Arch Linux

spiritwalker

Member

From: USA

Registered: 2010-07-15

Posts: 85

Will I have major problems with Toshiba R840

Hi all,
I'm planning to buy a Toshiba laptop (http://us.toshiba.com/computers/laptops … R840-S8430)
Looking at the specs can you tell me if I'll have difficulty finding drivers or any other problems.

Thanks.

Graphics: Mobile Intel® QM67 Express Chipset with AMT 7.0  AMD RadeonTM HD 6450M Graphics with 1GB DDR3 discrete graphics

Optical Disk Drive: DVD SuperMulti drive supporting 11 formats o Maximumspeedandcompatibility:CD-ROM(24x),CD-R(24x),
CD-RW (24x), DVD-ROM (8x), DVD-R (8x), DVD-R DL (6x), DVD-RW (6x), DVD+R (8x), DVD+R DL (6x), DVD+RW (8x), DVD-RAM (5x)

Sound: Built-in stereo speakers (don't know what kind)

Webcam and microphone: Intel® 82579LM Gigabit Network Connection (10/100/1000)
             Intel® Centrino® Advanced-N 6230 (a/g/n) 9 Wireless Intel® Display (WiDi) Technology Capable

Bluetooth® version 3.0 plus Enhanced Data Rate (EDR)

Edit 1: removed unnecessary details

Last edited by spiritwalker (2011-06-04 03:55:44)

ngoonee

Forum Fellow

From: Between Thailand and Singapore

Registered: 2009-03-17

Posts: 7,356

Re: Will I have major problems with Toshiba R840

You should google for those components, why ask others to do so for you? Or you could check the 'Laptops working on Arch-Linux' thread to see if it mentions your specific model.

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spiritwalker

Member

From: USA

Registered: 2010-07-15

Posts: 85

Re: Will I have major problems with Toshiba R840

I am googling. Since it's a new laptop, not many people have tried it and posted their results online. That's why I asked it here. As a sidenote can I assume that if every laptop part works, then the whole laptop works with Arch?

eberan

Member

Registered: 2011-02-11

Posts: 6

Re: Will I have major problems with Toshiba R840

I recently replaced my broadcom wlan card with the intel 6230.  It's a very new chip and has only recently been supported by the iwl driver.  While it *works* in the sense I can connect to routers at either 2.4 or 5 GHz frequencies, it has a major issue with syncing it's power management with the router.  This results in strange patterns of packet loss and huge latency issues (>40% packet loss and multiple seconds of latency).  I believe it's a known issue.

I wouldn't consider the current driver as "production ready" for this card/chip.

*edit*

It does seem that the issue I'm speaking of is a result of a router not supporting Power Saving Polling, but I've traveled quite a bit with this laptop and it seems like quite a few routers do not support or improperly implement this feature from the perspective of the 6230.

Last edited by eberan (2011-07-18 23:50:36)

ANOKNUSA

Member

Registered: 2010-10-22

Posts: 2,141

Re: Will I have major problems with Toshiba R840

Gogle "toshiba laptop linux" and see for yourself.  ACPI has never worked properly for me on my Toshiba machine, and many have had the same issues I have.  Perhaps things have changed in the two years (as of this month) since I got this laptop, but I can't be sure.  Toshiba's help forums are less than helpfull; most of the responses I've come across amounted to "Linux sux u stupid hahaha."  Just one person's experience.  I'm going with Lenovo from here on out.

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