Linux on the Laptop Compaq Presario 2825ea
How to run Linux on the Compaq Presario 2825ea Laptop.
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I bought this laptop as a replacement for my old desktop computer and because I didn't have a portable computer already.
It's the cheapest computer in its class (Mobile PIV, SXGA+, 512MB, more than 3h on battery) and doesn't look too bad.
Installing Linux was as easy as installing Linux on a desktop, everything works out of the box. Well, almost everything.
The ACPI implementation somehow isn't right so one has to patch the ACPI tables into the kernel
Please let me know if you have news regarding any of the open questions I have or if you have a webpage concerning the Presario 2825ea or a similar model.
I will gladly add your information or a link to your webpage on this page. My email address is maol@symlink.ch.
Specs:
Intel PIV Mobile 1.9GHz with 512MB RAM, Radeon Mobility M7 7500 with 64MB video RAM, 15" TFT with 1400x1050 SXGA+ resolution, USB 2.0 and the usual connectors.
Changes:
27. January 2003
First version online.
10. February 2003
ACPI now works.
08. April 2003
Modem and PCMCIA work.
The Presario 2825ea is one of the Presario 2800 series which is only sold
in Europe. The Evo n800v series uses the same parts and maybe BIOS. I'm
using kernel 2.4.21-pre7 since a chipset bug has been fixed here.
At home I have it connected to a USB SUN Type 6 keyboard, USB TrackMan Marble Wheel from Logitech,
speakers from Fujitsu Siemens, a Creative Webcam II, my Palm 515's base station and a 21" Belinea
monitor.
Quite some files are involved in creating the optimal Linux environment for this laptop.
I've included the most important in this directory for you to download.
Many people have been asking how to patch the kernel for ACPI, that's why I've written a
short document explaining the procedure step by step.
XFree86 version 4.2 worked almost out of the box. You can use either of the radeon or ati drivers - I don't know the difference.
Sometimes it would strangely flicker, but this went away when I added a Modeline for the 1400x1050 resolution with 60Hz refresh rate. See my
/etc/X11/XF86Config file. I'm using a Xinerama setup with my 21 inch monitor which has the same 1400x1050 resolution,
resulting in a really big 1400x2100 desktop.
USB2 works with the EHCI module. To be able to use older USB 1.1 hardware the OHCI module has to be installed too.
The radeonfb framebuffer works like a charm, it even autodetects the notebook's resolution. No need to fiddle with append= parameters.
Unless you explicitely don't want to use a framebuffer, then add the following line to /etc/lilo.conf:
append="video=radeon:off video=vga16:off"
Sound uses the ICH module: CONFIG_SOUND_ICH=y.
I currently have a problem when playing some mp3 files. Google knows that the ICH driver has problems with certain bitrates,
alsa is supposed to work correctly. I'll try that later.
For the network compile the eepro100 module: CONFIG_EEPRO100=y. With 2.2.x kernels use the eepro100-scyld module.
lspci reports a Communication controller: Conexant HSF 56k HSFi Modem (rev 01) which works perfectly
with the cnxtlindrv driver.
I haven't yet tried to use the infrared port.
Trackpad works out of the box with the psaux module.
To be able to use it as a mousewheel too use the synaptics driver for XFree86 from tuxmobil.org.
APM isn't supported on this laptop, use ACPI instead.
ACPI doesn't work out of the box because Compaq's implementation isn't done right. One has to patch a correct ACPI table into
the kernel, something only experienced Unix users should do. See Kevins Presario 2800t page
and the Compaq Linux ACPI Howto for more information about how it's done.
I provide my dsdt.dsl from the BIOS and the modified dsdt.edit for you as a starting
point for your own experiments.