tomstart

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The whole time I will always be trying the Ubuntu way first - using the default install and tools, Ubuntu forums. This is my first experience using a Wiki, so I'll be learning as I go. Hopefully there will be an occasional update from anyone who has spotted an error or improvement. The final aim is to have less of a blog, and more of a start-to-finish guide to running this excellent distribution on this excellent laptop. The whole time I will always be trying the Ubuntu way first - using the default install and tools, Ubuntu forums. This is also my first experience using a Wiki, so I'll be learning as I go. Hopefully there will be an occasional update from anyone who has spotted an error or improvement. The final aim is to have less of a blog, and more of a start-to-finish guide to running this excellent distribution on this excellent laptop.
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The system specs are on the Fujitsu-Siemens site at [http://www.fujitsu-siemens.co.uk/products/mobile/notebooks/amilo_a.html]. Like almost every laptop it comes with Windows XP (SP2), and a couple of useful bits of Windows software like Nero. I will be using the Windows installation to check out the hardware, and to download the firmwire required for my Speedtouch internet connection.
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It comes with Windows XP (SP2), and a couple of useful bits of Windows software like Nero. ~+Amilo A1630 Hardware+~
 * AMD Athlon 3200+ (64bit) cpu
 * SiS 5513 chipset
 * ATi Mobility Radeon RV350 (128MB)
 * 256 MB PC/2700 (333MHz) DDR RAM
 * NEC DVD +/- RW ND-6500A
 * RaLink RT2500 IEEE 802.11g WiFi
 * Fujitsu MHT2040AT IDE HDD

~+Useful Amilo Links+~
 * Fujitsu-Siemens [www.fujitsu-siemens.co.uk]
The main question is whether this hardware is supported in Linux. Linux "out-of-the-box" hardware support is impressive and has steadily been improving. However, there is always an issue with newer hardware, since hardware vendors are typically unwilling to provide drivers. A good example is Intel's Centrino chipset/wifi card combination, which was only supported by Intel a year after the Windows drivers were released [Need a link].

Much as I don't want to admit it, this laptop is no longer new, and I expect all the hardware to Just Work. All the same, the best way to check out the hardware support for Ubuntu Breezy is to use the Breezy Live CD, which can safely be run without touching your current installation. This is the procedure I will be following

INSTALLING UBUNTU BREEZY ON A FUJITSU-SIEMENS AMILO A1630 (AMD64) LAPTOP

Welcome to my page on the Ubuntu Wiki.

I want to record all my steps and experiences installing Ubuntu on my laptop. Hopefully you will find this useful and interesting. Its going myto be a slow process, since I only have occasional evenings after work for this. All the same, the goals are ambitious:

  • AMD64 install.

  • Get every aspect of the hardware working. That's including the modem, firewire, IR, WiFi, suspend, etc.

  • Make a comfortable "home" environment, for surfing, watching movies, IM.
  • Dual boot with Windows, for Windows-only games and occasionally working from home.

The whole time I will always be trying the Ubuntu way first - using the default install and tools, Ubuntu forums. This is also my first experience using a Wiki, so I'll be learning as I go. Hopefully there will be an occasional update from anyone who has spotted an error or improvement. The final aim is to have less of a blog, and more of a start-to-finish guide to running this excellent distribution on this excellent laptop.

About the Amilo A1630

I bought this laptop for its hardware :). Its a early example of a full AMD64 laptop, with a widescreen and Radeon graphics card - what more could you want? Well, actually a bigger harddrive, and more RAM. But otherwise, it was a great deal and I have been happily using it for a year now.

Like almost every laptop it comes with Windows XP (SP2), and a couple of useful bits of Windows software like Nero. I will be using the Windows installation to check out the hardware, and to download the firmwire required for my Speedtouch internet connection.

Amilo A1630 Hardware

  • AMD Athlon 3200+ (64bit) cpu
  • SiS 5513 chipset
  • ATi Mobility Radeon RV350 (128MB)
  • 256 MB PC/2700 (333MHz) DDR RAM
  • NEC DVD +/- RW ND-6500A

  • RaLink RT2500 IEEE 802.11g WiFi

  • Fujitsu MHT2040AT IDE HDD

Useful Amilo Links

  • Fujitsu-Siemens [www.fujitsu-siemens.co.uk]

The main question is whether this hardware is supported in Linux. Linux "out-of-the-box" hardware support is impressive and has steadily been improving. However, there is always an issue with newer hardware, since hardware vendors are typically unwilling to provide drivers. A good example is Intel's Centrino chipset/wifi card combination, which was only supported by Intel a year after the Windows drivers were released [Need a link].

Much as I don't want to admit it, this laptop is no longer new, and I expect all the hardware to Just Work. All the same, the best way to check out the hardware support for Ubuntu Breezy is to use the Breezy Live CD, which can safely be run without touching your current installation. This is the procedure I will be following

[Sat 5 Nov 12:00 TS] Next update: hardware details, default win install.

tomstart (last edited 2008-08-06 16:14:40 by localhost)