Ubuntu Wiki

• Contact: ["TennesseeLeeuwenburg2"], JamesRonald, TylerKinkade, SridharDhanapalan, ["Tas50"]

• Brand: Dell
• Make : Inspiron
• Model: 9400 (E1705)

• Website: [http://support.dell.com/support/edocs/systems/ins9400/]

Issues/Solutions with Feisty x86-64

• Problem: No video after resume from suspend (sleep). --TylerKinkade

• Problem: X will not start after installing nvidiaglx driver --TylerKinkade

• Previous issues with CPU scaling do not appear to be a problem in this release as with Edgy64 --TylerKinkade

Issues with Edgy x86-32

Note: Do not add the notsc kernel option mentioned in the x86-64 sections below. It will create a kernel panic with a x86-32 kernel. -- SridharDhanapalan

Note: Issues relating to the Core 2 Duo CPU and associated hardware are chronicled [wiki:Core_2_Duo_Support here].

• By default, the GRUB bootloader installs to the MBR (master boot record). Installing in this fashion removes access to the built-in [http://www.goodells.net/dellrestore/mediadirect.htm MediaDirect] OS, which is located on a secret partition (not accessible by Linux or Windows) at the end of the drive.

  • Instructions to have GRUB co-operate with the Dell bootloader are [http://www.notebookforums.com/thread164182.html here]. I have not tested them.

  • Alternatively, you can try the following steps when installing Ubuntu via the LiveCD (I have not tested them):
    1. Use the partitioning tool (gparted) to shrink the main Windows NTFS partition. Do not remove any partitions.
    2. In the free space that you just made, create your partitions for Ubuntu.

    3. Install GRUB to your /boot or / partition, not to the MBR.

    4. Set the partition that contains /boot to be active.

    5. Once installed, edit /boot/grub/menu.lst and disable the makeactive statement in the Windows section.

    6. Run sudo update-grub.

    -- SridharDhanapalan

• For improved battery behaviour, enable [http://www.samwel.tk/laptop_mode/ laptop mode]. In /etc/default/acpi-support, set ENABLE_LAPTOP_MODE=true. Then edit /etc/laptop-mode/laptop-mode.conf to suit your requirements, taking note of the warnings in the file. The defaults are a good starting point. You can find more information [http://www.ubuntuforums.org/showpost.php?p=1172452&postcount=2 here] and [http://www.ubuntuforums.org/showpost.php?p=1780057&postcount=2 here]. The official FAQ is [http://www.samwel.tk/laptop_mode/tools/faq.html here]. -- SridharDhanapalan

• The PC Speaker is very loud, and there is no way to lower the volume. It can be [http://ubuntuforums.org/showpost.php?p=1547346&postcount=26 disabled] by unloading the pcspkr kernel module or [http://www.ubuntuforums.org/showpost.php?p=1137455&postcount=3 muted] with the xset and setterm commands. I have seen Windows users complaining about this as well, so it may be a hardware design issue. -- SridharDhanapalan

• Synaptics touchpad horizontal scrolling is disabled by default.

  • To enable it, edit /etc/X11/xorg.conf and look for the section that has an Identifier of "Synaptics Touchpad". To that section, add the following:

       Option         "HorizScrollDelta"      "0"
       Option         "SHMConfig" "on"
       Option         "LeftEdge" "1700"
       Option         "RightEdge" "5300"
       Option         "TopEdge" "1700"
       Option         "BottomEdge" "4200"
       Option         "FingerLow" "25"
       Option         "FingerHigh" "30"
       Option         "MaxTapTime" "180"
       Option         "MaxTapMove" "220"
       Option         "VertScrollDelta" "100"
       Option         "MinSpeed" "0.09"
       Option         "MaxSpeed" "0.18"
       Option         "AccelFactor" "0.015"
       Option         "EdgeMotionMinZ" "17"
       Option         "EdgeMotionMaxZ" "21"
       Option         "EdgeMotionMinSpeed" "30"
       Option         "EdgeMotionMaxSpeed" "35"
       Option         "LeftRightScrolling" "1"
       Option         "UpDownScrolling" "1"
       Option         "EmulateMidButtonTime"  "75"

  • Install the package gsynaptics.

  • Ensure that gsynaptics-init --sm-disable loads when you login.

  • If you want horizontal scrolling in Firefox instead of back/forward, do the following:

    1. Type about:config in the location bar.

    2. In the Filter field at the top of that page, type mousewheel.horizscroll to isolate all [http://kb.mozillazine.org/Firefox_:_FAQs_:_About:config_Entries#Mousewheel..2A preferences] of that type.

    3. Change the values of the *.action preferences to be 0.

    4. Change the values of the sysnumlines preferences to be true.

  • -- ["Snifer"], SridharDhanapalan

• In Xfce (Xubuntu), the card reader does not appear in Thunar or on the desktop ([https://launchpad.net/products/thunar/+bug/75091 Bug #75091]). A workaround is to add the device node (/dev/mmcblk0p1) to /etc/fstab with the option user, then use the Mount Devices panel applet to graphically mount/unmount it. This is not a problem in GNOME (Ubuntu) or KDE (Kubuntu). -- SridharDhanapalan

• Bluetooth: The GNOME OBEX client should be able to receive (but not send) files out of the box, provided that the bluez packages are installed and /etc/bluetooth/hcid.conf configured.

  • In KDE, some adjustment is required to permit two-way Bluetooth communication:

    1. In /etc/bluetooth/hcid.conf, use the option class 0x100000.

    2. You need to have passkey-agent --default /usr/bin/bluez-pin running. You can set it to run automatically when you log in.

    3. Make sure that KDE's Bluetooth services are set to run on start up.

    4. Even after this, you may find that KDE's standalone OBEX client (kbtobexclient) cannot find clients. You can still scan for devices via the command line (using hcitool scan) or through Konqueror's bluetooth:/ kioslave. The latter also allows you to transfer files.

• IEEE1394 (Firewire): Firewire may not work after suspend/resume. A workaround is to reload the ohci1394 module. To have this taken care of automatically:

  1. create an executable file, /etc/acpi/suspend.d/59-generate-custom-modules-list.sh

  2. insert the following text:

        #!/bin/sh
        MODULES="$MODULES ohci1394"

• Pressing Fn+Up and Fn+Down may either not function ([https://bugs.launchpad.net/distros/ubuntu/+source/linux-source-2.6.17/+bug/74284 Bug #74284]) or may crash the X server ([https://bugs.launchpad.net/distros/ubuntu/+source/linux-source-2.6.17/+bug/71433 Bug #71433]). The keys may work as expected after resuming from hibernation. According to [http://www.mail-archive.com/linux-acpi@vger.kernel.org/msg03696.html this page], it's a problem with the acpi video module. Fixes (pick one):

  • Add the line alias video off to /etc/modprobe.d/local

  • Blacklist the video module.

  -- SridharDhanapalan, ["Snifer"]

• Upon resuming from a suspend/hibernate action, the second CPU core is locked at its full speed. It will not throttle down. The first core behaves normally. This [http://www.ubuntuforums.org/showpost.php?p=1640184&postcount=1 does not appear] to be specific to Core 2 Duo CPUs. -- SridharDhanapalan

  • It affects Core Duo, also. Bug (and workaround): [https://bugs.launchpad.net/distros/ubuntu/+source/linux-source-2.6.17/+bug/64070 #64070]. -- ["Snifer"]

• Suspend ends with blank screen (no freeze, but no suspend and no resume). Bug (and workaround): [https://launchpad.net/distros/ubuntu/+bug/74330 #74330]. -- ["Snifer"]

• Audio may not function after resume. A solution is to add the line MODULES="snd_hda_intel" to /etc/default/acpi-support ([https://launchpad.net/distros/ubuntu/+source/acpi/+bug/74807 Bug #74807]). -- SridharDhanapalan

• When running a graphical application from a terminal, you may see the message "X Error: BadDevice, invalid or uninitialized input device 166". A solution is outlined in [https://launchpad.net/distros/ubuntu/+source/xorg/+bug/42553 Bug #42553]. In /etc/X11/xorg.conf, comment out the lines

   InputDevice    "stylus" "SendCoreEvents"
   InputDevice    "cursor" "SendCoreEvents"
   InputDevice    "eraser" "SendCoreEvents"

• and restart your X server. -- SridharDhanapalan

• Bluetooth may not work upon resume from suspend/hibernate. A solution can be found on the [https://launchpad.net/distros/ubuntu/+source/acpi/+bug/73546 Bug #73546] page. -- SridharDhanapalan

• Battery status popup only displays once (pressing Fn+F3). [https://launchpad.net/distros/ubuntu/+bug/55244 Bug #55244]. -- ["Snifer"]

Issues/Solutions with Edgy x86-64

• Problem: Both CPU cores locked at maximum frequency after resume from suspend (1.83 GHz on T5600). CPU temperature climbs over 65C.

  • Workaround: Create script in /etc/acpi/resume.d/ with command: "invoke-rc.d powernowd restart" Details [http://www.ubuntuforums.org/showpost.php?p=1791164&postcount=21 here]. --TylerKinkade

• Problem: Touchpad button AND tap-to-click frequently stop functioning. (Occurs almost every minute.) Bug No.[https://launchpad.net/distros/ubuntu/+source/hal/+bug/70687 70687]

  • Solution: Add "notsc" to kernel options (x86-64 only, see above). --TylerKinkade

• Problem: Super sensitive keyboard driver: characters repeat with a single tap. (This is not the same as the holding a key down to repeat feature: keyboard repeat delay is set to about 3 seconds.)

  • Solution: Add "notsc" to kernel options (x86-64 only, see above).

• Problem: SLOW launch of simple applications: takes about 30-60 seconds to launch terminal, Firefox, etc. (The rectangular app launch animation usually advances at the slow speed of about 1 frame per 3 seconds.)

  • Solution: Add "notsc" to kernel options (x86-64 only, see above).

• SLOW Ubuntu boot up: on the order of minutes. (WinXP boots in less than 30 seconds.)

  • Solution: Improved by adding "notsc" to kernel options (x86-64 only, see above).

• Problem: No WiFi after resume from suspend.

  • Workaround: Install NetworkManager. --TylerKinkade

• Problem: Suspend/resume problems.

  • Solution: modify /etc/default/acpi-support as posted on forum [http://www.ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=296354 here]. --TylerKinkade

System Info

   bios-version: A04
   system-manufacturer: Dell Inc.
   system-product-name: MP061
   system-version: Not Specified

   kernel: Linux 2.6.20-15-generic #2 SMP Sun Apr 15 06:17:24 UTC 2007 x86_64 GNU/Linux 

   kernel: Linux 2.6.17-10-generic #2 SMP Fri Oct 13 15:34:39 UTC 2006 x86_64 GNU/Linux

Linux 2.6.17-10-generic #2 SMP Fri Oct 13 18:45:35 UTC 2006 i686 GNU/Linux

• Headphone jack does not mute internal speakers
• and "jack sense" options aren't available in sound mixer

  • http://www.math.umd.edu/~olsson/jerome-install.html was recommended to me for fixing the line jack sense.

• headphone issues are cleared up with alsa-driver-1.0.11rc4, see http://lkml.org/lkml/2006/3/17/279 -JoelReed

• ALSA works, headphones broken again in latest source download from ALSA site. haven't checked CVS or above patch. is lkml patch supposed to be merged into regular alsa CVS? --purpleidea

• I just updated my kernel to .20, and everything seems to just work now. Anyone else find this? --TennesseeLeeuwenburg2

• headphones work for me in stock 686-smp kernel -21 --purpleidea
• Hard disk spins down far too soon/often, no obvious control mechanism (i.e. in "power settings" or "disks" -- don't know where else to look)

• FIX with "sudo hdparm -S12 /dev/sda" you can read about it on "http://gentoo-wiki.com/HOWTO_Use_hdparm_to_improve_IDE_device_performance" --DigitalLF

• now i just found out in ubuntu you should edit /etc/hdparm.conf go to line 61 (spindown_time) and edit that to whatever you want --DigitalLF

• This the spin-down on AC power, on Battery, on both. It is reproducible if you start from a clean reboot? -PaulSladen

• AC Power, haven't checked with battery. Happens 100% of the time, reboots do not affect. --TennesseeLeeuwenburg2

• The problem just ... went away one update. --TennesseeLeeuwenburg2

• The built-in card reader does not work (Bug [https://launchpad.net/distros/ubuntu/+source/hal/+bug/63553 #63553]). -- SridharDhanapalan

Notes

• Excellent, many thanks for any testing you are able to do - hopefully you'll get a better experience out of it too! -PaulSladen

• i have now found out how to get the wifi working and i get around 200kbs better speed in linux then i get in windows so it seems like it works great on my home-unencrypted network -DigitalLF

• I have compiled my own kernel and have been trying to install this. The install guide says to look for the firmware directory in 'hotplug.agent', a file which doesn't exist on my system. How did you get it to install? --TennesseeLeeuwenburg2

• i dont have a clue about that but i dident even need to compile my own kernel its much easyer then that is there some way i can contact you msn/irc/skype? i'l walk you right through it its not that hard realy

• I have added information about Edgy on a Inspiron 9400 but don't want to step on any toes. Made some edits in the interest of clarity and organization as noted above. Please contact me if I've offended anyone because that is not my intent. TylerKinkade

• I've made a lot of additions and alterations. I can confirm that the problems mentioned by TylerKinkade are specific to x86-64 and are not present with x86-32. Also, the 'notsc' kernel option causes kernel panics with a x86-32 kernel. -- SridharDhanapalan

• The "subwoofer" works in Feisty. -- Zapek

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