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[SOLVED] Micro How to install Jessie on Alienware X51

Ask for help with issues regarding the Installations of the Debian O/S.
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nikobit
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[SOLVED] Micro How to install Jessie on Alienware X51

#1 Post by nikobit »

That's the way I did it. Better press one 'Page Down' key not to get lost in Internet jungle somewhere.
Last edited by nikobit on 2018-03-03 11:15, edited 3 times in total.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
  • OS: Debian 11 bullseye
  • Kernel: x86_64 Linux 5.10.0-19-amd64
  • Shell: bash
  • DE: GNOME 3.38.4
  • CPU: Intel Core i7-4790 @ 8x 4GHz
  • GPU: NVE4
  • RAM: 2384MiB / 15925MiB
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

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nikobit
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Re: [SOLVED] Micro How to install Jessie on Alienware X51

#2 Post by nikobit »

Well here another question is raised like how to initiate Safe Reboot? I understand that it should be addressed somewhere at Alienware forum but why us stay misled? Here goes the point. After successful installation and happy run for couple months at least Windows partition keeps asking for emergency data backup. I'm not sure about same procedure in Debian though. To make (God forbid) Data restored I have to reboot from external either USB or HDD or CD-ROM whatever. Upon selecting from PC boot screen F2 button I was suppose to be given external drive option but instead it proposes following: 1-st Boot [UEFI:debian], 2-nd Boot [USB Hard Disk], 3-rd Boot [CD-DVD], 4-th Boot [Network ], 5-th [Floppy]. Quite obvious change over 1-st and 2-nd does not let to boot USB stick. Same with CD-DVD. Please bear in mind that rest of ' UEFI Boot Selection' screen contains following preset:
* Boot Configuration:
Bootup NumLock state. [ ON]
Wait For 'F1' If Error. [ All Errors]

Secure Boot Control. [Disabled ]
Load Legacy OPROM. [Disabled ]

* Set Boot Priority
Boot Mode. [UEFI]
Usb Boot Support. [ Enabled ]
1-st Boot [UEFI:debian]
2-nd Boot [USB Hard Disk]
3-rd Boot [CD-DVD]
4-th Boot [Network ]
5-th [Floppy]

* Hard Disk Drive BBS Priorities

How to make desktop to boot from USB or CD-ROM?
Last edited by nikobit on 2018-03-03 11:10, edited 1 time in total.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
  • OS: Debian 11 bullseye
  • Kernel: x86_64 Linux 5.10.0-19-amd64
  • Shell: bash
  • DE: GNOME 3.38.4
  • CPU: Intel Core i7-4790 @ 8x 4GHz
  • GPU: NVE4
  • RAM: 2384MiB / 15925MiB
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

User avatar
nikobit
Posts: 123
Joined: 2009-02-08 19:40
Location: Moscow, Russia
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Re: [SOLVED] Micro How to install Jessie on Alienware X51

#3 Post by nikobit »

Don't ask me why it took so long to activate wifi on my machine!
For me so far wired connection worked just fine.
I got frustrated on my Broadcom Corporation BCM4352 802.11ac Wireless Network Adapter being put out idle for more than a year.
In case you still did not solve it here is a hint:
If you have no wifi available which is checked by

Code: Select all

user@workstation:~# iwconfig
eth0      no wireless extensions.
          
lo        no wireless extensions.
First I've done

Code: Select all

user@workstation:~# apt-get install firmware-linux-nonfree 
I believe for that you have to initiate <backports> repositories or add <non-free> to your existing list of repos available.
Then just do

Code: Select all

user@workstation:~# apt-get install broadcom-sta-dkms
Be careful on reboot it might require you to choose right kernel in case of boot-failure. But if you're lucky you'll see:

Code: Select all

user@workstation:~# iwconfig
eth0      no wireless extensions.

wlan0     IEEE 802.11abg  ESSID:off/any  
          Mode:Managed  Access Point: Not-Associated   Tx-Power=200 dBm   
          Retry short limit:7   RTS thr:off   Fragment thr:off
          Encryption key:off
          Power Management:off
         
lo        no wireless extensions.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
  • OS: Debian 11 bullseye
  • Kernel: x86_64 Linux 5.10.0-19-amd64
  • Shell: bash
  • DE: GNOME 3.38.4
  • CPU: Intel Core i7-4790 @ 8x 4GHz
  • GPU: NVE4
  • RAM: 2384MiB / 15925MiB
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

User avatar
nikobit
Posts: 123
Joined: 2009-02-08 19:40
Location: Moscow, Russia
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Re: [SOLVED] Micro How to install Jessie on Alienware X51

#4 Post by nikobit »

clipsumo: :wink:
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
  • OS: Debian 11 bullseye
  • Kernel: x86_64 Linux 5.10.0-19-amd64
  • Shell: bash
  • DE: GNOME 3.38.4
  • CPU: Intel Core i7-4790 @ 8x 4GHz
  • GPU: NVE4
  • RAM: 2384MiB / 15925MiB
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

User avatar
nikobit
Posts: 123
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Re: [SOLVED] Micro How to install Jessie on Alienware X51

#5 Post by nikobit »

Luckily I've stuck my nose on the top link. What I saw was complete site redesign and old info got lost in network abyss somewhere. So to avoid mistakes in future I just re-post that 3 year old HOWTO right here. Take into account the year of such HOWTO is 2014. So correct distros and other auxiliary software URLs accordingly.

RE: [HELP] Installing Linux together with Windows 8.1 on Alienware x51 R2

Well here comes the story how I've installed GNU/Debian-testing on my brand new DELL Alienware X51. Google is not much a helper here. So better read this down to the end before you attempt to destroy your PC completely along with all the data you have on it.
What I did was re-partition available SSD/HDD into the most convinient way. As I had 256GB SSD and 1TB HDD choice is quite obvious. Cut in halves. SSD first half remains total under Win 8.1 control. Remaining will be used as 2GB swap and for / partition. HDD last half is given to /home. As "/home users" will join me very soon. All the above stated should be done within Windows itself. Run <Win Key+R> in opened string type 'diskmgmt.msc'. You'll launch drive management tool. Be very careful at this stage you decide to shrink your Win space. Leave enough to load couple of your favorite games. That will suffice. Next step - to install UNetbootin. For that reason you better prepare USB stick. Mine was USB 3.0. Gosh that was quick installation!
UNetbootin is a program that runs from within Win. It's mostly self explanatory. In our PC-case we need to install Debian distribution with Testing_HdMedia_x64 flavour. Additionally I've downloaded .iso image which for Alienware X51 should be 'amd64' - testing strict! That image to be chosen as Disk Image for ISO Standart during 'UNetbootin' set up. Then choose FAT32 - formatted USB stick (you've got one right?) and go on with installation of bootable USB. It will take some time. Reboot from Windows with clear understanding that you are about to say it goodbye! (And in some cases to all your files too!) But not this time. Press and hold F2 key. Reboot brings you to initial boot screen where you should desable 'Secure Boot Control'. Along with it 'Load Legacy OPROM' goes disabled. It's OK. Next change boot order for USB to boot first. It will go like 1st-USB Hard Disk, 2-nd UEFI:Windows Boot Manager and so on. With your USB stick prepared by UNetbootin make reboot into USB boot. Debian installation starts in UEFI-mode. If not - start everything from beginning. You've certainly missed something! I won't describe the whole installation process. There's nothing in it except one point. As soon as you'll finish your partitioning and write changes to Hard Drive all your correct and incorrect actions will be curved in stone for ages and you can not reverse it back! I always note down my partitions in hand writing on paper before and AFTER changes are made, but not saved yet. That way you will have complete partitioning table right at your service with all necessary drive letters, partition types and all that stuff. Also you may cancel everything and dive back to Win harbor without saving the changes to installation process. Create 2GB swap, / partition where it should be and don't forget to segregate /home from the rest. It's the way I do it last 5 years of Debian use. You'll see why after another 5 years. Finally complete all the changes and write them on disk. It's crucial step so think trice! After that nothing could save you. During installation you can sit back and relax. My case it took me say 25 minutes or less. And there was no problems with GRUB-loader! If GRUB istallation went right you'll get appointment to boot your new system from last page of Debian-installer. Don't forget to switch back changes you've made to initial screen by pressing and holding F2 during this reboot! Bring back only boot sequence this time. 1-st boot will be UEFI:debian 2nd-UEFI:USB and so on. Upon saving the changes you should get ready to amuse to world of Open Software with Win 8.1 as back up option which I use less and less these days :wink:

RE: [HELP] Installing Linux together with Windows 8.1 on Alienware x51 R2

Lately Windows 10 has been released. And yes, Windows 10 update came with no trouble at all. Unless you are not lazy enough to upgrade BIOS to latest A12 if one suits you. Slight mess with UEFI bootloader sequence. It switched from 'UEFI' to 'Legacy' by itself and required a bit monkey business with 'Boot Order' menu afterwards. Otherwise no further hard job if you'll follow all prerequisites from here. Both OSes run with no hassle side by side loaded by GRUB2.2 boot manager.

ALIENWARE X51 R2;INTEL(R) CORE(TM) I7-4790;NVIDIA GEFORCE GTX 760 TI WITH 2G GDDR5
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
  • OS: Debian 11 bullseye
  • Kernel: x86_64 Linux 5.10.0-19-amd64
  • Shell: bash
  • DE: GNOME 3.38.4
  • CPU: Intel Core i7-4790 @ 8x 4GHz
  • GPU: NVE4
  • RAM: 2384MiB / 15925MiB
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

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Re: [SOLVED] Micro How to install Jessie on Alienware X51

#6 Post by stevepusser »

But by now, your repost is obsolete. Why not just install Debian 9, which was testing when you first wrote this?
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nikobit
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Re: [SOLVED] Micro How to install Jessie on Alienware X51

#7 Post by nikobit »

Well since long time I run Debian/Testing and everything seems to remain same as it was.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
  • OS: Debian 11 bullseye
  • Kernel: x86_64 Linux 5.10.0-19-amd64
  • Shell: bash
  • DE: GNOME 3.38.4
  • CPU: Intel Core i7-4790 @ 8x 4GHz
  • GPU: NVE4
  • RAM: 2384MiB / 15925MiB
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

User avatar
stevepusser
Posts: 12930
Joined: 2009-10-06 05:53
Has thanked: 41 times
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Re: [SOLVED] Micro How to install Jessie on Alienware X51

#8 Post by stevepusser »

Damn, someone seems to be at a vastly slower time scale than the rest of us. Are you in a starship near the speed of light, or closely orbiting a black hole? Or located half a light year away from Earth?
MX Linux packager and developer

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