Ubuntu Wiki

• Contact: HarveyMuller, EddyMulyono

• Make: Dell
• Brand: Inspiron
• Model: 1420 (BIOS A09)

• Website: www.dell.com

USER NOTE: This notebook performs well with the hardware described below on Linux.

Current Issues

Dell Ubuntu Project is only supporting this laptop on 7.04 and 7.10. See Mario's comment here: #278579

Check your BIOS version, if it is older than A09 upgrade immediately, particularly if you have integrated Nvidia graphics. You can read the version notes to learn why.

Multiple issues identified in the Intrepid Beta Release. See below.

Warning: See Note 7. Leaving FCM active can ruin your linux experience.

System Info

dmidecode output:
system-manufacturer: Dell Inc.
system-product-name: Inspiron 1420
system-version: Not Specified

interesting items present in tested machines

• Intel Core 2 Duo T7500 (2.2GHz/800MHz FSB/4MB Cache)

• 128MB NVIDIA GeForce 8400M GS

• Intel Graphics Media Accelerator X3100 - EddyMulyono

  • lsmod: i915
  • lspci: Intel Corporation Mobile GM965/GL960 Integrated Graphics Controller
  • /var/log/Xorg.0.log: 965GM

• 14.1 inch WXGA+ TrueLife Notebook Screen

• 8X DVD +/- RW w/dbl layer write capability
• 160 GB SATA Hard Drive (7200RPM)
• 2GB DDR2 SDRAM 677MHz (2 DIMMs)

• Dell 355 Bluetooth Wireless Card - EddyMulyono

• Intel 4965 802.11 a/g/n Dual-Band Mini Card
• Digital Microphones
• Media Control Buttons
• Touch Pad / Buttons
• Microphone Connector
• (2) Headphone Connectors
• Wireless Switch
• Device Status Lights
• 8-in-1 Memory Card Reader

• Dell MediaDirect Button

• Keyboard Status Lights
• Power Button
• (4) USB Connectors
• AC Adapter Connector
• IEEE 1394a Connector
• Express Card Slot
• S-Video TV-Out Connector
• Video Connector (VGA)
• Modem Connector (RJ-11)
• Network Connector (RJ-45)

• Integrated 2.0 Megapixel Webcam - EddyMulyono

Hardware details

Notes

1. This only applies to the Nvidia option. The Nvidia graphics reports the correct vertical refresh rate, but sets it to 50hz. This is a problem with the Nvidia graphics hardware or BIOS, not X or Gnome. This can be manually fixed by adding the following to xorg.conf (presently working on a permanent fix) in the screen section:

   • Option "DynamicTwinView" "FALSE"

2. Suspend and Hibernate both work perfectly now for models with the integrated nvidia graphics. But it will only work if you install and use nvidia-glx-new, and you must modify /etc/default/acpi-support using the information from: http://linux.us.dell.com/wiki/index.php/Ubuntu_7.10/Issues/8400M_Suspend_Hibernate-Failure

3. Tested with a Dell 1905FP (Analog input). I experienced problems testing these three items, due to inexperience. Some of the problems encountered are described here by someone with more experience using additional monitors. EddyMulyono got external monitors working with xserver-xorg-video-intel in Gutsy i386 with XRandR.

4. Suspend and hibernate tested by selecting as choice for lid closing. Multiple suspends do not cause any problems. Hibernate only works correctly the first time, second hibernate cycles do not properly recover.
5. Both vertical and horizontal scrolling work on the touchpad. Horizontal scrolling seems to take a little more pressure to work. Although double-tapping does work, it is better to turn this function off and use the buttons. If left on, the cursor has a nasty habit of jumping to random locations in your text. This is a problem if you are reading from material to type, and not watching the screen.
6. - Deleted.

7. The Dell MediaDirect Button opens up the Music Player application if the laptop is on. If the laptop is OFF, the Dell MediaDirect application loads itself and appears to modify partition information and write files to the hard drive. I collected evidence to support this. The manual states that the MediaDirect application is wiped out if the hard drive is repartitioned, but this is either not true, or partially true. I was UNABLE to reboot after pressing the button while off, reinstallation was the quickfix. Further research indicates that the behaviour can be corrected by turning the Flash Control Module off in the BIOS. This is the recommended solution. After turning the FCM off, the MediaDirect button merely starts the operating system, and therefore becomes a secondary on switch.

8. The owner's manual describes this key combination as the "Power Management," depending on configuration of power management settings. In its current state this acts as suspend.
9. This key combination is not described in the owner's manual, in its current state it acts as hibernate.

10. This key combination is supposed to display the Dell QuickSet Battery Meter (Windows OS), but displays power information in its current state.

11. This key combination is not identified in the owner's manual, but it successfully ejects the optical drive.
12. Num Lock works as long as it is configured in BIOS, otherwise all it does is light/unlight the led. If not set in the BIOS, the embedded keypad can be used by depressing the Fn key then the embedded keypad keys.
13. Glxgears reports an approximate average of 3022 FPS. This is only important if you are gaming (In my opinion), because if you allow it to run at full speed, your laptop will get hot.
14. - Deleted.

15. In ALSA mixer (and/or GNOME Volume Control), you can set Digital Input Source to "Digital Mic 1" for the microphone array, "Analog Inputs" for microphone jack. -EddyMulyono

16. The pc speaker works during booting, but once snd-hda-intel is loaded, it stops working.

17. INTREPID ONLY - Suspend works with the Fn-Esc key combination, and from the shutdown menu. Hibernate only works from the shutdown menu, the Fn-F1 key combination is currently not working. The bug is identified above. Bluetooth connection is broken on the second suspend or hibernate cycle, unless you are using the 4.x bluez* series identified in this bug: #274950

18. Contributed by enietom: "After upgrading from Gutsy, I had to follow this wiki to enable sound": wiki link