Last updated: 30 December 2006
##General Hardware Specifications of Compaq nx6320:
|
Hardware Components
|
Status under Linux
|
Notes
|
| Intel Core Duo, 2GHz | Works | No special procedure required during installation. |
| 1024×768 15″ TFT Display | Works | Select Generic LCD Display in Installer |
| Intel Graphics Media Accelerator 950 | Works | Used Standard Xorg drivers |
| 2GB, DDR2 | Works | No special procedure required during installation |
| 100 GB SATA Hard Drive | Works | Requires recent kernel, eg 2.6.18 for driver |
| 10/100/1000 Integrated Network Card | Works | Installer found the Tigon driver for it fine |
| 24X Max Variable CD-ROM Drive | Works | No special procedure required during installation |
| Internal Intel Wireless Networking | Works | Need to download specific driver, see below. |
| 59 WHr Lithium-Ion Battery | Works | No special procedure required during installation |
| Intel 82801G Sound Card | Works | Used ALSA driver snd_hda_intel |
This laptop is operating under Kernel version 2.6.18
##Basic Installation of Debian:
I used Debian Etch RC3 as I wanted to test the installer and also get Linux on a small partition of this laptop. It is only used for network testing and as a remote Xserver, so it doesn’t have much installed.
The sarge installer won’t work, the kernel is too old and it will not find your SATA drives.
##Setting up additional features for Debian
The wireless port was the trickiest part. You need to install some packages to get it going. Make sure you have contrib and non-free in your apt archives as these drivers are not in main.
Then install ipw3945d, firmware-ipw3945 and the module. The exact name of the module depends on what kernel you have installed. I have kernel from the package linux-image-2.6.18-4-686 so the module package is ipw3945-modules-2.6.18-4-686.
Nothing else needed to be done, no other module packages are required. It started off kinda weird but a depmod -a and reboot later I had solid link and, once I go my wireless key on, connected fine.
##Unresolved issues
None really, except I have not tried out the bluetooth, modem or smartcard reader. With the exception of the modem all are found.
##Links
* [Linux on Laptops](http://www.linux-on-laptops/)
* [Intel 3945ABG Driver](http://ipw3945.sourceforge.net/)
* [Installing Linux on nx6320](http://www.linlap.com/wiki/Hewlett-Packard+nx6320)
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