ASUS Zenbook UX303

This page contains instructions, tips, pointers, and links for installing and configuring Arch Linux on the ASUS Zenbook UX303 Ultrabook.

There is a lot a models but 2 main models, UX303LN with 2 graphic cards (intel & nvidia) and UX303LA with only an intel graphic card.

Installation problems

None, but you should use the UEFI archlinux installation guide. The Asus UEFI accepts UEFI boot (which works well) and Legacy BIOS mode.

Compatibility

Hard Disk

For the models without a SSD as main disk, the hard disk stop/start each 30/60 seconds, add a udev rule :

 $ cat /etc/udev/rules.d/50-hdparm.rules
 # Configure hardisk power management: No more spin-down !!
 KERNEL=="sda", SUBSYSTEM=="block", ACTION=="add", RUN+="/usr/bin/hdparm -B 255 -S 0 /dev/sda"

and update the systemd hdparm service:

 $ cat /etc/systemd/system/hdparm.service 
 [Unit]
 Description=Local system resume actions
 After=suspend.target
 
 [Service]
 Type=simple
 ExecStart=/usr/bin/hdparm -B 255 -S 0 /dev/sda
 
 [Install]

Touch Pad

The touchpad is an FocalTech model, that is not yet supported by the arch reference kernel. It works only as a basic mouse (no scroll with two fingers, no gesture):

 dmesg | grep FLT01                                                            
 [    0.395565] pnp 00:06: Plug and Play ACPI device, IDs FLT0101 SYN0a00 SYN0002 PNP0f03 PNP0f13 PNP0f12 (active)
 cat /sys/bus/acpi/devices/FLT0101\:00/status                                  
 15 
 $ xinput 
 ⎡ Virtual core pointer                    	id=2	[master pointer  (3)]
 ...
 ⎜   ↳ PS/2 Logitech Wheel Mouse               	id=15	[slave  pointer  (2)]

But, since the 3.18 version, the kernel identifies the touchpad (but identify only, so no scroll with two fingers, no gesture):

 $ xinput
 ⎡ Virtual core pointer                          id=2    [master pointer  (3)]
 ..
 ⎜   ↳ PS/2 FocalTech FocalTech Touchpad in mouse emulation mode id=14   [slave  pointer  (2)]

Some works in progress:

Mathias Gottschlag wrote the driver for this touchpad, but it is not yet included in the kernel master branch. Mathias Gottschlag pushed the Input: psmouse - support for the FocalTech PS/2 protocol patch to Dmitry Torokhov, the kernel input maintener which not yet pushed it to Linus.

Now, if you want to test the new driver, you should compile the Mathias Gottschlag's kernel:

Touch screen

The touchscreen is an Atmel maXTouch Digitize which works well as simple touch. The multi touch isn't yet tested.

Webcam

The webcam is an SuYin HF1019-T838-SN03 (USB 2.0, UVC) which works well.

Wifi

The wifi chipset is an Intel(R) Dual Band Wireless N 7260, REV=0x144. It works well with recents kernel (fails with 3.2.0 kernel) with the iwlwifi kernel module and the firmware version 23.214.9.0. The device name is wlp2s0.

Bluetooth

The Bluetooth chipset is an intel N7260 model (same as the wifi chipset), which works well. Uses the intel/ibt-hw-37.7.10-fw-1.80.2.3.d.bseq firmware.

Graphics

The main graphic chipset is an intel Haswell chipset, which works well with the i915 xorg driver.

The second graphic card (for the LN model) is an NVIDIA GeForce 840M, not yet tested....

Keyboard backlight

Four level positions (0 to 3) available with

 tee /sys/class/leds/asus::kbd_backlight/brightness <<< 3

Monitor backlight

available with

 tee  /sys/class/backlight/intel_backlight/brightness  <<< 500

825 is the max value.

On kernel 3.17, max value seems to be 187

QHD monitor

Some models include a 3200x1800 screen, which display very tiny characters.

For Firefox and Thunderbird, add the below property in the about:config area

 layout.css.devPixelsPerPx=2.

Function Keys

All function keys except the backlight and "plane" mode seem to work out of the box (as of kernel 3.17). To fix, add acpi_osi= as a kernel parameter. Example line from /etc/default/grub:

GRUB_CMDLINE_LINUX_DEFAULT="quiet acpi_osi="