Stupidity = laptop Problems

It turns out that the problem I was having with Linux on my laptop was (as usual) caused by my own stupid self. Part of the problem was that I wasn't running the apmd daemon, which can help to conserve battery power. Also, I hadn't tuned my kernel correctly for APM stuff.

Laptop working correctly now, so XP is now relegated to a distant shelf, where it can rot for all of me.