[svlug] Linux on a Dell Dimension 4500S

[hechavez@attbi.com]

A few weeks ago I purchased a Dell Dimension 4500S (1.7 
gigahertz P4 Celeron, 6 USB 2.0 ports, 2 pci slots, 
onboard sound chip, onboard video chip, 80 gigs hard 
drive, 512mb DDR memory, DVD player, 17 inch Dell 772c 
monitor) for a little over $1,000.  Putting Linux on 
this machine was a quite a task.  First, I could not 
plug any USB devices in during an install or the install 
would freeze.  I ended up putting RedHat 7.3 using the 
VESA 2.0 FrameBuffer graphics driver and was able to 
obtain a range from 640x480, 800x600, 1024x768 
resolution at 8 bit (256 colors) no problem, and only a 
resolution of 640x480 at 16 bit (65K colors).  
Unfortunately the screen would go blank if trying to log 
off the log on screen (i.e., GDM, XDM, or KDM) and 
related to this I found out that I could not test 
configuration using Xconfiguration but just save it and 
reboot.  Warm reboot to logon screen works fine.  
Fortunately I found a "Intel845videodriver.rpm" from 
RedStar Linux in China on the web which I found out is 
nothing but the VESA 2.0 FrameBuffer graphics driver 
with the blank screen bugs fixed but still 2D with the 
same restricted resolutions and color depth as described 
above.  After contacting Xi Graphics in Denver through 
email, I received an email from them that the Intel 
82845 Graphics Controller driver was in the Xi Graphics 
pipeline and due to reach QA in a couple of weeks and 
that it would have 3D OpenGL capability with the full 
range of resolution on color depths of 8bit, 16bit, 
24bit, 32bit.  Also that it would have Graphics Stereo, 
Dual Screens, etc.  It looks like the Dell Dimension 
4500S will have a very decent Linux Graphics driver for 
$119 in about a month or so.

For USB 2.0 I ended up compiling Linux kernel 2.4.19 and 
was able to succesfully connect (after much kernel 
tweaking) an HP USB 8230e cd-rw (xcdroast works fine), 
as well as a Lexmark USB Z25 color inkjet printer.

For onboard sound, in the Linux kernel 2.4.19 I enabled 
the i8XX onboard sound chip; then I had to download ALSA 
and configure the i8X0 onboard sound chip using 
alsaconf.  Lo and behold, alsasound got started up at 
reboot with esound and oss working loud and clear and 
very nicely.

I got ogle to work at 16 bit but had to compile 
everything using source RPMS before I could play DVDs. 
The DVDs play nice at full screen.

I know this is a rather lengthy account and I apologize 
for any inconvenience.

If anyone else has experience with the Dell Dimension 
4500S or similar configuration problems with Linux, I 
would love to hear them.

All in all, I am pleased with Linux on a Dell Dimension 
4500S.