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Go to Solutionm15, BIOS update for Linux compatibility?
Since I spend most of the time on Linux if I am not gaming, I really want to install Linux (Ubuntu etc.) in my Alienware m15. I tried Ubuntu 18.04, Ubuntu 16.04, Ubuntu 14.04 and CentOS 7 but all of them failed. I got a bunch of ACPI Errors during booting and then the machine freeze (unable to boot into the system). Although I can ignore them by setting 'acpi=off' and boot into the system, the machine will then freeze at shutting down/rebooting. I succeeded in installing Linux on other machines having two GPUs (Intel and Nvidia) so I assume the issue is that the current Alienware-m15 BIOS (version 1.2.5) is optimized for Windows 10 but not compatible with Linux. Please let me know if I am correct. And I would like to know. Would the next Alienware-m15 BIOS update be compatible with Linux?
Thanks
(Attached: ACPI Errors on screen when booting into Ubuntu 18.04)
ACPI Error: [_GTP] Namespace lookup failure, AE_ALREADY_EXISTS (20170031/dswload-378)
ACPI Expection: AE_ALREADY_EXISTS, During name lookup/catalog (20170831/psobject-252)
ACPI Expection: AE_ALREADY_EXISTS, (SSDT: SataTab1) while loading table (20170831/tbxfload-228)
ACPI Error: 1 table load failures, 13 successful (20170831/tbxfload-246)
mohitgadde
1 Message
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Posted May 2nd, 2019 09:00
Hey Guys, I have installed Ubuntu 16.04 on my new Dell Alienware m15 after updating the BIOS. The new BIOS update 1.6.2 is available on the Dell Drivers Page. Please check it.markmark206
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Posted December 30th, 2018 20:00
I am also interested in this (I am considering getting m15 for running Ubuntu). Thank you!
Did you have the same issue, the ACPI errors?
If so, my current solution is the followings.
1. Set "acpi=off" when booting to install Ubuntu 18.10. (this solution worked for kernel Linux 4.18 or newer as far as I am concerned)
2. Set a boot parameter "acpi=noirq". This solves the problems of freezing at booting and rebooting while battery, fan and some other hardware can still be detected by the system ("acpi=off" do not allow battery etc. to be detected, and you might notice that the fan runs like a sinusoidal function). However, the keyboard might not be functioning.
3. Set boot parameters "acpi_backlight=vendor" before and after "acpi=noirq", which looks like "acpi_backlight=vendor acpi=noirq acpi_backlight=vendor". This helps the keyboard get functioning.
Problems still exist using the above tricks, for example, minor issue with the audio, system never returns when close and re-open the lid and some other unknown issues. This is never a perfect solution.
I still think that the issue would be Linux does not support the very new hardware in m15 or the BIOS. If you get new solutions, please share. Cheers!
Hesham_khalil
2 Posts
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Posted February 18th, 2019 08:00
Hello, my name is Hesham K. Will the next generation of Alienware laptops support Linux out of the box? Because I need it for AI research. For example Alienware m15?
Finally got Ubuntu 18.04 LTS installed on my new 2019 m17. I was stuck until I saw your post. My system boots up, keyboard, trackpad and mouse are working. It hangs on shutdown and the wireless network adapter isn't working. Did you manage to get everything working on your m15?
- I have the same exact issue. Apparently the new in-built killer adapter is not supported as well. I was able to get an external wireless adapter to work just fine. Not sure if anyone figured out a fix around this. My m15 freezes as well during shutdowns and reboots with 'acpi=off'
- Hey, probably only 1 out of 6 core is active for you. (Do htop to check yourself). I had the same issue, the reason was changing the acpi parameters. Couldn't fix it. I bought this laptop just for programming purpose and because most of my work can be done with linux only, I'm stuck badly :/ Hope dell releases a BIOS which actually supports linux kernel! :-(
Thanks for this. I didn't know that acpi=off was limiting me to one core plus I was having hangs on reboots/shutdown on Ubuntu 18.10. I checked after I read your post and that was the case just one core. I set acpi=noirq instead of off and now all cores are engaged and I no longer hang on shutdown/reboot on my new m15. 18.10 runs well. Just can't get the blasted nvidia driver to work but other than that its running great.
DELL-Chris M
Community Manager
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Posted February 21st, 2019 04:00
I reached out to the Alienware Team. Dell Alienware do not support Linux on the 2019 m15/m17/Area-51m. Note, we never offered Linux support on the previous 26 Alienware Laptops. Going forward, all further Linux discussion should be placed on the Linux General Forum board.
DELL-Chris M (old account)
#IWork4Dell