Toshiba Dynabook SS 2000 DS80P/2 – the thinnest laptop before MacBook Air

Published: Jun 23, 2025
Back in 2006, when I was trawling the second-hand electronics stores in Akihabara, Tokyo, I found this extremely slim and light Toshiba laptop. I remember asking the owner about it and he said it did not work and did not have an operating system.
Steve Jobs would not unveil a similarly thin and light MacBook Air until 29 January 2008.
It ran Windows 2000 originally, it was okay with speed, then ran Windows XP and it was not bad.
Original specifications:
https://dynabook.com/pc/catalog/ss/02061820/spec.htm
I still have the machine. I have recently installed FreeBSD 14.3 (32-bit) on it. Since the system cannot boot from USB, I cloned a FreeBSD 14.3 VM and used nc (netcat) with dd to write the image across the network after PXE booting the Toshiba. It was fun figuring the process out. The combination of nc and dd worked perfectly.
I updated the hard disk to 30GB and added memory so it has 512MB in total.
Below is the full hardware output from the machine.¹
root@tosh:~ # dmidecode
# dmidecode 3.6
Scanning /dev/mem for entry point.
SMBIOS 2.3 present.
39 structures occupying 1187 bytes.
Table at 0x000EC000.

Handle 0x0000, DMI type 0, 20 bytes
BIOS Information
        Vendor: TOSHIBA
        Version: Version 1.40
        Release Date: 04/25/2003
        Address: 0xE0000
        Runtime Size: 128 kB
        ROM Size: 512 kB
        Characteristics:
                ISA is supported
                PCI is supported
                PC Card (PCMCIA) is supported
                PNP is supported
                APM is supported
                BIOS is upgradeable
                BIOS shadowing is allowed
                VLB is supported
                Boot from CD is supported
                Selectable boot is supported
                EDD is supported
                Japanese floppy for Toshiba 1.2 MB is supported (int 13h)
                3.5"/720 kB floppy services are supported (int 13h)
                Print screen service is supported (int 5h)
                8042 keyboard services are supported (int 9h)
                Serial services are supported (int 14h)
                Printer services are supported (int 17h)
                ACPI is supported
                USB legacy is supported
                AGP is supported
                BIOS boot specification is supported
                Function key-initiated network boot is supported

Handle 0x0001, DMI type 1, 25 bytes
System Information
        Manufacturer: TOSHIBA
        Product Name: DynaBook SS 2000 DS80P/2
        Version: PP20080P2F62
        Serial Number: 92036570J
        UUID: b2a01400-c6f9-11d6-8011-d61092036570
        Wake-up Type: Other

Handle 0x0002, DMI type 2, 8 bytes
Base Board Information
        Manufacturer: TOSHIBA
        Product Name: Portable PC
        Version: Version A0
        Serial Number: $$2Y303EZN

Handle 0x0003, DMI type 3, 17 bytes
Chassis Information
        Manufacturer: TOSHIBA
        Type: Notebook
        Lock: Not Present
        Version: Version 1.0
        Serial Number: 00000000
        Asset Tag: 0000000000
        Boot-up State: Safe
        Power Supply State: Safe
        Thermal State: Safe
        Security Status: None
        OEM Information: 0x00000000

Handle 0x0004, DMI type 4, 32 bytes
Processor Information
        Socket Designation: IC3
        Type: Central Processor
        Family: Pentium III
        Manufacturer: Intel Corporation
        ID: B1 06 00 00 00 00 00 00
        Signature: Type 0, Family 6, Model 11, Stepping 1
        Flags: None
        Version:
        Voltage: 1.1 V
        External Clock: 133 MHz
        Max Speed: 800 MHz
        Current Speed: 800 MHz
        Status: Unpopulated
        Upgrade: None
        L1 Cache Handle: 0x0012
        L2 Cache Handle: 0x0013
        L3 Cache Handle: Not Provided

Handle 0x0009, DMI type 5, 20 bytes
Memory Controller Information
        Error Detecting Method: None
        Error Correcting Capabilities:
                None
        Supported Interleave: Two-way Interleave
        Current Interleave: Unknown
        Maximum Memory Module Size: 512 MB
        Maximum Total Memory Size: 1024 MB
        Supported Speeds:
                60 ns
        Supported Memory Types:
                SDRAM
        Memory Module Voltage: 3.3 V
        Associated Memory Slots: 2
                0x000A
                0x000B
        Enabled Error Correcting Capabilities:
                None

Handle 0x000A, DMI type 6, 12 bytes
Memory Module Information
        Socket Designation: Soldering
        Bank Connections: 0
        Current Speed: 6 ns
        Type: SDRAM
        Installed Size: 256 MB (Single-bank Connection)
        Enabled Size: 256 MB (Single-bank Connection)
        Error Status: OK

Handle 0x000B, DMI type 6, 12 bytes
Memory Module Information
        Socket Designation: Toshiba unique
        Bank Connections: 2 3
        Current Speed: 6 ns
        Type: SDRAM
        Installed Size: 256 MB (Single-bank Connection)
        Enabled Size: 256 MB (Single-bank Connection)
        Error Status: OK

Handle 0x0012, DMI type 7, 19 bytes
Cache Information
        Socket Designation: CPU Internal
        Configuration: Enabled, Not Socketed, Level 1
        Operational Mode: Write Back
        Location: Internal
        Installed Size: 32 kB
        Maximum Size: 32 kB
        Supported SRAM Types:
                Other
        Installed SRAM Type: Other
        Speed: 1 ns
        Error Correction Type: Unknown
        System Type: Unknown
        Associativity: Unknown

Handle 0x0013, DMI type 7, 19 bytes
Cache Information
        Socket Designation: CPU Internal
        Configuration: Enabled, Not Socketed, Level 2
        Operational Mode: Write Back
        Location: Internal
        Installed Size: 512 kB
        Maximum Size: 512 kB
        Supported SRAM Types:
                Other
        Installed SRAM Type: Other
        Speed: 1 ns
        Error Correction Type: Unknown
        System Type: Unknown
        Associativity: Unknown

Handle 0x0017, DMI type 8, 9 bytes
Port Connector Information
        Internal Reference Designator:
        Internal Connector Type: None
        External Reference Designator: MICROPHONE JACK
        External Connector Type: Other
        Port Type: Other

Handle 0x0018, DMI type 8, 9 bytes
Port Connector Information
        Internal Reference Designator:
        Internal Connector Type: None
        External Reference Designator: HEADPHONE JACK
        External Connector Type: Mini Jack (headphones)
        Port Type: Other

Handle 0x0019, DMI type 8, 9 bytes
Port Connector Information
        Internal Reference Designator:
        Internal Connector Type: None
        External Reference Designator: DOCKING INTERFACE PORT
        External Connector Type: Other
        Port Type: Other

Handle 0x001A, DMI type 8, 9 bytes
Port Connector Information
        Internal Reference Designator:
        Internal Connector Type: None
        External Reference Designator: USB PORT
        External Connector Type: Access Bus (USB)
        Port Type: USB

Handle 0x001B, DMI type 8, 9 bytes
Port Connector Information
        Internal Reference Designator:
        Internal Connector Type: None
        External Reference Designator: USB PORT
        External Connector Type: Access Bus (USB)
        Port Type: USB

Handle 0x001C, DMI type 8, 9 bytes
Port Connector Information
        Internal Reference Designator:
        Internal Connector Type: None
        External Reference Designator: BUILT-IN LAN PORT
        External Connector Type: RJ-45
        Port Type: Network Port

Handle 0x001E, DMI type 8, 9 bytes
Port Connector Information
        Internal Reference Designator:
        Internal Connector Type: None
        External Reference Designator: BUILT-IN MODEM PORT
        External Connector Type: RJ-11
        Port Type: Modem Port

Handle 0x001F, DMI type 8, 9 bytes
Port Connector Information
        Internal Reference Designator:
        Internal Connector Type: None
        External Reference Designator: EXTERNAL MONITOR PORT
        External Connector Type: DB-15 female
        Port Type: Other

Handle 0x0020, DMI type 8, 9 bytes
Port Connector Information
        Internal Reference Designator:
        Internal Connector Type: None
        External Reference Designator: USB PORT
        External Connector Type: Access Bus (USB)
        Port Type: USB

Handle 0x0037, DMI type 9, 13 bytes
System Slot Information
        Designation: PCMCIA0
        Type: PC Card (PCMCIA)
        Data Bus Width: 32 bit
        Current Usage: In Use
        Length: Other
        ID: Adapter 1, Socket 0
        Characteristics:
                5.0 V is provided
                3.3 V is provided
                PC Card-16 is supported
                Cardbus is supported
                Modem ring resume is supported
                Hot-plug devices are supported

Handle 0x0038, DMI type 9, 13 bytes
System Slot Information
        Designation: SD CARD
        Type: Other
        Data Bus Width: Other
        Current Usage: In Use
        Length: Other
        Characteristics:
                5.0 V is provided
                Hot-plug devices are supported

Handle 0x0039, DMI type 9, 13 bytes
System Slot Information
        Designation: CF CARD
        Type: Other
        Data Bus Width: 16 bit
        Current Usage: In Use
        Length: Other
        Characteristics:
                5.0 V is provided
                3.3 V is provided
                PC Card-16 is supported
                Cardbus is supported
                Modem ring resume is supported
                Hot-plug devices are supported

Handle 0x0058, DMI type 10, 12 bytes
On Board Device 1 Information
        Type: Other
        Status: Enabled
        Description: USB
On Board Device 2 Information
        Type: Sound
        Status: Enabled
        Description: SOUND
On Board Device 3 Information
        Type: Ethernet
        Status: Enabled
        Description: ETHERNET
On Board Device 4 Information
        Type: Other
        Status: Enabled
        Description: MODEM

Handle 0x0059, DMI type 11, 5 bytes
OEM Strings
        String 1: PP200N0031K0,PCN1110V0Z01/S3A1156D001

Handle 0x0069, DMI type 12, 5 bytes
System Configuration Options
        Option 1: TOSHIBA

Handle 0x0080, DMI type 15, 23 bytes
System Event Log
        Area Length: 124 bytes
        Header Start Offset: 0x0000
        Data Start Offset: 0x0000
        Access Method: General-purpose non-volatile data functions
        Access Address: 0x0003
        Status: Valid, Not Full
        Change Token: 0x31121416
        Header Format: No Header
        Supported Log Type Descriptors: 0

Handle 0x0081, DMI type 16, 15 bytes
Physical Memory Array
        Location: System Board Or Motherboard
        Use: System Memory
        Error Correction Type: None
        Maximum Capacity: 512 MB
        Error Information Handle: Not Provided
        Number Of Devices: 2

Handle 0x0082, DMI type 17, 23 bytes
Memory Device
        Array Handle: 0x0081
        Error Information Handle: Not Provided
        Total Width: 64 bits
        Data Width: 64 bits
        Size: 256 MB
        Form Factor: Other
        Set: Unknown
        Locator: System 0
        Bank Locator: CSA 0
        Type: SDRAM
        Type Detail: Synchronous
        Speed: Unknown

Handle 0x0083, DMI type 17, 23 bytes
Memory Device
        Array Handle: 0x0081
        Error Information Handle: Not Provided
        Total Width: 64 bits
        Data Width: 64 bits
        Size: 256 MB
        Form Factor: Other
        Set: Unknown
        Locator: Toshiba unique
        Bank Locator: CSA 2 & 3
        Type: SDRAM
        Type Detail: Synchronous
        Speed: Unknown

Handle 0x0090, DMI type 19, 15 bytes
Memory Array Mapped Address
        Starting Address: 0x00000000000
        Ending Address: 0x000000A03FF
        Range Size: 641 kB
        Physical Array Handle: 0x0081
        Partition Width: 1

Handle 0x0091, DMI type 19, 15 bytes
Memory Array Mapped Address
        Starting Address: 0x00000100000
        Ending Address: 0x0001F0003FF
        Range Size: 506881 kB
        Physical Array Handle: 0x0081
        Partition Width: 1

Handle 0x00A0, DMI type 20, 19 bytes
Memory Device Mapped Address
        Starting Address: 0x00000000000
        Ending Address: 0x000000A03FF
        Range Size: 641 kB
        Physical Device Handle: 0x0082
        Memory Array Mapped Address Handle: 0x0090
        Partition Row Position: 1

Handle 0x00A1, DMI type 20, 19 bytes
Memory Device Mapped Address
        Starting Address: 0x00000000000
        Ending Address: 0x000100003FF
        Range Size: 262145 kB
        Physical Device Handle: 0x0082
        Memory Array Mapped Address Handle: 0x0091
        Partition Row Position: 1

Handle 0x00A2, DMI type 20, 19 bytes
Memory Device Mapped Address
        Starting Address: 0x00010000000
        Ending Address: 0x000200003FF
        Range Size: 262145 kB
        Physical Device Handle: 0x0083
        Memory Array Mapped Address Handle: 0x0091
        Partition Row Position: 1

Handle 0x00B0, DMI type 21, 7 bytes
Built-in Pointing Device
        Type: Other
        Interface: PS/2
        Buttons: 2

Handle 0x00B1, DMI type 22, 26 bytes
Portable Battery 
        Location: 1st Battery
        Manufacturer: TOSHIBA
        Manufacture Date: <BAD INDEX>  
        Serial Number: <BAD INDEX>
        Name: <BAD INDEX>
        Chemistry: Lithium Polymer
        Design Capacity: 0 mWh
        Design Voltage: 10 mV
        SBDS Version: Not Specified
        Maximum Error: Unknown
        OEM-specific Information: 0x00000000
⛵
The orginal battery died, replaced it with a cheap one. :) ↩︎