Linux on a Toshiba Tecra 550CDT Laptop

Installation

My distribution of choice is Debian/GNU-Linux Woody (Testing) . Since I copied the disk from another laptop I can't say much about the installation process. Note: You probably have to use the Debian/GNU-Linux Tecra boot floppy therefore!

Most of this information (besides the internal modem, ..) can be applied to the Toshiba Tecra 540CDT as well.

BIOS

The BIOS can be reached by different programs from the MS-Windows GUI. Or from DOS mode by TSETUP.EXE. You may also press <ESC> at boot time (immediately!), then <F1>.

Graphics

Text Mode

I don't have enabled 'stretched' mode in the BIOS, to get the whole display used, because I use framebuffer, which enables the full screen by default.

X-Windows

The S3 ViRGE/MX graphics chip works with XFree86 4.0.2 and my X configuration file. Though I don't use framebuffer in graphics mode, it helps to avoid a scrambled screen, when leaving X. I use the framebuffer X server in text mode. With vga = 791 in /etc/lilo.conf it works with a resolution of 1024x768 .

PCMCIA

Set CardBus mode in the BIOS.

USB

Mouse worked with usb-ohci driver.

IrDA

SIR mode seems to work on /dev/ttyS3, FIR driver (toshoboe) loads without errors, but couldn't test it further.

Sound

modprobe ad1848 io=0x530 irq=5 dma=1 dma2=0 works. These settings have to be appropriate to the BIOS settings. ALSA untested yet.

Mouse

Works in PS/2 mode.

tosh-utils

This application by Jonathan Buzzard offers:

• fan works well.
• hotkey doesn't seem to work.
• svpw not tested yet.

Not tested yet.

Internal Modem

Not tested yet.

Floppy

Works well up to 1.722MB, fdformat /dev/fd0u2880 for 2.880MB couldn't read all cylinders.

APM

apm -s and apm -S works.

Fn Keys

Seem to work well, to set display brightness, speaker volume and other features.

Links

• Linux on the Toshiba Tecra 550CDT
• Solaris On Toshiba Tecra 550CDT

Toshiba Support

• Toshiba - Germany
• Toshiba

'lanoche' Report

General Hardware Data

General system information:
Linux japh 2.4.3 \#5 Tue Apr 10 15:51:28 GMT+1 2001 i586 unknown

processor	: 0
vendor_id	: GenuineIntel
cpu family	: 5
model		: 8
model name	: Mobile Pentium MMX
stepping	: 1
cpu MHz		: 233.291
fdiv_bug	: no
hlt_bug		: no
f00f_bug	: yes
coma_bug	: no
fpu		: yes
fpu_exception	: yes
cpuid level	: 1
wp		: yes
flags		: fpu vme de pse tsc msr mce cx8 mmx
bogomips	: 465.30
    

Filesystem           1k-blocks      Used Available Use% Mounted on
/dev/hda8              2261140   1028920   1117360  48% /
/dev/hda3                15554      4062     10689  28% /boot
/dev/hda5               506122    164876    341246  33% /dos/d
/dev/hda1             16386044  15699784    686260  96% /dos/c
/dev/hda6               514028     44964    469064   9% /mnt
/dev/hda7               202220      3862    187918   3% /home
    

Hard Disk

/dev/hda:

 Model=HITACHI_DK23AA-60, FwRev=00XEA0G2, SerialNo=J89494
 Config={ HardSect NotMFM HdSw>15uSec Fixed DTR>10Mbs }
 RawCHS=12416/15/63, TrkSize=36477, SectSize=579, ECCbytes=4
 BuffType=DualPortCache, BuffSize=512kB, MaxMultSect=16, MultSect=off
 CurCHS=12416/15/63, CurSects=11733120, LBA=yes, LBAsects=11733120
 IORDY=yes, tPIO={min:400,w/IORDY:120}, tDMA={min:120,rec:120}
 PIO modes: pio0 pio1 pio2 pio3 pio4 
 DMA modes: sdma0 sdma1 sdma2 mdma0 mdma1 *mdma2 udma0 udma1 udma2 udma3 udma4 
    

PCMCIA

Output of probe:

PCI bridge probe: Toshiba ToPIC95-B found, 2 sockets. 
    

Graphics-Chip

Output of SuperProbe:

First video: Super-VGA
	Chipset: S3 ViRGE/MX (PCI Probed)
	Memory:  4096 Kbytes
	RAMDAC:  Generic 8-bit pseudo-color DAC
		 (with 6-bit wide lookup tables (or in 6-bit mode))
    

Output of xviddetect:

The XFree86 server for S3 Inc. ViRGE/MX is
	 s3v
    

Infrared Port - IrDA(TM)

FIR

...
    

SIR

ttyS00 at 0x03f8 (irq = 4) is a 16550A
ttyS14: LSR safety check engaged!
ttyS14: LSR safety check engaged!
ttyS01 at port 0x02f8 (irq = 3) is a 16550A
ttyS14: LSR safety check engaged!
    

Survey PCI Devices

Output from lspci:

00:00.0 Host bridge: Toshiba America Info Systems 601 (rev 2c)
00:02.0 CardBus bridge: Toshiba America Info Systems ToPIC95 (rev 07)
00:02.1 CardBus bridge: Toshiba America Info Systems ToPIC95 (rev 07)
00:04.0 VGA compatible controller: S3 Inc. ViRGE/MX (rev 05)
00:0a.0 Communication controller: Toshiba America Info Systems FIR Port (rev 14)
00:0b.0 USB Controller: NEC Corporation USB (rev 01)
    

Survey PnP Devices

Output from pnpdump: no pnp devices found.

Survey RS232

Output from setserial:

/dev/ttyS0, Line 0, UART: 16550A, Port: 0x03f8, IRQ: 4
	Baud_base: 115200, close_delay: 50, divisor: 0
	closing_wait: 3000
	Flags: spd_normal skip_test session_lockout

/dev/ttyS1, Line 1, UART: 16550A, Port: 0x02f8, IRQ: 3
	Baud_base: 115200, close_delay: 50, divisor: 0
	closing_wait: 3000
	Flags: spd_normal skip_test

/dev/ttyS2, Line 2, UART: unknown, Port: 0x03e8, IRQ: 4
	Baud_base: 115200, close_delay: 50, divisor: 0
	closing_wait: 3000
	Flags: spd_normal skip_test

/dev/ttyS3, Line 3, UART: unknown, Port: 0x02e8, IRQ: 3
	Baud_base: 115200, close_delay: 50, divisor: 0
	closing_wait: 3000
	Flags: spd_normal  
    

Other Resources

• Unix Laptop Survey
• TuxMobil - hardware section
• Linux Mobile Guide - Installing, Maintaining and Tuning of Linux on Mobile Computers
• Debian Laptop Proposal