Installation of RedHat Linux 8.0 on sharp PC-UM30W.
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No doubt that notebook technology is always in progression. The Sharp Actius UM30W is a leading model based on the technology and context of 2002 and early 2003. It weights only 3.1 pound (notebook+battery+CompactFlash = 3lb) and can work for 10 hours with an additional battery. With PentiumIII 866MHz Processor, 40G hard drive and 256MB RAM, it can perform almost all the common terminal tasks. With a internal 802.11b wireless card and standard NIC and modem interface, access to the internet is almost perfect (plus an access point and a cell phone). Standard USB2.0 and firewire IEEE1394 ports are provided together with an extension port which can carry classic COM1, LPT, and project/monitor, PS ports. PCMCIA slot and CompactFlash slot are internally provided, largely facilitate removable devices.
The main drawback of this Notebook is its durability. It is not difficult to imagine how easy it can get broken with such a light weight, so your should handle it very carefully. Or you will damage something for sure.
I have successfully installed RedHat Linux 8.0 on my PC-UM30W together with Windows 2000 and Windows XP (triple OS installed).
The first frustrate thing is that the RedHat 8.0 Linux system cannot be installed from the external CD-ROM directly. You can boot it from USB CD-ROM by the RedHat8.0 disk 1, but you cannot install the Linux from this media! So basically you have only three options:
(create the *.iso images for RedHat 8.0 disk1, disk2, and disk3 before you begin.)
option 1: copy these three *.iso images into your windows partition using your windows OS (let's say, under D:) --> boot your system using CD-ROM --> install from harddisk (let's say, hda5)
option 2: copy these three *.iso images on a httpd server or a ftp server you can use, and then provide the server IP when performing installation.
option 3: using NFS server: if you have NFS already setup on one of your computer in your LAN successfully, you can copy the 3 *.iso images in that network disk, then provide the NFS mount point when performing installation.
After all the installation completed by anaconda, the realtek NIC card and the keyboard should have been recognized sucessfully by default. The CompactFlash slot was also recognized automatically upon bringing up of the system as I put my Sandisk 128MB CompactFlash Card in the slot. This 128MB PC card serve me as a very nice removable disk!
The second frustrate thing is that this model (PC-UM30W) seems to be too new for RedHat 8.0 (XFree86 4.2.0) to recognize its graphics adaptor automatically. It was suggested that at least you get a copy of XFree86 4.2.99 or 4.3.0 and install it for your Intel(R) 82830M graphics adaptor. But what I was trying is that still using the XFree86 4.2.0 provided by RedHat Linux 8.0 and write my own XF86Config file and install the corresponding driver (I use the Driver i810 instead of i830 and it works!), it has proved to be OK, and now I can use as high as 1024X768 resolution with true color (color depth 24). I set the Video RAM as 32MB, but it can be set up to 48MB. (NOTICE: be sure not let X probe your LCD configuration automatically, because this may result in permanant LCD damage as referred by others though I haven't damage any LCD in my life.)
The wireless network adaptor is apparently displayed as "LAN-express" under Windows, the Redhat 8.0 can recognized this type of wireless card as an "orinoco_pci" type. just configure your "/etc/rc.d/rc.local" file and add such a line "modprobe orinoco_pci" and reboot the system. After first reboot, I used my "Internet configuration Wizard" to activate this "Lucent Orinoco and Prism II based PCMCIA wireless card" under /dev/eth1. After this configuration, the eth1 should be brought up automatically once you reboot your notebook for the second time.
The following hardware has been tested and proved to be OK under linux:
1. 12.1 LCD screen
2. Intel(R) 82830M Graphics controller for X display
3. CompactFlash slot
4. Glide pad
5. keyboard
6. The realtek RTL8139/810X Ethernet NIC card
7. LAN-express wireless card
8. external CD-ROM at USB port
The following items hasn't get tested yet, but I am working on them:
1. IEEE 1394 firewire port
2. PCMCIA adaptors
3. battery
4. USB ports
5. sound card
6. Extension slot
7. modem
Some others questions considering using windows on PC-UM30W
1. wireless card configuration (Windows 2000 Professional):
-- make sure you set your SSID correctly.
-- make sure that the access point recognize your MAC address.
-- make sure you have turn on your antenna. (Fn+F1)
-- make sure that you turn on the Radio. (run Card Utility -> click button
"Radio On/Off")
-- click Rescan if necessary.
2. wireless access point configuration (Dlink DWL-900AP+ Win2000):
-- The default SSID for this access point is "default", please set your windows
2000 system to accept SSID "default" before you can configure this access
point for the first time.
-- if you want to perform first configuration of this access point, please
force your system IP to be as "192.168.0.2", and try URL "http://192.168.0.50"
-- after configuration, the system IP should be set back to "obtain an IP
address automatically" before you can enjoy those things outside of your LAN.