Install Report: HP Stream PC14 Linux Mint 17.3 32-bit Broadcom WiFi GUI Freeze

[bWildered1]

Hi All.

I have just installed Linux Mint 17.3 Rosa 32-bit on an HP Stream PC 14

I experienced some problems and note these here.

First off, hardware and software
HP Stream PC14

Processor: AMD A4 Micro-6400T APU + AMD Radeon R3 Graphics x 4
Hard Drive: 28GB eMMC
Memory: 2Gb RAM

Graphics Card: Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. [AMD/ATI] Mullins [Radeon APU E2-3700 with R2 Graphics]
Display Driver: Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. [AMD/ATI]
xserver-xorg-video-ati (recommended) (open-source)
Version 1:7.3.0-1 ubuntu3.1
X.Org X server - AMD/ATI display driver wrapper

Ethernet: None

WiFi: Broadcom Corporation BCM43142 802.11b/g/n
WiFi Driver: bcmwl-kernel-source (recommended)
Version 6.30.223.248+bdcom-0ubuntu0.2~lp1415880~1
Broadcom 802.11 Linux STA wireless driver source

Installed Linux Mint 17.3 Cinnamon Rosa 32-bit 2.8.6
Linux Kernel 3.19.0-32-generic

Install
Created bootable USB memory stick with Mint install
1) HP Stream would not boot from USB
Had to
BIOS (F10 on power-on to access BIOS)
a) enable legacy boot options in BIOS
b) disable secure boot
c) save changes and exit BIOS
d) press Esc on boot to enter boot options menu (or F9 on boot)
i) select USB as source

Can now start Linux Mint Live

2) With Live session running...
a) Can 'install' Broadcom WiFi driver from Driver Manager
This shows three possible drivers for the Broadcom WiFi adapter, that none is loaded and recommends one (bcmwl-kernel-source),
where the other two are labelled as requiring an internet connection (the HP Stream has only WiFi)

The Driver Manager can be accessed from Menu/System Settings, entering 'WiFi' in search box and selecting the
Driver Manager in the Administration section

The WiFi network connection often requires several attempts to connect when password key required; it seemed
to work better if given incorrect password first, but this is probably just a coincidence


b) The touchpad does not work properly however. The Mouse/Touchpad scroll settings utility do not seem to have
any effect and the tap-to-click operation is erratic (works sometimes, sometimes not)

3) Mint Installed without difficulty
After Mint installed, could not install Broadcom WiFi driver
a) Note that when running Live mode, it was possible to select and install Broadcom driver and connect to network
via WiFi (although flaky - would usually require many attempts to connect)
b) After install, the system would report it was not possible to install the driver as an Internet connection is required...?
As there can be no Internet connection until the WiFi driver is installed, this would appear to be a futile exercise
Note, again, that the driver could be installed from the USB stick when running the Live session, but not after an
install!!!

Solved by use of Android phone WiFi tethering to obtain network connection (no Ethernet on board)

c) WiFi connection proved problematic
i) If the SSID is for a hidden network, a connection cannot be initiated
ii) For a visible network, settings for that network can be entered and there is an icon to initiate a
connection. Thereafter a connection is established automatically (provided the settings specify this)

But for a hidden network, there is *no* mechanism to initiate a connection. Therefore it would seem that
a connection can never be established the first time.

4) Touchpad not working properly
Researched recommendations and tried the following
a) tpconfig
after install, could not find how to launch
removed
b) tried kde-touchpad
removed* (see below)
c) tried kde-touchpad-dbg
removed* (see below)

5) *System freezes
System began to freeze. This could happen within seconds of start, or some little time (minutes?) later
Mouse pointer moves freely across display
Can open virtual terminal (Ctrl-Alt-F1) but not terminal in GUI (Ctrl-Alt-T)
System does not seem to respond to any other input or in any other respect (i.e. keyboard or mouse input
seems to have no effect and display does not change or update)
BUT every few minutes screen would go dark for several seconds, then display would return apparently the
same as before (i.e. no item 'clicked' previously would now have focus, all remains as was)

In virtual terminal (Ctrl-Alt-F1)
a) scrolled display of the approximate nature
[ 339.223681] radeon 0000:00:01.0: ring 3 stalled for more than 17000msec
[ 339.359651] radeon 0000:00:01.0: ring 0 stalled for more than 25000msec
...
:
[ 344.360032] radeon 0000:00:01.0: ring 0 stalled for more than 30000msec



[ 356.192950] [drm:radeon_dp_link_train [radeon]] *ERROR* displayport link status failed
[ 356.195181] [drm:radeon_dp_link_train [radeon]] *ERROR* clock recovery failed
[ 356.313749] [drm:cik_ib_test [radeon]] *ERROR* radeon fence wait failed (-35)
[ 356.316124] [drm:radeon_ib_ring_tests [radeon]] *ERROR* radeon: failed testing IB on GFX

b) RAM: 990688 (of 2GB) free

c) ps -ef: mostly looks reasonable, except significant cpu time against tty8
STIME tty TIME CMD
15:36 tty8 10:17 /usr/bin/X :0 -audit 0 -auth /var/lib/mdm/:0.Xauth -nolisten tcp vt8

d) 'Freezing' Problem disappears when the kde-touchpad utility (see section 4, above) removed


At this point, I think all is working well except for the touchpad.


I would like to thank all those who have given what they can to this wonderful project.

Take care

M



EDIT
Forgot to mention
1) When attempting to get Broadcom WiFi driver installed, tried RaLink/MediaTek 7601U USB WiFi adapter, but Mint 17.3 does not recognise the presence of this device when inserted
2) After failed attempts to adjust touchpad settings via touchpad utility, checked device type installed. The system has identified the touchpad as a PS2 Generic Mouse

/end edit