DELL Laptops

[sladden]

G'day Folks.
I am back in NSW from WA. Geez, it cold in NSW compared with WA. I have been back 4 days and I have lit my fire every afternoon at 3pm and kept it alight till bed-time.

Anyway.. I am currently running 3 laptops 'Toshiba P200' (Vista). - 'Toshiba C640' (Win7) 'DELL INSPIRON N5110' (Mint 12)

The P200, always has, and still does run good, as a home-lounge-chair laptop.

The C640. Used as my mobile-laptop runs fine with win7 but the ubuntu & mint are a bit dodgy with my mobile internet.

I bought the DELL a month ago to use as my desktop-laptop, and I don't like the action or the feel of the additions that come with it, by default.

So I burned the HD right-out. To install a dual-boot system with my selected software.

That is when my troubles started.

I installed Vista-Home-Premium, Win7-Home-Premium and Win8 (off of a PCUser disk)

I don't like the Win8 desktop look or feel. So I took it off.

I then tried Win7 and Vista.

Neither of them recognised my internet connection (in cable or wireless) and
Although DELL comes with 4 usb ports.
My installed Vista and Win7 (Shop bought releases) can only recognize one usb port (the one on the left side).

I installed Ubuntu 12.04. It runs good and everything works. But I don't like the 12.04 desktop.

I tried installing 'OpenSUSE 12.1'. It recognized the disk but kept dropping out during install.
I tried installing 'PCLinux 2012.01'. It did not recognize the disk.
I tried installing '64Studio 2.1' It did not recognize the disk.

I tried all 3 disks on the C640 and they ran good.

So the problem must be that the DELL motherboard has something in it that objects when the entire HD is reformatted.

So I installed 'Linux Mint 12'.
It installs fine recognizes everything and runs good.

Although it is taking a bit of getting used to - after Xubuntu 11.10 - and it opens software real slow.
I am adjusting and using it quite well.

This is my 1st try with DELL (I think it will be my last) because next time I will pay more-for-less with Toshiba and get use-ability with reliability.

Has anybody else had this type of problem with DELL?

[sladden]

I finaly gave in to DELL and re-installed to factory-release.

DELL seem to be more desperate to stay in control than Mac or Microsoft.

During the re-install I even had to click 'yes' to agreeing with the rules about using a DELL laptop.

I wonder if DELL is jointly owned or controlled by Mac and Microsoft?

Anyway.
For now, I will stay with it and gradualy remove all the software I don't want, and, run Linux along-side it.

Untill I work out how to remove the DELL patented hardware and have a computer that is all mine.

[craisin]

like my dells and all their odd things

had ubuntu and mint11 dual booted on my custom dell dimension 2400 with increased bus speed 400 to 533 p4 512kb l2 cache

my dells are going cause theres only 128mb onboard graphics no agp

So as a linux only PC with hardware update eg 533 p4 cpu i found them good

HPs seem easier to manage

gone off asus gigabytes are the go

I dont have your faith in toshibas even if i put mint12 on my sisters toshiba average graphics to be kind

[sladden]

Do you even like things, like :- Desktop ; 'date-& weather - only for somewhere in the USA?

I like the Xubuntu 12.04 style desktop. The trouble is that I also like the Ubuntu 12.04 picture quality.

Is there any way to get a 3D quality picture and good colour quality in Xubuntu?

[kage]

What model Dell are you working with? I have used quite a few Dell's over the years and am generally pleased with the quality. Granted, most of the Dell's I have worked with have been business class laptops and servers. I don't have much experience with their line of home-oriented kit.

Originally Posted by sladden

Is there any way to get a 3D quality picture and good colour quality in Xubuntu?

Yes, but a lot of what you're calling "3D quality" is actually just the theme in Gnome/Unity. XFCE is capable of 3D effects like Gnome, but a lot of the XFCE themes are more on the plain side and less "glossy" appearing compared to Gnome. Personally I like the plain look, but its not for everyone.

[sladden]

[QUOTE=kage;1238928]What model Dell are you working with? I have used quite a few Dell's over the years and am generally pleased with the quality. Granted, most of the Dell's I have worked with have been business class laptops and servers. I don't have much experience with their line of home-oriented kit.

DELL INSPIRON N5110
On paper. It looks quite powerful, but, Windows 7 slows down very quickly in it.

I am giving Ubuntu Studio 12.04 a run for it's money at the moment. It has improved a lot since I tried the 10.04 release, and has switched to xfce.
For screen quality. Xubuntu looks drab in it, but Ubuntu Studio looks good.