on KDE as of June 2013) and keyboard backlight. ## Solid State Drive Check [Solid State Drives](/index.php/Solid_State_Drives "Solid State Drives") ## Touchpad See [ASUS Zenbook Prime UX31A](/index.php/ASUS_Zenbook_Prime_UX31A "ASUS Zenbook Prime UX31A"), the touchpad is the same. ## Powersave management For automatic powersaving when on battery configure [Laptop Mode Tools](/index.php/Laptop_Mode_Tools "Laptop Mode Tools"). For manual power saving see [Power saving](/index.php/Power_saving "Power saving"). Also check out [Powertop](/index.php/Powertop "Powertop"). The UX51Vz can run a little hot, this is especially true for the HiDPI variant (aka UX51VZH) because the discrete GPU is always on. Be sure to check out [Linux Thermal Daemon](https://01.org/linux-thermal-daemon) (available as [thermald](https://www.archlinux.org/packages/?name=thermald) in the AUR), which proactively controls thermal using P-states, T-states, and the Intel power clamp driver. It can do wonders for temperature management while avoiding to spin up the fans. ## Hardware and Modules #### PCI This is output of lspci -nnn -k on the UX51Vz-DB114H. Note that unlike most other UX51Vz models, this one has no integrated Intel graphics (plain Nvidia, not Optimus) and a retina 2880x1620 display. ``` 00:00.0 Host bridge [0600]: Intel Corporation 3rd Gen Core processor DRAM Controller [8086:0154] (rev 09) Subsystem: ASUSTeK Computer Inc. Device [1043:15a7] 00:01.0 PCI bridge [0604]: Intel Corporation Xeon E3-1200 v2/3rd Gen Core processor PCI Express Root Port [8086:0151] (rev 09) Kernel driver in use: pcieport Kernel modules: shpchp 00:14.0 USB controller [0c03]: Intel Corporation 7 Series/C210 Series Chipset Family USB xHCI Host Controller [8086:1e31] (rev 04) Subsystem: ASUSTeK Computer Inc. Device [1043:15a7] Kernel driver in use: xhci_hcd Kernel modules: xhci_hcd 00:16.0 Communication controller [0780]: Intel Corporation 7 Series/C210 Series Chipset Family MEI Controller #1 [8086:1e3a] (rev 04) Subsystem: ASUSTeK Computer Inc. Device [1043:15a7] Kernel driver in use: mei Kernel modules: mei 00:1a.0 USB controller [0c03]: Intel Corporation 7 Series/C210 Series Chipset Family USB Enhanced Host Controller #2 [8086:1e2d] (rev 04) Subsystem: ASUSTeK Computer Inc. Device [1043:15a7] Kernel driver in use: ehci-pci Kernel modules: ehci_pci 00:1b.0 Audio device [0403]: Intel Corporation 7 Series/C210 Series Chipset Family High Definition Audio Controller [8086:1e20] (rev 04) Subsystem: ASUSTeK Computer Inc. Device [1043:15a7] Kernel driver in use: snd_hda_intel Kernel modules: snd_hda_intel 00:1c.0 PCI bridge [0604]: Intel Corporation 7 Series/C210 Series Chipset Family PCI Express Root Port 1 [8086:1e10] (rev c4) Kernel driver in use: pcieport Kernel modules: shpchp 00:1c.1 PCI bridge [0604]: Intel Corporation 7 Series/C210 Series Chipset Family PCI Express Root Port 2 [8086:1e12] (rev c4) Kernel driver in use: pcieport Kernel modules: shpchp 00:1c.3 PCI bridge [0604]: Intel Corporation 7 Series/C210 Series Chipset Family PCI Express Root Port 4 [8086:1e16] (rev c4) Kernel driver in use: pcieport Kernel modules: shpchp 00:1d.0 USB controller [0c03]: Intel Corporation 7 Series/C210 Series Chipset Family USB Enhanced Host Controller #1 [8086:1e26] (rev 04) Subsystem: ASUSTeK Computer Inc. Device [1043:15a7] Kernel driver in use: ehci-pci Kernel modules: ehci_pci 00:1f.0 ISA bridge [0601]: Intel Corporation HM77 Express Chipset LPC Controller [8086:1e57] (rev 04) Subsystem: ASUSTeK Computer Inc. Device [1043:15a7] Kernel driver in use: lpc_ich Kernel modules: lpc_ich 00:1f.2 RAID bus controller [0104]: Intel Corporation 82801 Mobile SATA Controller [RAID mode] [8086:282a] (rev 04) Subsystem: ASUSTeK Computer Inc. Device [1043:15a7] Kernel driver in use: ahci Kernel modules: ahci 00:1f.3 SMBus [0c05]: Intel Corporation 7 Series/C210 Series Chipset Family SMBus Controller [8086:1e22] (rev 04) Subsystem: ASUSTeK Computer Inc. Device [1043:15a7] Kernel modules: i2c_i801 01:00.0 VGA compatible controller [0300]: NVIDIA Corporation GK107M [GeForce GT 650M] [10de:0fd1] (rev a1) Subsystem: ASUSTeK Computer Inc. GeForce GT 650M [1043:2141] Kernel driver in use: nvidia Kernel modules: nouveau, nvidia 01:00.1 Audio device [0403]: NVIDIA Corporation GK107 HDMI Audio Controller [10de:0e1b] (rev a1) Subsystem: NVIDIA Corporation GK107 HDMI Audio Controller [10de:0e1b] Kernel driver in use: snd_hda_intel Kernel modules: snd_hda_intel 03:00.0 Network controller [0280]: Intel Corporation Centrino Advanced-N 6235 [8086:088e] (rev 24) Subsystem: Intel Corporation Centrino Advanced-N 6235 AGN [8086:4060] Kernel driver in use: iwlwifi Kernel modules: iwlwifi 04:00.0 Ethernet controller [0200]: Qualcomm Atheros AR8151 v2.0 Gigabit Ethernet [1969:1083] (rev c0) Subsystem: ASUSTeK Computer Inc. Device [1043:15a7] Kernel driver in use: atl1c Kernel modules: atl1c ``` ## Additional resources * [https://help.ubuntu.com/community/AsusZenbookPrime](https://help.ubuntu.com/community/AsusZenbookPrime) * [http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=2005999](http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=2005999) * [Wikipedia:Zenbook#UX32.2C UX42 and UX52](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zenbook#UX32.2C_UX42_and_UX52 "wikipedia:Zenbook") * [http://bertrandbenoit.blogspot.it/2011/07/manage-intel-raid-under-gnulinux-using.html](http://bertrandbenoit.blogspot.it/2011/07/manage-intel-raid-under-gnulinux-using.html)