[PLUG] Testing Linux on Portables

[Rich Shepard]

On Sat, 7 Nov 2009, John Jason Jordan wrote:

> I'd use an Ubuntu live CD. Ubuntu is probably the most plug and play of
> the distros these days, so it is the most likely to autodetect and
> configure hardware.

   At Best Buy they have their demo software configured so the machine cannot
be booted from the cdrom (i.e., the boot order has the hard disk first).

   So, we bought the Toshiba L455-S5975 with the Intel Celeron CPU. The sales
guy was nice enough to let me have the 3 recovery cdroms at no charge since
they'd be used only if we cannot get everything to work with the linux
installation.

> Sound:	The Ubuntu live CD has that drumroll when it starts. If
> you hear it, then sound is working.

   Didn't hear this.

> Video:	Before going to the store look up the specs for the
> machine to see what the native video resolution is.

   Yeah, I'll get this tuned if I need to do so. The display looks OK on the
wide screen and if I need to modifly /etc/xorg.conf I'll do so.

> Wireless:	If there is no ethernet cable connected, then Ubuntu
> should show an icon with bars in the upper right of the Gnome panel.

   Not with xubuntu and not with our wireless access point at home. I'll put
her /home directory on the new box then see how it works. May need to copy
from the old /etc, too.

Rich