Does Linux work on the new Predator Helios 300 PH315-52-78VL?

rwmax

I have heard Linux does not work on the Triton 500 without sending your laptop into Acer to disable some UEFI option. Is this the same with the new Helios 300?
Want to know before buying.
Thanks!

Tremain

I am running Ubuntu 19.04 on the PH315-52-78VL. My first issue was incompatible M.2 NVME drives. I finally found one that worked after I put a standard 2.5" SSD in the hard drive bay. Later on I found a different M.2 that did work. AHCI is necessary and Secure Boot needs to be turned off. Because of the confusion with the M.2 drives I ended up dual booting the included Win10 256GB M.2 and installed / on the 2.5" SSD. I installed the Nvidia drivers and the screen is awesome. I've been trying to figure out how to have Linux recognize the Predator key but it is outside of the normal keyboard layout so no joy yet. The battery is definitely an issue with about one hour +/- 15 minutes. I read a reference that there is a way to set Ubuntu/Linux to not use the nvidia card and instead use the integrated video on the CPU but I haven't found a simple method to do that. I've heard that one person increased their battery life to three hours so I'm hopeful. I've had six different Linux distros running simultaneously in VMware without any problems, the extra four processor threads is awesome, especially after you increase the RAM to 32GB. After a lot of panicked fighting with the Linux install I am now very pleased with the model.

strawnman

This is a post I put on Amazon review as well, but the info on the install is on topic for this thread. 

Many have already posted how pleased they are with this model and I agree.  Great speed, and response.  Pay an extra 200 by getting an extra 1tb ssd and 1tb ssd m.2 drive and install them.  I have Crucial https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B077SF8KMG/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

and a Sabrent Rocket Q 1TB NVMe PCIe M.2.   https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07ZZYWTBP/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o09_s01?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Don't waste money buying M.2 Heatsink Copper, m2 pcie NVMe Laptop Heatsink Copper，with Silicone Thermal Pad, for M.2 2280 https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07QNRP9HK/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o09_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

because the Sabrent already has a good copper heatsink.  I liked the thickness of the 3rd party heatsink but it was too thick to play around with in the Predator.

Things to note:  

1.  This is not the RGB version.  keyboard is only blue.  Emblem on back lights up blue as well.  You can turn it up in brightness or off.  

2.  Track pad can be turned off.  Really nice.

3.  Boot time insanely fast.  

4.  Ubuntu and Kubuntu will install, but you need to:

   a.  Turn on computer immediately hit F2.  Go to Bios menu.

   b.  Make a password for your Bios, i used same as to log into windows so it is consistent.  

   c.  Turn off secure boot.

   d  Turn on boot option for F12.

   e.  Go selection for intel Optaine Premium.  Change to ACHI

   f.  Put in your USB and make sure it has linux on it.

   g.  Restart immediately hit F12 and select your linux flavor

   h.  Install.  BUT in your INSTALL make sure your boot loader is sent to your windows operating system's M.2. In linux it will be a weird name, not sda etc.  

   i.  Restart and hit F12.

   j.  If you select Windows Boot Manager you will get a blue Error page.  SO DON'T do that yet.  Instead go to your Linux option and make sure it boots up correctly.

   k.  Once you have linux up and running then restart.  You don't need Grub Customizer, it will only show you your linux not windows.

   l.  After restart hit F2 immediately.  Change ACHI back to Intel Optane, which is the middle option, I did not test on Premium.  So don't select Optane Premium.  

   m.  Save and restart.  Hit F12

   n.  Don't go into your options yet.  Go to Windows option hit F6 to move it up to the primary. then hit enter.  You should boot into windows.  

   o.  When you want to boot into linux just use the F12 option and it will take you to the Linux partition.  You will not see Grub show up. 

Runs great.  Look for limitations on line with Ubuntu/Kubuntu regarding no ability for Linux to choose between Intel graphics and nvidia which does consume a lot of power.  No use of turbo or fan options built into the Acer.

Credit:  Much of the information I provided was from this thread and other threads throughout the internet and my own testing and hours off frustration.  Thanks to everyone above for your information, i couldn't have done this without you. 

Hope this helps someone. 

MaClane

Good afternoon rwmax !

I do not know any information about that.
It is perfectly possible to install a Linux distribution on Bios with UEFi mode.

Tremain

I am running Ubuntu 19.04 on the PH315-52-78VL. My first issue was incompatible M.2 NVME drives. I finally found one that worked after I put a standard 2.5" SSD in the hard drive bay. Later on I found a different M.2 that did work. AHCI is necessary and Secure Boot needs to be turned off. Because of the confusion with the M.2 drives I ended up dual booting the included Win10 256GB M.2 and installed / on the 2.5" SSD. I installed the Nvidia drivers and the screen is awesome. I've been trying to figure out how to have Linux recognize the Predator key but it is outside of the normal keyboard layout so no joy yet. The battery is definitely an issue with about one hour +/- 15 minutes. I read a reference that there is a way to set Ubuntu/Linux to not use the nvidia card and instead use the integrated video on the CPU but I haven't found a simple method to do that. I've heard that one person increased their battery life to three hours so I'm hopeful. I've had six different Linux distros running simultaneously in VMware without any problems, the extra four processor threads is awesome, especially after you increase the RAM to 32GB. After a lot of panicked fighting with the Linux install I am now very pleased with the model.

Tremain

This NVME M.2 does work: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07L6GF81L/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1 
 
This NVME M.2 did 'NOT' work: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07K1J3C23/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1 
 

joselacour

Tremain said:

I am running Ubuntu 19.04 on the PH315-52-78VL. My first issue was incompatible M.2 NVME drives. I finally found one that worked after I put a standard 2.5" SSD in the hard drive bay. Later on I found a different M.2 that did work. AHCI is necessary and Secure Boot needs to be turned off. Because of the confusion with the M.2 drives I ended up dual booting the included Win10 256GB M.2 and installed / on the 2.5" SSD. I installed the Nvidia drivers and the screen is awesome. I've been trying to figure out how to have Linux recognize the Predator key but it is outside of the normal keyboard layout so no joy yet. The battery is definitely an issue with about one hour +/- 15 minutes. I read a reference that there is a way to set Ubuntu/Linux to not use the nvidia card and instead use the integrated video on the CPU but I haven't found a simple method to do that. I've heard that one person increased their battery life to three hours so I'm hopeful. I've had six different Linux distros running simultaneously in VMware without any problems, the extra four processor threads is awesome, especially after you increase the RAM to 32GB. After a lot of panicked fighting with the Linux install I am now very pleased with the model.

In ubuntu the gui software updater have in "other software" the option to install nvidia drivers (apropiatives) and when install it you have the opcion to choose the discrete or the integrate gpu

mvalenzr

Hello,

I left a guide to solve the heating issues on Nvidia cards and Linux Nvidia Driver 430.

https://community.acer.com/en/discussion/577394/acer-helios-300-nvidia-1060-linux-ubuntu-18-04-nvidia-driver-430-overheating-issues-solved/p1?new=1

BR.

strawnman

This is a post I put on Amazon review as well, but the info on the install is on topic for this thread. 

Many have already posted how pleased they are with this model and I agree.  Great speed, and response.  Pay an extra 200 by getting an extra 1tb ssd and 1tb ssd m.2 drive and install them.  I have Crucial https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B077SF8KMG/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

and a Sabrent Rocket Q 1TB NVMe PCIe M.2.   https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07ZZYWTBP/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o09_s01?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Don't waste money buying M.2 Heatsink Copper, m2 pcie NVMe Laptop Heatsink Copper，with Silicone Thermal Pad, for M.2 2280 https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07QNRP9HK/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o09_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

because the Sabrent already has a good copper heatsink.  I liked the thickness of the 3rd party heatsink but it was too thick to play around with in the Predator.

Things to note:  

1.  This is not the RGB version.  keyboard is only blue.  Emblem on back lights up blue as well.  You can turn it up in brightness or off.  

2.  Track pad can be turned off.  Really nice.

3.  Boot time insanely fast.  

4.  Ubuntu and Kubuntu will install, but you need to:

   a.  Turn on computer immediately hit F2.  Go to Bios menu.

   b.  Make a password for your Bios, i used same as to log into windows so it is consistent.  

   c.  Turn off secure boot.

   d  Turn on boot option for F12.

   e.  Go selection for intel Optaine Premium.  Change to ACHI

   f.  Put in your USB and make sure it has linux on it.

   g.  Restart immediately hit F12 and select your linux flavor

   h.  Install.  BUT in your INSTALL make sure your boot loader is sent to your windows operating system's M.2. In linux it will be a weird name, not sda etc.  

   i.  Restart and hit F12.

   j.  If you select Windows Boot Manager you will get a blue Error page.  SO DON'T do that yet.  Instead go to your Linux option and make sure it boots up correctly.

   k.  Once you have linux up and running then restart.  You don't need Grub Customizer, it will only show you your linux not windows.

   l.  After restart hit F2 immediately.  Change ACHI back to Intel Optane, which is the middle option, I did not test on Premium.  So don't select Optane Premium.  

   m.  Save and restart.  Hit F12

   n.  Don't go into your options yet.  Go to Windows option hit F6 to move it up to the primary. then hit enter.  You should boot into windows.  

   o.  When you want to boot into linux just use the F12 option and it will take you to the Linux partition.  You will not see Grub show up. 

Runs great.  Look for limitations on line with Ubuntu/Kubuntu regarding no ability for Linux to choose between Intel graphics and nvidia which does consume a lot of power.  No use of turbo or fan options built into the Acer.

Credit:  Much of the information I provided was from this thread and other threads throughout the internet and my own testing and hours off frustration.  Thanks to everyone above for your information, i couldn't have done this without you. 

Hope this helps someone. 

strawnman

I have been looking at the M.2 drives and although i put the Sabrent in as an option, i would spend the extra $70 and get the Samsung Evo, install it, then clone the entire pre-installed M.2 drive that came with this model and run the same as I suggested.  Then swap them out with each other and wipe the pre-installed drive.  After looking at the stats, the pre-installed drive is a NVMe HFM256GDJTNG-831 which is manufactured by SK Hynix.  
https://www.harddrivebenchmark.net/hdd.php?hdd=NVMe%20HFM256GDJTNG-831&id=23865

Benchmark on this shows it has the possibility to be a top contender, but under real world comparisons, it ranks 131 compared to all other competitors.  Bummer ACER didn't drop in a EVO, but what can you expect.  The great thing is ACER did allow for upgrades so kudos to them for that grace. 
https://ssd.userbenchmark.com/SpeedTest/851520/NVMe-HFM256GDJTNG-831

Funny thing is the Sabrent didn't do much better in comparisons.  Go with Samsung.