My old laptop died quietly in its sleep in February 2005, and was replaced by evinrude, a ThinkPad X31. Its motherboard has always seemed a little flaky, until it finally gave up, and wouldn’t boot any more.

See how I got it to run Linux.

model:
IBM ThinkPad R30 (26564AU)
hostname:
csgrad2pc01.math.uwaterloo.ca when it’s at my office, labatt.uhoreg.ca sometimes (when I update it)
CPU:
Pentium III 1GHz
Memory:
128MB standard (minus 8MB that the video chip steals), plus a 256MB add-on (the R30 takes standard SODIMM memory)
HD:
30GB
Video card:
Trident CyberBlade Aladdin i1 w/ 8MB RAM
Screen:
13.3" TFT
Sound card:
Acer ALi M5451 (integrated), using the ALSA drivers
Pointing device:
built-in TrackPoint, and a Logitech TrackMan Wheel (USB)
Keyboard:
Kinesis Essential contour keyboard plus a triple action programmable footswitch
Printer:
Lexmark E210 laser printer (USB-connected)
Internet Hookup:
a 100 Base-T hookup in my office, 802.11b at various locations on campus, cable modem at home
Operating System:
Debian GNU/Linux “unstable”, upgraded more or less every week, using Linux kernel 2.6.9. errm. I mean Emacs. Emacs is my operating system.
Some major (for some value of “major”) apps/Programs (in no particular order):