Linux Tablet?

inkbug

I bought a used Microsoft Surface Pro 6 about a year and a half ago, and installed the basic Fedora on it.
I used it mostly for digital drawing with Krita, and it worked smoothly - but when Fedora 39 came out, the upgrade process could not continue because the EFI partition was too small.

I haven't really used it much since, but I have plans to try PureOs on it.

The Surface requires a kernel patch from https://github.com/linux-surface/linux-surface to enable the touch and stylus, and since they have ready patches only for Debian/Ubuntu, Fedora and Arch, I haven't considered installing Solus on it - compiling my own kernel patch feels beyond my skill set.

BuzzPCSOS

inkbug I was initially quite tempted by MS Surface tablets but discarded them due to how difficult it seemed to get them working on Linux and strangely on Windows too.
I probably need to look closer at computer companies that also offer Linux installed OSs and drivers.
Part of my idea for using Linux is to be able to stay on a stable platform that gets updated regularly and keeps my hardware viable. Perhaps too much to ask for.

BuzzPCSOS

Axios Unfortunately for me I could not get the battery status or WiFi to work with Solus, pretty much two essentials for a tablet.
Everything on Manjaro worked with minimal fuss except for the WiFi so that is where I will be staying if I can get the WiFi to work. At the moment I am using a USB adaptor for wireless but that means I have no spare ports for external storage.
In fairness the built-in wireless adaptor is a Broadcom job that is very picky about what driver it uses. Numerous Windows installations messed up the WiFi when the OS updated the stock drivers. The original manufacturer no longer has a web presence so I might have to be happy with what I have got.

Axios

BuzzPCSOS Nothing like repeat offenders is their. (aka wifi)
My t420 didnt have wifi rummaged around in my stash found one but it was wifi
only but geez it screams in the t420 my point the only broadcom that ever worked above expectations for me.

I dont know why its always the common things that hiccup.

Dunno if this be of help
https://github.com/brazenwinter/linx12x64archlinux
https://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=2450187
This may be of use the wifi section

Just killin time and relaxing..lol

BuzzPCSOS

Axios Thanks, I have already been there! Installed all the files and watched the WiFi turn on! And then nothing, wireless password would not accept. I could see all the networks but could not connect to any of them. After a reboot still no connection and performance seemed a bit (more) laggy. Wiped and tried using the restore media to return it to Windows. Two and a half hours of blank screen and I had wiped it again and gone back to Manjaro.
Hoping I might get as lucky as the guy on the video, I have shouted out on the Manjaro forum to see if anyone there has the answer.
It has got to be said that Solus and it's forum makes me feel more like someone is holding my hand. Maybe it's just familiarity, I don't know.

Axios

BuzzPCSOS If you do sudo lshw -C network what do you get

BuzzPCSOS

Axios Thanks for your suggestion.
After I installed it, I ran the suggested command. Some details flashed up on the screen too fast to read and then it just jumped down a line waiting for the next command without displaying any information.
Maybe I should try installing the GitHub drivers again, do a reboot and scan again.

inkbug

BuzzPCSOS
While probably no help at this point, you might find this interesting:
https://www.davidrevoy.com/article976/lenovo-yoga-370-on-gnu-linux-technical-companion-article

David Revoy is an illustrator and Linux enthusiast. An insipirng rarity in the world of digital art.

Axios

(sudo lshw -C network) Nothing fancy about that command its saying it doesnt like something
if you got enuf screen should just display.
Guess it doesnt like something we knew that thought it would help us out abit.

You got secure boot turned off right I dont think it will load that wifi with it turned on?

BuzzPCSOS

Axios I installed the GitHub driver and rebooted. Can see networks but security password will not accept. When I shut down the tablet it hung. I will take a more detailed look at that later.
Also took another try with sudo lshw -C network and now have an output. I will post that up later as I don't have access to my computer right now.

BuzzPCSOS

Axios Somewhat later...
Tried tablet again, startup and shutdown are both fine. Results of sudo lshw -C network with GitHub drivers installed.
*-interface:0 description: Wireless interface product: 43455 vendor: Broadcom physical id: 1 bus info: mmc@2:0001:1 logical name: mmc2:0001:1 logical name: wlan0 serial: 36:00:1f:1a:11:99 capabilities: ethernet physical wireless configuration: broadcast=yes driver=brcmfmac driverversion=7.45.234 firmware=01-996384e2 multicast=yes wireless=IEEE 802.11
Still can't connect because it will not take my password, all very frustrating.

Axios

BuzzPCSOS Lets see if its enabled (nmcli radio)

And (rfkill list)

BuzzPCSOS

Axios nmcli returned everything enabled except WWAN-LAN missing.
rfkill list returned nothing blocked.

Axios

BuzzPCSOS It would appear to me that driver is loaded and working but it is not
the right one. (Everything you replied to is proper)

I have seen two others but havent researched them enough yet found one post the guy could not login
but changed the driver and then it worked (not sure if that was to the wifi not working at all or if was just login i Got the impression it was login) that was a manjaro forum I think.
I think it has something to do with the wrong 802.11 mode. (Not 100% sure)

To pooped tonight to research seen yer post on manjaro

BuzzPCSOS

Axios Many thanks for what you have achieved so far. Never needed to do this sort of fault finding with Linux before, just lucky I guess.
Your suggestions are really appreciated.

Axios

BuzzPCSOS Run this and see what it spits out so maybe we can nail down driver.
(lspci -nn -d 14e4🙂

Note; going ramble for a minute
I was checking out my budgie in the BRCM firmware directory Solus does have those files that you installed
on manjaro so the question is why did solus not work then?

But there are many for different devices like this and then what appears to be a generic blob.

So whats different between those files I have no idea at this point.

My point was if manjaro with the generic blob is at least seeing your wifi why didnt solus.
(Is Solus smarter?) inquiring minds want to know..

If what I see is correct
Busy today will tinker later..

BuzzPCSOS

Axios 😄 I think part of the lspci -nn -d 14e4🙂 command got confused as an emoji. Unfortunately I don't know what I am supposed to be doing so couldn't just make a good guess.
Some of the problems with these drivers is that they are motherboard specific also there are both sdio chips and pcie chips which can make detection and usage of a universal driver a bit hit and miss.
I have the driver that worked on Windows so I might be able to determine from that what Linux driver I should be looking for. On one Ubuntu forum there was even the suggestion that the Windows driver instruction file could be renamed and used to enable the built in Linux drivers.
Food for thought.
Right at the moment I don't have a physical keyboard for my linx12 so things like renaming files and other simple tasks are a pita and have restricted what I can do to test out new drivers. If I can get the WiFi working in the end I will most likely record what was needed to make it work and then wipe and clean install, I have chopped everything around so much already that it is a wonder that it still boots.

Axios

BuzzPCSOS Its just lspci -nn -d 14e4 wanted see what it said

BuzzPCSOS

Axios Oh right, well it just complained when I tried that.
lspci: -d: At least two fields must be given

I have done a bit of reverse engineering and have the build revision of the driver that worked on the tablet with Windows on it.

802.11ac WDI SDIO Adapter
Version: 1.596.13.0
Date: 25 July 2016
Size: 3.5 MB
INF file: bcmwdidhdsdio.inf

I wonder if it could be used to determine what Linux driver is required.

Axios

BuzzPCSOS Just use lspci am looking for the
line on your wireless as to what it says.
Mine looks like this
02:00.0 Network controller [0280]: Intel Corporation Wireless 8260 [8086:24f3] (rev 42)

Yours might look something like this or along those lines
Broadcom Corporation BCM4306 802.11bgn Wireless Network Adapter [14e4:4320] (rev 03)

Did you do anything with the nvram.txt file when you installed the drivers (not sure of the exact nvram name)

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