948949GNU Linux & Compaq presario 2120eu (fra)

My GNU Linux eXPerience



1 Before you start.

For Trying Linux :
- a knoppix distribution : if hold at boot time ,

give options boot:knoppix acpi=noirq or acpi=ht(hyperthreading) or acpi=no (radical) press F1/F2/F3 for options


- an ubuntu or MandrakeMove other 'liveCD' are existing like LiveSuse, SLAX(Slackware)... you can try them too. (LiveSuSE ask for 512Mo of RAM mini for booting)

STOP read this: resizing partition is on your own risk and you know these
Actually Compaq bring your computer with Windows XP installed on the entire disk, if you don't want format and have system choice at boot time, used for example QTParted in Knoppix or SystemRescueCd , DiskDrake it's a very good solution too (starting Mandriva installation)

2 The installation

Mandrake10 n SuSE 9.X installation without any problems and distribution boot whithout any sorts of trouble (Mandrake 10 is loading a pcmcia module that I didn't test yet).
log you with user login (please not root)
if the left corner computer fan never stop : check AMD athlon options surrely Pentium options had been loaded because Athlon k7 are unavailable . A new kernel is needed

Check athlon modules with 'lsmod' command, if fan, button, table_freq, and powernow_k7 are listed the processor is controlled.

Running without intervention

3 Upgrade, add software.


One of the most famous SuSE program is Yast(Yet Another Setup Tool).
With Yast you can easily install rpm package software, (but you can always use rpm command and -i n -e options (]$ man rpm) - but it's not a good idea). Yast need rpm repository adresses (ftp.suse.com, ftp.belnet.be, find them on Internet)
for example I upgrade my KDE 3.2 to 3.3 in 45 min without any mouse click during process. Since early juanary kde 3.5 rpm are ready for SuSE 9.1 (and others) look into yast and enable the kde3.5 update mirror disable others and now click update on kde package in System GUI choice process take 22 minutes and always without any mouse click. Installing atitvout-*.i586.rpm is good idea for poweron/using the Radeon TV-out option
Short method for displaying screen on tv with atitvout.
1) Power on laptop with TV screen connected (eithr it may cause the VBE CALL FAILED error)
2) logged in root, pass these commands :
                  atitvout -r pal
                  atitvout -f t (illuminate TV screen)
                  atitvout -f l (come back on flat panel)

4 HP 'One Touch'

Kernel capt two of the five keys and 'mute' on left border
Before, each key need a name in X server, edit /home/utilisateur/.xmodmaprc and put this
Shell script in /home/utilisateur/.kde/Autostart/
Next for launching X software in KDE need to use menudrake in Mandrake or kmenuedit for kde...)

Find keycode with : xev program comes from X11R6 rpm
(]$ chmod 755 clavier)
put numlock in Autostart too...(]$ locate numlock)
download slocate*.rpm, program index in a data base your entire files, and you can quickly find a file, more faster than the built-in find command...

Synaptics touchpad

a driver exist http://web.telia.com/~u89404340/touchpad
and an RPM too.
I'm not testing it because it ask lots of time for X adjustment and the minimum is enough for me, right and left clic, double touching


Suspend to disk

If acpi is up, send number 5 in /proc/sleep. But when you restart the laptop you must to choose the same line in LILO/GRUB and network card don't work and system clock is set to suspend time... I didn't dig more.



Building a new GNU linux kernel for SuSE/Mandrake/Red Hat/Slackware with kernel.org sources

you must to know model of all your hard : lspci command can tell you more
Never erase lines in menu.lst or lilo.conf before you are sure, you can loose your linux ! #lines are commented lines
First get kernel sources on www.kernel.org Second, very important copy the kernel configuration file (.config) that the distribution bring you in /boot.
cp /boot/config-($ver)default /usr/src/linux-2.6.Y.Z/.config $ver is result of 'uname -r' command.
Like the upper line show its admitted that kernel sources stayed in /usr/src/, perhaps distribution kernel sources are already here. (the running kernel 'uname -r').
Sutdown, X server ICEwM, KDE, XFCE...
If X restart themself keep cool, press Ctrl+Alt+F2, enter root login and his password, next ]$ cd /usr/src/linux-2.X.Y.Z/
For rebuild your kernel you need arround 500 Mo of free hard drive space)
in sources folder type make menuconfig ( ncurves rpm is needed)
Moving in menu with arrow keys, and valid withspace barre come back with Echap
keep Modules on, Choose correct processor (eg. AMD Athlon K7), Next in section "Device Drivers" disable all Networking card and sound card exept the one needed.
Network card disable ArcNet,TokenRing,Ethernet 10 et 1000 ATM, WAN and choose National Semiconductor DP83...
for sound, ALI M5451 in ALSA is good choice, disable all OSS, same for ATI Radeon video card. These choices make the modules folders (/lib/modules/2.6.YZ-ver) reduce 50Mo to 18Mo
Finish with reading all menu and remove all unnecessary, particularly in Device Drivers section

press echap up to asking 'Save changes ?' say yes and type make and entrer, line prompt during between 20-30 minutes if during more time its not fatal just need that lines continue to scrolling on screen and at the end, prompt come back (]$ ). type 'make modules_install' (less than one minute) then
cp arch/i386/boot/bzImage /boot/my-kernel2XYZ
cd /boot
(pour SuSE) mkinitrd -k /boot/my-kernel2XYZ -i /boot/my-init
GRUB/LILO
my .config in example (Suse 9.1 kernel 2.6.8)

SuSE provide CD support with subfs kernel module (submount.sourceforge.net)
Boot on your new fresh kernel, uncompress subfs-X.X.tar.gz and type make in create folder (less INSTALL) rebuild initrd, mkinitrd command (N.B. give same file name (ie:my-init) saving time(and much secure) in not newly modify GRUB/LILO

For the beautiful image prompt at boot time with progress barre you need a kernel patch www.bootsplash.org... (images are, for SuSE in /etc/bootsplash/. Warning this patch don't work at each time on new kernel versions. if bootsplash failed trying an older version, is good for saving time and don't run mad

Never erase # lines in menu.lst or lilo.conf before booting new choice, you can loose your linux ! #lines are commented lines LILO configuration
Find wich lines in /etc/lilo.conf are used for choice at boot time
ex : image=/bootnew/krnl.2611-AC
label="linux"
root=/dev/hda5
initrd=/bootnew/init2613-AC
append="devfs=nomount resume=/dev/hda9 splash=silent"
vga=791
read-only

Mandrake give you a script allow you in saving images for a graphical lilo : ]$ lilo-bmp2mdk
don't forget ]$ lilo command and finishing with last reboot.
GRUB configuration
Find wich lines in /boot/grub/menu.lst are used for choice at boot time
ex : title SUSE 9.1
kernel (hd0,5)/2612-evdev root=/dev/hda6 resume=/dev/hda5 splash=silent vga=791
initrd (hd0,5)/init-12
after saving menu.lst, reboot and enjoy.
With GRUB you can reboot and change kernel boot line in interactive mode for making finish adjustment (e and b : read screen !)

I didn't spend time for understand why 2.6.11 2.6.12 and 2.6.13 make my Compaq laptop encountered hang/hold/freeze problems, Googled arround for solutions/ideas but ... no results. But from now on the fresh 2.6.14 work fine whithout any changes on my .config. So...

Ending with two scripts
temperature promt/show Athlon température (mine 43°C-53°c max73°C)
batterie show battery state and other info
files need to have 'x' permison (]$ chmod 755 voir-*)
In folders where you saved them, type ]$ ./voir-batt or ]$ ./voir-temp
wait and look

Next, too few details, Advanced Used - need shell script and GNU Linux init process known
Laptops are often use on diffrent places, if network card is DHCP configured, you may be bored, by waiting time response when there is no DHCP server on network or no network.
First create an other entry in LILO/GRUB, the same lines that a work boot choice that you copied with one more "option" like : no!dhcp (caution if your "option" word already exist in ]$ dmesg result this doesn't work)

My example :
title SuSE-2.6.8
kernel (hd0,5)/boot269/bzImage root=/dev/hda6 resume=/dev/hda5 splash=silent vga=791 desktop showopts
initrd (hd0,5)/boot269/Suse-li.gz

title SuSE-2.6.8-pas_eth
kernel (hd0,5)/boot269/bzImage root=/dev/hda6 resume=/dev/hda5 splash=silent vga=791 desktop !cesson showopts
initrd (hd0,5)/boot269/Suse-li.gz

Next put this shell script which can make the choice in /etc/init.d/ 

#! /bin/sh
#/etc/int.d/netwk
dmesg | grep !cesson >> /dev/null;
if ( test $? -eq 1); then
        case "$1" in
   start )
     /etc/init.d/network start;
   ;;
   stop )
      /etc/init.d/network stop;
   ;;
        esac
else
{dmesg | grep dhcp!oui >> /dev/null;
if ( test $? -eq 1); then
        case "$1" in
   start )
     /etc/init.d/network_dhcp start;
   ;;
   stop )
      /etc/init.d/network_dhcp stop;
   ;;
        esac
echo -e "^[[33m \n\n\t\t\tPAS DE CARTE ETHERNET CONFIGUREE\n^[[0m\n\n";
fi}fi

NB: ^[ is one caracter that you obtain with Ctrl+V Echap
Next
]$ chmod 755 /etc/init.d/netwk
And change symbolic links with command ]$ ln -s /etc/init.d/netwk /etc/every/where/old/script/SXXnetworking is present.
The network card can always been start after boot, root]# /etc/init.d/network start

Installing Open Suse from network (ftp)
Any question, suggestion emailed-me : madlinux at smartbooking.biz no emergency... Thanks to Linux On Laptops for easy publishing.       Je remercie Linux On Laptops de permettre si facilement la publication des pages...