Re: Dell Precision M70 experiences

2006-03-21 Thread Bryan Brake

Steve Shockley wrote:


It just so happens I got one to toy with here for a little bit.  I threw 
on the last 3.9-beta snapshot (Generic #617), I'll get a dmesg off of it 
this weekend.  Didn't recognize wireless, I think it was some kind of 
Broadcom.  Saw Ethernet as bge.  I was able to start X but it came up in 
640x480, I ran xorgconfig and reset the resolution for 1920x1440, and 
the video came up with borders on the left and right of the screen.  I 
rebooted, and video was back to 640x480.  I've been spoiled by OpenBSD 
just working on laptops recently, so I'll have to give myself a 
refresher on X configs to figure it out.


I had the same problem with the borders because I 
couldn't set the resolution higher than 1600x1200 
(my maximum screen resolution is 1920x1200...)


After looking at the laptop page on OpenBSD, 
someone who had a similar laptop with resolution 
issues put the following Modeline in their xorg.conf:


Modeline 1920x1200 162 1920 1984 2176 2480 1200 
1201 1204 1250 +hsync +vsync


Using this and editing my org.conf to setup 
1920x1200, it just works.  I don't know if this is 
the correct setting, but the borders are gone, so 
I am happy with this.  I have no idea what that 
line means, other than the 1920x1200 portion, 
but it works, so I don't like to question it...



After reading the FAQ 
(http://www.openbsd.org/faq/faq11.html), it sounds 
like a pain in the ass to get the configuration 
just right.


The FAQ gives a couple of suggestions on how to 
fix your resolution, you might want to check them out.


As for the wireless, I went big.  I got the 
integrated bluetooth/wireless Intel 2200ABG.  With 
the iwi-firmware drivers, it works like a champ. 
Better even than those supported ath cards that 
are supposed to work.  If wireless is the way you 
want to go, you may want to have an accident 
happen to the wireless and then call Dell and see 
if you can't get an Intel replacement...


Bryan



Dell Precision M70 experiences

2006-03-17 Thread Koen Van Impe
Hi,

Would anyone like to share his/her experiences with a Dell Precision M70
and OpenBSD?

I want a powerful notebook and the Delly seems to be a good
price/quality beast, off course I'm open for other suggestions for a
solution that would run both of my favorite OS's (OpenBSD / FreeBSD).
This has been asked before but as hardware changes, so does the support
from OBSD ...

kr,
Koen

-- 
Koen Van Impe



Re: Dell Precision M70 experiences

2006-03-17 Thread Steve Shockley

Koen Van Impe wrote:

Would anyone like to share his/her experiences with a Dell Precision M70
and OpenBSD?


It just so happens I got one to toy with here for a little bit.  I threw 
on the last 3.9-beta snapshot (Generic #617), I'll get a dmesg off of it 
this weekend.  Didn't recognize wireless, I think it was some kind of 
Broadcom.  Saw Ethernet as bge.  I was able to start X but it came up in 
640x480, I ran xorgconfig and reset the resolution for 1920x1440, and 
the video came up with borders on the left and right of the screen.  I 
rebooted, and video was back to 640x480.  I've been spoiled by OpenBSD 
just working on laptops recently, so I'll have to give myself a 
refresher on X configs to figure it out.


Speedstep says unknown EST cpu, no changes possible

Winmodem isn't supported, no big surprise.

Volume buttons don't work, probably have to be remapped, guess they're 
not in hardware.


Battery gauge doesn't seem to work.

Machine seems really FAST, but I haven't really done any benchmarks. 
Install (from DVD) went faster than I'm used to.


Overall, it looks like it could be nice under Open with some hacking, if 
you want it to just work, maybe look at Thinkpads.