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Linux on Compaq Evo N600c

This laptop runs all the hardware with Ubuntu Linux, and has hibernate support since the Hoary release. I'm leaving this website up, since it's about the only one still covering this model.

I recently bought a Compaq Evo N600c on eBay. This page is to help others setting up this laptop for use with Linux, so you won't have all the trouble I did setting it up. For now it's mostly compiled references and common Linux setup knowledge, however this alone ought to save you an afternoon or two of searching on google. I've provided references where I could for the information I got via the web and newsgroups. I've sucessfully installed both Mandrake 9.1 and Debian Sid on it.

All of the hardware works in Linux. My model doesn't have the MultiPort W200 option, but I know it can be flashed to work with Linux. [1] However this means I can't test it and report it working firsthand here. Also the LT Winmodem and ACPI ( power management like fan, battery, thermal ) works with some kernel patches. The ATI M6 supports DRI well enough to play games and do 2d development for most applications.

Hardware [4]

Linux 2.4.x module setup script

I often screw around with my own SysV init scripts. You can do this and avoid messing with the various module config files if you wish. In Debian you can make your own "rc.local" by saving the text below as /etc/init.d/rc.n600c and then symlink to the default runlevel:

     ln -s /etc/init.d/rc.n600c /etc/rc2.d/S90rc.n600c

#####################################
# rc.n600c SysV Init file
# Compaq Evo N600c
#####################################

# ( Video ) Radeon Mobility M6, DRI AGP module
modprobe agpgart

# ( Sound ) Allegro ES1988 
# ALSA sound module
modprobe snd-maestro3
# OSS sound module -- Use this if ALSA fails
#modprobe maestro3

# ( Network ) Intel eepro100 ethernet module
modprobe eepro100
# DHCP, Dynamic IP
dhclient eth0
# Static IP -- Use this if you don't use DHCP
#ifconfig ${IP} eth0 up
#route add -net ${NETWORK} netmask ${NETMASK} eth0
#route add default gw ${GATEWAY} eth0

# ( Modem ) LT Winmodem, may require kernel patch
# will be device /dev/ttyLT0
modprobe lt_modem
modprobe lt_serial

# ( Health ) ACPI, may require kernel patch
modprobe ac
modprobe thermal
modprobe fan
modprobe battery

# ( Mouse ) Synaptics Touchpad
modprobe mousedev
modprobe evdev

I used ACME ( apt-get install -u acme ) to use the 4 multimedia keys on the laptop. The 2 volume keys require acpi button module to work, but I haven't tried them. Remember to add acme to your gnome-session to make sure it loads every time.

References