Installation on a Lenovo IdeaPad Yoga 13

[Charles Curley]

I have a Lenovo IdeaPad Yoga 13, with a Realtek RTL8723A wifi/bluetooth
adapter, and an Intel 3rd gen core processor graphics controller. I
have firmware-11.2.0-amd64-netinst.iso from
https://cdimage.debian.org/cdimage/unofficial/non-free/cd-including-firmware/11.2.0+nonfree/amd64/iso-cd/.

I did find this report,
https://wiki.debian.org/InstallingDebianOn/Lenovo/IdeaPad%20Yoga%2013%20(Wheezy).
Has there been no progress on this hardware since? Should I get a USB->
Ethernet adapter for this beast? If so, is there one that d-i is known
to support?

Some issues:

1) The graphics are terrible. Both graphical and text mode are
scrunched into the top third or so of the screen, with two copies
across the top. They are damn near unreadable.

2) How do I tell it how to pre-seed? In booting I never get access to
the boot command line.

3) The network device is never correctly detected, automatically or
manually. I think it figures out that it is a Realtek, but doesn't go
any further. I was unable to find the WiFi adapter in the manual
selector, probably due to the atrocious graphics. I tried several 8723X
drivers, but d-i didn't like any of them. I think the firmware package
supports it, and I think the driver (8723au) is in the kernel. On my
desktop, also running Bullseye:

root@hawk:~# apt show firmware-realtek | grep -i RTL8723A

WARNING: apt does not have a stable CLI interface. Use with caution in scripts.

* Realtek RTL8723AU rev A Bluetooth firmware (rtl_bt/rtl8723a_fw.bin)
* Realtek RTL8723AU rev A wifi-with-BT firmware
(rtlwifi/rtl8723aufw_A.bin)
* Realtek RTL8723AU rev B wifi-with-BT firmware
(rtlwifi/rtl8723aufw_B.bin)
* Realtek RTL8723AU rev B wifi-only firmware
(rtlwifi/rtl8723aufw_B_NoBT.bin)
* Realtek RTL8723AE rev B firmware (rtlwifi/rtl8723fw_B.bin)
* Realtek RTL8723AE rev A firmware (rtlwifi/rtl8723fw.bin)
root@hawk:~# locate 8723au
/usr/lib/firmware/rtlwifi/rtl8723aufw_A.bin
/usr/lib/firmware/rtlwifi/rtl8723aufw_B.bin
/usr/lib/firmware/rtlwifi/rtl8723aufw_B_NoBT.bin
root@hawk:~# uname -a
Linux hawk 5.10.0-11-amd64 #1 SMP Debian 5.10.92-1 (2022-01-18) x86_64 GNU/Linux
root@hawk:~#


Thinkwiki doesn't seem to mention this beast.

Thoughts?

--
Does anybody read signatures any more?

https://charlescurley.com
https://charlescurley.com/blog/

[Andrei POPESCU]

On Vi, 11 feb 22, 15:24:55, Charles Curley wrote:
>
> 1) The graphics are terrible. Both graphical and text mode are
> scrunched into the top third or so of the screen, with two copies
> across the top. They are damn near unreadable.

That's likely because your graphic chip is not properly recognized and
the OS is using some low resolution. That image is displayed by the
hardware 1:1 on the physical pixels of the screen.

There should be a setting in the BIOS / UEFI Firmware to stretch the
image over the entire screen. The image quality will likely be poor, but
it should be readable.

> 2) How do I tell it how to pre-seed? In booting I never get access to
> the boot command line.

Sorry, can't imagine what you mean here. Pre-seeding is a function of
the Debian Installer, which (as far as I recall) is always waiting for
some input at the first menu. There should be an option to get to a
command line by pressing some key.

> Thinkwiki doesn't seem to mention this beast.

Maybe because it's not a *Think*pad?

Kind regards,
Andrei
--
http://wiki.debian.org/FAQsFromDebianUser

[Charles Curley]

On Fri, 11 Feb 2022 15:24:55 -0700
Charles Curley <charle...@charlescurley.com> wrote:

> I have a Lenovo IdeaPad Yoga 13, with a Realtek RTL8723A
> wifi/bluetooth adapter, and an Intel 3rd gen core processor graphics
> controller. I have firmware-11.2.0-amd64-netinst.iso from
> https://cdimage.debian.org/cdimage/unofficial/non-free/cd-including-firmware/11.2.0+nonfree/amd64/iso-cd/.
>
> I did find this report,
> https://wiki.debian.org/InstallingDebianOn/Lenovo/IdeaPad%20Yoga%2013%20(Wheezy).
> Has there been no progress on this hardware since? Should I get a USB->
> Ethernet adapter for this beast? If so, is there one that d-i is known
> to support?
>
> Some issues:

I should have specified earlier that these are issues with the Debian
installer (d-i). I hadn't gotten as far as actually installing anything.

>
> 1) The graphics are terrible. Both graphical and text mode are
> scrunched into the top third or so of the screen, with two copies
> across the top. They are damn near unreadable.
>
> 2) How do I tell it how to pre-seed? In booting I never get access to
> the boot command line.

I solved both of these problems for the installer by changing the BIOS
to legacy boot, per the Debian installation notes I mentioned earlier.

>
> 3) The network device is never correctly detected, automatically or
> manually. I think it figures out that it is a Realtek, but doesn't go
> any further. I was unable to find the WiFi adapter in the manual
> selector, probably due to the atrocious graphics. I tried several
> 8723X drivers, but d-i didn't like any of them. I think the firmware
> package supports it, and I think the driver (8723au) is in the
> kernel. On my desktop, also running Bullseye:

Still not found. I will let the installation proceed, and examine the
logs later.

[Charles Curley]

On Sat, 12 Feb 2022 14:42:27 +0100
Andrei POPESCU <andreim...@gmail.com> wrote:

> On Vi, 11 feb 22, 15:24:55, Charles Curley wrote:
> >
> > 1) The graphics are terrible. Both graphical and text mode are
> > scrunched into the top third or so of the screen, with two copies
> > across the top. They are damn near unreadable.
>
> That's likely because your graphic chip is not properly recognized
> and the OS is using some low resolution. That image is displayed by
> the hardware 1:1 on the physical pixels of the screen.

Right. But changing from UEFI to legacy boot helped that situation. Go
figure.

>
> > 2) How do I tell it how to pre-seed? In booting I never get access
> > to the boot command line.
>
> Sorry, can't imagine what you mean here. Pre-seeding is a function of
> the Debian Installer, which (as far as I recall) is always waiting
> for some input at the first menu. There should be an option to get to
> a command line by pressing some key.

Right. All of these remarks refer to d-i. Sorry I wasn't clear on that.

Yes, there should be an option. It wasn't present when I booted to
UEFI. D-i went directly to a GUI menu, not the text mode to which I am
accustomed.

I got the text mode when I changed to legacy support, hit the Help
option, and entered my command line stuff there.


And, for the record, an interesting occurrence: d-i came up with
/dev/sdaX (I think 2??) mounted on /media. Oops. It usually picks up
the USB stick I usually have the preseed file on. I umounted and
mounted /dev/sdc1, and was able to load my preseed file and continue.

[Andrew M.A. Cater]

On Sat, Feb 12, 2022 at 12:05:54PM -0700, Charles Curley wrote:
> On Sat, 12 Feb 2022 14:42:27 +0100
> Andrei POPESCU <andreim...@gmail.com> wrote:
>
> > On Vi, 11 feb 22, 15:24:55, Charles Curley wrote:
> > >
> > > 1) The graphics are terrible. Both graphical and text mode are
> > > scrunched into the top third or so of the screen, with two copies
> > > across the top. They are damn near unreadable.
> >
> > That's likely because your graphic chip is not properly recognized
> > and the OS is using some low resolution. That image is displayed by
> > the hardware 1:1 on the physical pixels of the screen.
>

I would not have done it this way, myself. As ever, other people, other
requirements and ways of thinking.

Looking quickly, it looks as if the Yoga has 1600 x 900 so something might
have got confused.

I'd have plugged in an external display and done it that way, expert text mode only and used the unofficial non-free firmware .iso. Definitely text mode
only to start with. It's an Intel chipset, so Intel firmware likely needed.

> Right. But changing from UEFI to legacy boot helped that situation. Go
> figure.
>

BIOS mode sometimes gives a larger display: I'd never tell it to use anything
other than UEFI given the vintage of the laptop.

> >
> > > 2) How do I tell it how to pre-seed? In booting I never get access
> > > to the boot command line.
> >
> > Sorry, can't imagine what you mean here. Pre-seeding is a function of
> > the Debian Installer, which (as far as I recall) is always waiting
> > for some input at the first menu. There should be an option to get to
> > a command line by pressing some key.
>
> Right. All of these remarks refer to d-i. Sorry I wasn't clear on that.
>
> Yes, there should be an option. It wasn't present when I booted to
> UEFI. D-i went directly to a GUI menu, not the text mode to which I am
> accustomed.
>

Hit advanced options and you get the option for text mode install / expert
etc. It may occasionally come up initially as almost a box within a box
in UEFI mode but that's normal.

> I got the text mode when I changed to legacy support, hit the Help
> option, and entered my command line stuff there.
>
>
> And, for the record, an interesting occurrence: d-i came up with
> /dev/sdaX (I think 2??) mounted on /media. Oops. It usually picks up
> the USB stick I usually have the preseed file on. I umounted and
> mounted /dev/sdc1, and was able to load my preseed file and continue.
>
>

That might be an artifact of having the extra USB stick there at disk
evaluation time.
> --

All the very best, as ever,

Andy Cater

[Charles Curley]

On Sat, 12 Feb 2022 22:29:05 +0000
"Andrew M.A. Cater" <amac...@einval.com> wrote:

> On Sat, Feb 12, 2022 at 12:05:54PM -0700, Charles Curley wrote:
> > On Sat, 12 Feb 2022 14:42:27 +0100
> > Andrei POPESCU <andreim...@gmail.com> wrote:
> >
> > > On Vi, 11 feb 22, 15:24:55, Charles Curley wrote:
> > > >
> > > > 1) The graphics are terrible. Both graphical and text mode are
> > > > scrunched into the top third or so of the screen, with two
> > > > copies across the top. They are damn near unreadable.
> > >
> > > That's likely because your graphic chip is not properly recognized
> > > and the OS is using some low resolution. That image is displayed
> > > by the hardware 1:1 on the physical pixels of the screen.
> >
>
> I would not have done it this way, myself. As ever, other people,
> other requirements and ways of thinking.
>
> Looking quickly, it looks as if the Yoga has 1600 x 900 so something
> might have got confused.
>
> I'd have plugged in an external display and done it that way, expert
> text mode only and used the unofficial non-free firmware .iso.
> Definitely text mode only to start with. It's an Intel chipset, so
> Intel firmware likely needed.

I thought about that, but didn't want to steal a monitor from my
desktop.

> >
> > Yes, there should be an option. It wasn't present when I booted to
> > UEFI. D-i went directly to a GUI menu, not the text mode to which I
> > am accustomed.
> >
>
> Hit advanced options and you get the option for text mode install /
> expert etc. It may occasionally come up initially as almost a box
> within a box in UEFI mode but that's normal.

I did check the advanced options menu. Indeed, that is where one goes
to use expert text mode, which I prefer unless I have a preseed file.

It could be due to the wonky graphics, though.

As for the network issue, I have ordered a USB Ethernet adapter. I will
wait until that arrives (late February) before continuing. That is
probably something I should have in my kit anyway.

--

[Charles Curley]

On Sun, 13 Feb 2022 12:41:56 -0700
Charles Curley <charle...@charlescurley.com> wrote:

> As for the network issue, I have ordered a USB Ethernet adapter. I
> will wait until that arrives (late February) before continuing. That
> is probably something I should have in my kit anyway.

The adapter arrived. It is a Pluggable product, USB-E1000. I bought
it from Newegg. It works like a charm both under d-i and once you have a
working system. It works on USB 3 and USB 2.

More on the installation to come.