Contents:
Hardware Configuration
Installing Ubuntu 8.10 (Intrepid Ibex)
Drivers
Harware Configuration:
Processor: Intel Core2Duo T8100 (2.1 GHz/800 MHz FSB, 4MB Cache)
RAM: 4 GB (2 X 2048 MB) 667 MHz Dual Channel DDR2 SDRAM
Tuxedo Black LCD display with Integrated 2.0 mega pixel web cam
15.4″ Widescreen WXGA (1280 X 800) TFT Display with TrueLife
256 MB NVIDIA GeForce 8600M GT
250 GB SATA Hard Drive
6-cell Lithium Ion Primary Battery
Internal 8X DVD+/-RW Combination Drive with dual layer write capabilities
Intel(R) 4965AGN Wireless-N Mini-Card
6-cell Lithium Ion Primary Battery
Installing Ubuntu 8.10 (Intrepid Ibex):
Requirements:
- Install media Ubuntu 8.10 32 Bit (Intrepid Ibex). You can download it from http://www.ubuntu.com/getubuntu/download
- An external mouse, if you aren’t well versed with the keyboard shortcuts. Believe me, the Dell XPS M1530 touchpad creates a hell lot of troubles in Linux.
Steps:
1) Insert the Ubuntu disc in the DVD drive and start your computer. Press F12 to enter the boot configuration and boot from your DVD Drive.
2) Once the computer boots up through the Ubuntu media, you would see the screen. Select the language of your choice and press Enter.
3) Next, Boot options:
2.1) Try Ubuntu without any change to your computer: Live Boot to use Ubuntu without installing it on your computer. You can install Ubuntu after the Operating System (the Live OS) has booted up.
2.2) Install Ubuntu: It says it all. Install Ubuntu directly.
2.3) Check for CD Defects: Check your installation media before installation.
2.4) Test Memory: Test the memory of the PC before installation.
2.5) Boot from first hard disk: Boot normally from the hard disk and not from the bootable Ubuntu disc.
3) After selecting the option 2 (Install Ubuntu), Ubuntu would start its own installation daemon (something similar to Anaconda of Fedora). From here, you will get a Graphical User Interface to install Ubuntu. A screen would come up asking you to select the language of your choice. Select the language and press Enter.
4) After the language settings, you need to select the location where you are. This is required to configure the system time. Just keep your mouse over your location and the map would enlarge itself. For eg: if you are in Mumbai, India, just go to that part of the map (dont click) and the map would enlarge itself, providing all the locations available (timezones) of which you could select the nearest one.
5) Next, Keyboard layout. Select the default one … USA – USA. You can select the others according to your keyboard type.
6) Partitions: We need to specify the partition on which Ubuntu should be installed. By default, it would resize one of the partitions (not sure which one) and use it to install Ubuntu. I suggest not to go for this option. Instead go for Manual partition. I would explain how to do that. Select the option and press Forward. Select the other options only if you are sure that it wont delete the other partitions on your system!
7) Once you are in the manual installation of Ubuntu, select the partition on which you want to install Ubuntu. Delete the partitions if there is some data on it.
Create 2 partitions here:
- Root Partition (/): Click the button “New Partition”. A new window would pop up named “Create partition”. Enter the size (in MB). Select the mount point as “/” (without the quotes, of course!). For this, use “Ext3 journaling File System” in the “Use As:” drop down list.
- Swap Partition: A Swap partition is used as a Virtual memory for linux. Preferably, it is double of RAM. But, if you have a 4 GB RAM, you can keep this to 2 GB. For this partition, use “Swap Area” in the “Use As” drop down list.
8) Finally, the partitions are created. 2 partitions as mentioned.
9) Once the partitions are set, enter other details (Name, Username, password, etc)
10) Finally, check your settings and click Install to install Ubuntu 8.10 on your Dell.
11) And finally, it installs the Operating System.
Once you boot into Ubuntu, you might encounter a touchpad problem. The mouse goes beserk once it is touched, flying all around the screen, clicking icons and buttons on its own. There is a way to repair this too … wait for my next blog 
I wanted to write this blog since long and finally, took out time for it. If you liked this, please comment
Happy Linux’ing
