Computer & Web Solutions

Dell Latitude C640 Intel Pentium 4m 2.0Ghz
Ubuntu 7.04 install 4-20-2007
Ubuntu 7.10 installed 11-1-2007

System Information
Introduction
The install story

Random Gnome Desktop Background

System Info

2 PCMCIA Type I, II, or 1Type III
1 Fast IR port
1 USB 1.1 Ports
1 VGA 15 Dsub port
1 Com
1 LPT
1 PS/2 port
1 S-Video/Composite Video
1 RJ11 (Phone)
1 RJ45 (Ethernet)
1 Headphone
1 Mic

Introduction

I got an old computer and some of my friends were picking on me for being a one distribution linux man, so I figured I could prove them wrong. With the very easy setup of Ubuntu there wasn't any special trick I needed to get it working on this computer. Even with the Dell True mobile 1400 network card for wireless networks. I also had some part form other broken laptops. I updated the RAM, Processor, and CD-ROM drive on this system as well. People that look at this system are calling it a ghetto system, because of the lack of some of the plastic on the face plate of the DVD/CD-RW drive.

Install Story

First I started with a 6.10 install CD for this system which was given to me from one of the students picking on me for only being a one linux distribution user. The 6.10 install when really easy and there didn't seem to be many problems, but I could not use my WiFi card because nothing was downloaded by default for this type of wireless chipset. I started searching for the wireless firmware and drivers and some instruction on the web. I downloaded fwcutter to be able to cut out the firmware for this WiFi card. Shortly after looking at the all of this information my update manager said that there was an update to the system. I looked at the update manager and sure enough there was upgrade to 7.04. I figured why not, I haven't really done anything on this yet so if it breaks nothing lost nothing gained. The update went smoothly and as soon as it went to update the fwcutter it also asked to download the needed firmware. After the reboot the wifi card worked. Still more testing to come. Open Office 2.2 and more stuff installed on this version of Ubuntu.

On November 1st 2007 I did a system update and installed the new 7.10 version from the Update Manager. 2 hours later the system had downloaded all of the updated packages and rebooted into the new version. Gaim has now been updated to Pidgin and Open Office is now running at 2.3. More testing of this system will be coming in the next few days.

With the 7.10 update the modem was now found as a Restricted drivers. I activated the modem driver, but I currently don't have a way to test this as a modem since I don't have any place to dial into a network.

Wireless Information

Starting with Ubuntu 7.04 the Restricted drivers found the Dell TrueMobile 1400 WiFi card. Letting the Ubuntu download the firmware for the card works fast and easy with out having to extract the firmware the hard way.

Upgrading to 7.10 made you run the update again to activate the wireless card. After rebooting the firmware activates the WiFi card and Network Manager allows you to connect to Wired and WiFi networks with ease.

The card connects to the following wireless settings that I have tested so far: 802.11a, 802.11b, using open, wep, and wpa tkip.

Random Gnome Desktop Background.

This file works on Ubuntu as well as my other linux installs. I downloaded the gnome-schedule app to add the file to a cron job. Then I setup the time delay that I wanted for this script to run. Any questions on this file click on the contact us link at the top of this page and ask. I am willing to help people that want to use this file.

Gnome Random Desktop File.