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Linux compatibility

iabiab
Level 7
I'm considering getting a G750JX in the very near future, with the intent to make it dual boot WIndows and linux (probably ubuntu, maybe arch). As I was searching for a new laptop, I came across the MSI GT60/70 lines, and was surprised to find they feature ethernet and wifi cards that apparently have no linux driver (bigfoot killers). This, of course, wouldn't do.

Before I commit myself to the G750JX, I was wondering if anyone has successfully installed linux on it, and if everything works as expected. Since linux will be my main OS, with Windows just for gaming, I don't want to have a nasty surprise after purchase...

Thanks for the feedback!
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56 REPLIES 56

Impetusin
Level 7
I plan on doing this when I get my ASUS G750JX later on this week with Ubuntu/Windows dual boot and I'll make sure I post with my success/failures and any hardware issues I see along the way. Ubuntu should run it well though.

Impetusin wrote:
I plan on doing this when I get my ASUS G750JX later on this week with Ubuntu/Windows dual boot and I'll make sure I post with my success/failures and any hardware issues I see along the way. Ubuntu should run it well though.


Great! I'm eager to find out how it goes for you.

EpIcSnIpErZ23
Level 8
I am 98% sure this laptop has full functionality with ubuntu. Since it has no optimus the Graphics card will work perfectly.
Desktop: [CPU: i5-4670k] [GPU: R9 290x] [RAM: 8GB] [HDD: 3x 1tb Raid 0] [MOBO: MSI Z87 M-Power]

Asus G750JW-DB71
CPU: Intel Core i7-4700HQ
GPU: Nvidia GTX 765m [GPU CLOCK: 997MHZ] [MEMORY CLOCK: 6 GHZ]
RAM: 12GB
HDD: 1x 1TB HDD
SSD: 1x 64GB SSD
Steam ID: http://steamcommunity.com/profiles/76561198055414700/
Origin ID: DriftingSloth

EpIcSnIpErZ23 wrote:
I am 98% sure this laptop has full functionality with ubuntu. Since it has no optimus the Graphics card will work perfectly.


Have you ever tried to boot a live-cd, to see how things fare?

Edited for double post.

iabiab
Level 7
Intel Dude wrote:
But to install another OS won't you have to disable secure boot and enable CMS? wouldn't that kill the current Windows 8 installation and you would also have to go through the headache of doing a clean install for Windows 8 and embedding the built in product key in the bIOS via a PID.txt file?


Well, for me the real headache would be using windows as my main OS. I currently only use it (win7) for gaming, at least for the games not (yet) on Steam for Linux, and I have no plan whatsoever to be stuck with windows for any other task.
Fortunately, Ubuntu and other distributions seem to support Secure Boot now.

EpIcSnIpErZ23
Level 8
Yea, i would just disabled secure boot all together. Dual boot Win 7 and Ubuntu. I've researched and most of the components are compatible with linux. Idk about the wifi card tho.
Desktop: [CPU: i5-4670k] [GPU: R9 290x] [RAM: 8GB] [HDD: 3x 1tb Raid 0] [MOBO: MSI Z87 M-Power]

Asus G750JW-DB71
CPU: Intel Core i7-4700HQ
GPU: Nvidia GTX 765m [GPU CLOCK: 997MHZ] [MEMORY CLOCK: 6 GHZ]
RAM: 12GB
HDD: 1x 1TB HDD
SSD: 1x 64GB SSD
Steam ID: http://steamcommunity.com/profiles/76561198055414700/
Origin ID: DriftingSloth

tannerml
Level 7
I have a G750JW. I installed Ubuntu 13.04 64 bit but I had to load the "Run Linux without installing" option first and then install from there. When I tried to install it directly X crashed and dumped me to a black screen. Once install I had to look for a Wifi driver that worked as the 3rd party driver did not. Trying to install the 3rd party driver during the Ubuntu install caused it to get stuck. I was able to get the Wifi working afterward by folliowing the instructions at https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/linux/+bug/1173761/comments/29.

I have 2 remaining issues... I cannot change the display brightness and I cannot use the right mouse button. I think I'll be able to overcome these eventually though.

tannerml wrote:
I have a G750JW. I installed Ubuntu 13.04 64 bit but I had to load the "Run Linux without installing" option first and then install from there. When I tried to install it directly X crashed and dumped me to a black screen. Once install I had to look for a Wifi driver that worked as the 3rd party driver did not. Trying to install the 3rd party driver during the Ubuntu install caused it to get stuck. I was able to get the Wifi working afterward by folliowing the instructions at https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/linux/+bug/1173761/comments/29.

I have 2 remaining issues... I cannot change the display brightness and I cannot use the right mouse button. I think I'll be able to overcome these eventually though.


Thanks for the info. No right mouse button? Now that I did not expect...