On Thu, 1 May 2003 10:24, you wrote:
> I've just installed NetBSD/i386 1.6 on a said Dell laptop and well,
> it's pretty sucky.
>
> NetBSD runs well enough of course, and the laptop seems to run well
> enough, it just seems to be the combination of the two.
>
> Most of the problem seems to be BIOS interaction (I'm guessing). The
> main symptom is that the screen will go completely blank and the
> keyboard becomes unresponsive. I have to power cycle the laptop at
> this point. I think it's the APM BIOS that causes this because it only
> happens when I'm not looking at the laptop. I've switched power
> management off in the BIOS for the AC supply (which I'm using) and it
> doesn't seem to help.
>
> Also any time I press any of the magic key combinations involving the
> Fn key (accidently or otherwise), the machine stops working with no
> indication of any problem other than the lack of responsiveness.
>
> I also have the X problems mentioned by Ian Harding, but I haven't had
> a chance to follow David Brownlee's MTRR suggestion. Something about
> having to use the laptop for work during the day, or some such
> nonsense.
>
> Does anyone have any success stories with the C640? Perhaps I need to
> rebuild with the apm driver active.

Which kernel are you using? One of my friends was having similar problems on 
a Latitude of some description (I can't remember exactly what model) under 
GENERIC, but switching to GENERIC_LAPTOP solved the problem. GENERIC may lack 
apm support, but I'm not too sure about that.

-- 
Mathew Meins

mathewm@rootshell.be
http://www.rootshell.be/~mathew/