[BL] USB, Ethernet, Wifi, X on Toshiba Portege laptop

[James K. Banks]

I have a Toshiba Portege 7020CT laptop (specs available here, such as they
are:
http://www.toshiba-europe.com/computers/products/notebooks/portege7020/product.shtm).
I have BL 3.5 on it, but I haven't gotten it to do everything I want it
to. The main goal I have for it is to take it into the local cafe and be
able to write up drafts of blog posts or word processing type things
without going home, and also send and receive email.

Some extra things that might be nice: reading Wikipedia, checking my online
banking (requires some level of JavaScript, don't know how much),
telnetting into freeshell.org, playing MP3s, writing C programs, flash
drive support, using abiword (or some other WYSIWYG editor?) for drafting
rather than troff/HTML, using sylpheed (or another graphical mail client?)
rather than mutt for email.

Questions:
I have to use PCMCIA cards for ethernet or wifi. What are good cards for
that? I've already got an Ethernet card (DYNEX DX-E202) coming in the
mail, not sure if it'll work, might be too new.

The USB port doesn't seem to work under the default 2.2.16 kernel. I read
that 2.4 kernels have better USB support. So I looked at Sindi's 2.4
kernels, but I don't know which one to pick. I assume I should go with one
of the bigger ones, but which one? (Also, which one does best with Wifi
cards?)

I haven't gotten X to work, which obviously is required for a lot of my
"nice things" list. I might have more specific questions about it later.
But if I could get the SVGALib links2 to work, that would get me Wikipedia
(and maybe, possibly, online banking). Also might help reviewing HTML I
write. The package seems to have been made for an earlier version of BL.
Do I have to "downgrade" to that, or can I get it work in BL 3.5, if so,
how?

Thanks.

[sindi keesan]

Post by James K. Banks
I have a Toshiba Portege 7020CT laptop (specs available here, such as they
http://www.toshiba-europe.com/computers/products/notebooks/portege7020/product.shtm).

We have a 300MHz model (needs fixing). Have you upped the memory from 64
to 196MB with PC66 or PC100 RAM?

Post by James K. Banks
I have BL 3.5 on it, but I haven't gotten it to do everything I want it
to. The main goal I have for it is to take it into the local cafe and be
able to write up drafts of blog posts or word processing type things
without going home, and also send and receive email.
Some extra things that might be nice: reading Wikipedia, checking my online
banking (requires some level of JavaScript, don't know how much),
telnetting into freeshell.org, playing MP3s, writing C programs, flash
drive support, using abiword (or some other WYSIWYG editor?) for drafting
rather than troff/HTML, using sylpheed (or another graphical mail client?)
rather than mutt for email.

Wikipedia works with any browser including links.

Javascript:

Opera 9.63 works if you add libc6 (glibc 2.2.5) from Slackware 8.1. I put
a package operalib.tgz at http://keesan.freeshell.org/bl/ with the minimal
required files for that. You can also add glibc 2.3.6 from slackware 11
(for which I also posted a minimal package). Firefox 2 from DSL linux
also works. I posted an old DILLO (no javascript).

Links 2.1 pre 28 has some javascript support.

BL3.5 has telnet. I posted a dbclient package - dbclient is an ssh
program. The older ssh for bl3 no longer works at sdf.

mpg123 plays mp3s. So does mplayer, including online mp3s. There is a
uclibc mplayer (no dependencies) by David Moberg, and I posted a few for
glibc 2.2.5 and 2.3.6 - without video support. You have an i686 (PII).

Write C programs with a text editor (e3pi).
Flash drive - insert USB drivers (kernel 2.4).
Abiword is available at the BL3 website.
Anyone know where to find sylpheed?
Why not just use pine at sdf for mail?

Post by James K. Banks
I have to use PCMCIA cards for ethernet or wifi. What are good cards for
that? I've already got an Ethernet card (DYNEX DX-E202) coming in the
mail, not sure if it'll work, might be too new.

Wifi - aironet or orinoco based cards, non-cardbus.
Ethernet - anything non-cardbus. Check e-bay. pcnet, 3c589, etc.
Edit /etc/pcmcia/config to match. See the archives for how.

Post by James K. Banks
The USB port doesn't seem to work under the default 2.2.16 kernel. I read
that 2.4 kernels have better USB support. So I looked at Sindi's 2.4
kernels, but I don't know which one to pick. I assume I should go with one
of the bigger ones, but which one? (Also, which one does best with Wifi
cards?)

bzimalafb.431 if you want framebuffer support. Insert the framebuffer
modules (fbcon etc.) to get 1024x768 text in an actual terminal (more
characters on the screen). If no framebuffer, use bzimagla.431.
All the kernels work with wifi cards - once you install the right driver
module and edit config.

Post by James K. Banks
I haven't gotten X to work, which obviously is required for a lot of my
"nice things" list. I might have more specific questions about it later.

Steven provides a package for Xvesa at 800x600. You can add lines for
1024. Framebuffer X is said to work too (Xfbdev). Test if Xvesa works by
just typing Xvesa (to give a grey screen with an X).

Post by James K. Banks
But if I could get the SVGALib links2 to work, that would get me Wikipedia
(and maybe, possibly, online banking). Also might help reviewing HTML I
write. The package seems to have been made for an earlier version of BL.
Do I have to "downgrade" to that, or can I get it work in BL 3.5, if so,
how?

Framebuffer disables svgalib, and most laptops I have tried don't work
with svgalib anyway. (Since about 200MHz). I posted a glibc 2.2.5
svgalib-only (no X) links2. I also posted svgalib drivers. Instructions
at http://keesan.freeshell.org/blfiles.htm

Post by James K. Banks
Thanks.

Sindi Keesan

[James K. Banks]

Post by James K. Banks

Post by James K. Banks
I have a Toshiba Portege 7020CT laptop (specs available here, such as

they
http://www.toshiba-europe.com/computers/products/notebooks/portege7020/product.shtm
).
We have a 300MHz model (needs fixing). Have you upped the memory from 64
to 196MB with PC66 or PC100 RAM?

It came with 128Mb. I thought of opening the panel to see about upgrading,
but one of the screws was stripping, so I put that off (also I'd have to
order more memory).

Post by James K. Banks

Post by James K. Banks
I have to use PCMCIA cards for ethernet or wifi. What are good cards for
that? I've already got an Ethernet card (DYNEX DX-E202) coming in the
mail, not sure if it'll work, might be too new.

Wifi - aironet or orinoco based cards, non-cardbus.
Ethernet - anything non-cardbus. Check e-bay. pcnet, 3c589, etc.
Edit /etc/pcmcia/config to match. See the archives for how.

Do the aironet or orinoco cards work with newer wireless routers?
Wikipedia said that orinoco only does WEP.

Post by James K. Banks

Post by James K. Banks
The USB port doesn't seem to work under the default 2.2.16 kernel. I

read

Post by James K. Banks
that 2.4 kernels have better USB support. So I looked at Sindi's 2.4
kernels, but I don't know which one to pick. I assume I should go with

one

Post by James K. Banks
of the bigger ones, but which one? (Also, which one does best with Wifi
cards?)

bzimalafb.431 if you want framebuffer support. Insert the framebuffer
modules (fbcon etc.) to get 1024x768 text in an actual terminal (more
characters on the screen). If no framebuffer, use bzimagla.431.
All the kernels work with wifi cards - once you install the right driver
module and edit config.

Post by James K. Banks
I haven't gotten X to work, which obviously is required for a lot of my
"nice things" list. I might have more specific questions about it later.

Steven provides a package for Xvesa at 800x600. You can add lines for
1024. Framebuffer X is said to work too (Xfbdev). Test if Xvesa works by
just typing Xvesa (to give a grey screen with an X).

I got framebuffer X to work, but not vesa. It's ugly, (strange looking
fonts and cursor) but I could live with that. I think that might be a
function of being in full-screen (i.e. stretched) output. The mouse nub
doesn't work, though. It does in Windows 3.1. In X, it jumps around the
screen and gets stuck in the upper left corner. I tested an external mouse
with the same results (both cases using /dev/mouse pointing to /dev/psaux).


Is there a safe/effective way to guess monitor/screen settings for
1024x768? Or should I look for official specs? The ones I found on the
Toshiba site weren't helpful for that.

Post by James K. Banks

Post by James K. Banks
But if I could get the SVGALib links2 to work, that would get me

Wikipedia

Post by James K. Banks
(and maybe, possibly, online banking). Also might help reviewing HTML I
write. The package seems to have been made for an earlier version of BL.
Do I have to "downgrade" to that, or can I get it work in BL 3.5, if so,
how?

Framebuffer disables svgalib, and most laptops I have tried don't work
with svgalib anyway. (Since about 200MHz). I posted a glibc 2.2.5
svgalib-only (no X) links2. I also posted svgalib drivers. Instructions
at http://keesan.freeshell.org/blfiles.htm

Post by James K. Banks
Thanks.

Sindi Keesan
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[sindi keesan]

Post by James K. Banks

Post by sindi keesan
We have a 300MHz model (needs fixing). Have you upped the memory from 64
to 196MB with PC66 or PC100 RAM?

It came with 128Mb. I thought of opening the panel to see about upgrading,
but one of the screws was stripping, so I put that off (also I'd have to
order more memory).

64MB onboard, 64MB in the slot which could be changed to 128MB.

Post by James K. Banks

Post by sindi keesan
Wifi - aironet or orinoco based cards, non-cardbus.
Ethernet - anything non-cardbus. Check e-bay. pcnet, 3c589, etc.
Edit /etc/pcmcia/config to match. See the archives for how.

Do the aironet or orinoco cards work with newer wireless routers?
Wikipedia said that orinoco only does WEP.

If you need WPA, try a different linux. BL does not support cardbus,
because Steven's computers were too old for cardbus (15 years ago).

Puppy Linux supports 'older' hardware and also the 'newer' cardbus wifi
cards. I use the PULP version which is less memory intensive, boots up
into X with 10MB RAM if you run a 'full' installation (do not load
everything into memory, install to hard drive not 'frugal'). Turbopup is
another option but it is buggy.

This may also fix your X and mouse problems. Choose Xorg if Xvesa does
not work. 128MB should be enough to get you going. Pick a lighter-weight
webmail such as fastmail.fm, not gmail. If you upgrade glibc you can run
Opera 12.16 or Firefox 17.

I was able to use BL with kernel 2.4.29 and matching modules from Puppy 1,
(which got sound working for me on one laptop). Puppy 1 has support for
some WPA-cardbus wifi cards. Which does not fix X or the mouse for you.


Sindi

[James K. Banks]

Post by sindi keesan

Post by sindi keesan
Puppy Linux supports 'older' hardware and also the 'newer' cardbus wifi

cards. I use the PULP version which is less memory intensive, boots up
into X with 10MB RAM if you run a 'full' installation (do not load
everything into memory, install to hard drive not 'frugal'). Turbopup is
another option but it is buggy.

One of the constraints of this laptop is that it doesn't have a CDROM
drive. PULP comes as an .iso. What are my options? Would loadlin.exe
work? (That's how I boot BL.) In that case, I'd extract the contents of
the .iso to a directory on C:\ and figure out what loadlin options to use.
Or would I have to try or be better off trying a net install? The net
install would require the laptop to boot from LAN, which the BIOS says it
can do, but it would have to use a PCMCIA network card. I have one, a
cardbus Ethernet one that works in DamnSmallLinux (the one I ordered in the
mail). Would that work at boot time? (For that matter, is DSL an option?
I gave up on it a long time ago but don't remember why.)

[sindi keesan]

Post by James K. Banks

Post by sindi keesan

Post by sindi keesan
Puppy Linux supports 'older' hardware and also the 'newer' cardbus wifi

cards. I use the PULP version which is less memory intensive, boots up
into X with 10MB RAM if you run a 'full' installation (do not load
everything into memory, install to hard drive not 'frugal'). Turbopup is
another option but it is buggy.

One of the constraints of this laptop is that it doesn't have a CDROM
drive. PULP comes as an .iso. What are my options? Would loadlin.exe

mount -o loop the .iso file and copy the .sfs file to your hard drive.
I boot puppy with loadlin from DOS, or with lilo.

Post by James K. Banks
work? (That's how I boot BL.) In that case, I'd extract the contents of
the .iso to a directory on C:\ and figure out what loadlin options to use.

loadlin vmlinuz initrd=initrd.gz ro

for frugal install (which uses about 35MB memory to boot)

or boot as for BL (10 MB memory) after copying all the individual files
from the iso to a partition such as hda2

loadlin vmlinuz root=/dev/hda2 ro

You can also copy the .iso to the hard drive and boot with a boot floppy
'wakepup' which loads all possible drivers (CD-ROM, USB flash drive, SCSI,
etc.), looks for the iso file, and boots it for you.

Post by James K. Banks
Or would I have to try or be better off trying a net install? The net
install would require the laptop to boot from LAN, which the BIOS says it
can do, but it would have to use a PCMCIA network card. I have one, a
cardbus Ethernet one that works in DamnSmallLinux (the one I ordered in the
mail). Would that work at boot time? (For that matter, is DSL an option?
I gave up on it a long time ago but don't remember why.)

I have not tried network boot. The original DSL is extremely out of date
and uses Firefox 2 (which works with upgraded glibc in BL). Puppy is far
more popular now, and has forum support for most hardware.

There is a youtube video on puppy linux and portege 7010, and a discussion
of the 320CT (Puppy 4) and M300. The USB port did not work on one of
these - I have the same problem on a Latitude D600 where USB works with
BL2 but not Puppy. Usually there are solutions.

If you prefer BL, try the 2.4.29 kernel and modules from Puppy 1.0.7 with
it - later Puppy 1 versions use ALSA sound. At a non-official site
http://dotpups.de you can find all the puppy 1 and 2 versions and
additional wifi modules. Read how other people got X and mouse working in
linux on that hardware.

Puppy 1 can be booted with loadlin if you put all the files in c:\ (root
directory) and be sure to have 512MB free for a 'save file'. Use the boot
floppy or examine it for details on how to use loadlin - you need a config
file in addition to the usual loadlin files. It requires more knowledge
of linux than later puppy linuxes, but works on my 133MHz laptop where
puppy 4 does not (read the recent BL archives for details) - I forget
whether it is sound or network that did not work. It probably also uses
less memory than later versions.

At dotpups.de go to pet packages 1 and 2, wifi - there is support for
acx100, adm8211, atmelwlan, hostap, ipw2100, ipw2200 (these do WPA2 - has
to be at least 2005),madwifi,ralink,rtl8180,zd1211.

Look up the linux driver for your cardbus card and if it needs a different
one, try Puppy 2 (which has a few more drivers) or 4 not Puppy 1.

You should have hours of fun trying all this.


Sindi Keesan

[l***@dea.spamcon.org]

Post by sindi keesan
Look up the linux driver for your cardbus card
and if it needs a different one, try Puppy 2
(which has a few more drivers) or 4 not Puppy 1.

It's interesting that you are discussing Puppy
because I've been considering Puppy myself.
I recently acquired two old eee netbooks and
apparently Puppeee is the best distribution
to install on them. So, as soon as I figure
out how to put the iso on a USB flashdrive,
I'll be running a version of Puppy (for the
first time).

Cheers,
Steven

[sindi keesan]

Post by l***@dea.spamcon.org

Post by sindi keesan
Look up the linux driver for your cardbus card
and if it needs a different one, try Puppy 2
(which has a few more drivers) or 4 not Puppy 1.

It's interesting that you are discussing Puppy
because I've been considering Puppy myself.
I recently acquired two old eee netbooks and
apparently Puppeee is the best distribution
to install on them. So, as soon as I figure
out how to put the iso on a USB flashdrive,
I'll be running a version of Puppy (for the
first time).
Cheers,
Steven

If you succeed, please can you figure out how to use a 2.6 kernel and
modules from Puppy with BL?

Do you plan to make the flash drive bootable? Let us know how if that
works. I have a netbook with another linux on it that I would rather ran
puppy. I failed miserably making a bootable SD card.

Sindi

[l***@dea.spamcon.org]

Message from Steven
===================

Post by sindi keesan
Do you plan to make the flash drive bootable?

Yes.

Post by sindi keesan
I have a netbook with another linux on it that
I would rather ran puppy.

Is it an Eee? Puppeee was designed specifically
for the Eee. A different version (I can't remember
the name) is recommended for other netbooks.

Post by sindi keesan
I failed miserably making a bootable SD card.

Once I get the flash drive to boot, I hope to
install Puppeee to a 8gb SD card (which will stay
permanently in the Eee's SD slot). Then I will rip
out the HD (which has Windows on it). Without the
HD, the netbook will be lighter, more durable and
run cooler.

Cheers,
Steven

[Alejandro Lieber]

Post by l***@dea.spamcon.org
Message from Steven
===================

Post by sindi keesan
Do you plan to make the flash drive bootable?

Yes.

Post by sindi keesan
I have a netbook with another linux on it that
I would rather ran puppy.

Is it an Eee? Puppeee was designed specifically
for the Eee. A different version (I can't remember
the name) is recommended for other netbooks.

Post by sindi keesan
I failed miserably making a bootable SD card.

Once I get the flash drive to boot, I hope to
install Puppeee to a 8gb SD card (which will stay
permanently in the Eee's SD slot). Then I will rip
out the HD (which has Windows on it). Without the
HD, the netbook will be lighter, more durable and
run cooler.
Cheers,
Steven

I have a Asus Eee PC 4G. I am almost sure it cannot boot directly from
the SD slot.

I deleted the original linux that came with the computer.

Loaded MS-DOS 7.1

In the DOS partition, I have: Puppeee, LUPU and LXPUP. The last one is
the puppy I use most.

I use LINLD.COM to load and run any of the three Puppys.

I can send you the batch files thar run de Puppys

Alejandro Lieber
Rosario Argentina

[sindi keesan]

Post by l***@dea.spamcon.org
Message from Steven
===================

Post by sindi keesan
Do you plan to make the flash drive bootable?

Yes.

To DOS or linux?

Post by l***@dea.spamcon.org

Post by sindi keesan
I have a netbook with another linux on it that
I would rather ran puppy.

Is it an Eee? Puppeee was designed specifically
for the Eee. A different version (I can't remember
the name) is recommended for other netbooks.

ASUS 901 from James, with external keyboard. He put Arch Linux on it.

Post by l***@dea.spamcon.org

Post by sindi keesan
I failed miserably making a bootable SD card.

It has no boot sector and I tried to make one.

Post by l***@dea.spamcon.org
Once I get the flash drive to boot, I hope to
install Puppeee to a 8gb SD card (which will stay
permanently in the Eee's SD slot). Then I will rip
out the HD (which has Windows on it). Without the
HD, the netbook will be lighter, more durable and
run cooler.

It has a real hard drive or a solid state drive?
I think mine has SSD.

Post by l***@dea.spamcon.org
Cheers,
Steven

[l***@dea.spamcon.org]

Message from Steven
===================

Post by sindi keesan

Post by sindi keesan
Do you plan to make the flash drive bootable?

Yes.

To DOS or linux?

To Puppeee.

Post by sindi keesan

Without the HD, the netbook will be lighter,
more durable and run cooler.

It has a real hard drive or a solid state drive?

A real 160gb hard drive (SATA, I think). It's
by far the biggest HD I have. I've still got
80mb (!) hard drives in the garage.

Post by sindi keesan
I think mine has SSD.

I wish I had a SSD in this one. Lighter, cooler and
shock resistant. The only reason I got the Eee was
for travelling, so weight and shock resistance matter.
I considered getting a tablet (android), but those
onscreen keyboards are hopeless. Even the original
Commodore PET keyboards were better:
Loading Image...

Cheers,
Steven

[sindi keesan]

Post by l***@dea.spamcon.org

Post by sindi keesan
I think mine has SSD.

I wish I had a SSD in this one. Lighter, cooler and
shock resistant. The only reason I got the Eee was
for travelling, so weight and shock resistance matter.
I considered getting a tablet (android), but those
onscreen keyboards are hopeless. Even the original
http://www.commodore.ca/history/company/pet_preview/fig7_et_feb78.JPG
Cheers,
Steven

We were given an old 233MHz Thinkpad with SSD plugged into the HD slot
(attached to a thin piece of wood). They come in 1.8" and 2.5" sizes.
2.5" 80GB used on ebay sells for $40-50. They don't seem to be available
in small sizes any more. I think ours is about 32MB.

There are bluetooth keyboards for tablets.


Sindi

[sindi keesan]

Post by l***@dea.spamcon.org

Post by sindi keesan
I failed miserably making a bootable SD card.

Once I get the flash drive to boot, I hope to
install Puppeee to a 8gb SD card (which will stay
permanently in the Eee's SD slot). Then I will rip
out the HD (which has Windows on it). Without the
HD, the netbook will be lighter, more durable and
run cooler.
Cheers,
Steven

Ebay has $6.50 single-port and $18 dual-port SD to SATA adaptors that will
let you use one or two SD cards as a 'hard drive'. Then you can use the
SD card slot for transferring photos instead. (Or boot puppy into RAM and
remove the card, or put the SD card in a USB adaptor to read it).

Let me know how you made the SD card bootable.

I wish BL supported SATA drives.

Sindi

[James Miller]

Post by l***@dea.spamcon.org
to install on them. So, as soon as I figure
out how to put the iso on a USB flashdrive,
I'll be running a version of Puppy (for the
first time).

dd if=/path/to/puppy.iso of=/dev/sdX# will do it

[j***@yahoo.com]

I boot my Eee-pc from the sd slot .. running SliTaz on a 16gb card .. the original Xandros-based OS is still intact and I can use it if I want.

-monz

Sent from Yahoo Mail on Android