Note: ported from kaear.co.uk, last updated 12/01/2006, 14:34:36

Although listed in development, this little experiment is actually in use. I feel that it's usable, but not perfect: hence the development. Although this may read like a diary, it's been a very long time since I actually did a lot of what is listed here, and this was my first Linux experience, so be aware that this may not be an accurate representation of the steps I followed at the time. In fact, it represents very little of what I actually did, since it's being written from memory 3 months after the event!

Onward with the actual experiment.

Replace Windows2000 with Linux (any distribution) on my Portégé 7020CT as a complete OS. It must have the same functionality and be able to be used in similar ways!

If you intend on trying to read this as a walkthrough, bear in mind that I did most of the work logged in as root while the laptop was docked, and I didn't try and use any USB CD drives, etc. I am also still an amateur Linux user, so please take everything I say with a pinch of intellectual salt.

Don't forget to make a note of these other links that helped me get to where I am now.

• The Linux Documentation Project
• Linux on a Portégé7020CT
• Linux on a Portégé7020CT
• TuxMobil
• Google for it!

Sounds easy? 3 months of tinkering got me there, but with a lot of help. Here's the details:

Laptop Hardware Detail

• Celeron II 366MHz
• 128MB RAM
• 12.1” LCD (1024x768x16)
• Trackpoint, 2 button
• ES1978 Audio (Maestro-2e)
• Neomagic 256AV Graphics
• Long life battery
• 6GB HDD
• 1USB port
• IR port

Additional Hardware

• USB mouse (imps/2)
• DFE-680TXD PCMCIA ethernet (tulip_cb)
• Docking station
• FDD, CDROM (16x?)
• PS/2 replicators
• 2xUSB ports
• TV-Composite out
• Ethernet link (eepro100)
• Parallel replicator
• Serial in/out

Final Software & Details

• Slackware 9.1 (disks 1 & 2, for KDE applications)
• Kernel 2.4.22 (included in Slack)
• Xfree86 4.3.0 (included with Slack)
• pcmcia-cs-3.2.5.tgz
• toshutils-2.0.1.tar.gz
• netdrivers.tgz
• MozillaFirebird-0.7.tar.gz
• imwheel-1.0.0pre5.tar.gz

More or less in order, this is the way things got working:

• Disk partitioning
• Slackware package selection & install
• Graphics card
• Input devices (mouse, trackpoint, keyboard)
• Network support (kernel tweaking)
• APM support (kernel tweaking)
• User permissions (mount: fstab, noauto, user, ro)
• ALSA & sound
• PCMCIA services (kernel tweaking)
• Any other output devices (TV out)

The Portégé7020CT has a rather generous 6GB hard drive, which is more than adaquate for it's intended use. In retrospect, this is how I should've done the disk partitioning:

• Whack some Slack in the CD drive
• Boot up bare.i with default parameters
• Log in as root
• Run cfdisk and make 2 partitions:
  • Size - Type - Options
  • 1GB - Linux Swap - Primary
  • 5GB - ReiserFS - Primary Bootable

One of the really nice things about Slackware is it's package management. That's not to say I like it - since, frankly, unless the package comes on the CD, you're not likely to find someone's compiled a package for the program you're looking for. Having said that, the initial install process is quite painless and well thought out. Choosing the “Expert” (?) method for package installation gives you good scope for customising what's installed without prompting for every package you want installed. Mostly it's up to you what you want to install - but a few things are essential:

• Your chosen filesystem utilities. You can't keep track of an Ext2 fs without the ext2utils package, for example.
• XFree86 / X11 - if it's ticked, you probably need it. Don't muck around too much with unless you know exactly what you're doing (well, I have no idea what the hell I'm doing, so I assume an expert would tell you the same thing).
• On the laptop I found KDE was just too damn heavy for a nice fast experience. So I ditched it in favour of Blackbox (stripped down WindowMaker).
• Don't forget the DHCP deamon utilities, as well as your necessarily printer drivers and especially Samba if you're going to mix Windows networking into the equation.
• Kernel sources. Very little will work properly until you've recompiled your kernel & modules at least once.

This includes the graphics card, the monitor, the input devices (both the trackpoint and any plugged in USB mouse will work together if present) and everything else to do with the X Window System. Take note of the fact I use an Intellimouse, so there are some commented sections on the use of imps/2. The graphics card is a NeoMagic MagicMedia 256AV, and the monitor a 13.3” Active Matrix Color 1024×768 LCD - make sure you give the XF86Config file the right Hf & Vf values, since it will not work nicely without it!

Portégé7020CT XF86Config

The first priority once the user interface is set up is networking. On the docking station there's a 10/100 card built in. If you haven't played with the kernel before, I recommend this page here as an excellent starting point to recompiling the kernel. The 10/100 card uses the eepro100 module located in the kernel module options. Once recompiled and rebooted you should be good to go (I'm on a DHCP-enabled network, so check that your DHCP modules are all ticking over).

APM is “Advanced Power Management”. Although a Toshiba, I found the Portégé7020CT to have little to no ACPI support (or at least, I couldn't get it to work). The APM modules must be compiled into the kernel. DO NOT compile anything to do with ACPI. It won't work if you do.

Again another kernel tweak. Make sure you've got the appropriate boxes ticked and such. I seem to recall having to install pcmcia-cs and netdrivers to get it all to work properly with my DFE-680TXD. I even remember playing with the source files a little to match the hardware name of the card to a driver (tulip_cb chipset).

To be able to mount something listed in /etc/fstab you need to add “noauto,user,ro” to the options at the end of the line. This fixes the problem of having to mount the CD drive as root. It's also about time a user was created, so you're not at so much risk when rummaging around the 'net for help.

First off, you need to make sure the correct modules are installed for your sound card. The Portege7020CT has an ESS 'Maestro' 2E (1978) - for which drivers are available for from the ALSA site.

To get ALSA (Advanced Linux Sound Architecture) working properly if you didn't install it when you first ran the Slack install, read the manual. Not just a little, but all of it. Then re-read it while you're doing it. If you have 2 PCs it helps, if not, print it out. Linux is terribly unforgiving when it comes to tiny mistakes, so make sure you read the manual. Did I mention the reading of the manual? Good. Now read the manual.

Install the toshutils file and enjoy the working function buttons (listed on the numbers). If you have a docking station, you should be able to output the video to a TV using a standard video cable. If you hook it all up and push the video function button twice, it'll appear on your TV screen. Or at least, a small portion of it will (the top left portion to be precise). Reducing the resolution to 640×480 still leaves you with a null area at the bottom of the TV. I use it to play PC-based video files using Xine on a big screen. It's not great, but it's watchable!