Configuring ALSA driver in Lenovo 3000N100

Guys, It has been a while since I configured audio driver in Linux OS for my Lenovo 3000N100 laptop and made it working. Thanks to guys working in Linux world. They are open-minded and ready to help you out in any trouble.

Here are the steps:
1. Download the ALSA driver package from an FTP site (Google it!!!) and untar it in your home directory.

2. If you really need to configure ALSA for your 3000N100, mail me. I will send you a patch file.

3. Untar the patch file "patch_realtek.c" and replace the same file in the folder "alsa-driver-xxx/alsa-kernel/pci/hda/"

4. cd to "alsa-driver-xxx" folder.

5. Issue ./configure --with-cards-hda-intel

make

make install

Congrats!!! Your laptop is now ready to ROCK in Linux!!!

- Alexander

Lenovo 3000 N100

I was planning to buy a laptop for quite a long time. After comparing various brands and models, I decided to go for Lenovo 3000 N100 series laptop. I was also looking for a model that would have full support in Linux.

I was struck on choosing a good processor. Intel dual-core architecture is based on Intel Pentium M processor. Intel Core 2 Duo is advanced than Intel dual-core processor, in a way that the former supports IA64. Also, it is designed to consume less power than IDC processor.

Dell laptops come with good configuration for a less price. But, you have to wait for atleast 15 days, until you get your laptop. Also if you are planning to install Linux, Dell is a good choice as Linux have driver support for almost all components.

Lenovo 3000 N100 comes pre-installed with Windows Vista. Windows XP is not written for Multi-processor. So, installing Windows XP is a bad idea in a dual-core laptop. I got my laptop in a week after placing my order.

Partitioning was quite easy in Vista. The model comes with 105 GB of single primary partition. 6 GB is dedicated to windows recovery partition. I used diskpart.exe (a command-line utility that comes with Vista) to shrink the primary partition. I could only shrink the partition for a maximum of 32 GB. And created another primary partition. Though it's not bad, as Linux could just mount Vista partition.

Earlier, I got my Ubuntu AMD64-bit edition from http://www.ubuntu.com/getubuntu Just booted the CD. Ubuntu desktop welcomed me with 'Install' icon. You have to just cross 7 easy steps for easy installation.

But unfortunately, audio doesn't work with this model in Linux. In Vista, it works. But, the sound is too low. You have to use a headphone to listen music or to watch movies. Hope the tutorials in ubuntuforums will help me.

Alexander.

Inside Apple iPhone

[Courtesy: embedded.com]

SickSack

SickSack (Sounds like Zig Zag).

Guess what? It's a robot. Yes, follows a black line on the floor like a snake. It has been designed by two innovative guys, Lars Pontoppidan and Aske Olsson in USA.
Click the link, http://pontoppidan.info/lars/index.php?proj=sicksack for more details about the robot. Don't forget to check out the videos.

It has been my dream for quite some time now, to do some work-around in Robotics. Hope it would work out some day.

-NOTNULL.

The Google Story

Recently, I happened to read the book "The Google Story" by David A. Vise. What to say? It's really a wonderful book, which explains the complete story of Google. It has many interesting information right from Google cook Charlie Ayer, Google stock, Eric Schmidt joining Google, etc. Page by page, it ties the reader to the book.

Recovering from lost Windows boot loader

When you install the boot loader (either LILO or GRUB) on the MBR, it replaces the MS-DOS boot loader or any other boot loader that may be there, such as the Windows NT loader. If you have problems with your installation or you simply want to restore the original boot loader, you can do one of the following.

• If you're running LILO, you can boot Linux from a floppy or CD and restore the boot sector, which LILO automatically backs up:

  % /sbin/lilo -u

• If you have the capability, boot to DOS and run the fdisk command with a special option that rebuilds the MBR:

  C:> fdisk /mbr

• For Windows 2000 and Windows XP, which do not have an fdisk command, boot your computer from the Windows CD (or the Windows boot floppies if you can't boot from your CD drive). When you see "Welcome to Setup," press R (for repair) and, in Windows 2000, you then press C. Select your Windows installation from the numbered list that is displayed (there may be only one entry) and enter the administrator password at the prompt. Enter the command fixmbr at the command-line prompt and confirm it with y. After the MBR has been restored, type exit to reboot.