Linux on Digital VP575

I have a Digital VP575. It's a good Laptop for Linux (a little old, but works fine).

For more information about Linux on laptops, click here. With the four or five years that I have used this Laptop I have installed (in this order):

All distributions work fine.

Installation

Installation of all distributions works fine without problems.

Touchpad

It's a normal PS2 mouse. Then, use /dev/psaux to use touchpad. When you connect an external PS2 mouse and boot the system; Linux will use external mouse. If you connect it with Linux running, doesn't change it.

CDROM and floppy drives

It's a normal IDE CD-ROM drive, in /dev/hdb . You can mount same as normal workstation (some distributions will do some icon).

Floppy drives works fine (you only need to use /dev/fd0)

Sound Card

You can use Sound Card as modules or builtin Kernel. I only try OSS sound, I don't try ALSA drivers.

With modules
You must compile the Kernel with OSS suport, sound blaster compatible support and opl3 support as modules (I don't remember if you need anything else). In /etc/modules.conf (or in /etc/modutils/sndconfig and run update-modules in Debian) you have to write: 

alias sound-slot-0 sb
options sound dmabuf=1
alias midi opl3
options opl3 io=0x388
options sb io=0x220 irq=5 dma=1
I don't remember if I changed this options in the Bios or not. Enter in the BIOS and write in the file the IRQ and DMA that the BIOS tell you.

Then you can run: 

modprobe sound
And listen to mp3 :-) . Sorry, I don't test MIDI files.

Kernel builtin
You must compile with same options but in the Kernel. You must tell Kernel IRQ, io address, etc. of Sound Card. I use Lilo and I have this line:

append="sb=0x220,5,1,0 opl3=0x388"
Then you can use Sound Card :-)

Video Card

Works fine.
With XFree 3.3.6 you can use svga-server without problem. Sorry, I don't have the configuration file here

With XFree 4.0.1, accelerated server (Neomagic driver) I have problems redrawing the screen. Without accelerated server works slow.

With XFree 4.0.2, accelerated server works fine. Here you can download my XF86Config-4

If you try to use more resoution than 800x600, the computer will work with "Virtual Screen"

You can use Frame Buffer because NeoMagic is Vesa 2.0 compatible. Now, I don't have it configured, but work without problems. You can see Tux when booting, etc. And you can use XFree 3.3.6 with FrameBuffer and svga-server without problem. With XFree 4.0.2 I didn't try (4.0.1 have some problem when changing from X-Window to consoles)

PCMCIA

Works fine. You can hot-swap the cards in hot. With Kernel 2.4.0 I have some problem, but with Kernel 2.4.4 I think that there aren't problems. If you have problems, compile support for PCMCIA into Kernel and insert cards before booting Linux

APM

When I type "halt"; the computer is stopped completly.

apm and similar programs tell me how much battery is left.

I don't remember if suspend option to hard disk works fine because now my Laptop is a 24/7 system and I delete the partition where data is saved. But I think that works fine.

Suspend with the button works fine.

and finally...

Well, I think that the computer doesn't have any more hardware :-)

If you have any questions, send and e-mail to is08139@salleURL.edu

I know that some configurations are not detailed (Bios settings, Kernel configurations). You can experiment yourself. If you don't have time, send me an e-mail and I will search and send the configuration files.

Carles Pina i Estany
Barcelona, 2001
is08139@salleURL.edu