Linux on Maxdata Eco 4000A

This page contains problems I have resolved when installing Linux as a new comer to Linux. This solutions I have acquired from different sources around the internet and university.

Installing Ubuntu 6.06 (Dapper Drake) on Maxdata Eco 4000A

Hardware Components	Status under Linux	Notes
AMD Sempron 2600+	Switches automatically between 800MHZ and 1.6 GHZ	None
15.0 inch TFT XGA (1024x768)	Works	None
Sis M760	Works but needs correcting.	Uses "vesa" as driver automatically. I found changing this to "sis" increased performance in games like tux racer. This can be changed by manually editing: /etc/x11/xorg.conf You will need to edit using root privileges. In a terminal window type "sudo gedit" followed by your password. This will allow you to open the xorg.conf and edit it.
256MB, SDRAM	Works	I have added extra 512mb before installation.
40 GB ultra ATA Hard Drive	Works	Partitions into 10gb Linux, 256mb swap, and Windows XP the remainder.
Floppy Drive	Not Supplied	Work with a unbranded USB floppy drive I own.
Integrated Network Card	Works	No special procedure required during installation
Internal 56k Modem	Detected but untested	none
DVD / CD-RW Combo Optical Drive	Works	Burnt a ISO to a CD-R successfully
Internal Wireless	Not supplied with this model	I have installed a Cisco a/b/g pcimca card. Working perfectly. Requires the installation of "Network Manager" in order for WPA to be used.(Note: Network Manager is in installed in 7.04 onwards by default) I have recently installed an internal wireless card from an broken acer laptop. Chipset: BCM4306 / BCM2050 which was found and installed without any issues in 7.10.
Lithium-Ion Battery (Unsure of specifics)	Working On It	When running on battery. The battery doesn't last longer then a hour compared to 1.5 hours in Windows and is reported as having the wrong percentage remaining.
AC97 Sound Card	Works	none
Synaptics Touchpad	Works after manual install	Note: This does not apply to versions 7.04 and above Without installing drivers mouse randomly shoots off in different directions. Resoloving requires drivers entering into the xorg.conf. The following needs entering after "Configured Mouse" section (as new section): Section "InputDevice" Identifier "Synaptics Touchpad" Driver "synaptics" Option "SendCoreEvents" "true" Option "Device" "/dev/psaux" Option "Protocol" "auto-dev" Option "HorizScrollDelta" "0" Option "SHMConfig" "true" EndSection and in the "serverlayout" secton add: InputDevice "Synaptics Touchpad" This file can be located in /etc/x11/xorg.conf> You will need to edit using root privileges. In a terminal window type "sudo gedit" followed by your password. This will allow you to open the xorg.conf and edit it.

Hardware Components

Status under Linux

Notes

AMD Sempron 2600+

Switches automatically between 800MHZ and 1.6 GHZ

None

15.0 inch TFT XGA (1024x768)

Works

None

Sis M760

Works but needs correcting.

Uses "vesa" as driver automatically. I found changing this to "sis" increased performance in games like tux racer.
This can be changed by manually editing: /etc/x11/xorg.conf
You will need to edit using root privileges. In a terminal window type "sudo gedit" followed by your password. This will allow you to open the xorg.conf and edit it.

256MB, SDRAM

Works

I have added extra 512mb before installation.

40 GB ultra ATA Hard Drive

Works

Partitions into 10gb Linux, 256mb swap, and Windows XP the remainder.

Floppy Drive

Not Supplied

Work with a unbranded USB floppy drive I own.

Integrated Network Card

Works

No special procedure required during installation

Internal 56k Modem

Detected but untested

none

DVD / CD-RW Combo Optical Drive

Works

Burnt a ISO to a CD-R successfully

Internal Wireless

Not supplied with this model

I have installed a Cisco a/b/g pcimca card. Working perfectly. Requires the installation of "Network Manager" in order for WPA to be used.(Note: Network Manager is in installed in 7.04 onwards by default)

I have recently installed an internal wireless card from an broken acer laptop. Chipset: BCM4306 / BCM2050 which was found and installed without any issues in 7.10.

Lithium-Ion Battery (Unsure of specifics)

Working On It

When running on battery. The battery doesn't last longer then a hour compared to 1.5 hours in Windows and is reported as having the wrong percentage remaining.

AC97 Sound Card

Works

none

Synaptics Touchpad

Works after manual install

Note: This does not apply to versions 7.04 and above
Without installing drivers mouse randomly shoots off in different directions.
Resoloving requires drivers entering into the xorg.conf.
The following needs entering after "Configured Mouse" section (as new section):

Section "InputDevice"

Identifier "Synaptics Touchpad"

Driver "synaptics"

Option "SendCoreEvents" "true"

Option "Device" "/dev/psaux"

Option "Protocol" "auto-dev"

Option "HorizScrollDelta" "0"

Option "SHMConfig" "true"

EndSection

and in the "serverlayout" secton add:

InputDevice "Synaptics Touchpad"

This file can be located in /etc/x11/xorg.conf>
You will need to edit using root privileges. In a terminal window type "sudo gedit" followed by your password. This will allow you to open the xorg.conf and edit it.

Basic Installation of Ubuntu

Why to use Ubuntu

I have tested several versions of Linux in the past, however this was the only distributions to successfully detect my Cisco a/b/g wireless card. After using it for several months I found it to be the easiest distributions I have ever used in regards to hardware detection.
Obtaining Ubuntu

Ubuntu can be downloaded in the form of a ISO image. This can be burnt to a CD-R.
Ubuntu CDs can also be posted to you from Ubuntu's own web site free of charge.
Installing

Installation allowed me to easily setup a dual boot system allowing Windows XP to remain.
However as I need to use some windows appliactions such as Adobe Flash I am currenlty keeping the laptop as a dual boot system.
First I resized the windows partition using QTPARTED on a live Knoppix disk. I then created a 256mb swap file and and 10gb ext3 partition. During the Ubuntu set I had to select "manually partition" and select the partitions to be used. Grub automatically created a entry for Windows XP

Unresolved issues

Card reader is detected but dose not work when card inserted.

Other Information

To allow DVDS and mp3s to played I needed to install easyubuntu. This 3^rd party application enables support for theses formats.

Configuration Files

My xorg.conf complete with nessory changes for Synaptics Touchpad and graphics drivers (6.06).

Contact Information

Email me at: ratman99uk (at) gmail.com

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Linux on Laptops

Installing Ubuntu 6.06 (Dapper Drake) on Maxdata Eco 4000A