[NTLUG:Discuss] Re: Discuss digest, Vol 1 #93 - 19 msgs

[MadHat]

Keith Rice wrote:
> 
> It would be a lot easier to tell you what to try if you told us the exact
> brand and model of your laptop.
> 
> Keith
> 
> On Thu, 30 Sep 1999, wacko okcaw wrote:
> 
> > Hello,
> >     I am new to linux.  I installed Linux Mandrake 6.1 (helios) and
> > was successful at getting it to load on my laptop.  I have some problems
> > though: This is my laptop specs:
> >     Pentium II 300mhz, 128MB RAM, 6.4G HD (1.5 partition for linux)
> >     10/100 Fast Ethernet Card, 56K modem card,
> >     ATI Rage LT PRO 8MB VRAM, ESS Maestro Sound card
> >

Sounds like a Dell Insprion (what I have).... if it is, you will have to
Downgrade the BIOS to get X to work, and get a modified X driver (the
reason for the bios, is how it reports the card back...  I don't
remember the exact details right now)

First check the Linux Laptops page to see if someone has already set up
your laptop
http://www.cs.utexas.edu/users/kharker/linux-laptop/

If it is the Maestro 2, good luck...  the best thing to do right now is
to pay for a driver (and support) from the OSS team at
http://www.opensound.com/linux.html
Or, look at ALSA (but I don't think they have a driver for the Maestro)
http://www.alsa-project.org/

if the modem is builtin, it probably won't work, they are often
WinModems, but you might have gotten lucky.  Like mentioned above, the
exact Make anbd Model of the notebook would need to be known.  Oops, you
mentioned it was a card....  shouldn't mater, but what brand?

If it is PCMCIA, look at the PCMCIA drivers page about what is
supported,
http://cesdis1.gsfc.nasa.gov/linux/pcmcia/

I have RH6 running on mine, and it works great, except for the sound... 
but I don't use sound that much.

> > Problems:
> >     1) I cannot get the driver for X windows to detect my video card.
> >     2) I tried manually modifying the XF86Config file, but only got it
> >        to run with the video segment all messed (in chunks)
> >     3) I don't know how to setup the sound driver for ESS Maestro
> >     4) I don't know how to setup the ethercard either(nor modem)
> >
> >     My main concern is to X windows to recognize the ATI Rage LT Pro
> > I had version 3.3.5 of XFree86, but it still did not work.
> > Any suggestions or help would be greatly appreciated.  I really want to get
> > linux to run my laptop.  Thank you ...first hand.
> >                                                          V.N.

-- 
MadHat