Advertisement
Front, Kernel, Security, Distributions, Development. See your byline here on LWN.net.
Sponsored link
Vyatta –
Linux & Open Source
Alternative to Cisco –
Advanced Routing,
Firewall, VPN, QoS..
Free Download ->
| |||||||||||
The preinstalled OS is not even using 64-bit modeThe preinstalled OS is not even using 64-bit modePosted Feb 21, 2007 0:18 UTC (Wed) by irios (guest, #19838)In reply to: The preinstalled OS is not even using 64-bit mode by proski Parent article: Dell users demand more Linux options (ZDNet UK)
Well, Dell sells 64-bit machines with such buggy BIOS that 64-bit Linux won't run at all. In fact, the original BIOS for the Dimension E521 sucked so bad that it wouldn't run ANY Linux distribution at all unless you plugged the keyboard and mouse into a lucky (meaning not just any), powered, USB hub or PCI USB card.
Hell, it was so bad that it wouldn't even run an unpatched version of Windows XP or 2000!
Thankfully, after about 4 months, they have released a BIOS upgrade that cures it for 32-bit Linux (even though they have not acknowledged the problem yet -- the new BIOS is supposed to fix something else). As for 64-bit Linux (and probably Windows) would-be users, well, bugger them.
There's a support thread in their system that has dragged on for months, with hundreds of entries, without Dell ever showing any interest.
Most funny is that the E521 was sold OS-less in the States and promoted as a computer whereupon to install Linux -- evidently not much testing went on.
Don't expect good quality control from Dell, or good support for Linux. Hell, don't expect good support at all from Dell, for what I've seen!
(Log in to post comments)
The preinstalled OS is not even using 64-bit mode Posted Feb 21, 2007 8:01 UTC (Wed) by skvidal (subscriber, #3094) [Link] I'd argue this isn't true. Dell's poweredge linux list and linux.dell.com have been extremely useful in figuring out what's going on with some piece of hardware. We have a large number of dell servers and workstations and I've found working with them on linux-related problems to be pretty well supported.
-sv
Dell Posted Feb 22, 2007 18:40 UTC (Thu) by rfunk (subscriber, #4054) [Link] I'm sure that Dell treats the PowerEdge line (and customers) much better than theDimension line.
|
|||||||||||