Author

Dana Saur

Page Contents Introduction Editing This Page Specifications Linux Compatibility Notes PCLinuxOS 2007 Suse 10.2 and 10.3 Ubuntu 7.10 and Kubuntu 7.10 Fedora 6 Fedora 7 ACPI IRDA CD/DVD writing

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.

Introduction

This is a guide to running Linux with the NEC Versa E3100 laptop.

Editing This Page

If you would like to edit this page please first view our Editing Guidelines.

Specifications

Name	NEC Versa E3100
Processor	Intel Pentium-M 750 1.8Ghz
Screen	14.1" WXGA Widescreen
RAM	2GB
HDD	160GB
Optical Drive	DVD+-RW
Graphics	Intel Graphics Media Accelerator 900
Network	Ethernet, Intel 2200 802.11bg

Linux Compatibility

Device	Compatibility	Comments
Processor	Yes
Screen	Yes
HDD	Yes
Optical Drive	Yes
Graphics	Yes
Sound	Yes
Ethernet	Yes
Wireless	Yes
USB	Yes
Card Reader	Yes
PCMCIA	Yes

Notes

PCLinuxOS 2007

Everything works great, even 1280x768 (* the 915 patch auto-installed on first res pref inquiry!).

You must go to prefs and select display resolution. Auto pop-up says "you have Intel 915... do you wanna install the patch?" Click yes, and it is forever after working (reboot X required). Why is it the other flavors cannot do this, I thought? The answer is obvious. When I follow the INTEL linux 915 patch instructions to the letter in all other flavors, it NEVER works. So if I cannot succeed manually, I understand why a script won't work. Quite a mystery. When I hunt down the difference in PCLOS version, all seems the same. All patch components and boot amendments are by the book. No difference that I can find from Intel recipe. So PCLOS either has a module fix -or the gods are on their side?

Suse 10.2 and 10.3

Everything works well except 1280x768 (915 patch does not work, only gets 1024x768) .

Ubuntu 7.10 and Kubuntu 7.10

Everything works well except 1280x768 (915 patch does not work, only gets 1024x768).

Fedora 6

No 1280x768 widescreen, LAN OK, wifi OK (but too difficult for newbie**) buggy performance overall .

Fedora 7

No 1280x768 widescreen, LAN OK, wifi OK (but too difficult for newbie**) better than 6 but no banana!
(will try FC8 next. FC has never done well on ANY of my laptops the past 9 years, but I keep trying -dumb me)

Seriously, getting the wifi to work in FC was so convoluted, I wouldn't consider sharing it, because the process took DAYS to get functional operation. The process would take months to write out in steps. Why is FC so smooth on a desktop -and so sleazy on laptops?

ACPI

None of them are suitable, can't even spin down HD, except in PCLOS
WAKE-UP from sleep/spin down, without loss of some functions: only PCLOS

IRDA

Does not work in any flavors except PCLOS -and even there, function is buggy

CD/DVD writing

Works OK in Suse, Ubuntu/Kubuntu and PCLOS (latter will even image/copy/write CSS DVDs)

Have you installed Linux on this laptop? If so how about leaving a comment about your success in the comments section below.