Linux Hardware Compatibility HOWTO
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# 30. Appendix B. Linux incompatible Hardware

Some hardware manufacturers have created devices which are compatible with MS-DOS or certain versions of Windows only. They seem to emulate part of the normally available hardware in the devices by software packages sold together with the device. Specification on these devices are not presented to the world so it is almost impossible to write drivers for these devices. Below a list of devices reported as being Linux incompatible will be given.

Simply put, it is best to avoid hardware which states things like "Needs Windows" or "Windows only".

For a list of incompatible hardware maintained by the Linux community, see the Linux Incompatibility List.

- Printers

  Manufacturer | Model Number | Functionality
  --- | --- | ---
  Brother | 4550 | None - Paperweight
  Brother | HL-1435 | None - Paperweight
  Brother | MP-21C | None - Paperweight
  Brother | PT-PC | None - Paperweight
  Canon | BJC-5000 | None - Paperweight
  Canon | BJC-5100 | None - Paperweight
  Canon | BJC-8500 | None - Paperweight
  Canon | LBP-600 | None - Paperweight
  Canon | LBP-800 | None - Paperweight
  Canon | Multipass L6000 | None - Paperweight
  Canon | S200 | None - Paperweight
  Epson | AcuLaser C1000 | None - Paperweight
  Epson | AcuLaser C900 | None - Paperweight
  Epson | EPL-5500W | None - Paperweight
  Epson | PM 930C | None - Paperweight
  Generic | GDI Printer | None - Paperweight
  HP | Color LaserJet 1500 | None - Paperweight
  HP | LaserJet 3100 | None - Paperweight
  HP | LaserJet 3150 | None - Paperweight
  HP | PhotoSmart | None - Paperweight
  LaserMaster | LM 1000 | None - Paperweight
  Lexmark | Winwriter 100 | None - Paperweight
  Lexmark | Winwriter 200 | None - Paperweight
  Lexmark | Z13 | None - Paperweight
  Lexmark | Z23 | None - Paperweight
  Minolta | PagePro 1100L | None - Paperweight
  Minolta | PagePro 6L | None - Paperweight
  NEC | SuperScript 610plus | None - Paperweight
  NEC | SuperScript 660 | None - Paperweight
  NEC | SuperScript 660plus | None - Paperweight
  Okidata | Okijet 2010 | None - Paperweight
  Panasonic | KX-P6100 | None - Paperweight
  Panasonic | KX-P6300 GDI | None - Paperweight
  Panasonic | KX-P8410 | None - Paperweight
  QMS | magicolor 2 | None - Paperweight
  Ricoh | Afico FX10 | None - Paperweight
  Samsung | ML-5050G | None - Paperweight
  Samsung | SF/MSYS/MJ-4700/4800/4500C | None - Paperweight
  Sharp | AJ-2100 | None - Paperweight
  Star | WinType 4000 | None - Paperweight
  Xerox | DocuPrint P8 | None - Paperweight
  Xerox | WorkCentre 385 | None - Paperweight
  Xerox | WorkCentre XD120f | None - Paperweight
  Xerox | WorkCentre XE80 | None - Paperweight
  Xerox | WorkCentre XE90fx | None - Paperweight

  The following is old information and will be removed in a future version of this document:

  - Canon LBP-465 printer

  - Sharp JX-9210 printer

- Modems

  - 3Com 3CXM356/3CCM356 and 3CXM656/3CCM656 PCMCIA

  - AOpen FM56-P and FM56-H

  - Boca Research 28.8 internal modem (model MV34AI)

  - Boca Research 33.6 internal modem (model MV34)(Joe Harjung has succeeded in configuring the modem under Win95 and then soft booting into Linux with the modem still working. Filippo is using this modem under Linux directly without any problems and without soft booting from Windows. I definitely need more info on these Boca Research modems.) The Boca Research 33.6 modem (model M336I) is mentioned to work with Linux. The only thing that needed to be done was diabling Plug and Play. Here are the specs of the modem

    - Three stickers saying "MC2920A-3.3", "E6030D 4035-01" and "1721 8011 A"

    - Chips etc on the board

      - Cirrus Logic CL-MD3450D-SC-B

      - Cirrus Logic MD1724-11VC-D

      - Datatronic VLM301-1??

      - Omron G5V-1 (2 of them)

      - AST (?) M628032-20E1

      - Cirrus Logic CL-MD4450C-SC-A

      - Abracon 23-040-20

      - two empty places for additional chips, one of which might be a Cirrus Logic CL-MD1724D

    - 4 jumpers for COM port selection

    - 10 jumpers for IRQ selection

    - other unknown jumpers

  - Compaq 192 PCMCIA modem/serial card

  - HP Fastmodem D4810B

  - Multiwave Innovation CommWave V.34 modem

  - Megahertz XJ/CC2560 PCMCIA

  - New Media Winsurfer PCMCIA modem/serial card

  - Rockwell SoftK56

  - US Robotics WinModem series

  - Zoltrix 33.6 Win HSP Voice/Speaker Phone modem

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Appendix A. Supported Parallel Port devices |  | Glossary