Hey guys:

We are testing Linux to run on Averatec C3500 series computers. This is what we found out so far:

There are different BIOS versions:

Bios Version TH11v02h, Date: 07/03/04: makes it fairly easy to install Linux, just change boot options for Fedora (2 or 3) from 'rhgb' to '3' - that should be it. For X11 get the latest SiS driver and fire it up. You should have USB, PCMCIA, X11 and, with the appropriate driver, the wireless card should work too.

Bios Version TH11v1.0, Date 10/11/04 is *very* different. You need to add the following to the boot options: " video=0x305 nomce 3" to get it startet. It will install, but you will not have USB and/or PCMCIA. X11 and the wireless network should work though (with drivers).

I contacted Averatec support and asked if it is possible to downgrade the BIOS, haven't received an answer. In addition, a friendly user has suggested to get the 'heavy' tools out of the tool-box. We are currently trying to adapt the ACPI bios to the 'old' BIOS (/proc/acpi/dsdt).

If somebody would mail (or post) an /proc/acpi/dst - file from an 'old' BIOS version, that would help a lot.

We are currently running 2.4.10, but also tried the original FC3 kernel, vanilla 2.4.9 and 2.4.11-rc2 (panics on boot) .

Michaela