This guide is intended to provide you details on how well this laptop works with Linux and which drivers you need to configure. For details on how to actually install and configure the required drivers have a look at our guides section for distribution specific instructions.

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Page Contents Introduction Author Editing This Page Specifications Linux Compatibility Notes Related Resources Summary

Introduction

This is a guide to running Linux with the Toshiba Satellite P205laptop. The Satellite P205 is a large screen notebook with standard level internal components. This laptop was tested with Fedora 7.

Author

Don Desjardin

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Specifications

Name	Toshiba Satellite P200
Processor	Intel Core Duo T2130 1.83GHz
Screen	17" WXGA+
RAM	1GB
HDD	160GB
Optical Drive	DVD+-RW with Lightscribe
Graphics	Intel Grapics Media Accelerator X950
Network	10/100 Ethernet, Atheros 802.11g Wireless
Other	4 x USB2.0, 1 x Firewire, Webcam

Linux Compatibility

Device	Compatibility	Comments
Processor	Yes
Screen	Yes
HDD	Yes
Optical Drive	Yes
Graphics	Yes
Sound	Yes	Use the snd-hda-intel driver
Ethernet	Yes
Wireless	No	See details below
56K Modem	Not Tested
USB	Yes
Firewire	Not Tested
Card Reader	Yes
Webcam	Not Tested

Notes

After messing up the Vista installation and having the recover CDs fail, I bit the bullet and loaded the Fedora 7 Live CD. I chose that partially because of my familiarity with RHEL4 at work, and partially because:

• Knoppix - wouldn't load
• Ubuntu - loaded but gave a "non open source driver" warning

The FC7 Live CD ran OK, but no wireless support for the Atheros wifi chipset (this was expected).

Loaded Linux to the HD (20GIG partition) OK. Found the wired enet card and upgraded 200+ packages in about 35 minutes.

The correct screen resolution came up right away (1440 x 900), and the stereo sound worked after the updates and a reboot comleted.

Working buttons tested:

• Screen brightness +/-
• Volume +/-
• Sleep mode

Non-working buttons:

• Hibernate mode

Works

• Wired enet
• USB
• 5-1 (mini-SD was all I had and it worked)
• External VGA

Not working

• Wifi - expecting updates to madwifi or ath5k projects

Not yet tested

• Firewire
• Modem
• Web Cam
• S-video

Related Resources

Preparing your laptop for Linux
Increasing battery life

Summary

Except for the web-cam and the wifi, I pretty much expect the "not yet tested" pieces to work, mostly because the "lspci" command finds everything, and watching the boot, I see what look like the correct drivers load.

If you are looking to purchase this laptop you can visit Toshiba's Satellite page.

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