Install and config Ubuntu on Vostro 200

Last week, I bought a new Vostro 200 from Dell with $4xx. Since I started working, I have not really worked on Linux environment at any client site. I feel that I'm disconnected from Linux, and it's the time to pick it up.

After I consulted several folks, I decided to go with the latest Ubuntu Desktop(7.04). Installation is straight forward. Downloading image, create installation CD, install it like Windows...After two hours, I had Ubuntu desktop running on my machine.

Oh, yeah!... But, wait...it's not done yet...and the pain starts...It took me quite a bit of time to have everything configured correctly. I would like to share my experience with other folks.

Firstly, I could not connect to network It looks like Ubuntu did not have the right Ethernet driver. The network card comes with the mother board, and it's supposed to use Intel(R) PRO/10/100/1000/10GbE Drivers. Here is what I did:

• Download e1000-7.6.5.tar.gz from http://sourceforge.net/project/downloading.php?group_id=42302&use_mirror=internap&filename=e1000-7.6.5.tar.gz&63333463

• tar xfvz e1000-7.6.5.tar.gz
• cd e1000-7.6.5/src
• sudo make install
• sudo modprobe e1000

Now you should see a wired connection available.

The next big problem was graphics card and monitor. The machine came with Intel GMA 3100(G33), but the driver comes with Ubuntu is out of date. Ubuntu only showed resolution up to 1280x1024, and it tried to stretch Dell E207WFP LCD to use this resolution. To fix the graphics card driver issue, I downloaded xserver-xorg-video-intel_2.1.0-1ubuntu1_i386.deb from http://ubuntuforums.org/attachment.php?attachmentid=37549&d=1183829057, you need have an account to download this file, double click the file and follow the prompt to install the driver. Instructed by an Ubuntu forum post, I modifed /etc/X11/xorg.conf to use the latest driver: In "Device" section, change Driver from "vesa" to "intel".

Restarted the computer, I see graphics card driver recognized. But after I logged into my account, the monitor went black and the following appeared in bright yellow in the middle of the window:

1: Analog Input
Cannot Display The Video Mode
Optimum Resolution 1680x1050 60 Hz

To solve this issue, I had to modify xorg.conf again, and put my monitor HorizSync/VertRefresh frequency in the "Monitor" section, as well as add wide screen resolution "1680x1050" into "Screen"-->"Display"-->"Modes" section.

This is a sample xorg.conf file with my changes highlighted(just find your own monitor specs and make corresponding changes, don't copy it to your configuration):

Section "InputDevice"
Driver "wacom"
Identifier "cursor"
Option "Device" "/dev/input/wacom"
Option "Type" "cursor"
Option "ForceDevice" "ISDV4" # Tablet PC ONLY
EndSection

Section "Device"
Identifier "Generic Video Card"
Driver "intel"
BusID "PCI:0:2:0"
EndSection

Section "Monitor"
Identifier "DELL E207WFP"
Option "DPMS"
HorizSync 30-83
VertRefresh 56-75
EndSection

Section "Screen"
Identifier "Default Screen"
# Device "Intel"
Device "Generic Video Card"
Monitor "DELL E207WFP"
DefaultDepth 24
SubSection "Display"
Depth 1
Modes "1680x1050" "1280x1024" "1152x864" "1024x768" "800x600" "720x400" "640x480"
EndSubSection
SubSection "Display"
Depth 4
Modes "1680x1050" "1280x1024" "1152x864" "1024x768" "800x600" "720x400" "640x480"
EndSubSection
SubSection "Display"
Depth 8
Modes "1680x1050" "1280x1024" "1152x864" "1024x768" "800x600" "720x400" "640x480"
EndSubSection
SubSection "Display"
Depth 15
Modes "1680x1050" "1280x1024" "1152x864" "1024x768" "800x600" "720x400" "640x480"
EndSubSection
SubSection "Display"
Depth 16
Modes "1680x1050" "1280x1024" "1152x864" "1024x768" "800x600" "720x400" "640x480"
EndSubSection
SubSection "Display"
Depth 24
Modes "1680x1050" "1280x1024" "1152x864" "1024x768" "800x600" "720x400" "640x480"
EndSubSection
EndSection

Section "ServerLayout"
Identifier "Default Layout"
Screen "Default Screen"
InputDevice "Generic Keyboard"
InputDevice "Configured Mouse"
InputDevice "stylus" "SendCoreEvents"
InputDevice "cursor" "SendCoreEvents"
InputDevice "eraser" "SendCoreEvents"
EndSection

Section "DRI"
Mode 0666
EndSection

Hope my experience will help.