How to find out if a version of Linux is compatible with an HP laptop

Steven_Shelton · 07-10-2006, 10:09 PM

I've got an HP Pavilion ZE5170 laptop that shipped with the wrong restore disks. The Windows install is corrupted. I've been wanting to try SUSE linux, and since I can't restore the Windows installation anyway, I thought I'd maybe take this opportunity to throw SUSE onto my lappy and see how it flies.

Is there any good resource I can use to find out if SUSE (or any other particular flava of Linux) will work well with this particular laptop and all of its various and sundry built-in peripherals?

jdwilder · 07-10-2006, 10:38 PM

Maybe
http://www.linuxquestions.org/hcl/index.php
would help.
They have a big list of what hardware is compatible with linux, and has some user reviews about possible problems.
Just look in the Laptops section. They may not have your exact model though. About the ZE5120 there are complaints about hibernation/standby problems, as well as wireless network problems, so maybe you could expect a similar problem.
(Or you could try it and post what happens and how you fixed it

That way it would be less work for me when I get a laptop, jk)

Steven_Shelton · 07-11-2006, 07:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jdwilder

Maybe
http://www.linuxquestions.org/hcl/index.php
would help.
They have a big list of what hardware is compatible with linux, and has some user reviews about possible problems.
Just look in the Laptops section. They may not have your exact model though. About the ZE5120 there are complaints about hibernation/standby problems, as well as wireless network problems, so maybe you could expect a similar problem.
(Or you could try it and post what happens and how you fixed it

That way it would be less work for me when I get a laptop, jk)

Thanks. I took a look and you're right: my model isn't listed. It sounds like the common problems are with the modem (which I don't actually need) and the wireless networking. The latter could be a problem, or maybe not, since none of my lappies came with built-in wireless; the ze5170 is using a PCMCIA card. I don't remember the brand of card; I think it's a D-Link, although it might be a Linksys. Either way, I think I'm going to give it a go and then bug the heck out of everyone here asking how to get it to work. :-D