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HP-Compaq 6515B
Introduction
This is a guide to running Linux with the HP-Compaq 6515B laptop.
This guide is intended to provide you details on how well this laptop works with Linux and which modules you need to configure. For details on how to actually install and configure the required modules have a look at our guides section for distribution specific instructions.
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Specifications
| Name | HP-Compaq 6515B |
| Processor | AMD Turion 64 MK-38 2.2GHz |
| Screen | 14.1” WXGA |
| RAM | 1GB |
| HDD | 80GB |
| Optical Drive | DVD+-RW |
| Graphics | ATI Mobility Radeon x1250 |
| Network | Ethernet, Broadcom 802.11g Wireless, Bluetooth |
| Other | USB2.0, Firewire, Fingerprint Reader |
Linux Compatibility
| Device | Compatibility | Comments |
|---|---|---|
| Processor | Yes | |
| Screen | Yes | |
| HDD | Yes | |
| Optical Drive | Yes | |
| Graphics | Yes | See notes below |
| Sound | Yes | Use the snd-hda-intel module |
| Ethernet | Yes | |
| Wireless | Partial | See notes below |
| 56K Modem | Not Tested | |
| USB | Yes | |
| Firewire | Not Tested | |
| Card Reader | Not Tested | |
| PCMCIA | Not Tested | |
| Fingerprint Reader | Not Tested |
Notes
The ATI Mobility Radeon x1250 in the 6515b is not supported yet by many Linux distributions. In this case you will either need to upgrade your version of Xorg or install the proprietary fglrx modules. See our guide below on details on how to install the proprietary modules for various distributions.
To get the wireless controller in the 6515b working you will need to use the ndiswrapper module. See our guide below on details on how to install this driver on various distributions. You can find the required windows drivers here. There are some open source modules called bcm43xx but these don't appear to work, at least I couldn't get them working.
Summary
Like many AMD based laptops (especially from HP), the HP-Compaq 6515B is not the best running laptop under Linux. In this case the need to use the ndiswrapper module causes a significant problem. Hopefully the bcm43xx will shortly being functioning with this wireless controller and therefore make this laptop much more suitable for Linux.
Discussion
Hi,
was this wifi weakness corrected under unbuntu 10.04 lts?
thanks by advance to my samaritan
The link to the bmc43xx needs to be updated to http://linuxwireless.org/en/users/Drivers/b43. The instructions there worked to get wireless up and running without ndiswrapper on OpenSUSE 11.2.
Just an Update, downloading the latest ATI drivers (8.12) gives you extended graphics support, with even dual monitors and xinerama.
The wireless still have problems with some types of networks.
It runs quite smoothly with Hardy Heron (8.04).
Video works with proprietary drivers,
Wifi works with proprieatary drivers,
bluetooth works
cardreader works (at least for sd cards)
Smart Card works
Smart Card for this laptop does work. I've tried it with microSD, jacked in the SD adapter, and it wonderfully works
Fair Compatability
Ubuntu 7.10 x64 had to be installed via the alternate disk (no fglrx module), and ndiswrapper with the XP bcm43xx wireless driver works vastly better than the Vista 64-bit version, doesn't look like there's support for the fingerprint reader at all.