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.
This page is just for discussing using Linux on the Dell Latitude E6500. For a general discussion about this laptop you can visit the Dell Latitude E6500 page on LapWik.
If you would like to edit this page please first view our Editing Guidelines.
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, Broadcom BCM4322 802.11abgn, Dell 5720 Sprint Mobile Broadband (EVDO Rev-A) Minicard |
| Device | Compatibility | Comments |
|---|---|---|
| Processor | Yes | |
| Screen | Yes | |
| HDD | Yes | |
| Optical Drive | Yes | Also supports replacement with HDD caddy seamlessly |
| Graphics | Yes | Needs proprietary nVidia driver for nVidia card |
| Sound | Yes | |
| Ethernet | Yes | |
| Wireless | Yes | Tested Intel 5300 @ 54Mbps, Broadcom BCM4322 |
| 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 | |
| eSATAp | Yes | Tested with its own optical drive. |
| Firewire | Not Tested | |
| Card Reader | Yes | Tested with multiple SD/mSD cards |
| 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 and support for Broadcom devices has greatly increased.
To find the Device IDs of Broadcom cards on your machines do:
# lspci -n | grep 14e4
OS agnostic driver support for Broadcom's BCM4322 based hardware can be found at Broadcom 802.11 Linux STA driver site.
Build details and installation instructions are provided by Broadcom and this kernel module was tested on Fedora Core 13 (2.6.33 & 2.6.34) and worked without issue.
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.
- ???
- Vinod K.
- Josh M.
- Jerome G. (Some addendum: eSATAp, Optical w/HDD, Broadcom Wireless)