Debian 5.0 Lenny 64 bit install guide for Dell Precision M6400

This is a mini guide for installing Debian on the Dell Precision M6400.
The format will be similar to my install guide for the T42.

What is working: Ethernet, nvidia drivers, suspend (though resume takes 50s), 3d effects, sound, dvd-writer, dvd playback. The volume, mute buttons all work out of the box. Even the calculator button works
Not tested: Wireless, card readers, hibernate and microphone


Specs: SIngle HDD, Quadro FX 2700M, Intel wireless 5300, WUXGA RGBLED, 5GB ram

Base Install:
I installed using the net install debian lenny amd64 CD.
I chose text installer.

NOTE: During install, I kept getting lots of warning messages, the text screen would keep repeating "buffer i/o error on device sr0 xxxx" for a couple of minutes, and then suddenly the install would progress. After a while the same thing.
But fortunately, things would always progress.

I was connected to the internet via the ethernet.
I manually partitioned the HDD into /: 9GB, swap: 2GB, rest /home.
The partitioner had s default for ext3, where some space was reserved for root processes in case filesystem got near full, and root needed to access it. 5% is fine for /, but it was too much for the 180GB or so of /home, so I reduced it to around 1%.
If you forget to change the reserved block during install, you can do it later by using the command tune2fs.

I chose the "laptop" and "desktop" and "standard system" packages.
It installed those packages then booted into X. Unfortunately, the deafult driver gave me a resolution of UXGA. This was corrected later by the nvidia propiatary driver.

Post Install Configuration:
I edited my /etc/apt/sources.list file to the following:

Code:

deb http://ftp.us.debian.org/debian/ lenny main contrib non-free
deb-src http://ftp.us.debian.org/debian/ lenny main contrib non-free

deb http://security.debian.org/ lenny/updates main
deb-src http://security.debian.org/ lenny/updates main

deb http://volatile.debian.org/debian-volatile lenny/volatile main
deb-src http://volatile.debian.org/debian-volatile lenny/volatile main

deb http://www.debian-multimedia.org  lenny main

Basically, I added contrib and non-free for main lenny repository; I also added the popular debian-mulimedia repository.

Most debian installation instructions are of the format

Code:

apt-get install ....

But I recommend aptitude instead of apt-get. Aptitude is a better package manager than apt-get, and can be be used whereever apt-get can be used.
Just substitute aptitude instead of apt-get.
If you just type aptitude by itslef, it will open up in the console a list of packages installed, those available etc.
More on aptitude as a REF:
http://people.debian.org/~dburrows/aptitude-doc/en/

Back to the install.
I did

Code:

aptitude update

to update the database. It complained that debina-multimedia did not have a key.
So I installed that (note that the update is needed first):

Code:

aptitude install debian-multimedia-keyring 

Then again an update

Code:

aptitude update

NVIDIA Propiatary driver:
There is the debian way, and the nvidia way. I'll describe the nvidia way as it uses the latest drivers
The debian way: http://forums.debian.net/viewtopic.php?t=10812
The debian way is preferable its the older drivers work.

First I downloaded the latest driver (amd64 version) off nvidia's site from
http://www.nvidia.com/object/unix.html

Installation of this driver requires some kernel files and libraries.

Code:

aptitude  install build-essential linux-headers-$(uname -r)

Code:

 cd /usr/src
 ln -s linux-headers-$(uname -r) linux

Then we need to stop the gdm

Code:

/etc/init.d/gdm stop

Then we run the nvidia installer (the file we downloaded)

Code:

sh NVIDIA-Linux-exactfilenamewillchange.run

Accept the license agreement to continue
Select No on the first question prompting to download Kernel from nVidia
Click Ok to compile a new Kernel
It may complain that the gcc version used to compile the kernel (4.1 in my case) was different from the default gcc version (4.3 in my case).
To fix this, we just need to export the CC variable.
First, exit the installer by selecting the exit inistal tab.
Then

Code:

export CC=/usr/bin/gcc-4.1

Then run the installer again, this time it will work fine.
Select Yes to let nVidia-xconfig automatically update your xorg.conf file
Click Ok
Once the installer has completed, exit root, login as user and type startx and enjoy your new video hardware enabled Lenny with nVidia drivers. You will also have the nvidia applet for changing brightness, gamma etc.
When I got into X, gnome had chose a dpi of 132. It can be changed by going to
System->Preferences->Appearance->Fonts-> Details.


Installing compiz:

Code:

aptitude install compizconfig-settings-manager compiz fusion-icon compiz-fusion-plugins-main  compiz-fusion-plugins-extra

The other dependencies will automatically be installed.

Then, to start compiz when session starts, go to session -> startup programs; and add the program fusion-icon.
Log out and log in again, compiz should be working.

Codecs and other utilities:

Code:

aptitude install w64codecs libdvdcss2 libdvdnav4 libdvdread3

media players:

Code:

aptitude install audacious  smplayer kaffeine 

dvdwriter:

Code:

aptitude install k3b

Sun-Java:

Code:

aptitude install sun-java6-jre sun-java6-plugin sun-java6-jdk 

Sun will ask for agreement to their user terms.

Now we need to add sun java to path.
Add the following lines to your .bashrc:

Code:

export JAVA_HOME=/usr/lib/jvm/java-6-sun
export PATH=$JAVA_HOME/bin:$PATH 

apt-file is a nifty utility which tells you where library files would be located if they were installed, and what packages are needed to install them. Useful when you are compiling/installing comethign and it complains about some missing libraries.

Code:

aptitude install apt-file

There is an alpha version of the 64 bit flash codec, if you want. You can install it
from
http://labs.adobe.com/downloads/flashplayer10.html

If you want read/write capabilities to ntfs filesystems:

Code:

aptitude install ntfs-3g

I also installed Adobe acrobat reader 9 by going to adobe's site.
unfortuntaley, its 32 bit, so we need some 32 bit libraries first:

Code:

aptitude install  ia32-libs-gtk and ia32-libs

Run ldconfig, then install acroread.

You may also wish to disable some startup services, for example, if your are not running a mail server, or dont have a network file system.
rcconf is a nifty utility which allows you to select and deselect startup services.

Code:

aptitude install rcconf

Then run rcconf and customize.

You may also wish to install the window decorator emerald, the instructions are at
http://forums.debian.net/viewtopic.php?t=26966
As mentioned, it will complain about some missing libraries. The best way to hunt them is to fire up the synaptic package manager and look for those strings. the missing libraries are the ones with "devel" in them.
After installing the libraries, run

Code:

 ldconfig

so that the emerald config sscript can find them.

Then, you can select emerald from right clicking on fusion-icon.

 

Nice writeup. If I had an M90/M6400, I'd definitely use it Is there anything that is not working that you know of, or that you haven't tested? Modem, anything like that?

 

Thanks
I havent tested wireless, card readers and microphone. It doesnt have a modem.
I will configure/test wireless soon.

 

Thanks 'Borg....I'm gonna do that with my m4400. What are the debian disks I need to download? I want to make sure I have everything as it might be an offline install.

 

Get the first CD/DVD. It contains all the files necessary to install a standard Debian system. The CD should suffice.
http://www.debian.org/CD/http-ftp/#stable

 

thanks....downloading...

 

what desktop options are available on that first CD/Dvd? I'll need to get to a desktop to get my wireless up I believe...can't run a cable. thanks

 

The default is gnome on the first cd, if you want kde there is another first CD for that (labelled kde).
I'm not sure whther the first dvd contains both kde and gnome, probably it does..

 

gnome will work....thanks

 

'borg....I've got debian x64 up to the gnome desktop now, but I have no wireless support...I thought that kernel had built in support? What can I download to get this up? I'm looking now....it's using vesa driver, so I haven't tried to configure x yet with Nvidia...tackle that later....thanks

Slackware is easier....just downloaded Wicd install package to a flash drive, installed it in Slack, and voila...I'm up and running, no cable needed...thinking of putting Slack on this one also...

 

Shucks Zoid; its seems the 2.26.1 kernel does not support these card
http://wiki.debian.org/InstallingDebianOn/Dell/LatitudeE4300/lenny
http://wiki.debian.org/iwlagn

A solution would be to manually grab the 2.6.28 kernel image, and the wireless-tools package, to install with the microcode.

Its interesting that debian installed while Mepis choked .
Debian FTW !!

 

I just found that out....think I'll go to Debian Testing....

 

Doesnt testing also have 2.6.26.1 kernel ?

 

I'm checking that....Slack has a 2.26.27 kernel which should be ok on this machine right? I'm checking testing now for the kernel

 

2.26.27 should be OK, u may have to check slackware specific info on that.

Why do you prefer slackware over ubuntu ? Slackware seems a lot of work

At this point, ubuntu 9.04 seems to be the best bet.

 

I'm checking some other distro's on this machine while waiting on Kubuntu 9.04 final.....Slack really is not so much work, but time, rather sitting back or walking away while something compiles and installs...but once it's all on there, it seems pretty easy to keep up....slackpkg upgrade-all does the trick.

 

Ok...I installed Slackware on this Precision:

X came up no problem...
and...I'm online, no cable...

Slackware FTW !!!!

ps...we'll see how the nvidia install goes tomorrow

 

Dont you have to mess with the compile scripts, and figure out the dependencies etc ? From the wikipedia page:

Put it this way, say debian had used a kernel with support for the wireless cards. Would you prefer debian or slackware ?

 

I don't know maybe Debian...as I was looking for the FreeBSD kernel up the road...that's just quarky enough for me to like it....

But, I just got nvidia driver 180.44 installed, very easily...so i'd have to say I have a new found respect for Slackware......using Xfce on this Precision, it's very very fast...stable too.

Since this a Debian thread, I could have inserted a new kernel as the 'borg said....but had to try out Slack on this finicky machine.

 

Zoid, have you tried sidux? It is Debian but based on Sid.

It should work for you. The kernel is at 2.6.28 so there is a good chance your wireless should work. They use the ceni wireless tool which works pretty well. Their web page is very informative, too. There is a page that describes their wireless support.

They also use KDE 3.5 so far but KDE 4 will be officially used when it enters sid, I believe.

Check it out?

 

I've checked out the livecd, but couldn't get online for some reason....but sure I could....I'm liking Slackware pretty well...I'm doing a VirtualBox install now

 

Hi,

I am trying to do this on VMware Worksation on my M4400; with a Quadro FX770. However after i export the Gcc-4.1, it trys to build a kernel but ends in error.

Is this cause i'm in workstation or cause i have chosen the wrong driver for my card?

Now i have change the driver i get a new error which says the following
Unable to load the kernel "nvidia.ko"

 

TheZoid, I had to rebuild the kernel to a newer one to get my 5100 working. It was still somewhat unstable, and I decided to try my adventure again with Arch Linux.

 

I gave up on Lenny because of the oldish kernel it uses...I would need to swap kernels, and if I going to do that, Slackware becomes the choice with equal time invested to set up.

The m4400 is finicky with linux distros and I haven't been able to put my finger on it yet....but I get kernel panics with many distros (if I can even get into X after reconfiguring it)....I can tell you with my m4400....the only two reliable distro's are Ubuntu and Slackware. I haven't put Arch on this machine yet due to wireless problems with the Arch install so I can't comment on Arch.

EDIT: Sidux works OK on the m4400....but Sidux gives me the 'sweats'...those are brave souls over there!

 

yeah so far, my most stable and reliable distro has been Ubuntu also. I will keep trying other distro's but cant get the others to work yet LoL. I am still trying. LoL

 

Ok; thanks my uni uses Debian, but i probably will just use Ubuntu, its seems to be the easiest to set up and go