Appropriate arch/kernel for a Dell Precision 380?

[Meistro Master]

Hello,

I've got a Dell Precision 380 which uses a Pentium Extreme Edition
(Smithfield). This is the dual-core, hyperthreaded version of the
Pentium D.

I'm trying to determine the best Debian version and kernel to use.
Should I be using the the AMD64 or the Pure64 port or something else?
Also, from what I've read, it sounds like the only kernel version that
supports hyperthreading is 2.6.12. If that's the case, then will I
need to dip into Sid to use the ` linux-image-2.6.12-1-em64t-p4`
kernel version? Is there another packaged version that might work
better?

Thanks for any suggestions. I've not worked with a 64-bit arch before
and the information out there is hit-and-miss.

--maestro

[Lennart Sorensen]

Post by Meistro Master
I've got a Dell Precision 380 which uses a Pentium Extreme Edition
(Smithfield). This is the dual-core, hyperthreaded version of the
Pentium D.
I'm trying to determine the best Debian version and kernel to use.
Should I be using the the AMD64 or the Pure64 port or something else?
Also, from what I've read, it sounds like the only kernel version that
supports hyperthreading is 2.6.12. If that's the case, then will I
need to dip into Sid to use the ` linux-image-2.6.12-1-em64t-p4`
kernel version? Is there another packaged version that might work
better?
Thanks for any suggestions. I've not worked with a 64-bit arch before
and the information out there is hit-and-miss.

hyperthreading has been supported since 2.4.19 or 20 as far as I recall.
Explicit knowledge of the layout and association of dual core chips on
the other hand I believe is new in 2.6.12. Earlier kernels may still
recognize it as two cpu (each with hyperthreading) but may not do the
optimal thing for scheduling on a dual core machine.

You would certainly need the -smp version of the kernel if you want to
take advantage of either of dual core and hyperthreading.

Len Sorensen

[Meistro Master]

Post by Lennart Sorensen

Post by Meistro Master
I've got a Dell Precision 380 which uses a Pentium Extreme Edition
(Smithfield). This is the dual-core, hyperthreaded version of the
Pentium D.
I'm trying to determine the best Debian version and kernel to use.
Should I be using the the AMD64 or the Pure64 port or something else?
Also, from what I've read, it sounds like the only kernel version that
supports hyperthreading is 2.6.12. If that's the case, then will I
need to dip into Sid to use the ` linux-image-2.6.12-1-em64t-p4`
kernel version? Is there another packaged version that might work
better?
Thanks for any suggestions. I've not worked with a 64-bit arch before
and the information out there is hit-and-miss.

hyperthreading has been supported since 2.4.19 or 20 as far as I recall.
Explicit knowledge of the layout and association of dual core chips on
the other hand I believe is new in 2.6.12. Earlier kernels may still
recognize it as two cpu (each with hyperthreading) but may not do the
optimal thing for scheduling on a dual core machine.
You would certainly need the -smp version of the kernel if you want to
take advantage of either of dual core and hyperthreading.
Len Sorensen

Hmmm... well so far I can't even get the installer to work. It hangs
on the language selection screen (I tried the Ubuntu AMD64 port as
well, and it, not surprisingly, hangs at the same point).

I've tried just about every combination of boot parameters, with no
luck. Should I just be using the i386 installer and go with a EM64T
kernel instead?

[Lennart Sorensen]

Post by Meistro Master
Hmmm... well so far I can't even get the installer to work. It hangs
on the language selection screen (I tried the Ubuntu AMD64 port as
well, and it, not surprisingly, hangs at the same point).
I've tried just about every combination of boot parameters, with no
luck. Should I just be using the i386 installer and go with a EM64T
kernel instead?

Is the keyboard ps2 or usb? I wonder if there is something causing a
keyboard problem (like a broken bios or something).

Did you use the amd64 sarge install cd or one of the unofficial ones, or
the testing/unstable install cd?

Len Sorensen

[Meistro Master]

Post by Lennart Sorensen

Post by Meistro Master
Hmmm... well so far I can't even get the installer to work. It hangs
on the language selection screen (I tried the Ubuntu AMD64 port as
well, and it, not surprisingly, hangs at the same point).
I've tried just about every combination of boot parameters, with no
luck. Should I just be using the i386 installer and go with a EM64T
kernel instead?

Is the keyboard ps2 or usb? I wonder if there is something causing a
keyboard problem (like a broken bios or something).
Did you use the amd64 sarge install cd or one of the unofficial ones, or
the testing/unstable install cd?
Len Sorensen

What's weird is that the keyboard works fine initially, because I can
select the boot parameters and so forth. I am using the installer from

http://cdimage.debian.org/cdimage/unofficial/sarge-amd64/iso-cd/debian-31r0a-amd64-binary-1.iso

I do have two SATA hard drives; perhaps I need a newer boot kernel?
Reading through the list archives it sounds like people have had some
issues with SATA pre-2.6.12.

Are there snapshots in .ISO form? Thanks for your help, Len!

[Lennart Sorensen]

Post by Meistro Master
What's weird is that the keyboard works fine initially, because I can
select the boot parameters and so forth. I am using the installer from

The boot prompt uses bios calls, the language selector uses the linux
kernel interface to the hardware. Different interface -> different
behaviour. :)

Post by Meistro Master
http://cdimage.debian.org/cdimage/unofficial/sarge-amd64/iso-cd/debian-31r0a-amd64-binary-1.iso
I do have two SATA hard drives; perhaps I need a newer boot kernel?
Reading through the list archives it sounds like people have had some
issues with SATA pre-2.6.12.
Are there snapshots in .ISO form? Thanks for your help, Len!

Well from what I read today, the current snapshots aren't building for
some reason, and there have been some trouble with the new 2.6.12
kernels partially due to a name change.

Feel free to try my unofficial sarge image with 2.6.12 though.

http://www.tinyplanet.ca/~lsorense/amd64/

Len Sorensen

[Meistro Master]

Post by Lennart Sorensen

Post by Meistro Master
What's weird is that the keyboard works fine initially, because I can
select the boot parameters and so forth. I am using the installer from

The boot prompt uses bios calls, the language selector uses the linux
kernel interface to the hardware. Different interface -> different
behaviour. :)

Post by Meistro Master
http://cdimage.debian.org/cdimage/unofficial/sarge-amd64/iso-cd/debian-31r0a-amd64-binary-1.iso
I do have two SATA hard drives; perhaps I need a newer boot kernel?
Reading through the list archives it sounds like people have had some
issues with SATA pre-2.6.12.
Are there snapshots in .ISO form? Thanks for your help, Len!

Well from what I read today, the current snapshots aren't building for
some reason, and there have been some trouble with the new 2.6.12
kernels partially due to a name change.
Feel free to try my unofficial sarge image with 2.6.12 though.
http://www.tinyplanet.ca/~lsorense/amd64/

Well, I tried your unofficial image, with the same results: locks on
the language selection screen.

Just for the hell of it, I through in the official Sarge i386 CD
installer, and... it works. I'll see if I can get one of the smp em64t
kernels running on it. Kind of bummed that the amd64 port won't seem
to take. Is there any way I can pull logs/debug info from the failed
installations? I would be willing to extract it if it would help the
port team.

Thanks again for all the tips.

--Maestro

[Adam Goode]

Post by Meistro Master

Post by Lennart Sorensen

Post by Meistro Master
What's weird is that the keyboard works fine initially, because I can
select the boot parameters and so forth. I am using the installer from

The boot prompt uses bios calls, the language selector uses the linux
kernel interface to the hardware. Different interface -> different
behaviour. :)

Post by Meistro Master
http://cdimage.debian.org/cdimage/unofficial/sarge-amd64/iso-cd/debian-31r0a-amd64-binary-1.iso
I do have two SATA hard drives; perhaps I need a newer boot kernel?
Reading through the list archives it sounds like people have had some
issues with SATA pre-2.6.12.
Are there snapshots in .ISO form? Thanks for your help, Len!

Well from what I read today, the current snapshots aren't building for
some reason, and there have been some trouble with the new 2.6.12
kernels partially due to a name change.
Feel free to try my unofficial sarge image with 2.6.12 though.
http://www.tinyplanet.ca/~lsorense/amd64/

Well, I tried your unofficial image, with the same results: locks on
the language selection screen.
Just for the hell of it, I through in the official Sarge i386 CD
installer, and... it works. I'll see if I can get one of the smp em64t
kernels running on it. Kind of bummed that the amd64 port won't seem
to take. Is there any way I can pull logs/debug info from the failed
installations? I would be willing to extract it if it would help the
port team.
Thanks again for all the tips.
--Maestro

It's a known problem for this machine, and related to the sound driver
being loaded. When the kernel initializes the sound driver, all USB and
PS/2 ports die.

Workaround: Disable USB controller in the BIOS, or don't load sound
driver :)

Look for "sound problem" or "keyboard" in messages related to the
380/380N:
http://lists.us.dell.com/pipermail/linux-precision/2005-July/thread.html


Strangely, the FC4 kernel works perfectly, but I have no idea why.
Gentoo works fine, until coldplug runs and loads the audio driver, then
keyboard and mouse are dead. I guess Debian loads modules at the
beginning of the installer...


Adam

[Lennart Sorensen]

Post by Adam Goode
It's a known problem for this machine, and related to the sound driver
being loaded. When the kernel initializes the sound driver, all USB and
PS/2 ports die.
Workaround: Disable USB controller in the BIOS, or don't load sound
driver :)
Look for "sound problem" or "keyboard" in messages related to the
http://lists.us.dell.com/pipermail/linux-precision/2005-July/thread.html
Strangely, the FC4 kernel works perfectly, but I have no idea why.
Gentoo works fine, until coldplug runs and loads the audio driver, then
keyboard and mouse are dead. I guess Debian loads modules at the
beginning of the installer...

I didn't think sound modules were included in the debian installer.
After all why would you include them?

But certainly some indication the ps2/usb interface on that machine is
broken in some way.

Len Sorensen