Running Linux on a laptop can often be more difficult than running Linux on a regular system because laptop hardware is much different. Also, the drivers to properly control laptop devices have not yet been created under Linux.

Most hardware driver problems occur with the video system, PCMCIA support, infrared ports, sound cards, and modems. When you want to buy a laptop for use with Linux, do a careful investigation of hardware compatibility, and see if you can get appropriate Linux drivers and support for the laptop’s devices.

Beyond basic peripherals, such as video and sound, you need two specific items for use on a laptop: PCMCIA and APM support.

PCMCIA

PCMCIA (Personal Computer Memory Card International Association) is a standard set by hardware companies for interface and device cards that can fit into a small laptop slot.

For installation under Linux, you need to install PCMCIA support as part of your kernel. The kernel must also be able to support loadable modules for devices.

APM

APM (Advanced Power Management) is an excellent feature for laptops because it allows the laptop to suspend operations for a period of time for actions including turning off the monitor and powering off the hard drive, to reduce battery usage.

APM must be supported by your laptop BIOS because this is where hardware control initiates. You also need to have APM support enabled in your Linux kernel.

Linux Peripheral Configuration

7.4 Assure that system hardware is configured correctly prior to installation (e.g., IRQs, BIOS, DMA, SCSI settings, cabling) by identifying proper procedures for installing and configuring peripheral devices

7.11 Identify proper procedures for diagnosing and troubleshooting peripheral devices

You can install many different peripheral devices on your Linux system. You must also check many different characteristics and settings before performing installation, compatibility, system resource settings, and expansion slot availability.

With most devices, you must ensure that you are using free IRQ, DMA, and I/O resources that don’t conflict with another device. If you do have conflicts, certain