Debian on the Dell Inspiron 4100

David van Popering
http://buoy.com/~dutch

Copyright (c) 2004 David van Popering
Permission is granted to copy, distribute and/or modify this document under the terms of the GNU Free Documentation License, Version 1.1 or any later version published by the Free Software Foundation.

This document describes the procedure of installing and configuring debian (sarge) on a Dell Inspiron 4100.

UPDATED!! June 30, 2004


It has been said that installing Linux on a laptop can be a tricky thing.
It is also said that debian is one of the more difficult distributions to install.
With a little effort I have had debian (woody) running successfully on my laptop for quite some time.

I now so believe in the ease of installing debian on a laptop, that I am putting my laptop where my mouth is and will be wiping it from my laptop and reinstalling it using the Debian-Installer beta 4, just to prove this point and to keep this document current.

The install to the laptop went nearly exactly the same as on my desktop PC which I wrote this on, having my laptop to one side.

Quick Menu / Overview

  • Documentation

    Out with the old

    My laptop is a dual boot system with Windows on the first partition. Linux was on the second and the swap space, on the third. Lilo was used with the old install so that must first be removed. An easy way is to boot from a Win98 floppy and run

    A:\fdisk /mbr to wipe the Mast Boot Record (thus killing lilo, from my previous install).

    I now make sure my network connection is plugged in and then put in the Debian-Installer beta 4 CD and reboot the laptop...

    Installation

    Without being too verbose, and not cutting back on vital information, I will try to keep my steps short and to the point. Pretty much, read your screen and make a choice. These are mine as they came up.

    • en_US
    • American English
    • Hostname: StarWars
    • Manually Edit Partition Table 
      #1	primary	7.8 GB	ntfs
#2	primary	12  GB	ext3
#3	primary	131 MB	swap


      The only one with the bootable flag ON is #1 ntfs.
      Highlight #2 and
      • under "Usage Method" choose format
      • under "File System" choose ext3
      • under "Bootable Flag:" NO
      • under "Mount Point" choose /
      Choose "Done setting up the partition"

      Highlight #3 and
      • under "Usage Method" Use the partition as a swap area
      • under "Format the swap area:" YES
      • under "Bootable Flag:" NO
      • under "Mount Point" choose /
      Choose "Done setting up the partition"

    • Finish partitioning and write changes to disk
    • Write changes to disk? YES

      It formats and begins installing the Debian base system...

      The following other operating systems have been detected on this computer: WindowsNT/2000/XP
    • Install GRUB to master boot record? :YES Installation Complete The disc ejects, remove it and press Continue

    The computer reboots and you will soon see the new GRUB boot loader menu.
    Choose Debian GNU/Linux, Kernel 2.4.26-1-386

    Welcome to your new Debian system: CONFIGURATION PART 1

    • OK
    • Is the hardware clock set to GMT?: NO
    • Timezone: EASTERN
    • Root Password entered twice
    • FULL Name of regular user
    • username for your account (this is what you login with)
    • Regular user's password entered twice
    • Archive access method for apt: http
    • United States
    • Choose a Debian mirror to use...
    • Proxy is left blank on my system

      Apt sources are accessed, updated, and upgraded...this may take several minutes.

    • Debian base system configuration: Nothing
      This is where additional software can be selected to be installed. I do not choose tasksel, aptitude, dselect. Rather, I setup my system manually so I skip this part.

      apt will continue to setup your system...

    • Keymap: OK
    • keymap: don't touch keymap
    • configuring pcmcia-cs: OK
    • Should PCMCIA support be stopped on upgrades? Ask
    • Would you like to start PCMCIA support after installation? : YES
    • Popularity Contest: OK
    • Participate? (its your choice, I said no just because I don't want to mess with exim right now)

      apt will continue to setup your system...

    • Configuring exim: Local delivery only; not on a network Don't worry - this has nothing to do with the Internet or networking
    • Root and postmaster mail recipient: Thank you for choosing Debian!
      OK
    It took a bit less than an hour to reach this part and Debian did all the work. Not bad at all...

    Login and continue setup: CONFIGURATION PART 2

    I am NOT done setting up my system so I log in as root. Some people are paranoid about this but I say get over it - I'm still setting up my system. After this I only login as me.

    Setup will occasionally stop and ask you a question about what is being installed. I usually go with the defaults.

    "apt-getting" to make it my own

    Once that was done I logged in as root,and added a few more things:
    1. Additional utilities
    2. X Window System & and WindowMaker
    3. Additional applications that run under X

    1. Additional Utilities

    • apt-get install vim bzip2 ftp ncftp ssh libncurses5-dev gcc make

    2. X Window System & and WindowMaker

    Then I get the things having to do with X:

  • apt-get install x-window-system
    • Enable sub-pixel text rendering: YES
    • Attempt to auto-detect Video Hardware?: YES
    • Mouse: /dev/psaux
    • Describe your mouse: PS/2
    • Is your monitor an LCD device?: YES
    • Configuring xserver: Medium (why go crazy?)
    • Video Mode Frequency: 1024x768 @ 75Hz
    • Video Mode: 1024x768
    • Default Color Depth: 24

      2a.Desktop Environment: KDE? Gnome? WindowMaker?

      On this machine, at this time, I install WindowMaker.
    • apt-get install wmaker
      However, on other computers, I will sometimes setup KDE.
      If you choose this, I suggest you look at the KDE Documentation, particularly the FAQs.

      After I read them, this is what I chose to install and in this order:
      apt-get install...
      1. aRts
      2. kdelibs
      3. kdebase
      4. kdegames
      5. kdegraphics
      6. kdeutils
      7. kdemultimedia
      8. kdeadmin
      9. kdetoys
    Now that WindowMaker (or the desktop/window manager you choose) is in...

    3. Additional applications that run under X

  • apt-get install mozilla-firebird
  • apt-get install rxvt nedit

    At the shell prompt, I test out my new X environment:

    startx
    and X should start! Talk about easy!
    To get out of X and back to your prompt, press CTRL-ALT-BACKSPACE

    Network Connection

    I setup the laptop to connect via DHCP.
    This means I had to edit /etc/network/interfaces

    # This file describes the network interfaces available on your system
# and how to activate them. For more information, see interfaces(5).

## This entry denotes the loopback (127.0.0.1) interface.
auto lo
iface lo inet loopback

## This entry was created during the Debian installation
## And is used for a DHCP Connection which is my default
## 
auto eth0
iface eth0 inet dhcp

## This entry is for use on the LAN at work
## Uncomment the 5 lines below to enable this.

#auto eth0
#iface eth0 inet static
#        address 172.16.27.253
#        gateway 172.16.27.129
#        netmask 255.255.255.128
    My DNS settings which are found in /etc/resolv.conf:
    search suffolk.lib.ny.us
nameserver 209.139.6.10
nameserver 129.250.35.250
    Wireless connection setup coming soon.

    Acknowledgments

    Anything I may have gotten wrong or did in a round about way, is by no means a reflection on those who helped me.
     I am open to comments or suggestions: dutch@users.buoy.com
    © 2004