new laptop

mbvo · 08-15-2009, 01:24 PM

I'm thinking about getting a new laptop very soon(possibly within my next 2 paychecks). I'm leaning tword IBM thinkpads /w bluetooth fingerprint reader, at least b/g wifi dvd/cd preferably p4 or better. My fav distro is slackware /w kde4. My question is are there any known models I should stay away from due to driver problems, or anything that may not work in slackware(or for that matter kubuntu or suse). My last 2 laptops were dell and ibm and had problems with audio and wifi respectively.

TBC Cosmo · 08-15-2009, 02:31 PM

I think a good approach is to look at Lenovo(IBM) notebooks that are certified Linux compatible.

Lenovo Linux Compatibility

mbvo · 08-15-2009, 03:40 PM

Unfortunately that list doesnt have slackware tests but it does help. Im thinking about getting a t43p off ebay which apears to be linux-certified

FredGSanford · 08-15-2009, 05:19 PM

Slackware is a pretty solid distro and will install on just about any basic hardware you throw at it. About 5 years ago, I put the current slackware on an old IBM Thinkpad 380XD without any problems. I think sound was the only problem I had at the time.

mbvo · 08-16-2009, 04:24 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by FredGSanford

Slackware is a pretty solid distro and will install on just about any basic hardware you throw at it. About 5 years ago, I put the current slackware on an old IBM Thinkpad 380XD without any problems. I think sound was the only problem I had at the time.

Im not worried about a basic install not working, ik most any pc will run slackware + fluxbox but i want to take advantage of KDE4, wifi, audio, dvd playback, full video accelleration, etc. I had a 760ed that the mobo and my linksys cards irq conflicted and my dell had problems with x server running and audio playing at the same time.

vansch76 · 08-16-2009, 07:14 PM

Mbvo

I have an ibm t40 running Ubuntu and everything works. It doesnt have a web cam or
a fingerprint reader.

When I first got started in Linux 2 yrs ago, I tried fedora, suse, Ubuntu, and a
couple of other distros, Ubuntu was the only one that everything worked the first
time without a lot of tweeking. I think suse would have ran had I been more
knowledgeable about linux at the time.

also check the lenovo site for reconditioned laptops.

Vanessa

Royk · 08-27-2009, 01:50 AM

Very useful and interesting information.