This is a guide to running Linux with the Dell Latitude E6500 laptop.
This guide is intended to provide you details on how well this laptop works with Linux and which modules you need to configure. For details on how to actually install and configure the required modules have a look at our guides section for distribution specific instructions.
For full specifications see the Dell Latitude E6500 specifications page.
| Name | Dell Latitude E6500 |
| Processor | Intel Core 2 Duo P8400 2.26GHz and P9600 2.66GHz |
| Screen | 15.4” WXGA Widescreen and 15.4” WUXGA+ Widescreen (1900×1200) |
| RAM | 1GB and 8GB |
| HDD | 160GB and 64GB High-performance Flash SSD |
| Optical Drive | DVD+-RW and DVD-ROM w/ CD+-RW |
| Graphics | NVIDIA Quadro NVS 160M |
| Network | Ethernet, Intel 5100 802.11abgn, Intel 5300 802.11abgn, Bluetooth, Dell 5720 Sprint Mobile Broadband (EVDO Rev-A) Minicard |
| Device | Compatibility | Comments |
| Processor | Yes | |
| Screen | Yes | |
| HDD | Yes | |
| Optical Drive | Yes | |
| Graphics | Yes | Needs proprietary nVidia driver for nVidia card |
| Sound | Yes | |
| Ethernet | Yes | |
| Wireless | Yes | Tested Intel 5300 @ 54Mbps |
| 3G Mobile Broadband Minicard | Yes | Tested with Dell 5720 Sprint Mobile Broadband (EVDO Rev-A) Minicard |
| Wireless Kill Switch | Yes | Kills both Wifi and 3G; once had probs re-enabling Wifi |
| Bluetooth | Not Tested | |
| USB | Yes | |
| Firewire | Not Tested | |
| Card Reader | Not Tested | |
| ExpressCard Slot | Yes | Tested with Sprint AC597 3G card |
| Camera | Yes | Tested with 'cheese' in Ubuntu |
The NVIDIA Quadro NVS 160M in the Dell Latitude E6500 is not supported by many Linux distributions and you will need to install the proprietary NVIDIA modules if you want 3D support from this graphic controller. Instructions for doing this on a few Linux distributions is available in the guides section here.
If you want only basic 2D graphics then it should work out of the box with current distributions.
Works with current Linux distros (kernel version 2.6.27 or higher) with Intel 5100/5300 controllers.
Some versions of the Dell Latitude E6500 include the Dell 1397 and 1510 wireless controllers. These are Broadcom based controller with poor support for Linux and should be avoided.
Should work with current distros such as Ubuntu 9.04. If not, try the instructions below.
Configuring the touchpad (disable tapping, scrolling, etc) requires the SHMConfig variable to be enabled. The gsynaptics configuration tool will complain if it isn't. The guides Googling give you do not work, since they set options for Synaptics touchpads, while the E6500 actually has an Alps touchpad. Put the following in /etc/hal/fdi/policy/shmconfig.fdi to enable SHMConfig. You need to reboot after that.
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="ISO-8859-1"?>
<deviceinfo version="0.2">
<device>
<match key="info.capabilities" contains="input.touchpad">
<match key="info.product" contains="AlpsPS/2 ALPS DualPoint TouchPad">
<merge key="input.x11_driver" type="string">synaptics</merge>
<merge key="input.x11_options.SHMConfig" type="string">True</merge>
</match>
</match>
</device>
</deviceinfo>
Should work with current distros such as Ubuntu 9.04. If not, try the instructions below.
To enable scrolling by clicking with the middle mouse button and scrolling with the DualPoint stick (also sometimes referred to as a TrackPoint - using IBM's terminology), put the following in /etc/hal/fdi/policy/dualpoint.fdi
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="ISO-8859-1"?>
<deviceinfo version="0.2">
<device>
<match key="info.capabilities" contains="input.mouse">
<match key="info.product" string="DualPoint Stick">
<merge key="input.x11_options.EmulateWheel" type="string">true</merge>
<merge key="input.x11_options.EmulateWheelButton" type="string">2</merge>
<merge key="input.x11_options.EmulateWheelTimeout" type="string">200</merge>
<merge key="input.x11_options.XAxisMapping" type="string">6 7</merge>
<merge key="input.x11_options.YAxisMapping" type="string">4 5</merge>
</match>
</match>
</device>
</deviceinfo>
Works as of approx. April/May 2009, because current Linux distributions include a newer ALSA version than the minimum 1.0.17 needed for sound to work. For example, Ubuntu 9.04 has alsa 1.0.18. If using an older distro, you will need to install it manually. See our guides section here for installation instructions on several distributions.
In Ubuntu 9.04: Works, but sometimes hangs on resume if you suspended with Fn-F1 and then open the lid to resume. Seems to work better if you select “Suspend” from the menu.
Most things work with current distros as of approx. April/May 2009.
There are potential issues with some of the Dell Latitude E6500 wireless controllers if you're using an older distro. For example, the Intel 5×00 cards were supported starting in Linux kernel 2.6.27.
There are possible stability issues observed on a E6500 with 8GB RAM and Intel 5300 wireless controller running Ubuntu 9.04 x86_64 + Compiz + proprietary nVidia drivers, where the system will occasionally hang, requiring forced power off.
If you are looking to purchase a Dell laptop you can visit
Dell's laptops page.

Alternatively, to purchase a laptop with Linux pre-installed you can visit
Dell's Ubuntu website.

Have you installed Linux on this laptop? If so how about leaving a comment about your success in the discussion section below.
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Discussion
Ubuntu 8.10
Wifi (Broadcom STA) and Nvidia video both work. Just enable them in System > Admin > Hardware drivers
No need to waste your time with FC9 :)
*2.6.27 kernel for FC9**
you can find it here
http://koji.fedoraproject.org/koji/buildinfo?buildID=68599
Up and running…
Dell e6500 with working Intel wireless and NVIDIA adapter…
Base system is fully updated Fedora 9 install (wireless not working under 2.6.26 kernels). Download newest update kernel (2.6.26.5-45) from Fedora update mirror and have ready after F9 install (to get e1000e working). Install/enable Livna repo, install kmod-nvidia, and verify that it's working.
To get working wireless and ethernet (that won't kill your Gigabit card):
Run the kernel-2.6.27-0.380.rc8.git3.fc10 series (or newer…DO NOT run an older 2.6.27 build, trust me…I run 382) from Red Hat's Koji server with the required dependencies (plymouth, mkinitrd, nash, libbdevid, etc…).
To get video acceleration with new fc10 kernel:
I wanted to keep my system clean…so I took the long route (building RPMs…hope you're comfortable).
Using Livna, install kmod-nvidia.
Install kmod-nvidia and buildsys SRPMs.
Edit the “kerneldevpkgs-newest” file (and maybe add to ”-current”, also), build buildsys against fc10 kernel (use '–target i686', or whatever your arch is), and install.
Download NVIDIA patch for 2.6.27 from http://uovobw.homelinux.org/nvidia-fixed.patch.txt
Remove the “EXTRA_LDFLAGS” line around line #52.
Remove the patch section for the file “nv-vm.c”.
Moidify the patch to fit your nvidia-kmod and arch specific build (sed -i 's/NVIDIA-Linux-x86_64-177.13-pkg2/nvidia-kmod-173.14.12\/nvidiapkg-x86/' nvidia-fixed.patch.txt).
Incorporate the patch into the nvidia-kmod.spec.
Build kmod-nvidia against the fc10 kernel (using the '–target' from earlier) and install.
Will need to update buildsys for each new Koji kernel you install, rebuild, and then –force on RPM install…and then rebuild kmod-nvidia.
For compiz blank screen issue after resuming from suspend:
Not sure if this is necessary/proper, but I edited /usr/lib/hal/scripts/linux/hal-system-power-suspend-linux and added “killall -HUP compiz &> /dev/null” before the “exit” at the end. This will need to be updated after each update to “hal” RPM.
–John
Ethernet not recognised
I'm installing FC9 on a Dell Latitude E6500, and the ethernet (Intel 82567LM Gigabit) was not recognized.
Anyone can help me !
Many Thanks !
Same here: No network with FC9.
Ubuntu 8.04 and Open Suse 11.0 are OK.