[Ham-Linux] Dell Linux Laptop & Servers

Thu Apr 20 14:13:03 EDT 2006

I have the intel PRO/Wireless Lan 2100 3B Mini PCI Adapter.
SuSE works great with it but when I was using SuSE 9 I needed to get a
windows driver. Now with SuSE 10 it works great with nothing but the OS.

Mike

On Thu, 2006-04-20 at 13:17 -0400, Mike McCarthy, W1NR wrote:
> Which wireless card do you have in the 8600?  I have a D600 which I 
> specifically ordered the Intel Pro Wireless internal card instead of the 
> Broadcom just for Linux compatibility.  SuSE runs great out of the box with 
> it.
> 
> Mike, W1NR
> 
> ----- Original Message ----- 
> From: "Mike Schmitt" <mschmitt1 at adelphia.net>
> To: <ham-linux at mailman.qth.net>
> Sent: Thursday, April 20, 2006 12:34 PM
> Subject: Re: [Ham-Linux] Dell Linux Laptop & Servers
> 
> 
> >I have a Dell inspiron 8600 that I used to have to use the drivers that
> > you are talking about. On updating the kernel you would simply have to
> > go back and do an automatic install. Now I am running SuSE 10 and no
> > longer need the pay for driver. SuSE 10 finds the built-in wireless and
> > it just works. I have seen other built-in wireless in a HP laptop that
> > were not as lucky.. But the Dell stuff works on my laptop.
> >
> > Mike
> >
> >
> > On Thu, 2006-04-20 at 12:14 -0400, Bill Cotter wrote:
> >> Leo,
> >>
> >> I have used RH/Fedora linux on several Dell laptops (C-800, D-600,
> >> Inspiron) with mixed results. The older Inspiron I gave up on after
> >> days of kernel builds, patches, hacks, etc.
> >>
> >> The C-800 accepted RH9 with a simple video hack (I think I had to
> >> tell X to use the display as super-VGA) and I used an external
> >> cisco wireless card with no issues. These are commonly available
> >> (accessories, too) on e-Bay for great prices.
> >>
> >> A couple of years ago I got one of the newer D-600 models with the
> >> built-in Broadcom wireless card. I installed the Fedora core and it
> >> puked on the wireless card. I ended up having to install ndis to
> >> emulate windows, to use a windows XP wireless driver. Every time I
> >> did a yum update where there was a kernel change, I had to go back
> >> and reinstall the ndis shim. What a pain.
> >>
> >> I finally installed Win XP and VMware to run linux with no problems
> >> (yet)! The next rebuild cycle, I will place FC-5 on the box and use
> >> the cisco wireless card. Then use Windows XP under linux-VMware.
> >>
> >> A good way to buy Dell laptops WITHOUT an OS is to go to the
> >> www.dellauctions.com site and bid on their refurbished units. I
> >> have picked up a couple of GS-260's and laptops for my kids and
> >> they come without an OS or any software. Plus they are well priced.
> >>
> >> All the servers I use for security services here at UofK come from
> >> Dell without operating systems and we promptly install the latest
> >> Fedora package.
> >>
> >> 73 bill n4alg
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >> At 11:57 PM 4/19/2006, you wrote:
> >> > > On Tue, 2006-04-18 at 21:12 -0700, Leo B. Whiteway wrote:
> >> > > > This message has had no response and I wonder if we will have
> >> > to look
> >> > > > for a different supplier.
> >> > > > Posting this to these groups may not be polite but I am
> >> > getting angry
> >> > > > with the lack of response from Dell.
> >> >
> >> >It's not only Dell - email response from major retailers just plain
> >> >sucks.
> >> >
> >> >
> >> > > > I want to buy notebook/laptop computer/s and I want to know
> >> > if you will
> >> > > > sell any without any operating system as we do not allow any
> >> > computers
> >> > > > in our place of business with any Microsoft software installed.
> >> >
> >> >Dell will actually put linux on some of their servers, but I don't
> >> >believe it's offered to the public - only their corporate customers.
> >> >The website should tell you.
> >> >
> >> >Your best bet for any answer at all would be to call them.  While I
> >> >can't state you'll get anybody with a clue, it's probably better than
> >> >you will get via email.
> >> >
> >> >Not that I don't sympathize, but will your business be negatively
> >> >impacted by a laptop with Windows sitting in the building?
> >> >
> >> >
> >> >
> >> >I am a corporate Dell customer.  When they got into the printer
> >> >business
> >> >(by which I mean they slapped a DELL emblem on a Lexmark), I had to
> >> >rattle a lot of chains to get a linux driver.  The Somebody that
> >> >eventually called me apologized for the delay and emailed me the
> >> >driver.
> >> >I suggested that perhaps they consider actually putting the driver on
> >> >the website, allowing them to avoid calls like mine.
> >> >
> >> >If you go to the site, pick a day when you won't be in a hurry.  Even
> >> >their customer site crawls sometimes.
> >> >
> >> >
> >> > > > Do you sell computers without Microsoft or do you only force
> >> > buyers to
> >> > > > pay the Microsoft penalty and thus have us clear the drive
> >> > and reinstall
> >> > > > proper software?
> >> >
> >> >You might be able to get a server with no OS.
> >> >
> >> >Generally the larger companies won't sell computers w/o Winblows.
> >> >There's some sort of legal hitch, but I'm not 100% sure what it is.
> >> >
> >> >
> >> > > HP (but probably not Compaq) is pushing Linux, might even ship with
> >> > > Linux if you ask.
> >> >
> >> >I'm pretty sure that Dell only uses Red Hat for linux servers.
> >> >
> >> >
> >> >
> >> >Overall, I'm pretty happy with Dell.
> >> >This does not mean there haven't been a lot of frustrating
> >> >episodes, but
> >> >they're pretty good.  Right off the bat, their warranty will have
> >> >either
> >> >a new part shipped to you overnight or a part and a tech to
> >> >install it.
> >> >Their phone lines are 24x7x365.
> >> >
> >> >Of course you still have to call their support lines first, which is
> >> >another story entirely......
> >> >
> >> >
> >> >I'll close with fair warning on a related topic:
> >> >AVOID CHEYENNE/ARCSERVE/BRIGHTSTOR backup products.  If they are your
> >> >only choice, use Windows Backup or command line copy commands.
> >> >
> >> >I spent forty-two days with the dedicated, polite,
> >> >somewhat-knowledgeable folks who provide tech support for their
> >> >products.  I went from the bottom to the top techies and after 42
> >> >days,
> >> >NOTHING GOT FIXED.  They finally recommended not using their OWN agent
> >> >for backup.
> >> >
> >> >The only person I talked to from my country was the operator who
> >> >routed
> >> >my calls to India.  There is NO support in the US, including the
> >> >VPs.  I
> >> >got so frustrated with the lack of a fix that my only
> >> >entertainment was
> >> >trying to figure out how to make them laugh.  Rest assured that Bob,
> >> >Maria, and Frank were NOT their real names (well-spoken though they
> >> >were).
> >> >
> >> >
> >> >
> >> >_______________________________________________
> >> >Ham-Linux mailing list
> >> >Ham-Linux at mailman.qth.net
> >> >http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/ham-linux
> >>
> >>
> >> ----------------------------------------------------------
> >> Bill Cotter, N4ALG             E-mail: n4alg at qx.net
> >> 173 Carolyn Lane               Home: (859) 887-5563
> >> Nicholasville, KY 40356-9340   Work: (859) 323-6474
> >>
> >> ARRL   ARCI #9878   QRPl #1646   QCWA #29393   FISTS #4535
> >> ---------------------------------------------------------- 
> >>
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