Last update: 08-05-04
Dell VOSTRO 1700 under ubuntu 7.10 linux works great
Specs vostro 1700 closed
Vostro™ 1700NB (N0317010)
Intel Core 2 Duo Processor T9300 (2.50 GHz, 6 MB L2 cache, 800 MHz FSB)
SDRAM DDR2 a doppio canale da 3072 MB a 667 MHz (1 x 1024 + 1 x 2048 MB)
Scheda grafica nVidia GeForce 8600M GT da 256 MB
Disco rigido SATA 320 GB (7200 rpm) con Free Fall Protection (2 x 160 GB)
modem interno 56,6 k V.92
Unità interna fissa DVD+/-RW 8x con software
Mini scheda Wireless-N Intel® di ultima generazione, Europa
Modulo Bluetooth 2.0 Dell Wireless 355 (fino a 3 Mb/s)
Batteria principale 6 celle agli ioni di litio (56 Wh)
Jet Black opaco e webcam integrata da 2.0 megapixel
Schermo TFT UltraSharp widescreen WUXGA (1900 x 1200) da 17" con TrueLife


   
Absolutely NO warranty is given on the proper operation of the procedure described in this document; NO liability is assumed for damages on hardware or loss of data resulting from applying the procedure introduced here.

In this guide i will try to explain how to install Ubuntu linux 7.10 successfully on vostro 1700 dell laptop.
This guide aims how to have vostro working at 100% but it is not a step by step tutorial. For specific topics please refer to google for detailed how tos.
Ubuntu 7.10
Start by downloading and installing a fresh ubuntu 7.10. Install it as usual and then update all packages wiring your laptop to a wired connection.
After that i suggest you to compile and install my custom kernel.
Custom Kernel:
I have built a custom kernel containing all the configuration needed to make this laptop working. As it's a custom kernel it will include statically features that you might not need.
You are free to tweak it for your own needs.
Based on vanilla kernel 2.6.24.4 download config and rename it as .config and put it into /usr/src/linux:
All the features described below need that custom kernel to work with. Ubuntu generic might works as well but there are issues with it such as audio.

Features:
  • Processor works: Cpu scaling; SMP; Cpu temp.
  • Nvidia card works:  2D; 3D;
    Download and install official proprietary NVidia drivers from Nvidia
  • Hard disk works: (boths): as well as hddtemp
  • DVD RW works.
  • Bluetooth works.
  • Sdmcc card works.
  • Dell custom Fn Keys works: fn+brightness; fn+ calculator; ..; audio cd bindings.
  • Ethernet card works:.
  • Audio works: Speakers; Plugged in; Mic. please be sure that all channels are unmute and risen up. (sudo alsamixer; F5 to show ALL channels; recommended)
  • Wifi N works: custom kernel will build iwl4965 driver as module but you will need to copy manually the firmware. Download iwlwifi-4965-ucode-4.44.1.20.tgz from intelLinux wireless then extract it and copy iwlwifi-4965-1.ucode file to /lib/firmware
  • Touchpad works: you have to manually tune synaptics as by default it lacks sensitivity. Have a look to my xorg.conf for synaptics settings (it has italian keyboard layout just copy Synaptics section).
  • Usb works.
  • Wecam works: you have to manually install a driver fetching manually with svn by "svn checkout svn://svn.berlios.de/linux-uvc/linux-uvc/trunk" please have a look to README before compiling it. It worked as by 2008 03 31 checkout. Please be aware that it is mandatory to have a webcam software that supports V4L2: this includes luvcview, skype and few others (no camorama at this time).
    Driver is uvcvideo. (sudo modprobe uvcvideo; will load the webcam module and a blue light will flash near the webcam eye.)
  • Hibernation and suspend works: out of the box! You just have to tweak manual modules unloading: edit  MODULES="uvcvideo iwl4965" into your /etc/default/acpi-support this way you will have those modules unplugged before susp-hibernating and re-plugged back once resuming (on ubuntu 8.04 acpi-support has been deprecated in favor for PM. Open /usr/lib/pm-utils/defaults file and edit it to: SUSPEND_MODULES="uvcvideo iwl4965".
  • Battery works:  including monitor apps.
  • Other modem, firewire, pcmcia : not tried (but relative kernel config options are enabled according to lspci).
  • Dell Media Direct button: There are problems if you try to boot your notebook from power off pushing media direct button (the one with a house) as it will erase your primary partition table!. Please refer to

As reference i will post my lspci information as well as my lsmod
00:00.0 Host bridge: Intel Corporation Mobile PM965/GM965/GL960 Memory Controller Hub (rev 0c)
00:01.0 PCI bridge: Intel Corporation Mobile PM965/GM965/GL960 PCI Express Root Port (rev 0c)
00:1a.0 USB Controller: Intel Corporation 82801H (ICH8 Family) USB UHCI Contoller #4 (rev 02)
00:1a.1 USB Controller: Intel Corporation 82801H (ICH8 Family) USB UHCI Controller #5 (rev 02)
00:1a.7 USB Controller: Intel Corporation 82801H (ICH8 Family) USB2 EHCI Controller #2 (rev 02)
00:1b.0 Audio device: Intel Corporation 82801H (ICH8 Family) HD Audio Controller (rev 02)
00:1c.0 PCI bridge: Intel Corporation 82801H (ICH8 Family) PCI Express Port 1 (rev 02)
00:1c.1 PCI bridge: Intel Corporation 82801H (ICH8 Family) PCI Express Port 2 (rev 02)
00:1c.3 PCI bridge: Intel Corporation 82801H (ICH8 Family) PCI Express Port 4 (rev 02)
00:1d.0 USB Controller: Intel Corporation 82801H (ICH8 Family) USB UHCI Controller #1 (rev 02)
00:1d.1 USB Controller: Intel Corporation 82801H (ICH8 Family) USB UHCI Controller #2 (rev 02)
00:1d.2 USB Controller: Intel Corporation 82801H (ICH8 Family) USB UHCI Controller #3 (rev 02)
00:1d.7 USB Controller: Intel Corporation 82801H (ICH8 Family) USB2 EHCI Controller #1 (rev 02)
00:1e.0 PCI bridge: Intel Corporation 82801 Mobile PCI Bridge (rev f2)
00:1f.0 ISA bridge: Intel Corporation 82801HEM (ICH8M) LPC Interface Controller (rev 02)
00:1f.1 IDE interface: Intel Corporation 82801HBM/HEM (ICH8M/ICH8M-E) IDE Controller (rev 02)
00:1f.2 SATA controller: Intel Corporation 82801HBM/HEM (ICH8M/ICH8M-E) SATA AHCI Controller (rev 02)
00:1f.3 SMBus: Intel Corporation 82801H (ICH8 Family) SMBus Controller (rev 02)
01:00.0 VGA compatible controller: nVidia Corporation GeForce 8600M GT (rev a1)
03:00.0 Ethernet controller: Broadcom Corporation BCM4401-B0 100Base-TX (rev 02)
03:01.0 FireWire (IEEE 1394): Ricoh Co Ltd R5C832 IEEE 1394 Controller (rev 05)
03:01.1 Generic system peripheral [0805]: Ricoh Co Ltd R5C822 SD/SDIO/MMC/MS/MSPro Host Adapter (rev 22)
03:01.2 System peripheral: Ricoh Co Ltd R5C843 MMC Host Controller (rev 12)
03:01.3 System peripheral: Ricoh Co Ltd R5C592 Memory Stick Bus Host Adapter (rev 12)
03:01.4 System peripheral: Ricoh Co Ltd xD-Picture Card Controller (rev ff)
0c:00.0 Network controller: Intel Corporation PRO/Wireless 4965 AG or AGN Network Connection (rev 61)
Module                  Size  Used by
nvidia               7823520  26
uvcvideo               57224  0
iwl4965               189928  0
intel_agp              24852  0
hci_usb                15772  2
iTCO_wdt               12324  0
iTCO_vendor_support     4100  1 iTCO_wdt
agpgart                33992  2 nvidia,intel_agp
usbhid                 22820  0 

For any suggestions corrections or questions please email me at  kimbuba  on mail provider:  yahoo.it  (of course replace "on mail provider" with @).
Have a look to http://alerttail.sourceforge.net/ if you are looking for an alert engine to monitor your linux log files!

Linux On Laptops