Re: Linux laptop questions

[cory@real-time.com]

David wrote:

> Sorry for comming a bit late here, but I have a Dell Inspiron 7500
> dual-booting Win & Mandrake 7.something.  I purchased the thing with
> Windows pre-installed from Dell.  It wasn't very difficult getting Linux
>
> up and running on it.  The biggest problem, like usual, was getting X
> setup and working.  It was definately worth the trouble though.  X is
> beautiful running at 1400x1048!!
>
> There's a good site packed with a bunch of pointers at:
> http://www.eecs.umich.edu/~steveh/inspiron/
>
> It doesn't seem to be responding at the minute, but hopefully it's just
> temporary.  (That or bounce over to google and search for "Dell inspiron
>
> Linux" and take a look at some of the results.
>
> On to your specific questions...
>
> >    1. If I got a Dell Inspiron 7500 preloaded with Windows (and with,
> >       say, a 20GB hard drive), and then tried to install Linux on it
> >       myself, can anyone tell me what kind of experience I'd be in
> >       for?  I've installed Linux on a lot of desktops and servers but
> >       never any laptops, so I'm OK with putzing with it a bit, but if
> >       it'll take me a week to get X up and running, for example, then
> >       I'd rather pay someone else to do it.  Also, I don't want to
> >       have to spend a lot of time in advance checking and
> >       double-checking the specs to make sure that all the hardware
> >       will work with Linux.
> >
> I just ran the default Mandrake 7.1 install, then grabbed the XF86Config
>
> file from the site above, tweaked it a bit, and was off and running.
> There were no problems at all.  If you want my config file, or need some
>
> pointers or help, let me know.
>
> Dave Royer

    Sorry, I haven't been following this thread until now.  I just
purchased an Inspiron 7500 with Linux preinstalled from Dell.  Maybe you
want to ask them to install the system dual boot.  I'd be somewhat
surprised if they wouldn't do this for you considering they sell the
Inspiron 7500 with Red Hat Linux 6.2 installed as an option.

    The machine works very well with Linux.  The only complaint I have is,
even though this machine has never seen MS Windows a day of it's life, it
came with the stupid "Designed for Windows" sticker on it.  I left it on
though just for the irony.

    Cheers.

    Cory.