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Notes on installation and compatibility of Ubuntu with Gericom laptop computers.

Summary

Details

Gericom Blockbuster Xcellent 7000

Ubuntu v5.04 (Hoary)

• Sound, 2D video, wired network card, works out of the box.
• Version of this laptop I have has no wireless (it is optional), but if you have one that has it, it should work with ipw2200 driver (included by default, so your card will get detected during the installation).
• Needs ATI fglrx driver for 3D graphics. Widescreen works, 1280x800 is detected automatically when installed, no need to configure anything.
• Touchpad works nicely, but scroll arrows near it don't work out of the box on LiveCD. In install version they work.
• Special keys (Fn) do not work.
• Suspend with a special button on a laptop hangs Linux. (In Windows, it rebooted when returning from suspend.)
• Battery status works nicely. Detection of presence of AC Power cable works too.
• Closing the lid powers off the display backlight.
• PCMCIA not tested, but should work.
• 56k modem, 4-in-1 card reader doesn't work.

Ubuntu v5.10 (Breezy)

• NOTE: Early versions of Breezy didn't work because they were development. Current versions are pretty usable. I will maintain compatibility info based on last version available.
• IMPROVEMENT: Fn keys except Sleep key work nicely (that is, changing volume, display brightnes, muting volume, etc.)
• IMPROVEMENT: Display now suspends after some idle time.
• REGRESSION: Battery status is broken. It sometimes displays 0% and sometimes correct value. This could be a kernel bug. I will test with some other distribution with 2.6.13 if there is some improvement.
• REGRESSION: ACPI gives some errors about HDD on shutdown.

I'm using lastest generic BIOS (1.09 at the time of writing) available from Uniwill 259IA Download section.

CategoryLaptop