Linux on Laptops. Is it safe?

Pcghost · 02-25-2003, 04:46 PM

I own 5 PC's, 4 with linux and one with XP hoe. I really want to put Linux on my new HP Pavilion ze 4230 laptop, but I have the following concerns.

1. I keep hearing people saying Linux makes the processor fan behave erratically. This scares me to death.

2. I have been to the linux on laptop websites and there is no mension of my laptop (new series). Does this mean none of the components are supported in RH?

Someone please enlighten me. I am totally clueless about Linux on portables...

Bert · 02-25-2003, 05:11 PM

Don't use Linux on laptops. They *will* overheat and burn your lap (ouch!).

Just kidding. Whoever told you that was a Windows Weenie. The best thing is to find out about your devices. It's unlikely that they're all unsupported. Check the devices on previous models - they're probably similar too.

The short answer is suck it and see. It certainly won't damage anything but you might need to seaarch around for drivers etc. (this is unlikely these days with Redhat though).

nakkaya · 02-25-2003, 05:43 PM

i am using redhat on my dell inspiron 2650c no heating even after 9 hours of operation and works smooth and i saw a lot of people on this forum using linux on their laptop and non of them i saw complained about overheating as bert sait it is a stupid urban legend

Crashed_Again · 02-25-2003, 07:01 PM

RedHat 8.0 on my Toshiba Satellite. Haven't shutdown in a long time and everything runs nice and smooth. If she burns up I'll let you know. Believe me.

riddlebox80 · 02-25-2003, 07:54 PM

I have mandrake running on my compaq 715us laptop for awhile now the only problem I had with overheating is that I need ACPI in my kernel once I add that its all smooth sailing! everything else works great DVD cd-burner all work great

Tinkster · 02-25-2003, 08:01 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Pcghost
1. I keep hearing people saying Linux makes the processor fan behave erratically. This scares me to death.

This is, as others already pointed out, utter BS :}

Quote:

2. I have been to the linux on laptop websites and there is no mension of my laptop (new series). Does this mean none of the components are supported in RH?

Well, tell us the core components, and we'll tell you
whether they have driver support or not.

As for my Thinkpad R32, the only thing with no Linux
support is the built in WinMODEM ... everything else is
sweet :)

Cheers,
Tink

TazLinux · 02-25-2003, 09:03 PM

Mandrake 9.0 on my laptop, toshiba satellite 305cds.

prophet621 · 02-25-2003, 10:10 PM

I've run Linranet, Mandrake 9, RH 8 and Xandros on my laptop at one time or another. All of them ran fine, only complaint I have is that none of them could pick up and configure my sound card correctly. Beyond that, hardware detection was great and performance was as well.

By the way, I have a Sony Vaio GRX570.

moosedaddy · 02-25-2003, 10:35 PM

I have ran Mandrake 8.2, Redhat 8.0 and Debian Woody all without problems (except Sound).

ranger_nemo · 02-25-2003, 10:38 PM

Quote:

I have mandrake running on my compaq 715us laptop for awhile now the only problem I had with overheating is that I need ACPI in my kernel once I add that its all smooth sailing! everything else works great DVD cd-burner all work great

Same here... I have the Compaq 725US with RedHat 8.0.

If I run anything super processor intensive in the background, it will lock up. It runs SETI@home while I'm not using it. If I stop it and start something else right away, then it locks. If I stop it and wait ten seconds, then it's OK, and I can go cruise the net.

xYko · 02-26-2003, 01:53 AM

On a side note - Stationary Intel processors never burn, even if you remove the cooler completely, not sure about laps but those should be even better at that kind of thing.
Only AMD has that nasty heat problem..

nakkaya · 02-26-2003, 06:11 AM

i read smewhere that amd cameover that heating problem in their latest cpu s

Pcghost · 02-26-2003, 01:12 PM

Wow. Thanks for all the input people. I will check out the hardware specs for the ze4230 and post em here. Hopefully it will go smoothly. I can't wait to be able to put RH8.1 on my laptop.
Thanks for dispelling the myths...

nakkaya · 02-26-2003, 01:21 PM

btw does any one have succses with his/her geforce 2go card ?

stratocastor666 · 02-26-2003, 09:25 PM

Ive got Gentoo linux running, the total compilation for the entire system from source took over 20 hours. Mind you everything in Gentoo linux is complied from source, not the nice precompiled packeges of redhat or anything like that. All custom build and optimized for my Dell inspiron 4150. So with almost 20 + hrs at ~100% cpu use proves... not only can you put linux on your laptop, you should. Windows would never be capable of that task....