[NTLUG:Discuss] Win4Lin, USB Serial, Packard Bell, Sony, Mandrake, Wine, Best Buy, VmWare

[Bug Hunter]

  I'm going down an interesting path right now.  I think it will be
instructive for some of you, if I can get the words pushed onto the
electron stream properly.  

If you don't like narratives, delete the message and don't read further.




  I needed a laptop to fill in while mine goes in the shop, so I decided
to buy a really nice one. <grin>  I require a serial port to do firmware
debugging.  This is not an option, in my mind.


  I must use Windows to do the debugging, as the tools only run under
Windows.  I will work very hard to avoid using spyware, AKA Windows XP.
(FYI, Windows XP requires both registration and activation, and it
contacts Microsoft every time you use the web browser.  You must disable
that web spying through registry settings, from what I have heard.  I
don't know what those settings are.  It makes dial up networking painfully
slow.)

  I bought a Sony.  I wanted windows 2000 on it.  (They sell that as an
option.)  Sony is BIG.  Too BIG.  After multiple phone calls, I gave up,
and restored Windows XP from their recovery disk set.  Windows 2000 had
ruined XP.  Somewhere in the middle of the recovery process, the machine
locked for 1 1/2 hours, so I took it back to Best Buy after having it 3
days.  Sony is now off my list.  Their people answer with canned answers,
and the hardware was flaky.


  I can return it to Best Buy and be charged $400, or I can swap it for no
charge. Their return policy is clearly posted in the store I shopped, so I
had no excuses.  I swapped it for an HP zt1195.  I may still bite the
bullet and return the HP, but $400 is a lot to swallow to admit a mistake.


  This time I wiped the hard drive and put on Linux.  Go for broke.  It
took it very well.  The wireless 802.11b not recognized, but the built in
ehternet card was.  The video appears to be running frame buffer, but the
1500x1050 display is running 1400x1024, and fairly slow.  Plenty of color.
Sound not recognized.  HP's web site says "3D sound"  The dvd may be
problematical, but since this is a work laptop, i'm not as concerned.  I
can wait for drivers.

  I call HP to get specs on the laptop.  The technician says "you are
running the zt1195 and Windows XP"  Yes and no, I say.  He says "what no".
I'm running linux on it.  Oh.  Silence for a second.  "How can I help
you?"  What devices are on it so I can try to get drivers?  "Let me see, I
don't get very much information either."  "The sound card is listed as VIA
8233-5, and the modem is ESS 2839PCI-HSP"  "No information on the 802.11b
integrated ethernet."  I ask, How about the port expander?  "It will be
ready in about two weeks. It may not include a true com1 port, but I can't
tell right now."

  I was impressed, and depressed at the same time.  I liked his attitude.
And he helped me as much as he could.  I think he quietly registered the
machine for me.

USB

  I plugged in a targus usb port replicator.  No go.  No serial port.
Maybe the keyboard port is recognized.  unplug, plug back in.  Not
recognized again.  something really flaky about that product.

  I plugged in a serial port adaptor i bought a year ago.  bingo!  minicom
talked to it just fine!!  yeah!  It talks to my serial "technician"
interface on the processor card just fine.

  I went out and bought Win4Lin.  A great program, best I can tell.  It
supports only Win95 or Win98.  IF I had a Real serial port, it would
support it too.  USB serial ports not supported. Argh!  I did not
understand that when I bought it.  $90 down the drain for me.  Win98 runs
FAST in this product.

  I went ahead and upgraded my vmware from 2.0 to 3.0.  It recognizes the
USB port!  I installed win98 again.  vmware does not like the fact that
the usb driver loaded the serial port interface for this.  I manually
rmmod mct_232, and usbserial. Windows 98 recognized it.  However, no
driver disk, and no manufacturer information is available for that serial
port.  ayiiie!  I lost the windows disk!

  The device is probably a DLINK DSB-S25.  Unfortunately, they have every
driver EXCEPT windows 98 on their web site!  Quick trip to the store.  A
belkin serial port is $89! Argh!  A thought.  Sure enough, a PDA 9 pin
serial port by belkin is only $49!  Hmm.  bought it. took it to the
office. plugged it in, removed those pesky modules again, and it was
recognized and the driver loaded!  Argh!  Com port 7!!  I quickly delete
all com ports and reboot the windows vmware machine.  There is Com 1, Com
5, and USB Com 3. Where com5 comes from, I don't know.  I take the laptop
to the bench, the debugger works!!!   Finally.


  compiles work, best I can tell.  There are minor matters I can work
out. Dos is sluggish in this interface.  But now I can do work with a
linux laptop.

  
  So, linux running vmware running windows 98 running the debugger works
with USB serial device from belkin.  


  PAINFUL.  Now I wish I had gone with the Winbook.  I may do so anyway.
Hard lesson to learn.

bug