Installing Debian 2.2 (Potato) on a Dell inspiron 4100.

Version 1.0
Robert Eklund
<robert.eklund(a)hem.net>

This document describes how to install Debian 2.2 on a Dell inspiron 
4100 notebook. The latest version of this document can 
be found at http://www.hem.net/doc/linux/debian2.2_on_inspiron4100.txt

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Table of Contents

    1. Copyright Notice and Disclaimer
    2. Background
    3. Installing Debian 2.2
    4. Installing Debian 2.2
    5. Installing the Redhat kernel on your Debian installation
    6. Debian post-installation configuration
    7. Compiling a customized kernel
    8. Remove Redhat 7.1
    9. Trademarks
    10.Feedback

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1. Copyright Notice and Disclaimer

    Copyright (c) 2001 Vännäs Webservice

    This document may be reproduced or distributed in any form without 
    prior permission. Modified versions of this document may be freely 
    distributed, provided that they are clearly identified as such, and 
    this copyright is included intact.

    This document is provided "AS IS", with no express or implied 
    warranties. Use the information in this document at your own risk.


2. Background

    I wanted to run debian 2.2 potato linux with ximian gnome desktop 
    on my inspiron 4100.
    Hardware:
    	PIIIm 1 GHz
	128 mb RAM
	20 GB ide harddrive
	Nvidia Geforce2GO 32 mb DDR
	SXGA (1400x1050) monitor
	NIC internal 3COM 3C920 3C905 TX compatible
	Modem internal Actiontec conexant-based 
	DVD 8x ide


3. Installing Debian 2.2

    First of all did I start winXP and install partition magic to 
    repartition the harddrive. I created one 3.5 GB linuxpartition and one 
    250 mb swap. 

    To make it boot the CD I had to change boot order in BIOS.

    I installed the basesystem from the first CD and wanted to install
    the rest off the network but couldnt get the network card to work.

    To make the networkcard work did I compile a new 2.4.18 kernel on another 
    computer. Copy it to a diskett and install that one instead. Run lilo.

    Then I rebooted and edited /etc/sources.list to add entries for my local 
    debian mirror, security.debian.org and bunks backported packages to add
    support for 2.4.x kernels.
    http://www.fs.tum.de/~bunk/debian
    
    #apt-get update
    #apt-get dist-upgrade

    installed kernel modules for 2.4.18 and ran modconf.
    installed Nvidia kernelmodule 1.0-2880
    
    rebooted again.


4. Xwindows
    
    To get support for Nvidia geforce2GO you must run Xfree86 4.x.
    The driver shipped with xfree86 doesn't seem to support geforce2GO.
    But the drivers aviable from Nvidia seems to works perfectly.
    I downloaded the driver from debian testing and compiled it on
    another computer running debian testing.
    backported debs for xfree86 4.1.0 are aviable from 
    http://people.debian.org/~cpbotha/

    I also installed libfreetype6 from the same site.

    When I got xwindows running with twm and a xterm window it was time
    to install ximian desktop.

5. Ximian desktop
    
    Just add http://ximian.netnitco.net/debian stable main to sources.list.

    #apt-get update
    #apt-get install task-ximian-gnome

    
6. Sound
	
    I use the Intel ICH i8xx module that comes with the kernel.

7. Modem

    The inspiron 4100 is sold with two different modems. 
    	PCtel 2304 WT v.92
	Actiontec conexant
    I have the latter alternative.
    Driver is avaiable from http://www.mbsi.ca/cnxtlindrv/hsf/index.html

8. IRDA
    
    Enable irda in BIOS as com2 in SIR-mode. I havn't tried FIR.
    Compile and install kernel modules.
    install irda-common and irda-tools.

9. DVD

10. TV-out

11. APM
    
    I use a gnome-panel-applet to view battery-status.

12. sources.list

13. XF86Config-4

14. .config 

15. Trademarks

16. Feedback

    Comments, corrections, additions and critiques are always welcome.
    You can reach me at robert.eklund(a)hem.net