[KLUG Hardware] Toshiba 1135-S155 Was "HP ze4220"

[Bruce Smith]

My laptop saga continued (and hopefully concluded).  :-)

The wide-aspect Dell is being returned because I don't like the shape 
of the screen.

Yesterday I went to a local store and picked up a Toshiba M15-S405.
Comparing it side by side to few different Toshiba laptops, I picked
this one for a few reasons.  First I really liked the new Intel "M"
CPU (ala Centrino) from the previous Dell.  Very good performance from 
a slower clock speed, which means less heat and longer battery life.
Feeling the bottom of the four different Toshiba's on display, this
one was noticeably cooler than the others (including the 1135-S115).

Second, is my personal hardware bias.  I prefer the nVidia video and 
the Intel NIC in this model.  I like nVidia because of their Linux
support.  I can choose between the stock XF86 driver, or drivers I
can download direct from nVidia that work with XF86.  I also like
the Intel NIC since that's what IBM uses them in the Intellistations 
we own.  I believe they are more efficient than the Realtek, which I 
put in the same category as NE2000's (dependable, slow, inefficient).

And last, I had a larger budget than Adam.  If I was spending my own 
money, I would have went with the same model Adam has (1135-S155).

Anyway, it appears this one is a keeper!  Very nice 15" display (normal 
aspect! :)   Everything that I expected to work, works.  PLUS it even
appears to have APM support!  With the stock Redhat 9 kernel, the 
power applet in Gnome tells me when the charger is plugged in, and
how much charge the battery has left!  And when I shutdown, it turns
off the power to the laptop!  :-)

The built-in wireless (Centrino) doesn't work, but I knew that going
in to this purchase.  When Linux support arrives, I'll be ready.
Until then, I have my Orinoco Silver PCMCIA card (which works fine).

> A bug prevents you from even enabling DMA via the hdparm option on this
> chipset.  Again, this may be the kernel bug, or the laptop,  only time
> will tell.

Unfortunately, I have this same problem.  PLEASE let me know if you
ever find a fix.

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Bruce Smith                bruce@armintl.com
System Administrator / Network Administrator
Armstrong International, Inc.
Three Rivers, Michigan  49093  USA
http://www.armstrong-intl.com/
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