Running Linux on the Compaq Presario 1275
This page gives my experiences running Linux on my Compaq Presario
1275. I used Mandrake 6.0 and 7.0 at first. Later I used various
Debian versions. I used LILO and Grub to dual boot Linux and Windows
98.
This whole document is out of date. The machine is now being used by my brother, and I can't answer questions about it.
Background
The 1275 is similar to the other 12xx models. The main details of it are:
- K6-2 366 Processor
- 32 or 64MB Ram, upgradable to 160MB (I have 96MB, later 160MB)
- 4.3GB HDD (See note 1)
- 13" 800x600 HPA display
- Synaptics Touchpad
- Built-in floppy and 24x CDROM
- Compaq 56-DF V.90 Win Modem (Lucent Win Modem)
- Neomagic 128XD graphics chipset (800x600 on LCD, 1280x768 on CRT)
- ESS ES1869 AudioDrive sound (SoundBlaster Pro compatible)
- One PCMCIA Type II slot
- 1 Serial, 1 Parallel, 1 PS/2, 1 USB, External Monitor, earphone and microphone connectors
- Win98 and various apps included
SystemSave
This is Compaq's name for the D partition you will find on your hard
drive. They claim this is a quick way to make backups(2). Also the provided QuickRestore CD will not be
very usable without it. The only thing that works is the Full Restore
which re-partitions the drive and formats it before re-installing
Windows. I think you can avoid the re-partition, but have never tried
it. It is possible to install individual parts (Except Windows) from
CD 2 without the D partition, but the install files have names like
E:\CPQDRV\151308\B2A\014\151308.zip. The only way to find the one you
want is to run each installer one at a time until you find the right
one (This was said by a Compaq tech support person in one of their
forums.)
Also just booting the CDROM will wipe out LILO even
if you choose cancel at the first prompt. Have a Linux boot disk
ready.
It is possible to make your own Windows 98 CDROM if you have a CD
burner. Copy the contents of C:\WINDOWS\OPTIONS\CABS to a CDROM. Then
find all the drivers you need on the second QuickRestore CD and put
them on your CD too (Unzipped preferebly).You will also need a Windows
bootdisk with CD drivers. The Win98 Emergency Boot Disk (Created in
the Add/Remove Programs control panel or during installation) is a
good start, but does not leave enough memory free. Remove the Ram
Disk that it uses. You will need FDISK and FORMAT on it. I would
recommend using the disk you make to create a bootable CD.
Video/X
X was fairly easy to setup using Xconfigurator, though I had three minor
problems. The '800x600 LCD panel' entry in the monitor list in
Xconfigurator does not work and will not allow 800x600. Instead pick
a suitable monitor (I used the settings for a monitor that is usually connected to
it).
The second problem I had was that it does not seem possible to turn on
Num Lock inside X. It works fine from the console, but X just beeps
when I press Shift-ScrLk. This means I can't change video modes
inside X (Ctrl-Alt-KP+/KP-). Xconfigurator puts 640x480 first in the
list of modes. Change that around in the Screen section of
XF86Config. BTW The Mandrake 7.0 installer got the resolution correct. Debian has never been a problem.
BTW I can change modes using an external keyboard, but
that is not a complete solution.
I have now figured out how to change modes. The number pad is available by holding Fn. This will give you the arrow functions of the number pad. Hold Shift as well for the numbers. To change screen modes use Fn-Ctrl-Alt-; and Fn-Ctrl-Alt-P.
Also the X server seems to ignore the Int/Ext monitor button (Fn-F3) or do strange things when you press it.
Edit XF86Config and in the device section uncomment the lines that
read:
Option "intern_disp"
Option "extern_disp"
This will enable both the LCD and a CRT. If you want to use 1280x768
you will have to comment out the "intern_disp" option and restart the
X server.
Here is a link to one of the XF86Configs I used.
Sound
The sound took me a few tries to get working. I used sndconfig to set
it up. The correct settings are:
ESS1868
IO 0x220
IRQ 5
DMA 1
MPU IO 0x330
You can confirm these in the Windows System control panel or in the BIOS setup screen.
The volume buttons on the front work as well as programs like kmixer and aumix.
Modem
The modem is a Lucent Win Modem. A binary only driver exists that works fine with this modem,
but only with kernels 2.2.12 and 2.2.14. Some people claim it works with 2.2.16 using a patched ppp.o,
but I had nothing but crashes with it, especially when I have a network card installed.
These are the steps to get the modem working:
- Download the driver linux568.zip from
the Linmodems website.
- Unzip it and run the install script. (./ltinst)
- Try out the modem. It will be on /dev/ttyS14 and the install script
updates the /dev/modem symlinkto point to it.
- If the modem does not work try typeing setserial ttyS14 uart 16550A.
- Enjoy.
More information about this modem, including the latest Windows drivers, is available from
http://808hi.com/56k/ltwin.htm. Update: This was a great wite. Now you need to pay to download anything...
An attempt at an open source driver has been started. I have had no luck woth it, but if tyou want to try it look at http://www.close.u-net.com/ltmodem.html.
Mouse/Keyboard
The built-in touchpad is a PS/2 device. It has two buttons. The
scroll button under the buttons can be a middle button in Windows, but
doesn't work in Linux. If you don't like the Tap to Click feature (I
hate it) a program exists to change it. You can get it from
http://www.pdos.lcs.mit.edu/~cananian/Synaptics/. I also can't
get the side-scroll feature of the tablet to work.
The keyboard is nice to type on, but the layout is somewhat weird.
DEL, Home, PgUp,PgDn and End are in a row down the right side. Ins is
to the right of the spacebar. For some reason they provided two
backslash keys (One at the top right and one to the left of the
spacebar). The one near the spacebar produces < and > in Linux
but would probably be simple to remap if you want to use it. NumLock
is activated by pressing Shift-ScrollLock.
The Instant Internet buttons and CD player controls do not do
anything. The volume buttons do work as well as the Sleep button,
monitor switch (Console only) and brightness and contrast controls.
External mice and keyboards work fine. I have used a Logitech
WheelMouse (Serial and PS/2), a generic serial mouse and a PS/2
keyboard. In Windows I also tried an Apple USB keyboard and Mouse
(The ugly iMac ones).
CD-ROM
The CD-ROM is a normal 24x IDE CD-ROM. It is at /dev/hdc.
APM
Power management works great. Both sleep and hibernate mode work
perfectly. I have never had Linux crash coming out of hibernate,
something I can't say about Windows. Hibernate mode needs a file on
the C: partition to save memory contents to. A program run in the
Compaq AUTOEXEC.BAT creates it if it is missing or damaged. You may have
problems if you want a Linux only machine.
The only problem I have had is that apmd sometimes losses track of the
battery state. This usually occurs if the AC cord is attached or
disconnected while the laptop is sleeping or hibernating. Apmd will
continue to report the previous power and battery status. The BIOS
low battery warning (beeps and flashing battery light) will still work
even in this case.
USB
Use the usb-ohci.o module. You will also need the
modules for whatever devices you need. Check http://www.linux-usb.org for
wether the device you are interested in is supported.
My USB Zip250 drive works fine in 2.2.16 with the latest backport.
I have had no problems with a MicroSoft SideWinder Pulg & Play Game
Pad using the USB backport to 2.2.14 available from http://www.linux-usb.org. Use the
hid and joydev modules. Then create the device special file if you
don't already have it (mknod /dev/js0 c 15 0).
Using 2.4 kernels USB works great
PCMCIA
I am using a Network EveryWhere NP100 10/100BaseT ethernet card to connect to my LAN. It worked perfectly
with the PCMCIA package included with Mandrake 7.0.
CD-Writer
I use a Micro-Solutions Backpack parallel port 4x4x20x CD-RW. It works reliably at 2x using the binary
only module available from http://www.micro-solutions.com/software_library/linux/index.html. It is for kernel 2.2.14 but works fine when force loaded on 2.2.16.
Support for this drive is now available in the current parport drivers
Notes
1. About 1.25GB is taken by the Compaq SystemSave partition.
2. Interesting to have a backup on the same drive. Every time I have had massive loss of data it has been due to drive failure. Also a laptop is more prone to theft or damage than a desktop and it seems that a back up on the same disk is little more than a waste of space.
Comments or Questions? Email me at webmaster@dalimonte.ca
Last modified: Mon Jul 12 10:23:50 EDT 2004