Re: Linux on the Cheapest Laptops

From: Jim (james_at_the-computer-shop.co.uk)
Date: 08/20/05 

Date: Sat, 20 Aug 2005 08:33:19 GMT

robertharvey@my-deja.com wrote:
> Jim wrote:
>
>>All four of my Dell laptops have both track and touch.
>
>
> Ye glods, talk about a glutton for punishment.

:)

   My boss persists in
> buying them, cos they are cheap, and the reason for that is horribly
> obvious.
>

they're not so cheap when you see what I've done to 'em. All cranked up
to the max.

> This one runs hot,

set it on a desk rather than your lap - laptops like airflow.

  won't boot properly unless I pop the DVD drive from
> the multi-bay on the left,

faulty drive

  the screen has been damaged by the keyboard
> because I had the temerity to close the lid,

nothing a *** of cellophane won't fix - try an OHP film cellotaped
over the panel, works wonders.

  and it came without
> windows disks.

secondhand, by any chance? New Dells come with recovery discs.

   I've had two power supplies in 3 months,

ouch! Maybe they supplied you with the 70W psu instead of the 90? Tho
the BIOS will warn you if you're using underpowered psu or batteries.

  and the USB
> has blown up.

You're aware of the maximum current output of a laptop usb port, aren't
you? 500mA. For the entire circuit.

   Dell's on-site maintainence turns up OK, but never has
> any spares and they take weeks to arrive for me to fit myself.
>

Gimme a shout (the email is real, or use the phone number on the site)
with a list of what you need, I'll have a look round and see what I've got.

> Oh, and the cursor drifts all over the screen even when no-one is
> touching either of the two ghastly pointing devices.
>

I use the touchpad out of habit. I just don't like the nipple. Given a
spare usb port tho, I'll chuck in an optical mouse. From the sounds of
that though, it sounds like your trackpoint needs cleaning or replacing
(which would mean a new keyboard assembly at £85 a pop)

> If I had one Dell, I can't imagine any circumstances in which I could
> end up with 4, apart from strange and innovative form of community
> punishment.
>
> It does run suse and mandriva nicely, apart from closing the lid.
>

yeah, that's a problem I have with the 2.4 and 2.6 kernels and Dells -
the ACPI daemon flat doesn't work. Other than that, they're positively
dreamy with Linux; they're fast, very stable, and run average-hot for
laptops with chokes on for battery optimisation.

BTW, while we're on Dells - does anyone have an intact screen for a
Latitude C400? It's a Samsung 12" XGA panel, FWIW the laptop is subnote
sized, very slim, very light, P3m and stonkingly quick for what it is,
which is why I want to get it repaired. 

-- 
Cheers,					http://www.dotware.co.uk
Jim			  http://www.dotware-entertainment.co.uk
Maybe the Internet has the answers I need. It certainly answered my 
questions about wang enhancement.
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