compaq presario V2417AU

[Roxoff]

...
i would be stoked if it is a 64bit proc, but my guess is no.
...

If you want to find out for sure, try getting the 1st install disk for a 64 bit distro and trying it out. It'll soon barf if it's not 64 bit - you dont have to go as far as installing anything.

[Weedman]

Unmasking isn't really dangerous, it is just that packages which aren't unmasked haven't had every bug fixed. Myself I haven't had trouble using unmasked packages and everything seems to work fine.

Also, you should know that most Semprons are 32 bit, only some of the newer desktop ones are 64 bit. I have yet to see a 64-bit Sempron in a laptop.

IIRC some card readers are supported in the kernel. Just find which one is yours and compile the driver for it.

installed the masked ati drivers... it all now works!

i read about the semprons having the almost exact same technology as the athon 64, but without the 64 bit. bugger. still, like Roxoff said, ill give the ubuntu 64bit live cd a go and see what happens.

as for the card reader, i enabled some kernel modules for pcmcia as cardmgr was complaining that i had no modules loaded. i enabled a few including yenta_socket. ill give it a shot again and see if it works.

thanks guys
-weed

[Weedman]

ok, so i have had gentoo running on my lappy for week.

but my first real problem haas come up. it only started happening today.
/dev/dsp & /dev/mixer go missing after a reboot. the only way to fix this is to do:

ln -s /dev/dsp2 /dev/dsp
ln -s /dev/mixer2 /dev/mixer
chgrp audio /dev/dsp /dev/mixer

and then hope it works. mpg123 took 2 tries to get the sound working.
and also, i have been unable from the start to save alsamixer's settings through "alsactl strore".

please help me guys, this sounds bad.
-weed

[Weedman]

sound issue fixed, switched all sound apps to alsa instead of oss.

next problem.
my lappy seams to be overheating. gkrellm shows that it is running in between 50 deg C and 60 deg C. the fan kicks in at about 58-60. the lappy hit 60 for that first time yesterday. the temperature guage flashed yellow.

i do not have any temp guides from inside windows, but i will assume that this happens under windows too.

this must be bad,
-weed