Arch Linux

Neuro

Member

From: Poland

Registered: 2005-10-12

Posts: 352

Toshiba U400 Linux support? Intel X4500MHD?

Hi,

I think about buying a new laptop. I've got an Asus A6JC now (Intel T2330E, Nvidia Go 7300, iwl3945) and I have to say that linux support was good (asus-laptop acpi driver rocks). I thought about buying a smaller laptop, 12"-13.3" screen. Asus has a nice F6A laptop (F6A-3P075E: P8400, Intel 4500MHD, Montevina stuff) and I'm keen on it, because it seems that Asus has a really nice ACPI support.

However, I found another offer: Toshiba U400-158 (Toshiba europe P8600, 4500MGD, Montevina stuff). While I don't really like the all piano-like coating, it seems to have some great HW for a decent price. I've read on the internet, though, that Toshiba's linux support isn't that nice after all, thus I have a few questions:
- do the multimedia buttons work (they were ACPI events in Asus, but maybe they are detected as keycodes)?
- does the wifi rfkill switch work?
- does the multiple display detection/switching work?
- how does the volume wheel work? does it affect settings in alsa?
- does bluetooth on/off work?
- is the battery/fan status available?

Also, since I'm pretty keen on multiple desktops and KDE4, I think about moving away from Nvidia towards the more FOSS friendly X4500. Is this a good move? Is GM45 support stable? Nvidia has VDPAU, but lacks xrandr 1.2 (i really need to autodetect/switch displays often). How does intel's support for this look? Are the resolutions detected on the fly?

PS. I thought about Asus N20, but I can't get it anywhere in europe with shipping to Poland

Last edited by Neuro (2009-01-29 12:49:19)

ahcaliskan

Member

From: Sweden

Registered: 2008-10-29

Posts: 174

Re: Toshiba U400 Linux support? Intel X4500MHD?

it appears to be that toshiba u400 is not tested jet with linux. If it has new hardware it will take months for linux support.
http://www.linlap.com/wiki/toshiba+satellite+pro+u400
http://forums.opensuse.org/hardware/lap … -u400.html

Last edited by ahcaliskan (2009-01-31 13:08:05)

Olnex

Member

Registered: 2008-04-10

Posts: 89

Re: Toshiba U400 Linux support? Intel X4500MHD?

I have toshiba U400/H00, similar specs, but only P73xx CPU, 2GB ram, 250GB hdd, which costs 1200 AUD and has 100 cashback, so it is 1100 AUD (BTW, the cashback procedure takes forever before I get the money)

not working:
bluetooth (the hardware is not detected)
wifi kill switch(also not working under Ubuntu 8.10) wifi does work, and you have to install iwlwifi-5000-ucode and always switch on

I did not test the multiple display as I have only one laptop.

the multimedia touch keys works well under gnome, the volumn wheel also works

4500MHD has problem, it seems it is not supported well currently. However, it does work. install xf86-video-intel and create xorg.conf file, I used the file from opensuse, you can search the forum for my posts. I used gnome, and VERY IMPORTANTLY, I added vga=773 to kernel line in menu.lst, so that the screen does not flicker when logout/login. glxgears does not give very high FPS, only 400-500, and 700-800 under ubuntu.

The fingerprint scanner does work, but it seems to be very sensitive, I recorded my fingerprint, but never login successfully by swipe my finger.

Hi,

I think about buying a new laptop. I've got an Asus A6JC now (Intel T2330E, Nvidia Go 7300, iwl3945) and I have to say that linux support was good (asus-laptop acpi driver rocks). I thought about buying a smaller laptop, 12"-13.3" screen. Asus has a nice F6A laptop (F6A-3P075E: P8400, Intel 4500MHD, Montevina stuff) and I'm keen on it, because it seems that Asus has a really nice ACPI support.

However, I found another offer: Toshiba U400-158 (Toshiba europe P8600, 4500MGD, Montevina stuff). While I don't really like the all piano-like coating, it seems to have some great HW for a decent price. I've read on the internet, though, that Toshiba's linux support isn't that nice after all, thus I have a few questions:
- do the multimedia buttons work (they were ACPI events in Asus, but maybe they are detected as keycodes)?
- does the wifi rfkill switch work?
- does the multiple display detection/switching work?
- how does the volume wheel work? does it affect settings in alsa?
- does bluetooth on/off work?
- is the battery/fan status available?

Also, since I'm pretty keen on multiple desktops and KDE4, I think about moving away from Nvidia towards the more FOSS friendly X4500. Is this a good move? Is GM45 support stable? Nvidia has VDPAU, but lacks xrandr 1.2 (i really need to autodetect/switch displays often). How does intel's support for this look? Are the resolutions detected on the fly?

PS. I thought about Asus N20, but I can't get it anywhere in europe with shipping to Poland

Last edited by Olnex (2009-02-06 05:50:29)

Damnshock

Member

From: Barcelona

Registered: 2006-09-13

Posts: 414

Re: Toshiba U400 Linux support? Intel X4500MHD?

[OFFTOPIC]

My God! This is the first time I see top-posting on a forum like this. Please *don't* do that

[/OFFTOPIC]

---

My blog: blog.marcdeop.com
Jabber ID: damnshock@jabber.org