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This page documents the work that is left to do in freeing various laptops.
It may also be a useful starting point for people who are choosing what laptop to get, but remember that the following are categorisations by volunteers who are not necessarily experts.
You may want to read the recommended hardware page and gNewSense's user experiences.
Laptops which include a free BIOS
Already fully work with Free Software
bleakgadfly: CONFIRMED.
graziano: CONFIRMED. I use it with gNewSense metad. Still no 3D and webcam.
pitof: non-graphical metad install on 8101: works with WEP and WPA encrypted wireless networks (you have to activate wlan0 interface, see Documentation/Wireless), both with manual connection (ifconfig+{iwconfig,wpa_supplicant}+dhcpcd). Didn't try either SD card reader, 3D, built-in microphone or webcam.
samgee2: No 3D (yet).
Themis: CONFIRMED. Wireless free software drivers for SM712 802.11b/g wireless card confirmed to be functional. Built-in USB 2.0 Camera confirmed to be functional. Stable software for LynxEM+ graphics card, not yet. Built-in microphone not yet confirmed to be functional.
Laptops which have a non-free BIOS by default
Everything works
The coreboot -free BIOS- project lists currently supported motherboards, chipsets and laptops.
* Garlach44 Wicklow U4 13.3
graziano: CONFIRMED. I used it with gNewSense 2.3 and 3.0 beta
All works by default, webcam included. Atheros wifi works by default.Acer Aspire One ZG5 (8.9 inches)
graziano: CONFIRMED. I used it with gNewSense FSF membership card.
All works by default, webcam included. Wifi wasn't recognized by the old default gnewsense kernel but I suppose it works with recent linux-libre because it is a Atheros AR5007EG.
Asus Eee PC 701
graziano: CONFIRMED. I used it with gNewSense 2.3 + Linux-libre. All works. gNewSense 3.0 beta 1 fails to detect the ethernet with its default kernel.
The ethernet is libre and supported in later kernels.
Asus Eee PC 900
gnufs: CONFIRMED. I used it with gNewSense + Linux-libre. All works.
Asus X51L
Reported on mailing list. Works fine with Linux-libre kernel.
HP Pavilion ze5418EA
pitof: CONFIRMED. Works with gNewSense + Linux-libre. Notes:
GRUB: resolution was 800x600 or so (instead of 1024x768) by default at boot (no quiet nor splash option in /boot/grub/menu.lst), i added vga=0x0323 at the end of the kernel line and things went fine,
wifi: bought PCMCIA's D-LINK DWA-645 which works well with ath9k driver from linux-libre (version >= 2.6.27).
- Penguin Pearl (15.6" Screen x86)
Designed for free software users. The chipsets are supported across the spectrum by each participant involved in the production of this laptop. This includes: each chipset company, the community, libre-linux kernel, and mainstream driver projects. The libre-kernel and some drivers may need to updated manually in gNewSense due to the age of the distribution. Currently Trisquel (another free distribution) is fully supported out of the box (has up-to-date drivers/firmware and specifically supported). All other free distributions should eventually work out of the box. No ThinkPenguin systems, accessories, or peripherals require non-free drivers or firmware except for the bios (at the time of this writing 6/13/11). For non-us users shipping is available on request basis.
- Penguin Value (15.6" Screen x86)
Designed for free software users. The chipsets are supported across the spectrum by each participant involved in the production of this laptop. This includes: each chipset company, the community, libre-linux kernel, and mainstream driver projects. The libre-kernel and some drivers may need to updated manually in gNewSense due to the age of the distribution. Currently Trisquel (another free distribution) is fully supported out of the box (has up-to-date drivers/firmware and specifically supported). All other free distributions should eventually work out of the box. No ThinkPenguin systems, accessories, or peripherals require non-free drivers or firmware except for the bios (at the time of this writing 6/13/11). For non-us users shipping is available on request basis.
- Penguin Air (13.3" Screen x86)
Designed for free software users. The chipsets are supported across the spectrum by each participant involved in the production of this laptop. This includes: each chipset company, the community, libre-linux kernel, and mainstream driver projects. The libre-kernel and some drivers may need to updated manually in gNewSense due to the age of the distribution. Currently Trisquel (another free distribution) is fully supported out of the box (has up-to-date drivers/firmware and specifically supported). All other free distributions should eventually work out of the box. No ThinkPenguin systems, accessories, or peripherals require non-free drivers or firmware except for the bios (at the time of this writing 6/13/11). For non-us users shipping is available on request basis.
Samsung R60plus
m3tti: CONFIRMED. Works with gNewSense + Linux-libre.
Toshiba Satellite A-135
xihh: CONFIRMED. Works with Parabola + Linux-libre 2.6.33.
Some minor issues
Acer Aspire 4530
xihh: CONFIRMED. It works with gNewSense 2.3 + Linux-libre 2.6.30. Web cam does work. No 3D, nor suspend or hibernate. On gNewSense 3.0 beta1 + Linux-libre 2.6.30. I haven't got web cam to work, and still no 3D, suspend or hibernate. But everything else does.
Wifi doesn't work
Acer Extensa 5620G
davide89v: I used it with gNewSense 2.2 + Linux-Libre 2.6.30.7 kernel. Wi-fi doesn't work.
Asus EeePC 1201T
graziano: gNewSense + Linux-Libre 2.6.36.2 kernel. Ethernet is free (Atheros) but it must be compiled in the libre kernel. Wi-fi doesn't work (RTL8191SE chipset requires a binary firmware)
Asus EeePC 702
ptruchon: I used it with gNewSense 2.3 + Linux-Libre 2.6.30.7 kernel. Wi-fi doesn't work.
Asus F6V
ptruchon: I used it with gNewSense 2.3 + Linux-Libre 2.6.30.7 kernel. Wi-fi (Intel Wireless Wifi Link 5100) doesn't work.
Hp Compaq 6710b
edo1493-:I use it with gNewSense 2.2 + Linux-libre. Wi-fi doesn't work but i bought a WIFI USB KEY Netgear Wg111v2 supported by Linux-libre.
Lenovo R60 9456-HTG
graziano: I use it with gNewSense + Linux-libre. Wi-fi doesn't work but I bought a WIFI USB KEY Netgear Wg111v3 supported by Linux-libre.
Lenovo T61 6465-CTO
michael: With gNewSense 2.3 (kernel 2.6.33-1-libre-planet). The wireless card (Intel PRO/Wireless 3945ABG) which has a proprietary firmware does not work in the deblobbed kernel. I am using NETGEAR WG 111v3 wireless USB adapter instead (driver module: rt8187 - provided by libre-planet kernel). - NOTE: The default installed system loads the iwl3945 driver module (for the Intel PRO/Wireless 3945ABG) which prevents loading other wireless driver! You may need to blacklist iwl3945 (in /etc/modprobe.d/blacklist) to be able to use other wireless adapters.
Lenovo T61 6466-5DG
alexus: With gNewSense 2.3 (kernel 2.6.24-26). The wireless card (Intel PRO/Wireless 3945ABG) which has a proprietary firmware does not work. I am using one D-Link DWL-G122 rev.C1 (07d1:3c03) wirelss USB adapter instead (driver module: rt73usb - kernel included). - NOTE: The default installed system loads the iwl3945 driver module (for the Intel PRO/Wireless 3945ABG) which prevents loading other wireless driver! You may need to blacklist iwl3945 (in /etc/modprobe.d/blacklist) to be able to use other wireless adapters.
Toshiba Satellite T135D-1324
nahuel9000: With gNewSense 2.3 (kernel 2.6.24-27). The wireless card doesn't work. Driver needed to work: rtl819xSE.
Multiple things don't work
Dell Mini Inspiron 10v
jas: CONFIRMED. Tested with gNewSense 2.3 + Linux-Libre 2.6.30.7 kernel.
Non free wireless, bluetooth and BIOS. Hibernate doesn't work (comes back up and mouse is responsive but screen is black).
Otherwise fine including memory card reader and suspend.
Dell Inspiron 1545
daecon: CONFIRMED. Tested with gNewSense 2.3 . Kernel 2.6.24.29 . Non free wireless, bluetooth, camera and BIOS.
Fujitsu/Siemens AMILO M3438G
aurelien: CONFIRMED. Tested with gNewsense 2.2 + 2.3 + metad and metad last kernel from fsfla.org No wireless, no graphic card (Nvidia Geforce 6800), SD card reader not working.
IBM Thinkpad X41
harmattan: Tested with gNewSense 2.3. Kernels 2.6.29.1 and 2.6.30.7, no Wi-Fi, no automount with USB pendrives, no SD card reader. With 2.6.24-24, no Wi-Fi, no ethernet, no USB automount but SD card reader works. With Trisquel 3.5 (kernel 2.6.31-20-generic), everything works out of the box, except Wi-Fi (Intel PRO/Wireless 2915ABG). Fingerprint reader?.
Lenovo (IBM) ThinkPad X200s
Toshiba nb100
davide89v: I used it with gNewSense 2.3 + Linux-Libre 2.6.30.7 kernel. Wi-fi and audio card doesn't work.
Toshiba Satellite
aurelien: Tested with gNewSense metad original kernel. No wireless, no graphic card.
Notes on systems that should work
Dell Mini 10n
Tor: UNTESTED. Uses the "HB95" wireless adapter which according to this Knowledge Base page is based on the Atheros AR9285 chipset. As this chipset is supported by ath9k, Wifi should work properly, at least with linux-libre kernels or MetaD. No confirmed information on the camera.