Ubuntu with Satellite L40-17R (2)

Now my laptop is Ubuntu-based as I said before. Now, let’s check if everything is working or not. unlike my previous experience with Linux on laptops, where ACPI options should be disabled to enable some functions like networking, this time, ACPI options is not needed to be disabled for such reason. Just install ubuntu and everything works well.

However, the problem appeared with ubuntu is the wireless. The Toshiba Satellite L40-17R comes with RealTek 8187B wireless card. This card is not supported yet by ubuntu and needed to be defined.

Many topic on forums regarding RealTek 8187B, but for the USB version, which needs ndiswrapper with Win98 driver to define it. However, this is not successful for me.

After two days of search, I end up that I have to download generic driver, compile it and install it, so I went that way.

I downloaded a driver, and started to compile it, but the problem is in the 8.04 LTS, there is an error with Linux-Headers, which cause compilation to fail !!!.

It always display the error message:

make -C /lib/modules/2.6.24-16-generic

/build M= modules
make[1]: Entering directory `/usr/src/linux-headers-2.6.24-16-generic’
CHK include/linux/version.h
CHK include/linux/utsrelease.h
make[2]: *** No rule to make target `arch/x86/kernel/asm-offsets.c’, needed by `arch/x86/kernel/asm-offsets.s’. Stop.
make[1]: *** [prepare0] Error 2
make[1]: Leaving directory `/usr/src/linux-headers-2.6.24-16-generic’
make: *** [modules] Error 2

I tried to search for a solution, but no solution till now. Even the kernel compilation failed for me !!.

Hence, I decided to get back to ubuntu 7.10 again !!!

…. To be continued

Working with SATA Hard Drive

Well, in the previous post, I started the installation of Windows XP on my new Toshiba notebook. I got an error message and I got shocked about it in the first screen of my installation.

I performed an internet search and I found that this is a common problem. Microsoft doesn’t support SATA hard drive in their installation of Windows XP. So, The driver of SATA hard drive shall be added to the installation. The common method is to press F6 at the start of the installation to verify the driver of SCSI or SATA drive.

However, this is a stupid method, because it will ask u to inset the FLOPPY drive which contain the driver. Most notebooks don’t have floppy friver, and hence we cannot go such way.

I performed another internet search and I found some solutions. First, we have to get the driver of the SATA controller and extract it. the main idea is to inject this drive into Windows XP installation files. Some people illustrate how to do this manuallay, and some suggested nLite. So, what is nLite? nLite is a tool that can create a customized Windows XP installation CD with many options, u can use it to create a fully automated Windows XP setup so that u just inset the CD, and wait for some time, and then u will have a Windows XP installation on ur computer.

nLite can be easily used to solve the problem of SATA, just select Drivers section in nLite program, and add the folder of the extracted SATA files, and nLite will add it to Windows XP installation files.

I tried this method, and I created Windows XP installation with SATA driver and the problem was fixed very easily.

Toshiba L40-17R Notebook

Finally, I got my new Toshiba L40-17R notebook. Although it’s little bit slower than the HP 6720, but it’s more robust. The computer is really well-made. The design of the notebook itself is nice. U can find USB ports in a very suitable locations. Network interface is in a very nice place.

The notebook comes with no operating system. However, I have my own copy from my previous notebook. So, I started to install it. Partitioning was very easy using Acronis boot CD. After this, I started the Windows XP installation process. Before the first screen of Windows XP starts (to select Install, Repair or Windows…) I got an error message. The dead blue error message that dumps memory to hard disk and then shuts down computer.

I was shocked to see this message. Is there a problem with the notebook ?!! I decided to perform some search in interent before calling Toshiba customer service. I found this common problem which is with SATA drive.

I will post the solution on the next blog.

However, I’m now running the Windows XP on the laptop and it’s comfortable for me. It achieves exactly my requirements. The most amazing point is that it saved asome good money for me, and at the same time, I got a good brand notebook instead of the bad-made HP notebook.