Windows 7 on the Libretto U100
Today I managed to install the build 7000 van Windows 7 Beta on my Libretto U100!
From some forums I’d already learned that Windows 7 Beta is pretty stable and much hardware is already supported. Also for my U100, almost everything worked out of the box:
- Screen resolution: 1280×768 working, although the VGA chip is not recognized
- WiFi is working
- Sound, working
- Bluetooth working with default Toshiba bluetoothstack driver for Windows XP
- Fingerprint reader, not working yet
- One unknown device. have to fihure out what that is
The overall performance is very good. Much better that Vista! All themes are working.
I have to check the Performance index, but upfront I do not expect much on this.
I’ll keep you informed about my findings!
Xubunto 8.10 on my Libretto u100
Yesterday I upgraded my Xubuntu to the latest 8.10 release.
Everything seemed to went well, but after a reboot the display manager won’t start anymore. After login and a simple sudo gdm, I’m back on a Ubuntu (!) login screen to enter my XFCE desktop.
Think I’m going to reinstall the thing, because I’m planning to make it dualboot with Win dows XP again.
Linux on U100 – Fedora 9
Today I foound a very interesting link in my mailbox. That link, to Jethro Carr’s Toshiba Libretto u100 pages, offers you some general information about the U100.
Even more interesting is his very useful guide on how to install Fedora Linux 9 on your U100. Apparently there are some serious issues with WIFI, Bluetooth and CPU frequency scaling. Jethro does a great job with his well documented guide on compile a new kernel for your system.
Reading through his other pages, you will understand why he chose Fedora to be installed on his Libretto.
Toshiba Libretto Returns!
Because of Toshiba’s 20th notebook anniversary, Toshiba releases a new Libretto model: the U100 Wibro edition.
The Libretto U100 Wibro edition supports WiBro (duh) mobile broadband connectivity. IT has a 7.2-inch LED-backlit display. From the pictures I do not see any other difference with the classis U100.
Will this be the answer of Toshiba, on the neetbook hype, or is this just to tease us all for some really great news later this year?
Feel free to post more info about this Libretto Wibra.
Links: Pocketables
Opensuse 11 on the U100
The last few days I tried to install Opensuse 11 on my U100, but wasn’t very succesful.
First, I tried the Live CD and that seemed to go very well. After a relatively slow boot I saw the wondeful new KDE4 desktop. Unfortunately I was not able to connect my wireless with my home network. Also, the instaal from the Live CD wasn’t working. No errors, no messages, it just did not work.
Then, I started the installer from the Install DVD and had a bit more success installing the software. The Gnome dekstop did not work al all. The gdm would not start, although the installation was in the native 1280×786 screen resolution.
So, I tried to install the KDE desktop and later the XFCE desktop and that did work. Unfortunately, again, I wasn’t able to connect my onoard wireless device. MAybe I missed a few steps during the confuguration, but I’m not that die hard Lunix guy to have it fixed from the command line.
So, as I made a image of my Xubuntu 8 installation, I’ll go back to Xubunutu very soon (i hope).
The U100 Bios key
Just a short note on ‘How to get into the Libret; to U100 bios’. This day it took me about half an hour before I remembered how to enter the bios of the U100: press [esc]!
How-to replace the U100 harddisk?
From the moment I got myself the Libretto U100 I wondered how to replace the slow harddisk. Within the first week I opened the Libretto as far as possible and I had a short look inside the little machine. The harddisk was nowhere to be found, although I knew it had to be somewhere at the bottom.
After a day or to on Google, I found myself the original replacement manual! In that manual there are step-by-step instructions how to disassemble my Libretto u100 completely and finally (that chapter is located almost at the end of the instructions) locate the harddisk and remove it!
As soon as I have the time and guts, I’ll start to replace my standard 60GB HDD for a (faster and) bigger 120 GB 7200 rpm harddisk. I certainly hope the U100 motherbord will support the bigger drive!
U100 memory upgrade
My own Libretto came with one 512 MB memory module, which should be enough for the default Windows XP Professional installation. After I installed Vista Home Premium, the amount of memory became the bottleneck for an acceptable performance. So, I dediced to upgrade my memory to a decent 1 GB. As far as I know, that 1 GB is the maximum for the Libretto U100, because there;s only one memory slot available.
Welcome!
As an owner of two of the finest mini laptops around (U100 and CT 100) I found it very hard to get information about the possibilities, upgrades and special software and drivers for the Toshiba Libretto.Mainly information about more complex issues like installing Vista on a Libretto U100, replacing the harddisk of a U100 or installing Windows XP on a Libretto 100 CT is hard to found.
