Comments on: Top 3 Websites To Check Whether Your Hardware Is Supported By Linux

By: Scutterman

Scutterman — Thu, 24 May 2012 19:37:24 +0000

I’ll definitely be using these next time I’m crazy enough to try Linux. As for previous problems with Linux hardware (two different installs, and in no particular order)…

* On boot (every boot) the screen would be black until I adjusted contrast or brightness by one point, then would be normal

* Getting multiple monitors to do anything other than something simple is next to impossible

* Couldn’t get my DisplayLink adapter to work at all

* The partition corrupted

* An update to Ubuntu made it decide to give up on booting permanently.

* Unity (not a hardware issue, just a massive annoyance).

By: Anon

Anon — Mon, 14 May 2012 22:19:47 +0000

Years ago, I used to use http://www.linux-laptop.net to check on laptops before buying them. They often had tuning tips, too.

By: Danny Stieben

Danny Stieben — Mon, 14 May 2012 15:31:56 +0000

Oh that’s true! I never thought of it that way…

By: Danny Stieben

Danny Stieben — Mon, 14 May 2012 15:30:51 +0000

Ah yes! I believe they’re calling it Secure Boot. Apparently it uses a UEFI protocol instead of a Windows 8 feature, so it’s up to the manufacturers to decide whether only Windows is allowed. Hopefully most manufacturers will be good enough to not block Linux.

By: Danny Stieben

Danny Stieben — Mon, 14 May 2012 15:27:39 +0000

Thanks for the tip, emariz!

By: Danny Stieben

Danny Stieben — Mon, 14 May 2012 15:27:23 +0000

Thanks Larry! Great to see you visit this site!

By: Danny Stieben

Danny Stieben — Mon, 14 May 2012 15:26:34 +0000

Hi Mitesh,

In Linux you don’t have to install drivers like you do in Windows. Most hardware should be working out-of-the-box. In case your audio drivers don’t work, try googling “ sound fedora” for a solution.

Good luck!

By: Danny Stieben

Danny Stieben — Mon, 14 May 2012 15:24:18 +0000

Interesting find! Thank you!

By: emariz

emariz — Sat, 12 May 2012 14:31:03 +0000

Debian Hardware Checklist
http://kmuto.jp/debian/hcl/

By: Jacob Larsen

Jacob Larsen — Sat, 12 May 2012 12:55:26 +0000

When it comes to drivers, Windows has the same problem with unsupported hardware due to missing drivers, it is just a slightly different area. Often, obscure peripherals like scanners etc. from smaller vendors(who might be closed/merged even) will not get updated drivers when a new major release of Windows arrives, which means that when people e.g. buy a new computer with a new Windows version on it, they also need to buy new peripherals (or if they are lucky, a few days of Google searches might get them an unofficial driver, but the level of complexity resembles the old “compile your own kernel” area). On Linux, once some piece of hardware has entered the “plug’n'play” state, it pretty much stays there.

By: anynomyous

anynomyous — Sat, 12 May 2012 06:02:43 +0000

another hardware compatibility issue to consider with new PCs in the future is whether linux can be installed at all…
because as I understand it then Microsoft has this new requirement that QEMs that want to install Windows must use a bios that will not allow use of anything but Windows.

By: Larry Cafiero

Larry Cafiero — Sat, 12 May 2012 05:39:17 +0000

Excellent article, Danny. Great job.

By: Mitesh Budhabhatti

Mitesh Budhabhatti — Fri, 11 May 2012 19:35:47 +0000

Hello Danny.. may be this not the correct thread to ask the question.. but you are linux expert so i wanted to ask you.. Can you pls suggest easiest way to install audio drivers on fedora 16? I was lot easier on windows !!

By: NOYB

NOYB — Fri, 11 May 2012 14:19:04 +0000

http://www.h-node.org/ is also a good one.