Fujitsu-Siemens Celsius H230 with Slackware Linux

It is possible to run Linux on this notebook indeed. There are plenty of drivers out there available, so most of the things work without flaw. My Fujitsu-Siemens H230 Celsius laptop runs on Slackware Linux 10.2, but it should be possible to install any Linux distribution on it.

This notebook features: Intel Pentium Mobile 2.2 GHz, 2 GB RAM, DVD RW, ATI Mobility FireGL V5000 with 256 MB RAM, 4 USB ports, 1 parallel port, 1 serial port, 1 PS/2 port, 1 S-Video port, 1 Firewire port (mini), 2 PCMCIA card slots (PC-card), 1 ethernet port (network), 1 modem/phone line port, standard VGA output/port for external monitor, 4-in-1 card reader, soundcard with line-out/line-in, InfraRed, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi (wireless network), port replicator on the bottom of the notebook.

Linux Installation

Slackware 10.2, kernel version 2.6

Boot with: "sata.i" image as otherwise serial ATA hard disk would not be found.

What works:

Processor:

root@dusoft:~# cat /proc/cpuinfo

   processor       : 0

   vendor_id       : GenuineIntel

   cpu family      : 6

   model           : 13

   model name      : Intel(R) Pentium(R) M processor 2.00GHz

   stepping        : 8

   cpu MHz         : 798.401

   cache size      : 2048 KB

   fdiv_bug        : no

   hlt_bug         : no

   f00f_bug        : no

   coma_bug        : no

   fpu             : yes

   fpu_exception   : yes

   cpuid level     : 2

   wp              : yes

   flags           : fpu vme de pse tsc msr pae mce cx8 apic sep mtrr pge mca cmov pat clflush dts acpi mmx fxsr sse sse2 ss tm pbe nx est tm2

bogomips        : 1598.36

Graphics - download graphic card driver from http://support.ati.com/ics/support/KBAnswer.asp?questionID=1643 and run it. ATI installer will install and configure X Windows for you.

Network - download network card driver from http://www.broadcom.com/docs/driver_download/570x/linux-8.2.18.zip, unzip and compile. Will probably show as eth1.

Wireless network (wi-fi) - download wireless network card driver from http://ipw2200.sourceforge.net/, unzip and compile. Will probably show as eth0.

Sound - download sound card driver from ALSA, see ALSA documentation page for sound card for details on how to compile and configure.

IrDA - infrared communication drivers - head to http://irda.sourceforge.net/ for all details on how to install IrDA drivers. You will need irda utils as well.

Bluetooth - bluetooth communication drivers - see http://www.bluez.org/. You will also need OBEX drivers from http://sourceforge.net/projects/openobex/.

PCMCIA - not tested, but seems to work

USB - for mass storage drives, USB hard disks and USB keys, USB keyboard etc.

PS/2 mouse

Synaptic touchpad

DVD writer/RW (CD-ROM), supports: R+, R-, RW

APM/ACPI - works, should be able to hibernate/sleep - not tested (but fan runs OK)

X Windows resolution of 1280x1024 maximum

What DOES NOT work

Modem - driver from http://www.linuxant.com/drivers/ does not seem to support modem.

4-in-1 card reader - could not find drivers for card reader

Multimedia keys - five notebook multimedia keys (1,2,3,4,special multimedia Enter key) do not work/are not detected.

Notebook running on battery lasts about two hours when working in X (using KDE) or up to two and half hours.

Author's blog in Slovak language

Fujitsu-Siemens H230 Celsius running Slackware/KDE