Installing Ubuntu 10.4 on HP Pavilion tx2000

Ubuntu 10.4 on HP Pavilion tx2000: Monitor 1

Ubuntu 10.4 on HP Pavilion tx2000: Monitor2

In a previous post, I described how easy it was to install Windows 7 on my HP Pavilion tx2000.  It worked almost perfectly out of the box.

Though, I am beginning to like Windows again thanks to Windows 7, I installed Ubuntu because I do Linux programming.

Wireless, tablet screen, and multiple monitors worked without having to hack anything.  Ubuntu supports them.

Things that don't work:

• HP Quick Launch Buttons around the screen border
• DVD, QuickPlay, Settings, and Rotation
• Mute button doesn't turn red when muted but the volume buttons do work.

As you have read, the list of things that didn't work using the standard Ubuntu 10.4 desktop installation were very few.  They are also identical to things to didn't work after installing Windows 7.  HP drivers are needed.  I don't think that I will bother for now.

I must also say that the start up and shutdown times are amazing! The picture above demonstrates my Ubuntu desktop.  I, of course, applied a dark theme to the controls and the window borders.  It looks and feels great.  I hope that this helps somebody trying do the same thing or something similar.

Installing Windows 7 Professional on HP Pavilion tx2000

Yesterday, I did a clean install of Windows 7 (32-bit) on my HP Pavilion tx2000 computer. I was very surprised and glad that I did not need to install much in order to get the computer to work.  I feared that I would need to install many more drivers, for instance, the tablet driver.

Additional drivers installed from the HP support website:

• Realtek High Definition Audio
• Enables the mute button to change color to red when volume is muted.
• Source: http://h10025.www1.hp.com/ewfrf/wc/softwareDownloadIndex?softwareitem=ob-75992-4&lc=en&dlc=en&cc=us&os=4062&product=3744020&sw_lang=
• HP Quick Launch Buttons
• Enables most of the quick launch buttons on the screen border
• rotate, settings, media (prev, play, next, stop)
• Auto-rotates screen when you convert the laptop to a tablet
• Source: http://h10025.www1.hp.com/ewfrf/wc/softwareDownloadIndex?softwareitem=ob-78740-1&lc=en&dlc=en&cc=us&product=3744020&sw_lang=&os=4062

Things that do not work:

• DVD Quick Play button on the border of the screen
• I am not going to fix this.  I thought it was annoying anyways.  I kept on pressing it accidentally.

Observed benefits over the HP factory installation of Windows Vista.

• Startup time is now 57 seconds.
• From being powered off to displaying the google homepage.
• Shutdown time is now 10 seconds
• With Vista it would literally get too hot for your lap.  Now it always stays cool.  I would dare to say that it stays cooler than my 13" Macbook.

I hope this helps somebody somehow.