Known Dell PCs that work with Red Hat Linux 9

Question

I understand Dell does not have an officially supported desktop for Linux, but realize that a huge amount of customers like me want to use, or are already using Linux as a desktop OS. Before I buy a system, can anyone who had a GOOD experience with their system and Red Hat (v.9 if possible) list their exact configurations? A valuable bonus info would be what you all know works and does not (ie what to avoid definitely).

Thanks in advance,

Nick

gronkX · Answer

I had 'partial' success with a recently purchased 4600. Config was: P4/2.66 512 MB RAM nVidia FX5200 40 GB HDD Sony CDRW CRX216E Sound and nic on the MB. Installing RH9 wouldn't work in graphical mode, but installed fine in text mode. I had to run the X server with the -configure flag I think, and copy that file over to the appropriate location. Not sure if the sound worked or not - didn't actually test it. I also installed Fedora Core 1 on the same box, and had better luck. Had to tell it to use 800x600 resolution during setup (boot: linux resolution=800x600) and that worked fine. Everything worked - even the sound.

skip01 · Answer

No problems here installing Redhat 9 on Inspiron 8100 with Radeon 7500 video card. I recommend using dual partition system with Partition Magic and Boot Magic. Mandrake 9.1 is easier to use, as it interacts with xp partitions, fonts etc, by default, but Redhat is noticeably faster than Mandrake. Best distro IMHO is Libranet, Debian-based. But all the latest distros configure hardware pretty well, including Redhat 9.

dfrandin · Answer

I've had only minor problems with Mandrake9/SuSe8/RH9 and now Fedora Core on
a Dimension 4550. The only problem I encountered was getting the $#%$#$%
Dell-specific SoundBlaster5.1 working under these os. There are three work-arounds
for this: 1. If you're within the 30 days after purchase, pester Dell to swap out your SB card, or 2. Go out and buy a real SB card (~$35), or 3. download and install the OSS sound driver (commercial product, at www.opensound.com).. I did the
OSS driver, the licensing fee is $15 for a "budget" license.. ie: a license to use the driver, and web-based support.. For $30, you get better support (???) .. I installed the driver, and found severe breakup of mp3's under XMMS, and a quick post to their forum got me a fix that worked great.. just a config issue...
Needless to say, IMO, Linux (using any distro) is THE way to go on a Dell..
Sorry, Bill :-<

andy276 · Answer

I have installed RedHat 9 and Knoppix 3.2 and some others on Dimension 8300. Everything worked fine except the audio. I tried the Alsa driver from Intel and even compiled kernel 2.6. Sound mixer worked but just no sound from any of the 6 speakers. The system has an onboard soundcard. Somewhere on the Internet mentioned that's because the Intel ICH5 controller for the 875 chipset is still too new to support in the Alsa driver. I guess a standalone sound card like SB5.1 should work fine.

I used Linux ntfsresize to partition the hard drive with Windows XP on it. And that worked incredibly well.

Things that work:
Onboard NIC using DHCP.
nVidia MX420 video card using 1024x768 24bit 75Hz
ATI Radeon 9600 Pro using 1280x1024 24bit 75Hz
USB CompactFlash Card Reader
Winfast 2000XP Deluxe TV Tuner
DVD play back (without sound of cause)

Hardware info:
P4 2.66 (without Hyperthread)
768 MB Dual channel DDR 333
ATI Radeon 9600 Pro
30 GB and 80 GB Western Digital
On board sound and network.
WinFast TV tuner
NEC DVD+RW
Dell-Logitech wireless keyboard/mouse.

Software:
Win XP Home
Linux 2.4.20-8
XFree86 4.3.0

moyshe · Answer

Fedora-core-1 installed without a problem on my Dimension 8250 with the Radeon 9700XT video card, DVD+RW drive and on-board sound. If you don't have a USN Keyboard and mouse for Redhat 9.0 you need to boot with linux -nousb, otherwise the
normal keyboard is not recognized. See some of the older posts on this subject.

andy276 · Answer

Fedora Core 1 installed on my 8300 has only sound on the 2 rear surround channels.  Xawtv works and the sound is good.  But CD player and other music players don't have any sound output.  I have to download and install an ATI driver for the Radeon 9600 pro card.  It is a little disappointed that Fedora core 1 doesn't include a DVD playback application.

moyshe · Answer

For DVD playback use vlc (Videolan Client) from videolan.org. The Redhat 9 rpm works fine in Fedora-1 too

moyshe · Answer

For CD-output you need to connect an anlog cable from your CD/DVD-player to the analog input of
youtr soundcard/or the onboard sound-system.
For DVD playback use vlc (Videolan Client) from videolan.org.
The Redhat 9 rpm works fine in Fedora-1 too

drake1 · Answer

dell 500m
intel extreme video
256mb ram
30gb hdd
intel wireless (disabled)
using dlink dwl-650 (intersil prism2 chipset)
dual boot xp/rh9

had known problems with video and the 855 chipset. downloaded the patch from http://projects.nudieman.com/500m
i tried getting the centrino intel 2100 wireless card to work. i got fed up but others have had better luck. for info http://www.linuxant.com and http://paradoxinc.net/inspiron.html

mandraks · Answer

hmm what do we have Linux installed on.

my good old trusted Dell precision 410 dual PII400 scsi drives etc
I have installed Redhat 7/8/9 on it (sometimes the sound works somtimes it does not :)
everything else works great.
I have also installed Mandrake corprorate server on it and found it to be a stellar performer!
These did come from Dell with either NT or Redhat!

My Dell Server Poweredge SC600 (celeron and IDE drive) installed both Redhat 9 and Fedora Core without any issues whatsoever.

I have another Dell Poweredge SC400 (Celeron and IDE) with Redhat 9 on it. Redhat even supports the NIC out of the Box )(windows 2000 and XP have to install the drivers)

hope that helps

P.S. the poweredges come with linux instructions!

creutz · Answer

Hi,

I've had great success with debian gnu/linux on my inspiron 2100 as well as an old latitude, but it should be noted that HP does provide linux on some of its business desktop models. I'm quite happy with my evo bought a few months ago since dell didn't offer anything similar. You have to dig a bit on the HP website to find them but they are there (don't bother with the home/home-office page). It would be good for dell to provide something similar. There is a certain visceral pleasure in not seeing that windows sticker.

Mike

hansjorn · Answer

We bought some Dimension 8300 with SATA-drives and ATI Radeon monitor cards - and maybe exactly these components prevented us from installing.

1. Fedora Core1
2. Suse v9

Fedora was succesfull as to a simple install in text mode and with no graphical applications whatsoever. SuSE9 wasn't able to install at all from the CD-Boot disk - it stalled when arriving at the ide-harddisk detection

The Dimension bios is A03, install operation systems was set to on /otherwise Fedora didn't accept anything/

I find it annoying, that Dell doesn't care anything about Linux, but are so tighly woven into the Microsoft-fold, but then: it's a free world, so why buy Dell PC's in the first place?

Bjorkli · Answer

I have tried following Linux'es on my new Dimension 2400 (I did not check the sound on any of the versions)

The latest version of Redhat 9. Network card not detected.

United Liniux (SuSE). Network card and graphic card not detected.

Fedora Core 1. Smooth install, and straight on the web without having to do any manual configuration. To bad Oracle 9i won't work with Fedora

grfnkmp · Answer

I've installed RedHat 9 on a Dimension 4400 and it works well. 2.4 GHz P4, nVidia GeForce 2 MX, 1 gig of RAM, CD-ROM, CD-RW, 80 gig hard drive. Good luck! G.--

shireesh · Answer

Hi, I am not able to get fedora to run X properly on my ne dimension 4600 with onboard intel 865 card. Can somebody help? thanks, Shireesh

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Known Dell PCs that work with Red Hat Linux 9

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