This is a guide to running Linux with the Dell Precision M90 laptop. A large screen notebook with high end components, the Precision M90 is one big and heavy computer.
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.
If you would like to edit this page please first view our Editing Guidelines.
| Name | Dell Precision M90 |
| Processor | Intel Core Duo T2500 2Ghz |
| Screen | 17” UXGA |
| RAM | 2GB |
| HDD | 80GB |
| Optical Drive | DVD+-RW |
| Graphics | Nvidia Quadro NVS FX1500M |
| Network | 10/100/1000 Ethernet + Intel 3945 802.11g Wireless + Bluetooth |
| Other | 6 x USB2.0 + 1 x Firewire |
| Device | Compatibility | Comments |
|---|---|---|
| Processor | Yes | |
| Screen | Yes | |
| Optical Drive | Yes | |
| Graphics | Yes | |
| Sound | Yes | Use the snd-hda-intel module |
| Ethernet | Yes | |
| Wireless | Yes | Use the ipw3945 module |
| Bluetooth | Not Tested | |
| 56K Modem | Not Tested | |
| USB | Yes | |
| Firewire | Not Tested | |
| ExpressCard Slot | Not Tested |
The Nvidia Quadro NVS FX1500M included with the M90 can function with either the open source nv or the proprietary nvidia module.
For installation instructions for the proprietary nvidia module you can view our Configuring a nVidia graphics chip guide.
There are some models of the Precision M90 that have the Dell Wireless 1390 network card. Compatibility isn't know at this time but it likely will need ndiswrapper to function.
The Dell Precision M90 is certainly one big and heavy notebook but it does have excellent Linux support.
Discussion
Hibernation was erratic with Ubuntu 8.10 and is OK with Ubuntu 9.10. A number of scary USB error are printed on the console when I boot, but everything works fine otherwise.
Screen will go nuts sometimes using OpenGL
I've been using this laptop for almost two years. Works great most of the time, but sometimes the screen will just go crazy if a 3D application is running. The screen will just turn into a bunch of high frequency noise as if it was being sent a bad signal.
The m90 always had graphics problems
Wireless varies
My M90 came with a Dell 1490 Wifi card–based on the Broadcom BCM4310