Anyone with Arch on Dell Mini 9 (Inspiron 910) ?

L0cutus · 2008-11-10 23:41:05

As subj ask

thanks !

buttons · 2008-12-13 15:43:42

I just picked one up. Planning to install arch on it in the next few days, but I'm not sure when I'll have time.

buttons · 2008-12-14 18:23:42

Okay, it's awesome.

I know there are at least two other archers that own a Mini as well.

So far I'm using Xmonad, since a tiling WM is an absolute must (though Ubuntu's netbook remix [and thus Maximus] are available in the arch repos).

Wifi was, ironically, less of a pain than wired ethernet, which never worked for me. The broadcom-wl package in AUR is a closed-source driver that works excellently.

I haven't tried bluetooth, but it's on here.

Last edited by buttons (2008-12-14 18:24:57)

F · 2009-01-02 00:00:21

buttons wrote:

Okay, it's awesome.
I know there are at least two other archers that own a Mini as well.
So far I'm using Xmonad, since a tiling WM is an absolute must (though Ubuntu's netbook remix [and thus Maximus] are available in the arch repos).
Wifi was, ironically, less of a pain than wired ethernet, which never worked for me. The broadcom-wl package in AUR is a closed-source driver that works excellently.
I haven't tried bluetooth, but it's on here.

Does the sound and webcam work?

Im trying on gentoo but I cant seem to get it working. If it works in Arch Im moving my Mini 9 to Archlinux immediately.

buttons · 2009-01-02 00:59:16

Sound and webcam are both fine, though I can't believe they wouldn't work everywhere, as both are kernel based. If arch has some strange and wonderful kernel patches then I stand corrected.

For webcam: uvcvideo
For sound: snd-mixer-oss snd-pcm-oss snd-hwdep snd-page-alloc snd-pcm snd-timer snd snd-hda-intel soundcore

and in /etc/modprobe.conf:

options snd-hda-intel index=0 model=dell

I have no idea if that last bit is still needed. I read it in a guide somewhere and it works.

F · 2009-01-02 01:48:38

buttons wrote:

Sound and webcam are both fine, though I can't believe they wouldn't work everywhere, as both are kernel based. If arch has some strange and wonderful kernel patches then I stand corrected.

Can you please tell me the relevent kernel options?

For webcam: uvcvideo
For sound: snd-mixer-oss snd-pcm-oss snd-hwdep snd-page-alloc snd-pcm snd-timer snd snd-hda-intel soundcore
and in /etc/modprobe.conf:
options snd-hda-intel index=0 model=dell
I have no idea if that last bit is still needed. I read it in a guide somewhere and it works.

Ah, I didnt have that line in modprobe.conf, I will try that. But aside from the modprobe.conf I have all those modules loaded and sound doesnt appear to be working.. hrm....

buttons · 2009-01-02 10:04:59

Unfortunately no. It's been quite a while since I was compiling my own kernels, and I don't remember the modules. Searching for a guide to making uvcvideo work might do the trick.

F · 2009-01-03 00:48:01

can you output an lsmod at least?

and paste your /usr/src/linux/.config ? (if it exists?)

buttons · 2009-01-03 09:35:33

ipv6
i915
drm
bridge
stp
llc
bnep
rfcomm
l2cap
hci_usb
joydev
bluetooth
sg
iTCO_wdt
iTCO_vendor_support
psmouse
snd_pcsp
i2c_i801
i2c_core
serio_raw
uhci_hcd
ehci_hcd
sdhci_pci
sdhci
jmb38x_ms
mmc_core
memstick
intel_agp
agpgart
dcdbas
thermal
evdev
fan
button
battery
ac
acpi_cpufreq
freq_table
processor
snd_seq_oss
snd_seq_midi_event
snd_seq
snd_seq_device
uvcvideo
usbcore
compat_ioctl32
videodev
v4l1_compat
snd_hda_intel
snd_hwdep
snd_pcm_oss
snd_pcm
snd_timer
snd_page_alloc
snd_mixer_oss
snd
soundcore
ieee80211_crypt_tkip
wl
ieee80211_crypt
rtc_cmos
rtc_core
rtc_lib
ext3
jbd
mbcache
sd_mod
ata_piix
ata_generic
pata_acpi
libata
scsi_mod
dock

.config: http://pastie.org/351458

jo3 · 2009-01-08 02:21:52

I decided to install arch on my mini 9 after reading about your success. However, I'm having an issue with Xorg. Would you mind posting your xorg.conf Buttons?

buttons · 2009-01-08 02:30:44

Wow. You never know just how much crap is in your xorg.conf until you actually edit it for somebody else.

Section "ServerLayout"
    Identifier     "Default Layout"
    Screen         "Default Screen" 0 0
    InputDevice    "Generic Keyboard"
EndSection

Section "Files"
    FontPath        "/usr/share/fonts/misc"
    FontPath        "/usr/share/fonts/cyrillic"
    FontPath        "/usr/share/fonts/100dpi"
    FontPath        "/usr/share/fonts/75dpi"
    FontPath        "/usr/share/fonts/Type1"
    FontPath        "/usr/share/fonts/TTF"
    FontPath        "/usr/share/fonts/artwiz-fonts"
    FontPath        "/usr/share/fonts/webcore"
    FontPath        "/usr/share/fonts/webcore-vista"
    FontPath        "/usr/share/fonts/local"
EndSection

Section "Module"
    Load           "i2c"
    Load           "bitmap"
    Load           "ddc"
    Load       "dri"
    Load           "extmod"
    Load           "freetype"
    Load           "glx"
    Load           "int10"
    Load           "type1"
    Load       "dbe"
    Load           "vbe"
    Load       "synaptics"
EndSection

Section "DRI"
    Mode 0666
EndSection

Section "InputDevice"
    Identifier     "Generic Keyboard"
    Driver         "kbd"
    Option         "CoreKeyboard"
    Option         "XkbRules" "xorg"
    Option         "XkbModel" "pc105"
    Option         "XkbLayout" "us"
EndSection

Section "Monitor"
    Identifier     "SyncMaster"
    Option         "DPMS"
EndSection

Section "Device"
    Identifier    "Intel"
    Driver        "intel"
    Option        "DRI"    "True"
    Option        "NoDDC"    "True"
    #Option        "XAANoOffscreenPixmaps"    "True"
    Option        "AccelMethod"        "exa"
    Option        "MigrationHeuristic" "greedy"
EndSection

Section "Extensions"
    Option    "Composite"    "Enable"
EndSection

Section "Screen"
    Identifier     "Default Screen"
    Device         "Intel"
    Monitor        "SyncMaster"
    DefaultDepth    24
    SubSection     "Display"
        Depth       8
        Modes      "1024x600" "1280x1024" "1152x864" "1024x768" "832x624" "800x600" "720x400" "640x480"
    EndSubSection
    SubSection     "Display"
        Depth       15
        Modes      "1024x600" "1280x1024" "1152x864" "1024x768" "832x624" "800x600" "720x400" "640x480"
    EndSubSection
    SubSection     "Display"
        Depth       16
        Modes      "1024x600" "1280x1024" "1152x864" "1024x768" "832x624" "800x600" "720x400" "640x480"
    EndSubSection
    SubSection     "Display"
        Depth       24
        Modes      "1024x600" "1280x1024" "1152x864" "1024x768" "832x624" "800x600" "720x400" "640x480"
    EndSubSection
EndSection

jo3 · 2009-01-08 14:03:12

Thank you!

jo3 · 2009-01-09 15:57:24

Inspiron 910 network controllers:
Network controller: Broadcom Corporation BCM4312 802.11b/g (rev 01) works with broadcom-wl (AUR) driver as mentioned earlier.

Ethernet controller: Realtek Semiconductor Co., Ltd. RTL8101E/RTL8102E PCI Express Fast Ethernet controller (rev 02) works out-of-box with r8169 module.

Last edited by jo3 (2009-01-09 16:00:25)

kgas · 2009-05-14 09:49:41

Hello buttons, I got dell mini 9 (16 GB SSD). What fs you are using (I planned to use ext4 with noatime option, mounting /tmp and swap in SD card). I also read about the sound card problems with alsa. Any suggestions?.

buttons · 2009-05-14 13:15:43

kgas wrote:

Hello buttons, I got dell mini 9 (16 GB SSD). What fs you are using (I planned to use ext4 with noatime option, mounting /tmp and swap in SD card). I also read about the sound card problems with alsa. Any suggestions?.

I use ext3, but that's mostly because I'm lazy and installed before the advent of ext4.

Small rant on SD card swap follows:
In my opinion the whole 'PREVENT WRITES TO YOUR SSD AT ALL COSTS' is vastly overblown. There was a recent study done (it was on slashdot recently) where they found all SSDs slow down quickly, then level off for quite some time, depending on the quality. In other words, it's pretty unavoidable, and the annoyance of keeping the SD card in there (what happens when you want to transfer from your camera? If you accidently take it out while it's mounted you might lose all your data) makes it silly.
/rant

I've never had alsa problems. It's HDA intel. They're all a pain. Just unmute and jack up the volume on Front, PCM, and Master, and if you want to use the microphone be prepared to spend some time with a mixer unmuting and changing all the inputs till they work. Don't even think about using OSS4, though pulse does work if alsa does.

Barghest · 2009-05-15 13:14:51

Hi,

for what I've seen the Dell Minis 9 and 10 don't have a line for the F keys.

How do you cope with this?

dedioste · 2009-05-15 13:19:10

For the function keys on mini 9:

There is a Fn key and all F keys are mapped to the 3rd keyboard line (a,s,d,f,...)
And since Bios revision 2 F11 and F12 are mapped to Fn+Z and Fn+X

The same key also bind some XFree86 commands (volume, brightness, video output)

kgas · 2009-05-16 17:56:28

Thanks buttons. Arch installation on Dell Inspiron Mini 9 completed. Here it goes

fs : ext4 worked fine but when Ieft on battery over night for Syu caused most of the config and executables to disappear. reinstalled with ext3 with 4
partitions. (root/boot/usr/home). ext3 with noatime,commit=15 option. Added 512 MB swap latter (swap in file). /var/log and /tmp in tmpfs

sound: alsa fails at times without any reason and leaving no sign even with option in modeprobe.conf. oss works fine.
for the alsa to work the google search provided the following solutions.
blacklist snd-pcsp. put the options mentioned in this thread and alias snd-card-0 snd-hda-intel in modprobe.conf

WM/DE : metacity / GNOME with slim login manager.
: Problem faced: without any DE/WM mounting swap / var / tmp directories on 16 GB SDHC card works. but with DE/GNOME GNOME fails on
gconf-sanity-check-2 exited (status 256) error message. (all xml files in .gconf are tho' with right permissions). gdm issues error something
related to missing /var/log/gdm directory and hence switched to slim. (/var/log in temfs)

Power saving: suspend works. even with 512 MB swap files hibernation is not working as expected.

Networking : conventional method (network daemon) works fine for Ethernet (r8169 driver). wireless network connection yet to be tested. (wireless connection tested and working fine)
side note: netcfg miserably fails. network connection dropped without leaving any message.
correction: The problem is not with netcfg as eth0 and eth1 are getting swaped. The
solution is to put the modules in rc.conf or creating udv rule.

Total Installation size: aprox: 3.3 GB

Others: bluetooth is yet to tested. web cam works as mentioned in this thread.
bluetooth is working fine.kernel pulls the modules but not enabled.
To enable use this aircraftmanger
Side note: for the aircraft manger to work portio needs to be installed and is in aur.

Hope this will help the Dell mini 9 users with Arch installation.

Last edited by kgas (2009-05-21 13:11:23)

thiagoc · 2010-01-20 01:30:57

i'm trying to use the AUR package (http://aur.archlinux.org/packages.php?ID=19514) for wireless but it don't work. After installing, "iwconfig" show the interface but "iwlist eth1 scan" returns "No scan results".

I've tried the b43 module too, but the system hangs up minutes after boot.

Arch Linux

#1 2008-11-10 23:41:05

Anyone with Arch on Dell Mini 9 (Inspiron 910) ?

#2 2008-12-13 15:43:42

Re: Anyone with Arch on Dell Mini 9 (Inspiron 910) ?

#3 2008-12-14 18:23:42

Re: Anyone with Arch on Dell Mini 9 (Inspiron 910) ?

#4 2009-01-02 00:00:21

Re: Anyone with Arch on Dell Mini 9 (Inspiron 910) ?

#5 2009-01-02 00:59:16

Re: Anyone with Arch on Dell Mini 9 (Inspiron 910) ?

#6 2009-01-02 01:48:38

Re: Anyone with Arch on Dell Mini 9 (Inspiron 910) ?

#7 2009-01-02 10:04:59

Re: Anyone with Arch on Dell Mini 9 (Inspiron 910) ?

#8 2009-01-03 00:48:01

Re: Anyone with Arch on Dell Mini 9 (Inspiron 910) ?

#9 2009-01-03 09:35:33

Re: Anyone with Arch on Dell Mini 9 (Inspiron 910) ?

#10 2009-01-08 02:21:52

Re: Anyone with Arch on Dell Mini 9 (Inspiron 910) ?

#11 2009-01-08 02:30:44

Re: Anyone with Arch on Dell Mini 9 (Inspiron 910) ?

#12 2009-01-08 14:03:12

Re: Anyone with Arch on Dell Mini 9 (Inspiron 910) ?

#13 2009-01-09 15:57:24

Re: Anyone with Arch on Dell Mini 9 (Inspiron 910) ?

#14 2009-05-14 09:49:41

Re: Anyone with Arch on Dell Mini 9 (Inspiron 910) ?

#15 2009-05-14 13:15:43

Re: Anyone with Arch on Dell Mini 9 (Inspiron 910) ?

#16 2009-05-15 13:14:51

Re: Anyone with Arch on Dell Mini 9 (Inspiron 910) ?

#17 2009-05-15 13:19:10

Re: Anyone with Arch on Dell Mini 9 (Inspiron 910) ?

#18 2009-05-16 17:56:28

Re: Anyone with Arch on Dell Mini 9 (Inspiron 910) ?

#19 2010-01-20 01:30:57

Re: Anyone with Arch on Dell Mini 9 (Inspiron 910) ?

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