New Dell Inspiron 9400: From Vista to Fedora/Vista.

Nat Gross nat101l at gmail.com
Tue May 8 01:48:33 UTC 2007


On 5/7/07, Nat Gross <nat101l at gmail.com> wrote:
> On 5/7/07, Sam Varshavchik <mrsam at courier-mta.com> wrote:
> > Nat Gross writes:
> >
> > > On 5/7/07, Sam Varshavchik <mrsam at courier-mta.com> wrote:
> > >> Nat Gross writes:
> > >>
> > >> > I would like to have Fedora on it in a dual boot config.
> > >> > If I have to, I'll reinstall Vista (and free Win software) from scratch.
> > >>
> > >> Are you really sure you can do that?
> > >>
> > >> The Vista CD you have included with your shiny machine is, most likely, a
> > >> castrated "rescue CD" that merely copies over the original Vista install
> > >> image off a hidden, extra partition.  I'd be surprised if it even gave you
> > >> an option of choosing your partition layout.  More than likely it just wipes
> > >> everything clean and sets up an entire disk-spanning partition, again.
> > >>
> > > This is a Vista DVD and it seems like the complete Vista is on it.
> > >
> > > Currently I am trying the rescuecd but, although it boots ok, it won't
> > > startx, so I cant do gparted - yet.
> > >
> > > Make me wonder if Fedora might also have gui problems on this.
> >
> > More than likely.  I'll probably get tired of repeating this: but you just
> > can't pull a random laptop off the shelf, and expect that video will work
> > flawlessly, in Linux.  That's not the way it works.
> >
> > Now, if you have the basic model, with the Intel 950 video, you might
> > actually have lucked out, and there's a good chance that you'll get
> > accelerated 3D out of the box.  If, however, you "upgraded" to the ATI
> > x1400 video option, well, you've upgraded yourself out of Linux video
> > compatibility (although you should be able to get basic 2D video working).
> >
> > Note that the preceding paragraph was based solely on the information I
> > could easily pull off Dell's web site, and www.mesa3d.org.
>
> Uh oh. We (we? *I* ) have a problem. I have the ATI X1400.
> I think I'll return the sucker. Hope they let me.

There is a RAY of HOPE. Namely:
http://ati.amd.com/support/drivers/linux/linux-radeon.html This is a
bran new driver!
But.... although the install does not seem too complex per:
https://a248.e.akamai.net/f/674/9206/0/www2.ati.com/drivers/linux/linux_8.36.5-inst.html
I am not sure if:
a) I know the answers to the installer questions as it pertains to FC
6 (hint hint).
b) Will I be able to get to the point where I can run the installer?

nat




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