This is a compatibility guide to running Linux with the Dell Precision M2400 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 Precision M2400. For a general discussion about this laptop you can visit the Dell Precision M2400 page on LapWik.
If you would like to edit this page please first view our Editing Guidelines.
For full specifications see the Dell Precision M2400 specifications page.
| Name | Dell Precision M2400 |
| Processor | Intel Core 2 Duo |
| Screen | 14.1” WXGA or WXGA+ Widescreen |
| RAM | 1GB to 8GB |
| HDD | Up to 500GB or 64GB SSD |
| Optical Drive | DVD+-RW |
| Graphics | NVIDIA Quadro FX 370M |
| Network | Ethernet, Dell 802.11bg or Intel 5100 802.11abg or Intel 5300 802.11abgn, Bluetooth |
| Device | Compatibility | Comments |
|---|---|---|
| Processor | Working | |
| Screen | Working | |
| HDD | Working | |
| Optical Drive | Working | |
| Graphics | Working | |
| Sound | Working | |
| Ethernet | Working | |
| Wireless | Working | |
| Bluetooth | Not Tested | |
| 56K Modem | Not Tested | |
| USB | Working | |
| Card Reader | Working | |
| ExpressCard Slot | Not Tested | |
| Fingerprint Reader | Not Tested | |
| Camera | Not Tested |
You can enter any specific notes with running Linux on the Dell Precision M2400 here.
Ubuntu - 8.10 (Intrepid) everything works out of the box. docking station also all works (with nvidia drivers)
no bluetooth or fingerprint reader to test, modem not tested, suspend to ram and hibernate both work.
You can enter a summary of how well the Dell Precision M2400 works with Linux here.
Discussion
I am planning to buy one dell precision M2400 but I would like to use UBUNTU 9.10. I am not sure if what O.S. are my best option (SERVER or DESKTOP edition with 32 or 64 bits). I am use a lot of ram in data analysis.
Could you help to me in this configuration?
Go for the 64bit Desktop edition if you have 4GB of RAM or more, the 32bit version will only be able to see up to about 3.5GB RAM.
I have a M2400 running with ubuntu 9.10 desktop and work perfect!
Even DELL have some linux drivers for this laptop. In particular, it is possible to update the BIOS, and others hardware drivers (most of them well integrated in new kernels)
Hi,
I got a Dell Precision M2400 without O.S. (only BIOS installed) and installed Kubuntu 8.10 64bit from the ISO file.
I also have the docking station.
I have not done a complete checklist of the performance but most of the stuff just worked without problems.
The o.s. recognized the presence of a graphic card without open source driver (the Nvidia) and prompted me before downloading the correct drivers from Nvidia. All was ok.
Docking USBs are also working without problems.
Bluetooth seems to be working.
Knetwork manager is giving me some problems but I guess it is just a matter of configuration.
Hello,
what nvidia driver did you use?
On nvidia web pages there is no driver available for Quadro FX 370M graphic card.
Even more, the card Quadro FX 370M is not available in the download driver menu, neither
for Linux nor for Windows.
Thank for response
D.
Hi,
I have a Quadro FX 370M with 512 MB with NVIDIA driver version 177.82
I did not actively search for the drivers, when installing, kubuntu 8.10 just told me that a proprietary driver might be downloaded and prompted me if do it.
Hope it helps,
g.
Hello. How disd you got the DELL M2400 without O.S. I ask in DELL and they couldný sell it.
Hi,
it was their first answer to my request too. I just told them that I was going to buy another laptop and they decided to sell it without o.s.
It depends a lot from your country, I do not know why.
Best,
g.
I set of on this road of ubuntu interpid on my new M2400 and got the most working from the start. The problem I have now is the wireless connection and my firewire audio interface (mackie onyx satellite). I wonder if the wireless card were functional from start in the above check list? but there is one article on the web describing this issue. I'll take a look at it. But as a novice i guess i will be slow progress here…
I am going to buy this laptop and from Dell's page I can see that you can choose between Intel's and Dell's wireless card. After some search it turned out that the Dell Wireless is based on a chipset from Broadcom. From my experience with Linux I can tell you - stay as far away from Broadcom as possible. Go for Intel. This will save you a lot's of trouble. Generally, when running Linux, getting hardware from Intel is a good idea, beacuse Intel really supports Linux.
If you happen to have the Broadcom chip based wifi, you need to do some workaround with ndiswrapper. You can google for broadcom and ndiswrapper, hope this will help (even though you posted looong time ago)