Updated for Fedora Core 4.
I recently bought a Gateway 7422GX laptop. I bought it at a retail store. It runs Fedora Core 3 & 4 pretty darn well. I am writing this so that others will spend less time figuring out how to make things work and more time doing useful things.
Warning: Backup your system using the gateway backup utility before proceeding. It fits on a single DVD+R. Prepare for the worst in case the worst finds you.
Processor(AMD64 Mobile 3400+): I used the x86_64 version. I like having 32 more bits than everyone else.
Disk: I used a copy of Knoppix to boot and shrink the Window$ XP Home partition using QTParted. Beware: There is a small fat32 partition at the beginning of the disk. It is the gateway restore partition. I suggest not messing with it. The partitions are numbered out of order. When I use fdisk I see this:
Disk /dev/hda: 80.0 GB, 80026361856 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 9729 cylinders
Units = cylinders of 16065 * 512 = 8225280 bytes
Device Boot Start End Blocks Id System
/dev/hda1 * 550 5426 39174502+ 7 HPFS/NTFS
/dev/hda2 1 549 4409811 b W95 FAT32
/dev/hda3 5427 5439 104422+ 83 Linux
/dev/hda4 5440 9729 34459425 5 Extended
/dev/hda5 5440 9729 34459393+ 8e Linux LVM
Partition table entries are not in disk order
So hda2 is actually the first partition on the disk. hda1 is the Window$ XP Home installation. I squished hda1 down to about the halfway point on the disk. I then rebooted and ran the FC3 x86_64 DVD install. I used automatic partitioning, and if you use manual partitioning, it will look completely different. I used grub as the boot manager. My /boot/grub/grub.conf looks something like this:
default=0
timeout=5
splashimage=(hd0,2)/grub/splash.xpm.gz
hiddenmenu
password --md5 YoUrPaSsWoRdHaSh
title Fedora Core (2.6.10-1.766_FC3)
root (hd0,2)
kernel /vmlinuz-2.6.10-1.766_FC3 ro root=/dev/VolGroup00/LogVol00 rhgb quiet
initrd /initrd-2.6.10-1.766_FC3.img
title GatewayRestore
rootnoverify (hd0,1)
chainloader +1
title WinXP_Home
rootnoverify (hd0,0)
chainloader +1
Note that grub numbers partitions starting at 0 and the Restore partition is physically the first partition but gets the number 1 because it is actually hda2. Strange. When you point grub at the appropriate partitions the Gateway Restore and Win XP Home both continue to work normally.
Video(ATI Radeon 9550): I used the stock x server that fedora came with. I have not yet tried the drivers available from ATI. It contains the Radeon 9550 (an under-clocked 9600). I have seen a utility called ativideoout, but it only works on older cards and is orphaned right now. I assume that video out works with the ati driver, but my system is working well, and I am unwilling to mess around compiling a kernel from scratch. The display uses a non-standard resolution, and when you use one of the default ones, the screen is slightly distorted (fixed in FC4). This can be fixed by editing /etc/X11/xorg.conf and look for the screen section and make it look like this:
Section "Screen"
Identifier "Screen0"
Device "Videocard0"
Monitor "Monitor0"
DefaultDepth 24
SubSection "Display"
# Modes "800x600" "640x480"
Viewport 0 0
Depth 16
Modes "1280x800"
EndSubSection
SubSection "Display"
# Modes "1024x768" "800x600" "640x480"
Viewport 0 0
Depth 24
Modes "1280x800" "1024x768" "800x600" "640x480"
EndSubSection
The important part is the "1280x800" which is the resolution of the display. Copy xorg.conf over xorg.conf.backup or it will ignore your changes.
NEW: If you enable/setup the livna rpm repository, they have a kernel module in the form: kernel-module-fglrx-{kernelver}. Install it and you get glx accelerated video support.
Networking(10/100:VT6102 and Wireless:BCM4306): wired eth0 works by default. Wireless works using ndiswrapper 1.2. Use the latest version available. I had problems compiling with certain kernel/ndiswrapper combinitions, but have had no troubles since switching to version 1.2. I compiled ndiswrapper from source using the howto on the website. I could not find a good rpm, and the sources have worked fine for me in the past. On other systems I re-compile when a new kernel come out and it works dandy. I assume this one will be the same. I downloaded 64 bit windows drivers from http://www.linuxant.com/driverloader/drivers.php (http://www.linuxant.com/driverloader/drivers.php). Download the ones that begin: "BCMWL564: 64-bit generic Broadcom 54g NDIS driver..." Do the installation howto on the ndiswrapper site. When you are done with that and you know the wireless is working, copy the /etc/sysconfig/ifcfg-eth0 file to ifcfg-wlan0. Edit the file, changing the first line, and adding an "ESSID=yourEssid" and "KEY=YourWepKey" lines as appropriate. You will then be able to control the device from the "network" control panel GUI from the under system settings. Don't forget to set it to activate on boot.
NEW: If you enable/setup the livna rpm repository, they have a kernel module in the form: kernel-module-ndiswrapper-{kernelver}. Install it and the ndiswrapper package, and you get ndiswrapper functionality (with no compiling).
Integrated card readers: No problems.
Modem(Conexant[AC97 Modem]): unknown. Haven't got 'round to it yet.
Dual-layer DVD+/-RW: haven't tried dual-layer yet, but it works using k3b on single-layer CD-R/W and DVD-R/Ws.
I am generally dis-inclined to buy Gateway products, but the price and features won me over. I got lucky that most of the hardware worked. Have fun.
Disclaimer: I do not warranty any of this information as it may be wildly inaccurate. Gateway probably will not help you out if you torch/damage/mess-up your new laptop. I know I will not help either. Be an adult. Gateway may also change the hardware from time to time. Happy Linux.
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