At present, laptops are increasingly becoming the standard office configuration for engineers and technicians. As the impact of Linux operating systems gradually deepens, many Linux users hope to be able to run Linux operating systems on their laptops so that they can use and study it anytime, anywhere.
The installation steps of installing Linux on a laptop are basically the same as those on a desktop. According to my experience, there are usually two difficulties: one is the configuration of the graphics window system. Due to the special design of the laptop, the graphics card is often integrated with the motherboard and other components, which is not easy to automatically identify and configure during the installation process; the other is the PCMCIA card as a network adapter: the Ethernet card and the Modem dialing card. This article focuses on these two aspects in the later part. Given that installing Linux on desktops has been introduced, this article assumes that readers have experience in installing Linux on desktops and have completed the installation of the basic Linux system on their own laptops (without a command line interface with a network interface).
As a piece of advice, when familiarizing yourself with the Linux system, you must develop the habit of frequently referring to random help files. This is not only a very good habit, but also a very necessary means. A lot of content in the help documents are quoted in the following text. By the way, you recommend two document resources to you: one is that it comes with both on the installation CD. When selecting "Documentation" during installation, install it in the help document below /usr/doc/Howto/. From here you can find solutions to most problems; the other is the "Linux Documentation Project" on the Internet, and its URL is: /mdw/
Graphics Window System (X)
As we all know, Linux uses a graphical window system called XFree86 as its own graphical interface (hereinafter referred to as X), and its description help document can be found at the following location: /usr/doc/HOWTO/xfree86-HOWTO.
This document is a common setup documentation for installing X Window with XFree86 Server. In addition, the following documentation:
/usr/X11R6/lib/X11/doc/ provides document descriptions for different types of graphics cards, where the "type" indicates the type of graphics card, such as: Readme.Mach64, Readme.S3, etc. When configuring X, you need to refer to the contents in these two documents frequently.
1. Determine the graphics card type
1. Use the /usr/X11/bin/SuperProbe command to detect the type of graphics card used by the laptop (refer to the installation example later in this article for the use and typical output results of this command). If the detection result is not recognized or some parameters are not recognized, you need to download the new XFree86 service program.
2. If you have Windows 98 installed, you can also try to find the graphics card type under Windows 98, and then use the detected parameters when configuring using /usr/X11/bin/xf86config.
Example: If your laptop has Windows 98 installed, open the Control Panel → System → Device Manager → Display Adapter and you can see the type of graphics card used by your laptop, such as Trident Cyber9525DVD PCI/AGP (W98.22). All you have to do is to surf the Internet to find the driver of the graphics card under Linux provided by the company, download and install it.
By the way, as for how to install another Linux on a laptop that has Windows 98 installed, the operation method is exactly the same as that of a desktop computer.
2. Download XFree86
If the results of the previous step indicate that the card has been identified, you can skip steps two, three, and four. However, if the above two methods cannot make the graphics window system run beautifully, the more effective method is to upgrade your own XFree86 package. When I configure Linux on several laptops such as Compaq Armada1580, Toshiba Satellite 4030CDT, Dell Latitude, etc., I finally solved it by upgrading XFree86. There is no way, when using Linux operating systems, you often have to face the problem of peripheral support. Fortunately, with the continuous expansion of Linux's influence, many companies are now starting to include drivers under Linux when providing drivers.
Download the latest XFree86 upgrade package (current latest version is 4.0, and it is recommended to use version 3.3.6), and you can go to the following URL:
ftp://ftp./pub//Linux/source/
ftp://ftp./pub//Linux/source/xfree.
ftp://ftp./pub//Linux/source/xfree.
ftp://ftp./pub//Linux/source/xfree.
Or directly download the compiled binary file:
ftp://ftp.xfree86/org/pub//Linux/binary/
Maybe you will think the above site seems a bit slower, and Blue Dot Studio also provides mirror downloads:
/pub/xfree86/4.0/source/
3. Configuration and deduction
The downloaded binary RPM package can be installed directly using the rpm -i command, for example:
#rpm -i 〈The downloaded file package name〉
Of course, if the installation is successful, you will be very lucky. However, for some Linux distributions, it is more often necessary to download its source files and compile the source files. The development software packages used for compiling can be installed from the system installation CD by using the rpm -i command as prompted.
The general operation steps are as follows:
1. Unzip the source file:
#gzip -dc *.tgz |tar xvf -
2. Make necessary modifications and configurations according to the requirements in the help document mentioned above.
3. Use #make World 〉&& to interpret (note the case in "World").
4. Enter #tail, and if successfully build is displayed, it will be successful.
5. Use #make install 〉&& to install.
6. Use #make 〉&& to install the new help file.
4. Run SuperProbe again
After upgrading your XFree86 program, run the graphics card automatic detection program SuperProbe. If unfortunately it is still unrecognized, it is because this graphics card cannot be supported for the time being. You can directly access the graphics card manufacturer's homepage to find the driver, or ask for help in some News discussion groups. The sites recommended in the concluding remarks of this article can also help in many cases.
5. Run XF86config
Different Linux provides different text graphical configuration interfaces, but generally only have basic configurations, and may cause crashes. Here are examples of ATI Rage Mobility (Port Probed) card configuration:
DELL Latitude cpx laptop, ATI AGP 8MB, RedHat 6.1.
The configuration file generated by using the XConfigurator command will crash, and the configuration using XF86config works normally.
# /usr/X11R6/bin/SuperProbe
Chipset: ATI Rage Mobility (Port Probed)
Memory: 8192 kBytes
RAMDAC: ATI Mach64 Integrated 15/16/24/32-bit DAC w/clock
(With 6-bit Wide Lookup Tables (or in 6-bit mode))
(Programmable For 6/8-bit Wide Lookup Tables)
Attached Graphics Coprocessor:
Chipset: ATI Mach64
Memory: 8192 kBytes
# /usr/X11R6/bin/xf86config, and then follow the steps below:
1. Enter Enter, To Continue.
2. Enter 4, PS/2 Mouse.
3. Enter y, supports simulated three-key.
4. Enter Enter and use the default configuration /dev/mouse.
5. Enter Enter and select standard keyboard support.
6. Enter Enter, the extension of the Alt key is not supported.
7. Enter Enter and continue.
8. Enter 7 and select high-frequency SVGA.
9. Enter 2 and select 50~90.
10. Enter the monitor identification description (can enter).
11. Enter the monitor agent name (can enter).
12. Enter the monitor name (can enter).
13. Enter y, enter Enter and turn page, find the card detected by SuperProbe, and enter the label number.
14. Enter 3 and select XF86_SVGA server.
15. Enter y to create a symbolic link.
16. Enter the corresponding value of the video memory.
17. Enter the graphics card identification name (can enter).
18. Enter the name of the graphics card agent (can enter).
19. Enter the name of the graphics card motherboard manufacturer (can enter).
20. Enter Enter.
21. Enter n.
22. Enter 2.
23. Enter 432.
24. Enter n and do not virtually screen.
25. Enter 5 and save.
26. Enter y.
27. Enter /usr/X11R6/bin/
startx enters X Window.
6. Adjust resolution
#ln -s /etc/X11/xf86Config /etc/xf86Config
#vi /etc/xf86Config
You can make some changes according to your needs. It is best to backup the source file before modifying.
For example (the default resolution is at the front of the configuration line):
Modes："640x480"、"800x600"、"1024x768"、"1280x1024"，
Can be changed to
Modes："1024x768"、"800x600"、"1280x1024"、"640x480"。
If you enter X Window, you can also use the Ctrl + (-) key to select different resolutions.
PCMCIA network card configuration
The most obvious difference between a laptop and a desktop is probably the PCMCIA network interface. Laptops use PCMCIA cards to perform LAN connections, network dialing, memory expansion, etc. PCMCIA run configuration usually requires manual operation. The following describes the usual configuration process using the configuration of the Ethernet card as an example. The files involved in the configuration process include:
/etc/sysconfig/pcmcia (direct configuration information about PCMCIA)
/etc/sysconfig/networks (for network configuration information at startup)
/etc/sysconfig/network-scripts/ifcfg-eth0 (Configuration information of network port at startup)
/etc/pcmcia/config (the card type that can be supported in the current PCMCIA module)
/sbin/cardmgr (actual PCMCIA driver manager)
/etc///S45pcmcia (CARDMGR as PCMCIA configuration when entering run level 3 at startup)
/var/log/messages (You can see error information when starting PCMCIA to analyze the cause)
A typical configuration order is:
1. Modify the /etc/sysconfig/pcmcia file, "PCMCIA=yes";
2. Modify the /etc/sysconfig/network file, content example:
NETWORKING=yes
FORWARD_IPV4=false
HOSTNAME="."
DOMAINNAME=""
GATEWAY=
GATEWAYDEV=eth0
3. Modify /etc/sysconfig/
network-scripts/ifcfg-eth0, content example:
DEVICE="eth0"
IPADDR=""
NETMASK=""
NETWORK=""
BROADCAST=
ONBOOT="yes"
Modify the contents in the /etc/hosts file accordingly. After the machine starts, check the output of #/sbin/ifconfig -a. If there is only a lo (loopback) port, it means that the Ethernet card failed to start. At this time, check the file /proc/devices and find that there is no device PCMCIA in it. You can check /var/log/
messages determine the cause of the error.
If the type of the reported PCMCIA card cannot be recognized, the most effective method at this time is to upgrade your own PCMCIA module. Software download location:
/
pub/Linux/kernel/pcmcia/ and SUNSITE mirror sites. The current latest version is 3.1.16. Other latest information can be found at the following URL:
/HyperNews/get/pcmcia/
Usually the version in the Linux distribution is slightly lower than the current latest version. Download the distribution package in the /usr/src/linux directory, unpack it, and then compile and install:
#tar zxvf pcmcia-cs-3.1.
#cd pcmcia;make config
#make all
#make install
Rerun /etc///S45pcmcia to view port information and log information. At this time, port eth0 will generally appear, use Ping to verify, and then configure default routing, etc. These are the same as ordinary desktop computers, and will not be repeated.
Conclusion
Currently, there are many websites and news discussion groups about installing Linux operating systems on laptops. If readers are interested, they can search for "linux on laptop" on YAHOO, Sina and other websites to find many valuable web pages. Here, the author recommends a more comprehensive website for laptop installation of Linux:
/users/kharker/linux-laptop/
This site collects guides, experiences, and many specific configuration templates for installing Linux operating systems on the popular laptops on the market. The author has referred to the instructions and contacted the author of the corresponding webpage for timely help. In addition, the author also hopes to communicate with you about some tips during the installation process. If you are interested, please contact us via email (sungaiair@ or cybersec@).
Through this article, I hope it will be helpful to friends who are preparing or installing Linux on their laptop.