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Lookchard

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Lookchard

4 Posts

4

25201

December 27th, 2018 21:00

m15, 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)

  • S

    SoumitraS

    2 Posts

    5725

    0

    Posted May 17th, 2019 09:00

    Need to share an update about Linux installation on the m15. I updated the BIOS today (May 17, 2019) and installed Ubuntu 19.04. Everything works seamlessly now. No issues with acpi or anything. I'm also using the latest nvidia drivers on the machine. Thought others might wanna give it a shot. - Sam
  • A

    adityaa30

    2 Posts

    5645

    0

    Posted May 24th, 2019 03:00

    What did you do? I tried but cannot install. The installation freezes at 4 dots (starting)

  • C

    craig1944

    1 Message

    5550

    0

    Posted June 3rd, 2019 18:00

    SoumitraS, thanks. I am able to install Ubuntu after updating the BIOS like you said.

    May I know how you install the Nvidia driver in Ubuntu?

    I downloaded the driver from Nvidia website and installed it (with some error messages popping up though it says installation completed at the end).  After rebooting, I ran into the Ubuntu login screen loop problem (upon seeing the Login Screen, I entered my user name and password, and then it loops back to the Login Screen)

    Mine is an Alienware M17. My graphics card is Nvidia GeForce 1060. Thanks much.

    Craig

  • L

    Lookchard

    4 Posts

    5481

    0

    Posted June 9th, 2019 20:00

    Thanks for sharing this exciting information! As I tested, new BIOS update (version 1.6.2) allows Linux (Ubuntu 18.04) to be installed and running properly on Alienware m15/m17 (No additional settings are needed).

  • R

    ringlerun

    1 Message

    5210

    0

    Posted July 17th, 2019 09:00

    Anyone have it working with BIOS version 2.1.1?

    I upgraded to that, and can't downgrade!!! keyboard freezes soon after installation starts...

  • L

    letaiv

    1 Message

    5170

    0

    Posted July 20th, 2019 01:00

    After upgrading to BIOS version 2.1.1 Ubuntu 19.04 can't detect fans  
    With previous version of BIOS everything was working smoothly.

  • S

    skmacha

    1 Message

    4694

    0

    Posted September 24th, 2019 16:00

    Heyy. Could you tell me the steps you followed to install Ubuntu on the m15 machine

  • D

    DMottaB

    1 Message

    3971

    0

    Posted January 17th, 2020 21:00

    For 2020 will possible to have a solution "Run Linux on Alienware m15"?

  • C

    Cryen

    3 Posts

    2388

    0

    Posted January 2nd, 2021 16:00

    Did you manage to fix it?
    I was using Linux on this machine for over a year now and I was unable to fix the fan controls.
    My bios version is 2.5.0 and there's a new version 2.6.0 available.
    Will the new version work or should I try to downgrade?

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