Slackware Linux on HP Pavilion 7880(uk)
This page gives details about installing Slackware Linux on a HP Pavilion 7880 and also links for general Slackware, Pavilion and Linux information. I've added a section on getting hold of Linux CD's in the UK to this page on Slackware.
I started this page on 8 May 2003 ... I'm still looking to start an IT job. :0)>
The computer
See my knoppix page for details of hte computer. I'll update this in the next month or so (details at the bottom of page too) but there were major issues with the via82c686 sound card (messing up the BIOS!) and with the PCTelmodem (which is still slow but running at least).
The distro
I chose Slackware this time because I had the Slackware 8.1 CD lying around. I've updated quite a few packages ... ./configure; make; make install is becoming second nature.
Install issues
This is probably the most useful/important part of this page - or it will be if I finish it ;0)>
The following linked pages have information about what problems I faced with my installation and how I solved or bypassed them:
Linux application downloads
The following is a brief list of some application download locations that I have found interesting/useful. There's alot of such sites. These are vaguely ordered with my picks first.
- icewalkers.com - ice walker, get it? [penguins!]; anyway, this site has a very nice look, an excellent structure and a pretty good selection of apps. They are sorted by, err, well, application!
General Slackware places
These should get you up and Slacking. Note that, I don't think this is obvious, the link on the main Slackware page to "book" is a link to the sites documentation.
- carroll.aset.psu.edu/.../slackware-8.1/BOOTING.TXT
- www.volny.cz/basiclinux/lowmem.html Installing slackware with only 4 MB of RAM
- jetblackz.freeservers.com/ConfiguringSlackware81.html - well duh?
- linuxtipps.sourceforge.net/index.php - the SlackFAQ, gives general info about Linux too, in multiple languages!
Linux on Pavilion places
So far as I can tell no one has documented an install on a Pavilion 7880 before.
- No links!
General Pavilion places
General information about the Thinkpad, not necessarily Linux stuff:
- See my knoppix page
Other relevant pages
This is basically stuff I had to install to get features back for my system ... things like modem and sound!!:
- alsa.org - very nice people that provide the correct sound drivers for my via82c686 chipset.
- linmodems.com - this comp also has a pctel winmodem.
Some miscellany
Here it comes ...
www.geocities.com/tipsforlinux/articles/27.html http://geocities.datacellar.net/tipsforlinux/articles/27.html - what does all that ./configure; make; make install stuff do? www.ccpo.odu.edu/ug/shell_help.html - shell script creation jimage-mosaic.sourceforge.net/download.php - Jimage photo-mosaic program16.18 Troubleshooting Tools These are some of the programs you might want to use in troubleshooting: "lsof /dev/ttyS*" will list serial ports which are open. "setserial" shows and sets the low-level hardware configuration of a port (what the driver thinks it is). See What is Setserial "stty" shows and sets the configuration of a port (except for that handled by "setserial"). See the Serial-HOWTO section: "Stty". "modemstat" or "statserial" will show the current state of various modem signal lines (such as DTR, CTS, etc.) "irqtune" will give serial port interrupts higher priority to improve performance. "hdparm" for hard-disk tuning may help some more. "lspci" shows the actual IRQs, etc. of hardware on the PCI bus. "pnpdump --dumpregs" shows the actual IRQs, etc. of hardware for PnP devices on the ISA bus. Some "files" in the /proc tree (such as ioports and interrupts).
First, test the current speed: # /sbin/hdparm -t /dev/hda A test is made and the rate in MB/sec tells the speed. Now determine your current settings: # /sbin/hdparm -c -d -m /dev/hda (Read up on hdparm - "# man hdparm") It is our experience that the -m option doesn't make much difference, and sometimes slows things down. This will usually boost speed: # /sbin/hdparm -c1 -d1 -k /dev/hda (-c1 = 32 bit I/O, -d1 = DMA on, -k = keep settings) If this works for you (makes a speed increase) just add that line to the end of your /etc/rc.d/rc.local file to activate it at startup. [From: saragossa.netgeocrawler.com/.../3603346/ - modem speed considerations; also, try commands setserial and wvdial[conf] Might like to look at this too : http://www.kati.fi/viahss/ Some php links: internetmaster.com/installtutorial/ php.net/downloads.php hotscripts.com/ <- has installation kits www.phpbuilder.com/.../0070.php <- basic install instructions www.php.net/manual/en/ref.mysql.php http://www.php.net/manual/en/install.windows.php Apparently, I love this layout: http://www.xpde.com./faq.php But I think this is 'nice': http://www.linear1.org/gm/archives/00000071.php
