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    Dell XPS 16

    Discussion in 'Linux Compatibility and Software' started by cppgraphics, Feb 4, 2010.

  1. cppgraphics

    cppgraphics Newbie

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    Dear folks,

    I bought new Dell XPS 16 with Intel® Core™ i7-720QM Processor, ATI Mobility RADEON® HD 4670 - 1GB. I would like to install either Red Hat® Enterprise Linux® 5.3 WS, or Fedora™ 8.

    Anybody installed previously? Please give your suggestion about driver availability for ATIHD 4670 Video card.


    Thanks.
     
    cppgraphics, Feb 4, 2010
    #1
  2. JCMS

    JCMS Notebook Prophet

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    ATI drivers support for Linux is pretty bad, but will work although I don' think you may be able to do heavy CAD things on it. Fedora 8 probably won't have all the drivers already on it but 11-12 will.
     
    JCMS, Feb 4, 2010
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  3. helikaon

    helikaon Notebook Consultant

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    Hi there,
    nice one you got your hands on :)
    Haven't done install of linux on your laptop previously - sory.
    But have one suggestion - replace RHEL with CenOS! CentOS is basically RHEL, only recompiled and stripped of RHEL logo :).
    I got it on my ntb, and wouldn't change it. As for support for your HW, try http://kernel.xc.net/
    You can search different kernels and if it support your HW + you see directly what to choose in kernel config if you compile your own kernel.
    As for RHEL/CentOS i'm afraid it won't have driver in kernel, so you'll be probably left with proprietary ATI linux driver. As for Fedora, i don't know, have look on the site, the new fedora uses 2.6.31 kernel with patches from 2.6.32 (or ask on fedora forums).

    Anyway, your HW is cutting edge, and to be able use newest things Fedora would be perhaps better options, since its known as one of the most advanced distros in including HW support for new things.
    I'd try install CentOS (it's free compared to RHEL), see what works, i'd try install Fedora, see what works, try to install ATI driver ...
    Please, post here your progress and what works 'out of box'.
    I use CentOS to my full satisfaction for years - powerful, stable, 'oldish' approach :).
    Also, i'd try post your Q on
    centos forums:
    http://www.centos.org/modules/newbb/
    and fedora
    http://fedoraforum.org/

    gl&hf
     
    helikaon, Feb 4, 2010
    #3
  4. DEagleson

    DEagleson Gamer extraordinaire

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    Fedora 12 would be better since your notebook uses the ATI Mobility HD 4670.
    Then you get good graphic performance and you dont need to use ATI Catalyst.
    (ATI Catalyst for Linux doesent support Fedora 12 btw)
     
    DEagleson, Feb 4, 2010
    #4
  5. theZoid

    theZoid Notebook Savant

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    yeah....Fedora 12 or openSUSE 11.2 would be better choices for hardware support....CentOS is basically RHEL....problem with those distro's is cutting edge hardware support...same with SLED/SLES...

    Because of the ATI, believe I'd do F12 or openSUSE 11.2....I've just gone from F12 to openSUSE 11.2 and it's performing a little faster for me, which is a switch from times of yore :) both stable.
     
    theZoid, Feb 4, 2010
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  6. ChivalricRonin

    ChivalricRonin Notebook Evangelist

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    If I'm correct, you have a choice of 2 drivers - either the RadeonHD/VideoATI open source community driver, or the Catalyst 10.1 (soon to be 10.2) ATI provided binary driver.

    I'd advise to go with a very, very "cutting edge" distro because of your relatively new hardware. If you want to stick with RPM-types, I'd say go Fedora but I don't really know much about it as I stick to either Arch or Debian-style packaging distros.
     
    ChivalricRonin, Feb 4, 2010
    #6