[ale] Laptop questions before purchase.

[Jim Popovitch]

On Tue, 2004-02-24 at 07:44, Joe Story wrote:
> I've come across a Gateway DS 450 x.  Here are some of the specs.
> 
> Intel? PRO/Wireless LAN 2100 3B(installed in Mini PCI slot)

No. See these:
http://www.tuxmobil.org/Mobile-Guide.db/mobile-guide-p2c1s1-centrino.html http://www.intel.com/support/notebook/centrino/os.htm
 
> ?
> Intel 82540EM ethernet adaptor

Most likely, but I'm not 100% sure.

> Combo DVD/CDRW - 8X/24X/12X/24X

Yes

> Pentium M processor

Yes (my experience: Fedora or Kernel 2.6)

> ATI M7?

Don't know.

> 
> And this is all the information I can get from gateway.com using the
> serial number from the invoice I was shown.  The laptop is still boxed
> and there is a 3yr onsite/labor/parts tick-tocking away.  

> Anyone here experienced with similiar hardware in Linux?  I'm mostly
> concerned that the wireless card is not going to work well.  Does
> driverloader from linuxant.com work well?  

I kept experiencing freezes.  I gave up debugging it, choosing to use my
PCMCIA Orinico card until Intel releases their drivers.


> I see Intel supplies a
> tarball for that gigabit adaptor, not much worry there.  For the curious
> oh well, lucky I would likely run Slackware 9.1.
> 
> Normally I wouldn't consider buying a 'PC' laptop but since this one is
> boxed and I might be able to get it at half the Invoice Price(laptop was
> won in a lawsuit by the current owner), I'm thinking about jumpin on
> it.  I say 'PC' because I kinda favor the ibooks.  And the ibook would
> be a larger chunk of change.
> 
> If I decide to bite the bullet and buy it, this will be my first laptop.
> So, I'm a little new to these Mobile processors. Heat, power consumption
> etc.  So, I greatly appreciate any input.
> 
> Thanks
> 
> 
> Joe
> 
> 
> 
> Oh, and it comes with a deluxe carrying case. :-)
> 
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