Below is the original email I sent to debian-laptop in December.
From: Dirk EddelbuettelTo: debian-laptop@lists.debian.org Date: Sat, 21 Dec 2002 00:03:23 -0600 CC: edd@debian.org Subject: Debian on Sotec 3120X / 3123X As I could not find any references with respect to Linux and this laptop before I bought it, I thought I would drop a short note stating that Linux works fine on it. So here it goes, in semi-random order: * What is it? An inexpensive ($950), 4.4 pound heavy, 12" screen with a Celeron 1200, 256mb ram, dvd/cd-rw, and either a 20gb disk (3120X) or a 30gb disk (3123X). The latter is available at Sam's Club, the other one at Wal Mart, Office Max and Best Buy. See the link for specs: http://www.sotecglobal.com/us/products/?catid=11&subid=102&prodid=1002 * First things I dropped Knoppix 3.1 into the 3120X I found at a local Office Max. It works, but requires the boot line knoppix lang=us noscsi or it will hang on seeking the scsi modules. But x11, sound, ... all work immediately under Knoppix, which is good. The pre-Debian 3.0 cdrom I have needed linux video=vga16:off or the framebuffer would get confused, and the console get unusable. * Annoyances The laptop comes with M$ XP home preinstalled as well as on three Ghost disks. I did not succeed in resizing the disks using free software. Partition Magic 8.0 worked, and I was able to install Debian 3.0 without too much trouble. I pretty much used the Knoppix settings whenever something wasn't immediately working (as e.g. x11 or sound). Apm does not appear to be supported in the bios, which sucks. * Niceties The laptop is small and light but not miniscule, light and reasonably fast. Linux works fine. Haven't tried the dvd player yet for lack of a dvd. I intend to post some more notes at http://dirk.eddelbuettel.com/linux/sotec3123x.html Dirk -- Prediction is very difficult, especially about the future. -- Niels Bohr