Ubuntu Wiki

• Contact: ["AndreasSchildbach"] / ["ChuckShort"]

• Make: Dell
• Brand: Latitude
• Model: X1

• Website: http://www1.us.dell.com/content/products/productdetails.aspx/latit_x1?c=us&cs=555&l=en&s=biz

Current Issues

VBE

The VBE (VESA BIOS Extensions) of the X1 BIOS A02 only know the following VBE modes (ignoring the 8 and 16 bpp modes):

• Mode 50 : 640x480, 32 bits/pixel
• Mode 52 : 800x600, 32 bits/pixel
• Mode 54 : 1024x768, 32 bits/pixel
• Mode 58 : 1280x1024, 32 bits/pixel
• Mode 5a : 1600x1200, 32 bits/pixel
• Mode 5c : 1920x1440, 32 bits/pixel

As you can see, the X1 does not even support its own internal display, let alone many external displays you could connect. This is the reason you only get 1024 x 768 instead of the native 1280 x 768 out-of-the-box. In order to fix this, you have to patch one of the modes. You can use "855resolution", "915resolution" or a development version of the i810 driver for X.org (TODO: instructions). I recommend patching mode 5c, because you would most certainly not need 1920 x 1440.

I tried bugging Dell about this defect, but I got no reply. Maybe you could try, too?

Update: There is an A04 BIOS available (on the Dell support site). Since there is no change to the VBE modes mentioned in the release notes, I did not try A04 yet. If you've got the chance, could you please verify if the VBE modes are any different than the above modes?

SD card reader

Update: There is a project underway at [http://mmc.drzeus.cx/wiki/Linux/Drivers/sdhci] to get the SD card reader working. It works well on my Gentoo install, but it will probably need to stabilise before being available in Ubuntu.

Modem

As far as I know, nobody has gotten the modem to work yet. I heard there might be a commercial driver, though.

Hardware details

Notes

Overall, Breezy Badger runs great on the X1, if you can live with having to patch the VBE BIOS and the other current issues.

1. The native resolution is detected properly with an updated 915resolution package from [https://launchpad.net/distros/ubuntu/+source/915resolution/+bug/6271]

2. The refresh rate displays as 61Hz instead of the expected 60, but it doesn't cause any issues. I guess it's just rounded or something.

3. Direct rendering is not working - the video card hasn't been detected, it's using the vesa driver. Odd since it has worked for previous users.

4. The external monitor works, but mine can't display the native resolution. Some negotiation for resolutions would be nice.

5. Suspend works, and the laptop resumes, but takes a long time (~20s) in text mode, and doesn't swap back to X when done. For comparison, the laptop is capable of resuming within about 3s.

6. Wired network works, but when the cable is disconnected the network interface doesn't go down, so everything waits indefinately for responses.

7. External DVD drive works, but won't unmount/eject when it's button is pressed. It does eject fine from software.

Comments by users

Hi, actually some of the items that are specified here as not working in Breezy, actually do work. See: https://wiki.ubuntu.com/InstallingUbuntuOnADellLatitudeX1

Actually, the tests on this page do not allow to configure anything by hand. If it does not work out of the box, or can be configured with the GUI, it counts as "not working". Of course, you can get many things to work with some custom setup (that's what I do, too), but instructions for this is out of scope for this test protocol.

Added a link to a working SD driver; see [http://gentoo-wiki.com/HARDWARE_Dell_Latitude_X1#SD_.2F_MMC] for more information.