Goatee Gadget Review:

inspiron 4100

Debian GNU/Linux on Dell Inspiron 4100

(as of 20020110 geek@goatee.net)

My Configuration

Contents

  1. Kernel
  2. XFree86
  3. Mouse
  4. Ethernet
  5. Sound
  6. PCMCIA
  7. Modem
  8. USB
  9. CD/RW
  10. DVD
  11. Harddisk
  12. Suspend
  13. APR
  14. Infrared
  15. Time

Introduction

The laptop hardware itself is a good value. (My only concern is that slightly flimsy lid closure and potential screen damage, see dell support forum) Of course, with Debian the setup is painful but maintenance is subsequently simple.

Preparation

  1. Partition the Drive
    1. Create 500M dos parition: format c: /s /q

      Create 2.5G extended DOS parition with fdisk Install win2k into 2.5G parition

Woody Install and the 2.4.19 Kernel

  1. Create a Woody cdimage, this installs/configures much nicer and 3c59x works!
    1. Copy root .ssh files and dot files from existing machine.
    2. Copy /etc/apt from existing machine and apt-get upgrade
    3. Edit lilo for Win2K entry.
      1. Screwed up the MBR, noted good advice on dual booting, and that win2k has its own fixmbr and fixboot. I don't like win2k's boot mananger being primary, but this will have to do for now since lilo seems to be confusing win2k.
  2. Build a new kernel (2.4.20)
    1. (``make menuconfig` needs `apt-get install libncurses5-dev``)
    2. The default configuration cause AGP and APIC kernel panic and module freakiness. (AGP will cause kernel panic; the default APIC configuration in debian will cause your computer to "jam" after about 5 minutes.)
    3. I recommend you build the kernel using my /usr/src/linux/.config (based on Steve Lau's .config):
      1. make-kpkg --bzimage -us -uc -append-to-version -aeon --revision 021203 kernel_image
      2. reboot and do a 'depmod -a 2.4.20' (apt-get install kernel-package)
      3. dhclient successfully obtains IP!

XFree86

  1. 021203: I now use the XFree864.2 debs in unstable; its native drivers now work, no external patches needed! Just make sure {radeon,agpgart} modules are loaded (from kernel 2.4.18+) and DRI will work, though you can't suspend while agpgart is loaded.
  2. Additionally, I want to use the laptop in its port replicator with my monitor: I created two two XF86Config-4 files (see man) such that I can use the internal LCD, an external LCD, or a CRT.

    startx -- -xf86config {LCD, eLCD, CRT}

Other Periphials

Mouse

Add Option "Resolution" "1600" to make your mouse speedier if need be.

Ethernet

As noted, the internal ethernet (10/100) comes across as eth0 and will run using the 3c59x driver. There's an additional device that I'm not aware of, perhaps a phantom wireless device or modem? Since this is a laptop I have different configurations as I move. If so, consult man interfaces, as well as look into the {divine, intuitively, laptop-net, whereami} packages. Also, I relied heavily upon Hugo's configuration.

Sound

Windows had reported the Crystal audio device as D800-D8FF DC40-DC7f IRQ9. Follow the directions in the Sound HOWTO:

  1. Build and install (insmod) the modules (in this order if modprobe has problems): ac97_codec soundcore sound i810_audio .

    Adding "i810_audio" to /etc/modules seems to do the trick.

  2. cd /dev; MAKEDEV all
  3. chmod 660 /dev/audio /dev/dsp
  4. adduser reagle audio (user must relogin for permissions to have effect.)

Note, I do have a problem where some wav files (and one avi file) play too quickly.

PCMCIA

The original (2.2.19) kernel configuration worked fine, but there's been changes in the 2.4 kernel. Debian used to use the pcmcia-cs package (from unstable as of 20030211), which is still necessary, but you now have the option of using the drivers in the kernel source. (See /usr/src/linux/.config) Once the modules are in place:

/etc/pcmcia.conf
PCMCIA=yes
PCIC=yenta_socket
PCIC_OPTS=
CORE_OPTS=

At first, I had problems on boot because the cardmgr tried to start before yenta did, but I mitigated those problems by adding yenta to my /etc/modules. (020924: When I moved to the 2.4.19 kernel, this problem returned. My wireless card is not detected on boot, instead I get a high memory error, the network tries to configure fails, then cardmgr services successfully start: I have to then eject/insert the card, then manually configure it.)

In order to make the Orinoco support work, I installed hermes.conf in /etc/pcmcia as explained in the Wavelan IEEE/Orinoco page. (Note, I use a Cabletron card which uses the Orinoco drivers, for more information on configuring them, reading Inia's Gateway 5300 page.) Then iwconfig can be used to bring the card up.

Internal Modem

Unknown.

USB

The only disk device I have is a FujiFilm SmartCard reader which require the following modules to be loaded in this specific order, again they're in my /etc/modules: sd_mod usb-storage usb-uhci . Then: mount -t msdos /dev/sda1 /mnt/fuji . I also installed murasaki usb to keep my kernel and system logs from filling up with spurious usb-storage messages.

For my Clie over USB, follow the Clie/USB directions, in particular:

mknod /dev/ttyUSB0 c 188 0
mknod /dev/ttyUSB1 c 188 1
chmod 666 /dev/ttyUSB*

CDRW

No problems. You do have to set the CDRW (Guide and HOWTO) for SCSI emulation in the kernel and include append="hdc=ide-scsi" in your lilo.conf; then 'ln -s /dev/scd0 /dev/cdrom'.

DVD

  1. ln -s /dev/sr0 /dev/dvd (sro -> scd0 given that ide-scsi is loaded)
  2. adduser reagle disk (I believe you have to logout again before this is active).
  3. I recommend Ogle and Xine.

Harddisk

Many folks recommend you use hdparm to increase performance with a command like below:

/sbin/hdparm -d 1 -c 3 -m 16 /dev/hda

but it does little for me.

Suspend to Disk / Hibernate

I'm a little annoyed with the BIOS options for use with the APR. The A03 BIOS doesn't permit the hard-disk to idle when there's AC power, nor the laptop to suspend-on-lid-close when there's an external monitor plugged in. However, you can suspend the display (Fn-F2 or Scrolllock-F2) and I can do a BIOS suspend with the following in my lilo.conf: append="hdc=ide-scsi apm_allow_ints=yes" -- remember the scsi is there for CDRW. Unfortunately, its not really suspended: its still available on the network and the hard disk keeps waking up. Unlike a "on battery suspend" (which is a genuine suspend with the satisfying little beep) the harddisk spins up alot on AC. Turning off postfix and running `hdparm -B 254 /dev/hda' can lessen the frequency and noise of access, but I'd still like a genuine suspend. Also, the sound doesn't work after a suspend if it was engaged during the suspend. However, if I tweak the sound mixer settings it works again!!

APR (Advanced Port Replicator)

Unfortunately Linux doesn't seem to recognize the sound jack in the APR and continues to direct the sounds to the laptop's speakers. Additionally, both Linux and Windows tend to get confused on bootup which LCD/CRT configuration to use, so I have to manually do that every time. When I purchases an external LCD monitor I discovered the video signal through the replicator was so crappy I shelved it.

Infrared (Syncing with a Palm)

Time

Made sure ntp and ntpdate are installed; add NTPSERVERS="time.mit.edu" to /etc/default/ntp-servers.

Resources