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• Linux - Content
• Introduction
• Toshiba T1600 + ELKS
• Toshiba Satellite 2180 CDT
  • SuSE Linux 6.4
  • SuSE Linux 7.3
  • SuSE Linux 9.0
• HP Compaq NX 7400
  • Kubuntu 6.10 Edgy Eft
• USB devices
  • Scanner Mustek 1200CU Plus
  • Scanner Epson ScanJet 3300 C
  • Digicam Jenoptik JD 2100f
  • Digicam Konica KD-3300
  • Logitech Quickcam Express
• Misc. hardware
  • Tevion DVB-T 100
• Links

SuSE Linux 6.4 on a Toshiba Satellite 2180 CDT

Note:The text-based installation is described. All configuration steps are to be executed as root. Kernel 2.2.14 and XFree 3.3.6 will used.

Installation

With the normal installation process I will not deal here, because it is sufficiently described in the SuSE manual. I speek here only about the special features of this Notebook.

If you use the PCMCIA standard package of SuSE 6.4, you should place the adjustment for the PCMCIA CONTROLLER in the BIOS on "PCIC compatible" before the installation, otherwise Linux does not load the device on boot up, because it seems to be busy. Then linux doesnt load the PCMCIA modules and the cardmanager. With newer distributions or if the PCMCIA package is newer, the problem should not occur any longer. For SuSE 6.4, please download the package here.
To make the CDROM drive bootable, the boot sequence must be set to CDROM/FDD/HDD. That can be canceled again after the installation.

As kernel I selected the kernel for laptops with PCMCIA and apm support (power management).
The built-in mousepoint will addressed over /dev/psaux. The configuration of the internal modem should not be done with the installation. I will speek about it later. As time zone UTC must be selected.

Configuration

SaX detects the graphic adapter (S3 Virge chipset) correctly. As monitor LCD must be selected and as model a display with 800x600 pixels. The colors depth is 16 bit. The SVGA X-server will used.The S3Virge-Server doesn't work.

To make the sound card work, add the following lines to the end of the file etc/modules.conf:

alias snd-card-0 maestro
options maestro use_pm=1

Note: I already mentioned above, the Kernel with APM support was selected. If you want to use the option use_pm=1 of the maestro kernel module, you should guarantee the fact that the variable START_APMD is set to no (to find in Yast under system administration/change configuration file), because the computer freezes here at boot up in the battery mode when it tries to load the maestro module. The power management functions (display of the battery time etc..) works also with this setting.

Now let us speek about a problem child under Linux, named "WIN modem". That's no real modem, the functions, which are normally taken over of the modem chipset, will supplied here by software. And this software gives it usually only for Windows. But Lucent Technologies offers it also for Linux.
The file linux568.zip can be downloaded here. Unpack the file in a directory of your choice and execute the script ltinstall . This script installs the kernel module and the adjustments for the start of the module. The adjustment will stored in the file / etc/rc.d/rc.local, but this file will not processed at the start by SuSE Linux, therefore still some adjustments are necessary. Rename the file etc/rc.d/rc.local into S04pre-serial and move it to /etc/rc.d/rc2.d/. Open this file with a text editor of your choice and insert at the start of the file the line alias for char-major-62 ltmodem . Now the modem is available at runlevel 2.

Afterwards open the file /etc/rc.config and look for the string modem. Set the modem device to /dev/ttyS14 (MODEM="dev/ttyS14").

Save the file again and reboot your machine. Look for error messages while the loading of the sound modules and the modem module.

Other

Due lack of suitable devices I could not test USB.

Downloads

Thanks

I thank Eckhard Rueggeberg (www.eckhardt rueggeberg.de) for its description of the installation of Linux on a Toshiba Satellite 2210CDT. With whose assistance knew I unite my problems with the installation to solve (e.g. WIN modem)

Still questions? Suggestions? Tips? E-Mail!