For a while now, Dell has offered products with Linux options. For instance, several of the Dell Power Edge Servers (Like the Power Edge T710) come with options for Citrix, Novel SUSE, Red Hat and Sun Solaris. The Precision T7500 N-Series Dual Processor system can be configured for Red Hat Enterprise Linux, 64 Bit Operating System.

Now it seems as though Dell is actually supporting, to some degree, the use of Linux on other various Dell computer equipment. The Dell Linux Engineering Web Site is intended to provide useful information for using Linux on Dell equipment. Dell boasts their partnership with Red Hat, Novell / SuSE, and Ubuntu (Ubuntu, but not Debian – Interesting), but recognizes many of their customers may choose to run various other linux distributions.

Obviously, Dell cannot provide telephone support for all of the different linux flavors, configurations and patches used across the realm of linux, as most have not gone through Dell standards testing. However, Dell does seem to want to foster other methods to provide help and resources. The Dell Linux Engineering Web Site, along with mailing lists, provide a way for Dell to help people use their Dell equipment, however they choose.

«Read more about it!»

Filed under: Computers, Desktop, Internet, Laptops, Linux-Unix, Operating Systems, Servers, Software | No Comments »

The Dell Netbook contest, sponsored by Mount Vernon Family Dentistry, Dell and Sapphire Solutions has finally come to a close.

Congratulations go to Jeff Silver.

Read more about it!

Filed under: Client Area, MVFD | No Comments »

Just recently, I had to get Dell’s Support Department on the phone. Not too long ago, one of our clients, in the medical industry, purchased five identical Dell Workstations (towers) for their facility. These were not the most expensive, state of the art machines available to them at the time. However they were no where near the low end of Dell’s product line either. This client even purchased Dells “High-End” extended warranty on them, when promised US-based support and next business day service.

Well, needless to say, we had to jump through all kinds of hoops with the technician assigned to our case. We basically had to babysit the problem machine and the support tech. We had to run Dell’s built in diagnostics, which took hours. We had to swap RAM and hard drives from another of the five machines to check on the functionality of the RAM and the hard drive. All of this to be told the same thing I told the Dell technician when I first contacted them. THE HARD DRIVE on this 6 month old machine WAS DEFECTIVE!

A couple days after the original support request, we get the replacement hard drive. Doesn’t sound to me like the “NEXT BUSINESS DAY” option we paid for. When you are dealing with a medical facility of any sort, a computer being off-line or down, is way more than a minor inconvenience, which is what this Dell Tech made it out to be.

Needless to say, I was more than aggravated about the situation, and the pyramid scheme you get on the phone from the Dell representatives is complete garbage. Don’t you just love when you get parked on hold for 20 minutes and you get the “I will transfer you to a supervisor, but let me see if I can help first” routine? Yeah, me too! First you get a supervisor, who is probably just the Dell rep sitting next to them. Then you get another supervisor. Then you get a department supervisor. Then you get a department manager, and so on! They all promise to be able to help, but are actually just wasting your time. So, you will never actually speak to anyone with any kind of weight with the company and each time you are transferred you get to sit on hold again! This is all done on purpose, in an attempt to get you to hang up.

I refuse to play the game, and decided I wanted to express my dislike of Dell’s Support Practices to someone who actually has a little authority at Dell. I decided maybe a Dell Executive would care a little more about the situation. So I started searching for a way to contact the executives at Dell. I found this article, posted quite a while back, but thought that maybe some of the people still held their positions. I also listed the email addresses below!

• Michael Dell – Chairman and CEO – email to: michael_dell@dell.com
• Donald Carty – Vice Chairman and CFO – email to: donald_carty@dell.com (bounces)
• Ronald Garriques – President, Global Consumer Group – email to: ronald_garriques@dell.com
• Michael Cannon – President, Global Operations – email to: michael_cannon@dell.com
• Mark Jarvis – Senior VP and Chief Marketing Officer – email to: mark_jarvis@dell.com (bounces)
• Lawrence Tu – Senior VP, General Counsel – email to: lawrence_tu@dell.com
• Susan Sheskey – Senior VP, Chief Information Officer – email to: susan_sheskey@dell.com
• Andrew Esparza – Senior VP Human Resources – email to: andrew_esparza@dell.com
• Paul Bell – Senior VP and President, Americas – email to: paul_bell@dell.com
• Stephen Felice – Senior VP and President, Asia – email to: stephen_felice@dell.com
• David Marmonti – Senior VP, President, Europe, Middle East and Africa – email to: david_marmonti@dell.com
• Brad Anderson – Senior VP, Business Product Group – email to: brad_anderson@dell.com
• Jeffrey Clarke – Senior VP, Business Product Group – email to: jeffrey_clarke@dell.com
• Martin Garvin – Senior VP, Worldwide Procurement – email to: martin_garvin@dell.com
• Alex Gruzen – Senior VP, Dell Product Group – email to: alex_gruzen@dell.com
• Joan Hooper – Vice President, Finance, Chief Accounting Officer – email to: joan_hooper@dell.com
• Alan Lafley – Board of Directors – email to: alan_g_lafley@dell.com (bounces)
• William Gray – Board of Directors – email to: william_gray@dell.com
• Judy Lewent – Board of Directors – email to: judy_lewent@dell.com (bounces)

I typed out an email and addressed it to the support rep, the sales rep (from whom we purchased the machines), the sales rep’s manager and several of those listed from the executive board list above. Maybe my email will get some attention and cause Dell to do something about their questionable product quality, even worse service and terrible support, but I doubt it. Though, maybe a flood of emails from hundreds or thousands of people will make a difference.

I re-posted the email addresses in the list above, so that if you or someone you know also has issues with dell’s questionable product quality, even worse service and terrible support, you can also send emails to those listed!

If I had it to do all over again, I would really re-think the value of any sort of extended warranty or service contract, especially from Dell!

If you have found a more accurate and updated list of Dell Executives, their positions and email addresses, or if you have a Dell product and need real support, contact us using the CONTACT US link in the menu. Make sure to let us know how we can be of assistance.

Also,

Filed under: Computers, Desktop, Gaming, Laptops, Servers | 1 Comment »

If you’ve been to our blog before, you may have read about Dell’s latest, Premier Business Laptop, the Latitude E6500. It came with my choice of Micro$oft’s latest flop – Windoz Vista, or probably the best OS Micro$oft has ever developed – Windoz XP Pro (SP3). Though I preferred the new laptop utilize a professionally installed version of Debian/GNU Linux, I settled for XP Pro instead. Although you can now buy servers from Dell pre-loaded with RedHat, Micro$oft has made it very difficult for users and OEMs to cut the umbilical cord between the PC and Windoz.

I want very badly, to run my favorite distribution, Debian GNU/Linux on this new system. However, the extraordinary hardware feature set found on the E6500 is not widely supported yet in Debian. Even though I figure it won’t be long before the newer hardware is supported, I should probably try Debian/GNU Linux on older Dell laptop first. I have had great success with this distribution on the IBM ThinkPad T40-Series Laptops, but had never tried it on a Dell, until now.

There happens to be a nice Inspiron 700m available, making it possible for me to attempt running Debian on a Dell.

Dell Inspiron 700m Laptop

I’ve stated before, any good laptop needs to be portable, have good battery life, have external expansion ports, and operate at a reasonable temperature. So, how does the Inspiron 700m stack up?

As you would expect, this much smaller laptop is somewhat limited. You can see the configuration of the system I started with below:

• PROCESSOR: Intel® Pentium M Dothan 1.8 GHz w/ 2 MB L2 Cache & 400Mhz FSB (Centrino Configuration)
• OPERATING SYSTEM: Genuine Windows Windows XP Professional
• LCD PANEL: 12.1 inch Wide Scree (1280×800)
• WARRANTY & SERVICE: 2 Year Support for End Users
• VIDEO CARD: Intel® Extreme Graphics 855 GM w/ VGA & S-Video Out
• MEMORY: 1 GB, DDR SDRAM, (2 x 512 MB DIMMS)
• INTERNAL KEYBOARD: Internal English Keyboard
• PRIMARY STORAGE: 40GB, 5400RPM Hitachi/IBM IDE Hardrive
• OPTICAL DRIVE: 8X DVD+/-RW by NEC Corporation
• WI-FI WIRELESS CARD: Intel® Wireless™ 2915 802.11a/b/g Mini-PCI Card
• MODEM: Conexant Internal 56K Modem
• PC/PCMCIA Card Slot
• SD Card Reader
• TOUCH PAD
• 2 x USB 2.0 PORTS
• Broadcom 440x 10/100 NIC
• Sigmatel Audio w/ Headphone and Microphone Jack
• 1 x 1394 Mini-Firewire PORT
• 14.8V, 4 Cell Battery
• 19.5V, 65W, AC Adapter w/ flat cord

I got all the basics in, but it is entirely possible that I missed a few items! So, if you want more information on this system, click here!

The 700m is very portable in that it only weights 4.5 lbs, has a small 12.1 inch screen and is just less than an inch thick. It is the perfect size for carrying in a briefcase or shoulder bag. With some simple search engine research, you can see the Inspiron 700m was moving toward the new Mini Laptops now available from Dell.

This portability didn’t come without sacrifice. There wasn’t an option for a DB9 or DB25 Serial Port, it only had 2 USB Ports and only 1 PCMCIA slot. The smaller size and lighter weight also means a smaller battery. The 4 cell battery which came with this machine didn’t offer enough run time away from an AC outlet. The 700m could easily be taken with you, but if you required more than 2 hours use, you had to make sure you also had the AC adapter packed as well.

Thinking ahead about how this system will be used and what it will be used for, I did some research. Knowing I want to run Debian/GNU Linux on this machine, I read up on whether or not the individual hardware components were compatible with Debian. I also took into consideration, the tasks I most often perform while working in the field. These tasks include installing, testing and turning-up data circuits, POTS Lines, and VoIP Systems. I may also have to configure or test any hardware found on the Local Network. I’m always needing to connect to network equipment through it’s legacy DB9 console port.

This pre-planning and research allows me to identify several deficiencies of the Dell Inspiron 700m. I will need a DB9 Serial Port to connect to network equipment. This is especially true when working with 3Com and Cisco hardware. My research also tells me to replace the Intel WiFi card with one utilizing the Atheros Chipset. I can see the need for additional battery life. The system has 1 GB of RAM which is fine for Linux, but I want more (you know, just in case!). The 5400 RPM hardrive lacks the performance I’m looking for. This means I need to make changes.

The first thing on my mind for this laptop was the Atheros Chipset, WiFi card. I knew I had several in the spare parts I had acquired over several years of working on IBM T40 Series ThinkPads. There may not be a suitable “Windoz” driver for this card in the Dell Machine, but what I will be using it for in Debian, only requires that it has the Atheros Chipset.

Next, I found a SIIG “Single Serial PC Card” (P/N: JJ-PCM012). This card isn’t the best option for a Serial interface though. The DB9 connection is at the end of a foot long dongle, which connects to the Card via RJ45 plug and jack. However, I found it cheap, so it will do for now.

Dell still sells parts for the Inspiron 700m so I purchase a new 6 Cell replacement battery for this machine. I could have gotten any number of batteries from eBay for quite a bit less, but I’m very skeptical of non-OEM batteries.

To finish my system I wanted better performance. I could easily get that extra performance by boosting the RAM from 1Gb to 2 and by replacing the 5400 RPM Hardrive with one running at 7200 RPMs. I found it all new, unopened and with full manufacturer’s warranty on eBay.

Once I had all the new hardware available, installation was a simple task.

In the end, due to the research I did ahead of time, this older Dell Inspiron 700m is now a newer, much more capable machine. It runs Debian GNU/Linux quite well!

Filed under: Computers, Laptops, Linux-Unix | No Comments »

Thanks to Richard M. in the “Small/Medium Business” sales department, I’m striking this post out on Dell’s latest, Premier Business Laptop.

Dell Latitude E6500 - Blue

Or, see the standard pictures from Dell by clicking >>HERE<<!

To me, any good laptop needs to be portable, have a battery that lasts, have external expansion ports, and operate at a reasonable temperature. So, it was hard not to be skeptical when reading about all the options the E6500 had available.

A lot of my work is done in the field. I’m called to work on both new and legacy systems of all types, but mostly related to telco/data circuits and networks. I may need any number of adapters to connect my laptop to their equipment. Believe it or not, I still do a lot of work where a Cisco DB-9 (Serial “Console” Cable) is the only way to modify the configuration of the equipment. How many laptops in the last three years have a DB-9 connection on it?

Well this laptop doesn’t have one either. However, it does have a PC Card Slot to add additional adapters. This system is also compatible with the E-Series Docks, 2 of which have the DB-9 Serial Port.

Read information on the E-Series Docks and accessories >>HERE<<!

It comes with many other options too. You can view a descriptive schematic by clicking >>HERE<< and going to page 7 of the PDF file.

I ordered my system and was surprised with all the equipment that came standard. You can see the configuration of my system below:

• PROCESSOR: Intel® Core™ 2 Duo T9600 (2.80GHz, 6M L2 Cache, 1066MHz FSB)
• OPERATING SYSTEM: Genuine Windows Vista Business Bonus-Windows XP Professional downgrade
• LCD PANEL: 15.4” UltraSharp™ Wide WXGA+ (1440×900) LED Display-Regatta Blue – STANDARD
• WARRANTY & SERVICE: 3 Year ProSupport for End Users and 3 Year NBD On-site Service
• VIDEO CARD: NVIDIA Quadro NVS 160M – STANDARD
• MEMORY: 4.0GB, DDR2-800 SDRAM, 2 DIMMS
• INTERNAL KEYBOARD: Internal English Backlit Keyboard – STANDARD
• CAMERA/MICROPHONE: Integrated Webcam with digital microphone – STANDARD
• SYSTEMS MANAGEMENT: No Intel vPro™ Technology’s advanced management features
• PRIMARY STORAGE: 128GB Dell Mobility Solid State Drive
• OPTICAL DRIVE: 8X DVD+/-RW w/Roxio and Cyberlink Power DVD™, Blue
• WI-FI WIRELESS CARD: Dell Wireless™ 1510 802.11a/g/n Draft Mini Card
• BLUETOOTH WIRELESS: Dell Wireless® 370 Bluetooth Module
• MODEM: Internal 56K Modem
• PC CARD – STANDARD
• EXPRESS CARD – STANDARD
• SD CARD READER – STANDARD
• VOLUME CONTROL BUTTONS – STANDARD
• TOUCH PAD – STANDARD
• TRACK STICK – STANDARD
• TRACK STICK BUTTONS – STANDARD
• SMART CARD SLOT – STANDARD
• CONTACTLESS SMART CARD READER – STANDARD
• WiFi On/Off SWITCH – STANDARD
• 2 x USB 2.0 PORTS – STANDARD
• 1 x POWERED USB 2.0 PORT – STANDARD
• 1 x eSata/ POWERED USB 2.0 PORT – STANDARD
• LCD BACKLIT KEYBOARD – STANDARD
• VGA DB15 VIDEO PORT – STANDARD
• 10/100 NIC – STANDARD

It’s also possible that I missed a few items!

The standard hardware set was impressive to me. After upgrading a few items in the configuration and adding a couple E-Port Docks, I now have just about every type of port I could possibly need.

I have been using the laptop for a couple months now. The system runs great. I have had zero issues with the system hanging or stalling. The system has never crashed on me yet. I haven’t noticed any extreme heat given off by the machine, though it does get warm on your lap. Most importantly, I haven’t had a single scenario in the field where I didn’t have the right adapter to connect to the site’s equipment.

Ordinarily, when I test a machine, I find more to criticize than to praise. I haven’t criticized this system at all, yet, but I will.

I found the Standard 6-Cell battery doesn’t last very long. In fact, for my use, this battery is just about useless. SOLUTION – Buy the 9-Cell Battery for the machine.

The 9-Cell “Long Life” batteries takes up an extra inch of space when attached to the laptop. So if you buy a case that is made for a 15.4 inch wide-screen laptop, you may not have enough space for the laptop with the battery attached. My field service bag doesn’t have enough room, and is made for screens up to 17 inches. SOLUTION – Take the battery off to transport the laptop.

The system doesn’t come pre-loaded with Windows XP Pro SP3. SOLUTION – I ordered the XP PRO downgrade, but had to do it myself.

There is way too much space wasted with the Dell Software and recovery partition. This is often the case. Dell goes above and beyond to make recovery easy, but the space is wasted. A lot of the software loaded on the machine is just bloat as well. SOLUTION – When you reformat the machine to put Windows XP PRO SP3 on the machine and get rid of that Vista crap, delete the recovery partition, and don’t install all the extra Dell utilities. I recommend only instally what is absolutely necessary. (Disclaimer – Although I am a computer technician with many years of experience, this suggestion can be complicated and isn’t necessarily supported by Dell. Consult with a professional before doing this. I would be happy to do this for you for a small fee.)

It can be difficult to separate the laptop from the E-Series docks. SOLUTION – BE CAREFUL! There isn’t really a way to make this better unless you quit using the docks.

All in all, the Dell Latitude E6500 seems to be a great laptop. I don’t often recommend purchasing Dell Systems, or any other system with Microsoft Windows on it. However, if need a new laptop, and you want it to have Microsoft Windows on it, then you need to buy this machine.

Filed under: Computers, Laptops | No Comments »