Linux Distribution For Dell Dimension E521

Question

Can anyone suggest a Linux distribution that works with a Dimension E521 with an nVidia 6150 video card? I have upgraded to bios rev 1.1.8. I have tried Ubuntu and my usb mouse freezes, Debian, openSUSE, Fedora, Mandriva and all present a 'signal out of range' error on my monitor on the first boot after installation. Is anyone using Linux with this hardware?

Al_vin · Answer

I'm currently using openSUSE 10.2 with very little problem. I have BIOS 1.1.5 installed. In fact, I'm browsing the forms to determine if I should upgrade to 1.1.8. I'm thinking not now. The only problem I had was a clash between the onboard sound and the video card. I have an ATI X1300 Pro. I upgraded to ALSA 1.0.14rc4 and ATI's driver now works. Mind you, I have to use an older version of ATI's driver 8.32.5. The other versions just freeze. I have a feeling though, that a newer kernel would fix this. I'm not sure if you USB freezing is related to BIOS 1.1.8, but you might want to try downgrading your BIOS? I was bitten by a bad BIOS upgrade when I first bought this machine, so I really paranoid to upgrade now. :S

HuskerSteve · Answer

I would suggest Ubuntu 7.04, this is the distribution that Dell is going to begin pre-configuring on new computers they sell. I'm currently using it and it's the easiest install and the network manager is like no other! It install nVidia card without problems also. A bonus will be that Dell will no doubt offer certified drivers when it starts to sell the Ubuntu machines.

rrr0321 · Answer

Thanks, I have tried Ubuntu 7.04. and this is the version that my USB mouse freezes up on. It is an otherwise nice package, hopefully Dell will fix this issue when they begin pre-installing it on new systems.

HuskerSteve · Answer

Have you upgraded your bios recently? There are many posts on the Ubuntu forums regarding this problem with your computer as well and the E models. There is a bios upgrade out that supposedly fixes the problem. Good luck, hope this helps. Maybe you said you have upgraded, I can't remember.

msandersen · Answer

I have only tried the 6.06 Live CD (the Long Term Support release) on my new E521, and the mouse worked; no help to you, perhaps, except that an older release might work better. They are not due to release another Long Term Support version for another year. Next release is in October I believe, which is to have composite/3D effects on by default (currently too unstable). A related distribution that is good is Mepis, a KDE-based distro. But not having tried them on this machine, I can't make recommendations. I think I will leave Linux to my old machine with XP and Ubuntu, which has an nVidia card (better for Linux 3D). Partition scars me a bit.
But please, if you do install, backup important data and use the Windows partitioner (administrativew tools -> computer management) or a Vista-approved 3rd party app. It's a new OS, stuff happens. Don't trust the Linux partitioner to resize an existing Windows partition.

buzzzxyz · Answer

Add the boot parameter acpi=noirq . This disables IRQ redirects, so if you have a lot of devices, you could have IRQ conflicts. reference: http://linux-blog.org/index.php?/archives/189-Dell-Dimension-E521-with-Linux.html https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/linux-source-2.6.17/+bug/67734

msandersen · Answer

@rrr0321 wrote:

Can anyone suggest a Linux distribution that works with a Dimension E521 with an nVidia 6150 video card? I have upgraded to bios rev 1.1.8. I have tried Ubuntu and my usb mouse freezes, Debian, openSUSE, Fedora, Mandriva and all present a 'signal out of range' error on my monitor on the first boot after installation. Is anyone using Linux with this hardware?

Certainly, from browsing here, people are using it with this machine, mostly ubuntu and suse it would seem. It may be that you have to tweak the Xserver in order to use your screen; it may not be autodetected properly. For that, give your specs and ask for help, possibly on the distro's main support forum, eg ubuntuforums.org
The Out of Range error would refer to horizontal and vertical sync rates. Maybe Dell lists the specs for your monitor on this site.
Hey, this is Linux, you didn't expect it to "just work", now did you? :)

Al_vin · Answer

Before I installed openSUSE 10.2, I ran the defragger in Vista. Then, I had the openSUSE installer resize the Windows partition. It's a very slick and easy interface. The Windows filesystem is still just NTFS (same as with Windows XP).

After the installation was done, I rebooted and selected Windows.

Windows ran chkdsk and everything was/is fine.

timsclips · Answer

I just loaded PCLinuxOS2007 on my E521, used the partition tool on cd to resize windows XP without a problem. So far I have not found any issues dual booting my new bargin priced DELL.

Al_vin · Answer

What BIOS version are you using? Also, what video card do you have?

timsclips · Answer

Al_vin wrote: What BIOS version are you using? Also, what video card do you have? I am using 1.1.6 bios and the nvidia onboard chipset for video, purchased the E521 that was just on sale two weeks ago and made no upgrades from Dell. I will be upgrading myself with an additional hdd and additional ram in the future.

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Linux Distribution For Dell Dimension E521

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