linux hardware questions (compatibilities, etc)

[arinlares]

as is my habit on these forums, i ask a lot of really... odd questions. I was checking the compatibilities on some external harddrives, and found that they don't say Linux compatible anywhere on them (some were western digital, i don't remember any others). Do they just not say anything about linux? Are all external drives linux compatible (i've heard it's better to store virtual machines on them, and when I install Ubuntu n the laptop i'm getting, i'm going to be doing a lot of that). And, i've asked this before, but was recommended to start a thread with it: If i use ubuntu in a virtual machine, and it detects ALL of my hardware properly, will it work on an HD install? And if I have to fix it in the virtual machine, are the fixes the same on the HD install?

[Ancalagon_UK]

As far as I know, virtual machines dont allow the operating system in question direct access to your hardware. Even your hard disk will be abstracted. Thus, you actually be sure whether Ubuntu likes your hardware, because Ubuntu has never seen it!

Basically, when you create a virtual machine, it creates... examples of things like network adapters. It makes this fake network adapter (for example) available to the virtual machine, but not your real network adapter. Then it sets up a connection (generally using either a bridge or NAT) between your real network adapter and your virtual network adapter.

Also, that means any fixes to the virtual machine will likely be different to your actual machine.

To answer your question about external hard drives - I'd imagine most of them should work fine. I cant guarantee that though, it might depend on the distro.

[GNU-Fan]

Why not trying out a LiveCD on the real hardware in order to see what will be detected?

[arinlares]

well, Angcalagon_UK, i was afraid the answer was something like that... well, if i didn't want to tinker, i wouldn't use linux. And, GNU-Fan, as soon as I get my laptop, i'm trying the Live CD on it.

[i92guboj]

as is my habit on these forums, i ask a lot of really... odd questions. I was checking the compatibilities on some external harddrives, and found that they don't say Linux compatible anywhere on them (some were western digital, i don't remember any others). Do they just not say anything about linux? Are all external drives linux compatible (i've heard it's better to store virtual machines on them, and when I install Ubuntu n the laptop i'm getting, i'm going to be doing a lot of that). And, i've asked this before, but was recommended to start a thread with it: If i use ubuntu in a virtual machine, and it detects ALL of my hardware properly, will it work on an HD install? And if I have to fix it in the virtual machine, are the fixes the same on the HD install?

It's not clear to me what do you intend to do with VM's.

However, external usb storage devices are all of them recognized as SCSI storage drives. It doesn't matter if they are hard drives, flash devices like pen drives, card readers, cameras, mobile phones... It's specially true for pen drives and hard disks. They all should work without a single problem, that is, as long as your USB ports are operative and do not have problems themselves.

[arinlares]

not to be sarcastic or anything, but what CAN you do with virtual machines? I'm going to check out OSes that arent Ubuntu or Windows. i won't be developing or anything (don't know squat about linux anyway). As far as my intended use, i hope to try some other distros, as well as the new Windows 7 Benchmark 1. So, i hope that's clear enough.

And, for the future, if i'm buying hardware for a linux PC (RAM, hard drives, stuff like that), is it generally going to say Linux-compatible (if at all?)?

[i92guboj]

And, for the future, if i'm buying hardware for a linux PC (RAM, hard drives, stuff like that), is it generally going to say Linux-compatible (if at all?)?

It depends on the hardware. Hard disks and pen drives are generic enough, just like cdroms. They are not tied to any particular OS and should work ok.

The same for cpus or ram.

The basic stuff should always work, the only core piece of the pc to worry about is the mother board, and, more concretely, the chipset. However, there are few manufacturers that are going to mark their products are linux compatible and/or offer support for linux.

We usually have to rely on the community to check if a product has good native support or not.

[Freston]

not to be sarcastic or anything, but what CAN you do with virtual machines?

You?? I dunno? Check out different distro's fast and easy. That sort of thing.

On the server side of things virtual machines are frequently used to provide better overall reliability and uptime. For the price of a little overhead you can have five virtual machines running on one actual machine. This means that if one crashes, the other four can pick up and the network keeps running.

I know at my work this is how we provide tremendous network uptime while the uptime of the individual virtual devices is to cry about. A user doesn't notice that though.

And, for the future, if i'm buying hardware for a linux PC (RAM, hard drives, stuff like that), is it generally going to say Linux-compatible (if at all?)?

No. We are a niche. They don't mention Linux. I bought a USB stick once for the sole purpose that it mentioned that it was Linux compatible. An U3 Cruzer that I am still very happy with. But all USB sticks are Linux compatible. They are just filesystems on a stick. The same applies to internal and external harddrives.
RAM is also never a problem. RAM=RAM. Another example. All bluetooth dongles follow the same protocol. Essentially they are all the same. They all work in Linux.


You'll find printers, scanners and perifials like that to be more of a problem. There is an extensive list on the CUPS site with all printers known to work. But there are so so many millions of models of printers and the TurboJet 32443a may not be anything like the TurboJet 32443b internally, although the housing may be the same

[arinlares]

yeah, i have a U3 cruzer. it, and my first flashdrive (a Lexar 128MB) both said linux compatible (aside from the U3 function). that was why i asked about larger external harddrives saying so (back to linux users being a niche). actually, after learning Ubuntu in windows (using a VM, i have Virtual Box in mind), i'm gonna do a 10-20GB install on the HD, and use Ubuntu to launch the VMs (i can allow more ram for the machines than in Vista). I'll look up CUPS, i guess. I am also curious about mouses (or mice, whatever). I know a PS/2 compatible optical mouse works in linux, but do wireless optical or laser mouses work, too? if they don't work immediately, what kind of tweaking needs to be done? (generally please, i'll ask specifics when the time comes)

[i92guboj]

yeah, i have a U3 cruzer. it, and my first flashdrive (a Lexar 128MB) both said linux compatible (aside from the U3 function). that was why i asked about larger external harddrives saying so (back to linux users being a niche). actually, after learning Ubuntu in windows (using a VM, i have Virtual Box in mind), i'm gonna do a 10-20GB install on the HD, and use Ubuntu to launch the VMs (i can allow more ram for the machines than in Vista). I'll look up CUPS, i guess. I am also curious about mouses (or mice, whatever). I know a PS/2 compatible optical mouse works in linux, but do wireless optical or laser mouses work, too?

They all are the same. You just have to configure the correct mouse protocol in X or use evdev. Most mouses will use ps2 or usb. They all should work.

Some advanced features like extra buttons or wheels might require some extra configuration, but nothing so terrible.

The same goes for keyboards.