openSUSE 11.2 works well on Dell Inspiron 6400

English Hardware
#1

Just want to share my experience. I have installed the new openSUSE 11.2 KDE4 32-bit on a Dell Inspiron 6400 laptop and everything works except for the hot keys at the front.

  • Intel graphics works, all 3D effects work (on a 4 year old on-board Intel graphics!!! amazing!)
  • Ethernet and Intel 3945 Pro wireless work with NetworkManager without problems (no security, WEP, WPA/WPA2 all work)
  • SD card reader works, DVD burner works (all music and DVDs play after installing the KDE codecs from Restricted Formats/11.2 - openSUSE-Community)
  • Dual screen monitor works BUT the Dell screen is 1280x800, my external monitor is 1366x768 and you can use either of the two resolutions only. That is, if your laptop screen is set to 1280x800, the external screen is also 1280x800. Must be something to do with the old Intel chip or driver. But if you turn off the laptop screen, the external monitor works with native resolution.???
  • Subpixel hinting works, it works even better after installing MS fonts and FreeType2 fonts (SubpixelHinting - openSUSE-Community)
  • Leadtek HDTV USB dongle Gold works (just install v4l and dvb packages from Packman). Works great with a house antenna cable, but the included small antenna is cr*p.

Now I’ve just got a new Asus UL30A and will be installing openSUSE 11.2 on it tonight. I’ll let you know how it goes.

#2

to use different screens resolution (at least with nvidia, AND official driver) for internal and external, you need to use xinerama into you /etc/X11/xorg.conf file.

the downside is this will set your resolution without the possibility to change it at runtime. (which doesn’t really matter)

btw : if you don’t know what you’re doing, AVOID changing xorg.conf ! and switch to runlevel 3 before

for example, on an alienware m17x i’m using 1920x1200 and 1280x1024, here my relevant section (yes, there 2 screens and 2 device section)

you probably have to adjust the nvavg and busid properties

Section “Monitor”
Option “CalcAlgorithm” “XServerPool”
DisplaySize 406 254
HorizSync 30-95
Identifier “Monitor[0]”
ModelName “lcd interne”
Option “DPMS”
VendorName “–> LCD”
VertRefresh 60-75
UseModes “Modes[0]”
EndSection

Section “Monitor”
Option “CalcAlgorithm” “XServerPool”
DisplaySize 271 217
HorizSync 28-33
Identifier “Monitor[1]”
ModelName “benq”
Option “DPMS”
VendorName “–> VESA”
VertRefresh 43-72
UseModes “Modes[1]”
EndSection

Section “Modes”
Identifier “Modes[0]”
EndSection

Section “Modes”
Identifier “Modes[1]”
EndSection

Section “Screen”
DefaultDepth 24
SubSection “Display”
Depth 24
Modes “1920x1200” “1280x800” “800-600”
EndSubSection
Device “Device[0]”
Identifier “Screen[0]”
Monitor “Monitor[0]”
Option “NvAGP” “0”
EndSection

Section “Screen”
DefaultDepth 24
SubSection “Display”
Depth 24
Modes “1280x1024” “1024x800” “800-600”
EndSubSection
Device “Device[1]”
Identifier “Screen[1]”
Monitor “Monitor[1]”
Option “NvAGP” “0”
EndSection

Section “Device”
BoardName “nvidia m260gt”
Driver “nvidia”
Identifier “Device[0]”
VendorName “VESA”
Option “UseDisplayDevice” “DFP-0”
BusID “PCI:2:0:0”
Screen 0
Option “RenderAccel” “True”
Option “DPI” “120x120”
EndSection

Section “Device”
BoardName “nvidia m260gt”
Driver “nvidia”
Identifier “Device[1]”
VendorName “VESA”
Option “UseDisplayDevice” “CRT-0”
BusID “PCI:2:0:0”
Screen 1
Option “RenderAccel” “True”
Option “DPI” “120x120”
EndSection

Section “ServerLayout”
Identifier “Layout[all]”
InputDevice “Keyboard[0]” “CoreKeyboard”
InputDevice “Mouse[1]” “CorePointer”
InputDevice “Mouse[3]” “SendCoreEvents”
Option “Clone” “off”
Option “Xinerama” “on”
Screen 0 “Screen[0]” 0 0
Screen 1 “Screen[1]” RightOf “Screen[0]”
EndSection

#3

I documented my experience with a Dell Studio 1537 laptop with the ATI Radeon HD3450 graphic device on openSUSE-11.1 and KDE-4.3.2 (with a proprietary ATI graphic driver) in posts 11 and 12 : Laptop External Monitor Support - openSUSE Forums

Does “xrandr” not work with Intel graphics?

#4

Thank you, I’ll try that.

Xrandr works fine with Intel but as I said I can’t have 2 different resolutions at the same time, only either one or the other. I have to say I changed them at runtime but the external monitor doesn’t come on until the laptop finishes booting up.

I’ll see how external monitor works with my new laptop which has got the same resolution as the external monitor.

#5

will the wireless is not working with mi on dell inspiron 6400 (32-bit) :frowning:
it was working fine for 11.1 but i don’t know what happened !!!

can you help me in that?
also the wireless cant detect my network but i can login wired

#6

If you want help on wireless you should post on our wireless subforum where you will get attention of our wireless experts. You are unlikely to find them lurking here under laptop.
Wireless - openSUSE Forums