I'll let you know as soon as I get it working! Haven't had a lot of time lately so I'm working on getting it then I'll install Windows on it and see what happens. I've heard it runs pretty damn good but I've also heard it will crash periodically.

Ok, I have it now!
 

It got named "Dudley" (Dudley Dell Right of the RCMP!)

For a short while I will only be running Winxp :^P because I am going to have my Wife faithfully record each step as I install linux, hopefully I'll end up with somthing worthy of the LinuxLaptops website.

Wow
 

I have not read thru all of the posts, but in light of what I have read, wifi is the biggest issue with the Latitude 120L. I have been running Fedora Core5 since I got the Laptop in June. I am also a student at the ITT campus in Davie Fl, (Ft,Lauderdale), and have not gotten to set up the NDIS Wrappers for the WIFI. At least that is what I was told at one of the LUGs I attend in West Palm Beach. I have also installed Slackware 10.2, SuSe 10, and Ubuntu, but eventually switched back to Core5. The users that mentioned the fact that Linux runs better than XP Pro are absolutly right. I want to completely get rid of Winblowz, but one of my classes uses a Cisco NetSim and it only runs on MicroSlob OS. I have not had much time to set up the NDIS Wrappers, but I am trying to find the time, with my new job, and school. From what I heard it is not that hard, and works well.

www.linuxant.com

go to that site for a quick fix for your dell 120 wifi problems.... they have a software package that fixes the issue really well... it costs $20 though, or you can demo it for 30 days like i am until you find something better for the long run. when i get time im going to browse through the source code and try to figure out what exactly its doing that i dont know how to do yet, till then, im still looking for a good way to beet the wifi problem for good

Wifi and Linux Setup
 

Well I plan to install Fedora Core5 this weekend. I'll have my wife document the steps as I go (impartial 3rd person)

Hopefully then I will have a procedure to post on
-- http://www.linux-laptop.net --

Basic Procedure
1) Defragment XP partition (currently whole drive)
2) boot fedora core 5 live cd:
3) qtparted to shrink XP partition per partion plan
4) Boot back into xp to create FAT32 partition
5) Boot from Core 5 install cd and install Fedora Core 5
...
Picky details about settings and getting rid of Fedora
branding and other stuff
...
7) PROFIT!

Anyone know how to create graphics for GRUB so I can have a *nice* bootscreen?

Comments?? :^)

Ron.

please take extra special care in documenting the wifi fix if you end up needing to do one with your comp...

Wifi in Linux
 

elvenson,

I don't really need wifi in Linux, it would be nice and I'll take a stab at it, but I am not going to buy a $20 solution to fix it. :^)

ron.

http://www.ubuntuforums.org/showthre...Wireless+Cards

I would suggest going there and following those steps precisely. This method works for the Broadcom 4318 cards, well it worked for me at least. Make sure when you configure you SSID and any other fields while the 'eth1' [eth1 is my wireless, I'm assuming it is yours] is 'disabled.' This is a must otherwise it will not work. After you have successfully configured your wireless then 'activate' the connection.

Note: I haven't successfully got my Ubuntu to work with my WEP encryption but it does work successfully at school (ITT Campus) and it also works with out a wireless encryption.

I am currently trying to figure out how to get my Ubuntu to work with WEP when I figure it out I will try and put together a full blown tutorial detailed tutorial on how to get your wireless working with and with out encryption (WEP).

The 120L has the Broadcom 1370 chipset and the Fedora Core6 finds the Broadcom but it is not the same chipset. I will try the directions with the port disabled. And see what happens.. I am going to see if I can set it up using WEP at home. I have to be plugged into the network at school due to, I use my laptop for class as a server for whatever it is we are working on for the day.

An Update... No linux yet...
 

Hmmm There seems to be a sneaky 40mb partition in /dev/hda1 with NO drive letter and the rest in /dev/hda2. This throws off my original partitioning plan (plans of mice and men...) so I will step back and re-think the partitions and then begin again.

See this space for further details..

Also getting towards the end of the first quarter and finals are comming... Study before play. (I know, bad attitude (^:] )

ron.

p.s. (yes I am using edit) It runs knoppix live 5.0 pretty good.
I play with that from time to time.

i may be switching from Suse 10.1 to Kubuntu 6.1 within a couple of days due to an issue i have with a liblm file that i cant seem to find and is needed in order to install all the programs i want/need.

If i switch over, i will document the experience and post all the details of installation and wifi issues that i go through.

With my installation of Ubuntu 6.1 I only had the following issue's:

• Wireless : Resolved
• Wireless with encryption : Currently working on
• Wide-screen resolution : Currently working on

Those are the only problems that I came across when installing from dual boot with Windows XP/Ubuntu 6.1.

Gee once you get a good working XF86Config file (or um whatever it's called today) you can *post* it! :^)

Wireless figured out
 

OK folks, I got Kubuntu and WEP and WPA wireless to work at home and wherever I go. Heres what I did:
I was trying to set-up my wireless at work and it did not see my NIC on eth1 so I went out to use my Google certification, and I came up with I needed some firmware, so I did a $>tail /var/log/syslog (kubuntu 6.1)And I read the logs to see what the error was. And it ws looking for a file called bcm43xx_microcode5.fw, I got it and tried to run my wireless and then again I checked my syslog, and it was looking for another file bcm43xx_pcm5.fw. Anyways I ended up having to download two more files(firmware) bcm43xx_initval5.fw and bcm43xx_initval6.fw. Anyhow I put these in my /etc/network directory. I then went to the GUI network setup and tried to set-up my WL and made sure it was set on "Hexadecimal" or "Plain Text" found out my "ESSID" and the "Key" tried it through the GUI, it found my Wireless Nic, then I went back to my terminal and did this: >ifconfig eth1 up
>iwconfig eth1 essid "ESSID"
>iwconfig eth1 key s:"Plain Text or Hexadecimal"
>dhclient eth1
And waalaa I was connected. Because of the flakyness of Broadcom chipsets you might have to remove the modules then place them back and you retry what I showed you up above. You can accomplish this, go to your /etc/network directory and type this:>!rmmod making sure the bcm43xx firmware is there >rmmod bcm43xx
>!modprobe
>modprobe bcm43xx (placing the
module back into the directory. And go back to the series of Ifconfig eth1 up blah blah blah.. I have to do this each time due to the broadcom chipsets.. but it works..

Awesome I'll give this a try on Ubuntu soon and see how it goes. Thanks for the information man.