Update 6/3/2009: Follow the instructions here at PenDriveLinux.com for Ubuntu 9.04, it works with the Dell XPS 720 very well. The only odd thing is that I have to re-enable the NVidia drivers between reboots. When you do enable it, don’t reboot. Just log out and let the auto login go and you can use the full Compiz effects.
I run Vista 64 bit on my XPS 700 720. Looking at how it boots up, I am not sure that Microsoft will work with another operating system. And I do use this computer for work-ish *cough* games *cough* reasons.
I’ve just downloaded the 64 bit iso image for Ubuntu 7.10 beta and burnt it to CD. I’m installing the software but not on my hard drives, I’m installing it onto a 2 GB USB memory stick I have lying around.
This should let me install what I want to play with without me having to take the plunge exactly on this computer. I just have to remember to hit F12 when I boot up so the BIOS presents me with a boot menu.
As the install image booted up it played with my monitor settings and set it for 1680×1050. That’s not bad; last time it insisted on 1024×768. The sound card was not installed for the live session but that’s probably fine for now.
It’s installing right now as I enter this; I’m using Firefox in the live session. It’s going slow and I’m tailing /var/log/messages in another window to see if the drive suddenly dies.
Once I have it working off the USB drive entirely then I’ll mess with the drivers to see if I can get sound and Compiz working at 1920×1200 with full acceleration.
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i have an xps 720 too.
o you managed it to work? i´m interested to try it!
thanks.
Last time (around July 2008) I tried to install the 64-bit Ubuntu (pre 8.10, don’t recall the exact number). Installed fine but neither the graphics card (my dual GeForce 880GTs) nor the audio (CL X-FI) was detected. Never got them to work so I crawled back to Vista. Did anyone succeed in getting everything to work on the XPS 720? Did 8.10 address this?
George,
I have not tried recently. Since I wrote this I installed Vista 64 again and have been working ever since. It’s the games: Steam games just work easier in Vista.
If I get the chance I’ll try to install 8.10 on a USB stick and get that working.