Ubuntu and Laptops

Dan0512 · Sep 18, 2009

Hey Guys,

I've started the U, and I'm going to be getting a laptop very soon (HP8530w). Now, I've been using Ubunu on my desktop for some time now, and there aren't really any shortcomings I can complain about right now.

I plan on using Linux on my laptop as well, but I was wondering if Ubuntu combines well with laptops. Are there any important features that could be broken?

dan

Bobnova · Sep 18, 2009

Sleep/hibernate is a mixed bag, some laptops work with it on ubuntu, many don't.
Drivers for brand new hardware can be tricky sometimes, but i've found ubuntu to be pretty good at 'em.

I.M.O.G. · Sep 18, 2009

Works well on the Lenovo T400 personally.

"Ubuntu HP8530w" returned nothing major as far as problems - everything has workarounds, if the problems even apply still when you get your specific laptop.

However, this is an example of what works and what needs tweaking for a lenovo T400 on UBuntu 9.04:
http://www.thinkwiki.org/wiki/Install_Ubuntu_9.04_(Jaunty_Jackalope)_on_a_ThinkPad_T400

There are other examples there, tho that site is thinkpad specific. Your results should be relatively similar, however I don't know if HP laptops have as much good documentation available for linux - I've been impressed with the Thinkpad docs I've found.

curtis1552 · Sep 18, 2009

Well, I think you'll be in the clear with it.
i searched the ubuntu forums and only found 3 posts pertaining to your laptop
1. had to do with 3+ gb ram, so i'm ignoring it.
2. Quicklaunch buttons
3. sound issues

Reading in another thread that 9.10 fixed most of the issues that some laptops were having with the integrateed nvidia (though i think it was mostly netbooks) still the neer kernel in 9.10 should be nice.

Dan0512 · Sep 18, 2009

Thanks for the replies. I guess the only way to find out is to try it out

I'll order the version with Vista and dual boot just to be safe....

dan

oakstave · Sep 19, 2009

I have not found any distro that supports the IDT sound chipset. If your HP has IDT sound, you are likely going to have problems.

Several sites claimed to have workarounds, but none of them worked for my HP DV7.

Wireless was also a pain, but Kubuntu worked the first time. I don't know why it would not also work for mint or ubuntu...

I.M.O.G. · Sep 19, 2009

There's no problem with the audio system for the DV7 in linux - if there's any problem, it's specific to the distro.

From this link, I see the configuration necessary at the kernel level to support that hardware:
http://en.gentoo-wiki.com/wiki/HP_Pavilion_dv7-1080

You can confirm the kernel has the necessary parts built in or as modules, and you'll be fine. Other details of steps which may be needed for audio functionality are mentioned also.

This is the audio device (I'm not sure what this IDT audio stuff is that you mention - HD Audio is the kernel pieces you need enabled):

Code:

00:1b.0 Audio device: Intel Corporation HD Audio Controller (rev 03)

SeanBest · Sep 19, 2009

My girlfriend's Gateway laptop (haha Gateway I know, but $299.99 for a laptop regularly $699.99 when OfficeMax here went out of business), came with Vista Home Premium 32 bit and had BSOD every time you closed the lid and reopened it, always some memory overlap or whatever. Threw Ubuntu 8.10 on it and it runs at minimum 25x faster and smoother than it did with Vista, and without any errors or problems I might add.

Sir Barton · Sep 19, 2009

Ive run Ubuntu on everything from my Toshiba Satellite A215 to my MSI Wind. One thing Ive always had trouble with were Atheros wifi cards...although an inconvenience, it wasnt hard to get going with the madwifi driver. Other than that, most of my laptops had Intel wifi cards, which were pretty much plug and play.

ihrsetrdr · Sep 19, 2009

SeanBest said:
My girlfriend's Gateway laptop (haha Gateway I know)

I recently put Ubuntu 9.04 on my daughter's virus trashed Gateway laptop, and everything works superbly.

Originally I figured she would balk at a not-Windows OS and so I put Win 7 on it. With only 512mb of RAM Win 7 was a bit of a slug, so Ubuntu became a better option.

My secret agenda was to put Linux on it anyway...

Dan0512 · Oct 8, 2009

well, my laptop just arrived. I've installed Ubuntu, and everything seems to work fine with the exception of the brightness control. I can either set it very low, or to the highest possible setting, nothing in between. Time for troubleshooting

dan

I.M.O.G. · Oct 8, 2009

Dan, from the command line you can control that with:

Code:

sudo xbacklight -set 50

The command accepts input from 0 to 100. 100 is the brightest. I'd set it to 100 first, before you monkey around with the lower settings - if the screen goes black, you will want to press the up arrow key, then hit enter to turn the brightness back up so you can see what your doing.

Dan0512 · Oct 9, 2009

Thanks for the tip, but I already found a solution -> install the newest GeForce drivers from Nvidia (185), instead of the 180 offered by Ubuntu.

Now it scales perfectly with the fn keys. I guess everything is working for me now

The only step left is to optimize the power settings to maximize battery life.

dan

Sydney · Oct 9, 2009

The newest Ubuntu kernels seem to randomly lock up my laptop, have you had any of that?

Switching to debian fixed it, and ubuntu is working fine on my desktop.

Stratus_ss · Oct 9, 2009

Sydney said:
The newest Ubuntu kernels seem to randomly lock up my laptop, have you had any of that?

Switching to debian fixed it, and ubuntu is working fine on my desktop.

Can you be more specific as to which kernels? I would be interested to know. I might look into it further and write something up later

Sydney · Oct 9, 2009

Stratus_ss said:
Can you be more specific as to which kernels? I would be interested to know. I might look into it further and write something up later

Can't remember which kernel, I think it was the 2.6.28-11 when it happened, apparently it has something to do with the intel graphics module.

Dan0512 · Oct 9, 2009

I'm on 2.6.28-15 and haven't experienced any problems yet. Though my laptop doesn't have an intel IGP.

dan

Stratus_ss · Oct 9, 2009

Sydney said:
Can't remember which kernel, I think it was the 2.6.28-11 when it happened, apparently it has something to do with the intel graphics module.

I have Mint on 6 computers ranging from laptops with intel graphics to desktops with integrated nvidia without issues

Ubuntu and Laptops

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I.M.O.G.

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oakstave

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Dan0512

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