Dell Vostro 1000 with Ubuntu Linux 7.10 Gutsy Gibbon

Tested on Ubuntu Linux 7.10 Gutsy Gibbon 32bit / i386. (2008-07-25)

The installation steps on this page resolve the following issues:

Boot error: bcm43xx: Error: Microcode "bcm43xx_microcode5.fw" not available or load failed.
Ubuntu won't start GDM / GNOME and hangs in the boot sequence.
/usr/share/fonts: failed to write cache apt upgrade bug.
Brightness control keys don't work.

As I encountered some major annoyances with Ubuntu Linux 8.04 Hardy Heron 64bit (Flash/Java/PDF, Pulseaudio, scanner), I decided to take a safe approach for the Dell Vostro 1000 notebook and installed the Ubuntu 7.10 Gutsy Gibbon 32bit / i386 version.

Download Ubuntu 7.10 Alternate and burn the image to cd.

Optional: Install Windows XP on the first part of your harddisk for a dual boot installation.

Start windows and activate the wireless card (Fn+F2). The WiFi LED should be switched on by now.

Reboot and enter the BIOS (F2). Disable the setting: "Wireless Hotkey Control".

Reboot and enter the Ubuntu Linux 7.10 Gutsy Gibbon alternate installation cd. Select the first option "Install in text mode" ~~and press F6 to change the boot options. Add noapic to the boot options~~.

At the configuration of xserver-xorg set the screen resolution to 1280x800.

After finishing the installation reboot and enter the boot manager GRUB (ESC). Choose the the recovery mode.

Option A: Automatic installation

Download and execute an automatic installation script, that includes the commands of Option B (Manual installation) on this page.

Download the first Vostro Install script

Option EN: English Keyboard (xorg section)
```
wget ubuntu.flowconsult.at/en/dell-vostro-1000/7.10/vostro-install-1-en.sh
```

Option DE

wget ubuntu.flowconsult.at/en/dell-vostro-1000/7.10/vostro-install-1-de.sh

Run installation script 1
```
sh vostro-install-1*
```

After rebooting enter the boot manager GRUB (ESC). Choose the the recovery mode.

Run installation script 2
```
sh vostro-install-2*
```

Proceed with the manual installation at step "Update the installed packages and reboot."

Option B: Manual installation

Fix the font update bug (/usr/share/fonts: failed to write cache):

find /usr/share/fonts /usr/local/share/fonts /var/lib/defoma/fontconfig.d -type d -print0 | sudo xargs --null touch

Optional: Remove the CD-ROM as installation source.

sudo perl -p -i.bak -e 's/deb cdrom/# deb cdrom/g' /etc/apt/sources.list && sudo apt-get update

Update the existing installation.
```
sudo apt-get upgrade
```

Reboot and start again with recovery mode when starting with GRUB.
```
reboot
```

sudo echo -e "\nDISABLED_MODULES=\"fglrx\"" >>/etc/default/linux-restricted-modules-common

sudo /etc/init.d/linux-restricted-modules-common start

```
sudo depmod -a
```

sudo apt-get install linux-headers-generic build-essential debconf dh-make fakeroot gcc-3.3 libstdc++5 module-assistant dkms debhelper

Download the proprietary ATI driver.

sudo wget https://a248.e.akamai.net/f/674/9206/0/www2.ati.com/drivers/linux/ati-driver-installer-8-7-x86.x86_64.run --no-check-certificate

```
sudo chmod +x ati*
```
```
sudo ./ati* --buildpkg Ubuntu/gutsy
```
```
sudo dpkg -i fglrx-kernel-source_*
```
```
sudo dpkg -i xorg-driver-fglrx_*
```
```
sudo dpkg -i fglrx-amdccc*
```

Backup the existing xorg.conf file.

sudo cp /etc/X11/xorg.conf /etc/X11/xorg.conf.bak

Download a xorg.conf file.

Option DE: German Keyboard (xorg section)
```
wget http://ubuntu.flowconsult.at/en/dell-vostro-1000/7.10/xorg-de.conf
```
Working English xorg file.

Option EN: German Keyboard (xorg section)
```
wget http://ubuntu.flowconsult.at/en/dell-vostro-1000/7.10/xorg-en.conf
```
Working German xorg file.
```
sudo mv xorg*.conf /etc/X11/xorg.conf
```

Download the working compiz configuration file and replace the default version.

wget http://ubuntu.flowconsult.at/en/dell-vostro-1000/7.10/compiz && sudo mv compiz /usr/bin/compiz && sudo chown root /usr/bin/compiz && sudo chgrp root /usr/bin/compiz && sudo chmod +x /usr/bin/compiz

Or manually edit the file /usr/bin/compiz and update the settings with the text with yellow background.

sudo gedit /usr/bin/compiz

COMPIZ_BIN_PATH="/usr/local/bin/" # For window decorators and compiz
COMPIZ_BIN_PATH="/usr/bin/" # For window decorators and compiz

PLUGIN_PATH="/usr/local/lib/compiz/"
PLUGIN_PATH="/usr/lib/compiz/"

COMPIZ_NAME="compiz" # Final name for compiz (compiz.real)
COMPIZ_NAME="compiz.real" # Final name for compiz (compiz.real)

WHITELIST="nvidia intel ati radeon i810"
WHITELIST="fglrx nvidia intel ati radeon i810"

BLACKLIST_PCIIDS="$T"
BLACKLIST_PCIIDS=""

Working compiz file.

Install the Compiz Manager.

sudo apt-get install compizconfig-settings-manager

Fix brightness control keys (FN + increase/decrease brightness).

wget http://launchpadlibrarian.net/11085094/video_brightnessup.sh && wget http://launchpadlibrarian.net/11081245/video_brightnessdown.sh && sudo mv video_brightnessup.sh /etc/acpi && sudo mv video_brightnessdown.sh /etc/acpi && sudo chmod +x /etc/acpi/video_brightnessup.sh && sudo chmod +x /etc/acpi/video_brightnessdown.sh

Reboot and start with the default GRUB option.
```
reboot
```
Update the installed packages and reboot.
Download the WiFi firmware with your browser: http://downloads.openwrt.org/sources/wl_apsta-3.130.20.0.o
Activate the WiFi card with the Restricted drivers manager and choose the previously downloaded wl_apsta-3.130.20.0.o.
Install software.