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Inspiron 7490 BIOS: How to turn off intel 'RAID on', and swith disk mode to AHCI?
I need to install ubuntu on 7490, but now it blocks by the intel RST mode. The disk can't be found when installing. As guide , i need to turn off 'RAID on', and swith disk mode to AHCI, but how to do that? i realy can't find related items from current 7490 bios. Who can support here?
bulaqi
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10 Posts
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December 13th, 2019 19:00
So, it seems that the only reasonable way to 'make life much easier for hundreds of people' is to push Dell to release new BOIS with AHCI supporting inside. But unfortunately, we still haven't gotten any valuable feedback from Dell.
pierpiotr
8 Posts
1
December 22nd, 2019 01:00
Hello,
I just want to add my voice of discontent here so that Dell would do something to allow Linux install.
I experienced a freeze at Kubuntu (18.04 LTS)' splash screen and could not event try this linux flavor on this machine.
Unfortunately, I believe that it will take Dell longer to change the Bios than the return period allow...
I'm on searching for a replacement PC...
[Edit]
From Customer service yesterday the 24th :
j’ai le regret de vous informer que votre commercial refuse de retourner l’ordinateur/l’échanger car la commande est conforme au bon pour accord.
Meaning : the sales person refuses to exchange or return the order since it is compliant to the sales agreement.
I'll let all the forums I know know about it, that's for sure.
alain2
1 Message
3
December 25th, 2019 03:00
Hello,
I'm french and my english is very poor, excuse me.
I have the same problem on my laptop but it's a gift for my birstday, I cannot change it. This computer is very beautiful but I'm really frustrated that I cannot install Linux on it.
I hope that Dell will do the job to activate AHCI in the BIOS and give us a solution. It's Christmas
pierpiotr
8 Posts
0
December 25th, 2019 04:00
Tilt75
1 Message
2
December 25th, 2019 14:00
Hello,
One more user concerned... I got this wonderful machine for Xmas (bought it during black Friday... waited a while for it!) and as soon as it was unpacked, tried to install my favorite Linux distro...
Tried and tried again but nothing works, including installing on an SDcard and then trying to access the nvme disk with mdadm!
I use Dell's products for a while, but I am seriously considering returning this one and go for another brand/model.
Good luck with this machine and it's buggy bios
Chachay
1 Message
1
December 26th, 2019 14:00
Dear friends,
Unfortunately, I haven't found a workaround, but would like to leave my footprints.
For those who cannot boot with LiveUSB of ubuntu 19.10 & ubuntu 18.04 LTS,
add nomodeset and modprobe.blacklist=intel_lpss_pci to grub loader options.
The only problem will be a touchpad driver after booting.
With my very limited knowledge, the reason why Linux cannot find your SSD is the BIOS remap its device address.
Some persons worked to develop the patch, which I haven't tried.
[v2,1/5] ahci: Discover Intel remapped NVMe devices - Patchwork
If it is the case caused by Intel SSD driver, replacing original SSD to another SSD might work??
Napolar
6 Posts
1
December 27th, 2019 09:00
Same problem here, 2 months that I try to install a Linux OS, but without AHCI mode it's impossible...
Dell used to be known for not having to worry about these kinds of details. Not anymore.
And, at the price of the device I estimate that the support of at least one Linux OS is normal, or at least should be possible.
To give you an idea of the number of people affected :
https://askubuntu.com/questions/1181726/no-hard-drive-detected-during-ubuntu-19-04-installation
https://askubuntu.com/questions/1180881/i-dont-see-ssd-in-ubuntu-install-on-dell-latitude-7400-with-...
https://forum.ubuntu-fr.org/viewtopic.php?id=2046969
https://forum.ubuntu-fr.org/viewtopic.php?id=2044309
https://www.dell.com/community/Inspiron/SSD-NVME-non-reconnu-lors-de-l-installation-DELL-7490-Ubuntu...
https://forums.linuxmint.com/viewtopic.php?t=306195
https://www.reddit.com/r/linux4noobs/comments/e9zln4/linux_install_directly_to_nvme_ssd/
https://bbs.archlinux.org/viewtopic.php?id=251090
https://www.dell.com/community/Inspiron/Not-able-to-set-SATA-operation-to-AHCI-in-BIOS-Inspiron-7490
...
There's tons of subjects about this problem if you look hard enough, so at some point Dell might want to do something.
Sincerely
bulaqi
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January 6th, 2020 21:00
Year2020 arrived, when can we get the BIOS FW with AHCI supporting?
Ill23
3 Posts
0
January 12th, 2020 19:00
Found this thread while trying to install Ubuntu on an Inspiron 5500 series I bought in December with raid enabled. Based on this thread and lots of others, it’s not possible without kernel changes and that got shut down 6+ months ago. See the end of this thread, referenced earlier: https://lore.kernel.org/linux-pci/20190620061038.GA20564@lst.de/T/#rb97cf0289a450130870fdf177bf55e9c146d250b
I am lucky and my BIOS allows AHCI mode so it seems it should be do-able for the 7500 series, if Dell chooses.
hule
2 Posts
4
January 25th, 2020 02:00
Hello,
I bought this computer in december from Dell obviously because Dell was known to have good compliance with Linux and specifically Ubuntu.
This limitation from the BIOS is really a shame. Why the hell don't you warn the buyer "hey guys, don't buy this, because its a windows only thing..."
You cant even boot any proper tool of your choice in order to make a backup, and I imagine bad issues if i later need to change things in my SSD configuration...
I had many computers (pc, mac, servers, embedded devices) in my life for professional or private use, I never had such limitations moreover for a ~1300€ laptop. We are not talking about a 30$ Raspberry Pi.
Please assume your position of "linux/ubuntu supporting vendor" and just work on a BIOS/Firmware that is supporting AHCI mode or provide the necessary drivers.
I hope it was not a deliberated choice from Dell to make such a limitation and that you will provide a workaround.
Thank you for your help and taking care of this situation.
Hugo
m0dz1lla
6 Posts
0
February 14th, 2020 11:00
Same here, I too bought this laptop as I know Dell's history of support Linux but that "problem" is totally stupid... I infact know that Lenovo has had a laptop with the same "feature" and after some time patched it out. So please Dell do the same here, but not wait for years as I and presumably a lot of other people will sell this laptop if this won't be adressed in any way. This problem is just laughable, the only reason I see Dell doing this is that they got some money from Intel or sth like that...
Maybe there is another way tho as with older models you could set BIOS settings like Dvmt and other ones with a patched grub (setup_vars https://github.com/datasone/grub-mod-setup_var) that would otherwise be inaccessible! I already extracted the vars with the universal IFR extractor. If someone can support me here, we might get this working without Dell.
https://paste.gg/p/anonymous/1b29913a63ff41f586b6eb1523aa5463
That might be the right var but does it need to be 0x0? But that's the default value, why doesn't a BIOS reset fix it then? Anyone?
EDIT:
AHCI really seems to be in the BIOS so there is no reason for it to be disabled!
Charlie89
1 Message
1
April 8th, 2020 20:00
BIOS version 1.4.1, released on the 31/3/2020, still does not have an AHCI option.
hule
2 Posts
0
April 12th, 2020 05:00
Also, to complete my previous post I tested the last BIOS update and It doesnt make the ahci option available.
I read some documentation about NVME and as far as as I understood, the nvme standard is supported by linux since many years (even on BSD). The problem here would be to simply disable the Intel raid layer that is useless on a single-drive computer.
Scientists made standards and norms, brands like Dell make it not compliant !
Can someone @ Dell answer about this point ? You are losing clients !
AntonOfTheWoods
7 Posts
0
April 14th, 2020 08:00
I agree, they have lost me. I will return and never buy another Dell product
evroza
11 Posts
2
April 30th, 2020 18:00
Hey guys May 1st update, someone's succesfully installed linux on his system. You can all do it too. There's a Linux distro that supports install with Raid on. So if you don't care about the distro, then go to Endless OS, make a USB stick and should be quick and easy.
If you're like me and wish you had ubuntu, then here's the link to the guy's post. There's a bunch of instructions but difficult to follow unless you're a guru. So anyone who actually succeeds in building an ubuntu image or does an install like the guy did there, then please post detailed instructions. Some parts of the instructions are not that detailed so not so easy for regulr people. Here: https://askubuntu.com/a/1232818/208345