Linux on a Toshiba 110CS

This is a brief description of my experiences installing the Linux operating system on a Toshiba Satellite 110CS Laptop computer. This page is written with the intention of being linked to the Linux Laptop Volunteer Support Database, but is independently maintained and operated.

The Hardware

I purchased the following hardware: I selected the Toshiba 110CS because of its low price and the 800x600 display Before I purchased, I tried working on a 640x480 screen, but found it too restrictive.

The 110CS has a relatively small hard-disk, and no CD-ROM, but I didn't see this as a problem since the computer will be connected to a network and can access the disks and CD-ROM readers on the server. When I take the machine on a trip (which is why I bought it) I just have copy whatever files I'll be needing to the local harddisk before unplugging from the network. No problem.

But I thought 8Mb to be too little main memory, so I purchased an extra 16Mb. As it happens, the extra memory as DOA (dead on arrival). I've sent it back for replacement, but in the meantime I've had to make due with on 8Mb. It turns out that 8Mb is plenty for my Unix work, but I will need the extra memory to use Windows95.

I selected the Megahertz CC10BC card because it connect to either the older thin-ethernet (coax) networks, or the ever-more-popular modular jacks of a 10BaseT network. I currently have thin-ethernet, but all of my customers have 10BaseT, so I need an adaptor that supports both so that the system will be transportable.

The Software

I chose to install the Slackware distribution off of the September 1996 edition of the InfoMagic CD-ROM set. Most people I've talked to say that RedHat is a better distribution, and I agree that it is easier to install and looks better in theory. But I've always had better success with Slackware, for some reason, and decided to stick with what has worked well for me in the past.

Initial Setup

The 110CS comes with both Windows95 and Windows3.11 preinstalled on its hard-disk. The first time you boot up, you'll be asked which you want to use. ``Both'' is not one of the options -- you must chose one or the other. The computer does not include disks for reinstalling the Microsoft OS if you're original distribution gets trashed. You have to buy your own disks for this purpose (~40 of them). During the initial setup of Windows, the machine will prompt you to make a set of installation disks, and you should do this, as you will need those disks to reinstall Windows after you reparation for Linux. I bought a box of 50 floppies ($20 at Media Play) for this purpose.

After getting Windows running and making a set of installation disks, I rebooted using the Slackware boot and root floppies. I chose the ``bare.i'' boot disk and the ``pcmcia.gz'' root disk. Everything came up fine, and the root disk immediately recognized and initialized my ethernet card.

I partitioned the hard drive as follows: 

     Device Boot   Begin    Start      End   Blocks   Id  System
  /dev/hda1            1        1       49    49360+  82  Linux swap
  /dev/hda2           50       50      680   636048   83  Linux native
  /dev/hda3   *      681      681      789   109872    6  DOS 16-bit >=32M
I wanted twice as much swap space as I had main memory, so I allowed a generous 48Mb swap partition. I left 100Mb for Windows, leaving the balance of 621Mb for Linux. A complete Slackware developer's installation is only about 170Mb, so this leaves plenty of space for my own files.

After partitioning the disk, I started the slackware ``install'' script, and everything installed over the network from a CD-ROM on the server. Everything went smoothly.

Getting X11 Running

Getting X11 to run was remarkably easy. I had initially been concerned that the pointer device on the Toshiba (one of those erase-like things between the G and H keys on the keyboard) might require a special device driver, but it turns out that it works just like a PS/2 mouse -- nothing special required. I'm using the SVGA server and it performs fine. The key features of the XF86Config file are: 
  Section "Pointer"
    Protocol    "PS/2"
    Device      "/dev/mount"
    Emulate3Buttons
  EndSection 
  Section "Monitor"
    Identifier  "Generic Monitor"
    VendorName  "Unknown"
    ModelName   "Unknown"
    HorizSync   25-64
    VertRefresh 40-70
    Mode "640x480"
        DotClock        28.33
        HTimings        640 664 760 800
        VTimings        480 491 493 525
    EndMode
    Mode "800x600"
        DotClock        28.33
        HTimings        800 824 896 1024
        VTimings        600 601 603 625
    EndMode
  EndSection
  Section "Device"
    Identifier  "Generic VGA"
    VendorName  "Unknown"
    BoardName   "Unknown"
    Chipset     "ct65545"
    VideoRam    1024
    Clocks      28.32
  EndSection
  Section "Screen"
    Driver      "svga"
    Device      "Generic VGA"
    Monitor     "Generic Monitor"
    Subsection "Display"
        Depth       8
        Modes       "800x600"
        ViewPort    0 0
        Virtual     800 600
    EndSubsection
  EndSection

Reinstalling Windows95

After Linux was up and going, I reinstalled Windows95. This involved simply inserting the first of the backup disks made previous and rebooting. The reinstalling process took about 45 minutes, but I was also working on something else at the time and would have gone much faster if I had been more attentive to disk change requests.

When I first powered up the Toshiba, I noticed that the pre-installed windows was using about 170Mb of the hard disk, and so there was some concern that my 100Mb partition wouldn't be enough to hold it all. But it turns out that the complete Windows95 installation is only about 47Mb. I have no idea what the other 100+Mb of the original distribution was doing.

Summary

Except for the bad memory expansion, I've had no problem with the Toshiba 100CS. This display is large, bright and easy to read. The keyboard is easy to use. And (most importantly) it runs Linux without a hitch. I've very pleased and would not hesitate to recommend this hardware combination to anyone in need of a portable Unix platform.

D. Richard Hipp
Charlotte, NC.
drh@acm.org
http://www.hwaci.com/drh