Alienware and Zorin

I have been using Zorin 6.4 on my Toshiba laptop and it works great. I just bought a new Alienware 14 laptop and Zorin 6.4. and 7 are not compatible with my hardware. With 6.4, when the LIVE desktop loads, the screen "tears" the screen into multiple images. If I use compatibility mode, it still tears. The wifi also will not works, the wifi "card" is not detected. I have a USB wifi adapter and when I tried that, that wasn't "seen" either.
With Zorin 7, the USB wifi light comes on, but it doesn't see the built in wifi, and the screen is black, it never displays the desktop.
The Alienware 14 I bought is the most expensive of the 3 choices:
http://www.dell.com/us/p/alienware-14/p ... ienware-14
My video card is a NVIDIA GeForce GTX 765M
The wifi is a Broadcom 4352 802.11 ac 2x2 and Bluetooth 4.0
My USB wifi is a Roswell RNX-N150HG.
Is there any version of Zorin that will work with this hardware? I would even buy the premium version if it would work with my hardware. I really don't want to go to a different version of Linux.
Thanks,
Snyde

Hi,

when you see the Zorin menu, press the "TAB" key and then type "nomodeset" or "acpi=off" then press enter and see if you can boot using either of those commands!.

You might want to try the lite version of Zorin:

http://zorin-os.com/free7.html

Hope it helps.

Regards Wolfman

Wolfman wrote:Hi,

when you see the Zorin menu, press the "TAB" key and then type "nomodeset" or "acpi=off" then press enter and see if you can boot using either of those commands!.

You might want to try the lite version of Zorin:

http://zorin-os.com/free
Regards Wolfman

I was able to install Zorin 7.1 by using the nomodeset switch from the LIVE DVD. Although now it won't boot unless I select "advanced" boot options in Grub, and select "safe graphics" mode. There is also no "additional drivers" listed in system settings where I can load the Nvidia driver for the video. The video on this laptop is an NVIDIA® GeForce® GTX 765M with 2GB GDDR5 in it. I've updated everything too. All I can think of doing is to go to the Nvidia website and see if they might have a Ubuntu driver. Any other suggestions are greatly appreciated.
Snyde

Wolfman wrote:Hi,

when you see the Zorin menu, press the "TAB" key and then type "nomodeset" or "acpi=off" then press enter and see if you can boot using either of those commands!.

You might want to try the lite version of Zorin:

http://zorin-os.com/free7.html

Hope it helps.

Regards Wolfman

Since my last post I downloaded the Linux driver for this vidoe card at NVIDIA's website, NVIDIA-Linux-x86_64-331.20.run. When I install it, per instructions from NVIDIA'S website:
sh ./NVIDIA-Linux-x86_64-331.20.run , the NVIDIA installer starts, but then gives me an error saying X is running and I must quit X. After searching for that solution on the Internet I found this solution:
sudo stop lightdm . The installer quits and throws me into a "command prompt", of sort, except that it won't accept the command sh ./NVIDIA-Linux-x86_64-331.20.run , or even a basic ls command. I can't exit the screen, I have to CTRL-ALT-DEL to get out of it.
I'm thinking I have to load the driver from a terminal prompt, without the GUI running, but I don't know how to do that. Can you help with that?
Thanks,
Snyde

Hi Snyde,

use the PPA from this link, try the 304 PPA first, the 319 PPA might cripple Google Earth like it did me!:

viewtopic.php?f=5&t=2490

RESTART AND UPDATE AFTER INSTALL!.

Regards Wolfman

Wolfman wrote:Hi Snyde,

use the PPA from this link, try the 304 PPA first, the 319 PPA might cripple Google Earth like it did me!:

viewtopic.php?f=5&t=2490

RESTART AND UPDATE AFTER INSTALL!.

Regards Wolfman

After running synaptic > reload > mark all updates > apply and reboot, the normal Zorin still won't boot, neither will the advanced options > recovery mode, it just locks up. After I select failsafe graphics it goes to the text mode, the text scrolls on the screen, it goes black, then I see a couple of colored lines at the top of the screen, what is a splash screen or the GUI or something, but it goes no farther, I have to press the power button to get out of it. I think I'll have to re-install Zorin again. I think I need to find a way to load the driver from NVIDIA, but I don't know how that's done. Can you help with that?
Thanks,
Snyde

Wolfman wrote:Hi Snyde,

use the PPA from this link, try the 304 PPA first, the 319 PPA might cripple Google Earth like it did me!:

viewtopic.php?f=5&t=2490

RESTART AND UPDATE AFTER INSTALL!.

Regards Wolfman

I reloaded Zorin 7.1 and now I'm back where I started. Now instead of booting into recovery mode, from the GRUB menu, I press e and then go down to the line that says quiet splash, replace it with nomodeset, and press CTL-X. It starts up Zorin in low graphics mode. I'm thinking I need to install the driver I downloaded from NVIDIA, but I need to stop X to do that, and the text mode it drops me into won't take any commands. There must be a way to exit the GUI and boot to a command line, but I don't know how to do that. Can you help with that?
Thanks,
Snyde

Hi, to boot to a command line, select the second menu option and after you get to the menu, use 'drop to root-shell prompt' - last menu item.

Hi,

start in "Recovery mode" and select "Network" (network cable rquired) and then drop to "root" and enter the commands that you have from Nvidia, although it is easier to just install from the PPA list I provided earlier!.

RESTART YOUR PC WITH CTRL + ALT +DEL, DO NOT CLICK ON RESUME AFTER INSTALLING THE DRIVERS AND RUN AN UPDATE AND RESTART IF NECESSARY.

Regards Wolfman

Wolfman wrote:Hi,

start in "Recovery mode" and select "Network" (network cable rquired) and then drop to "root" and enter the commands that you have from Nvidia, although it is easier to just install from the PPA list I provided earlier!.

RESTART YOUR PC WITH CTRL + ALT +DEL, DO NOT CLICK ON RESUME AFTER INSTALLING THE DRIVERS AND RUN AN UPDATE AND RESTART IF NECESSARY.

Regards Wolfman

I tried this serveral times, and it wouldn't work. I had to start Zorin from the hard drive and press "e" and change quiet splash to nomodeset, like I have all this time.
Finally, I went to the NVIDIA site and downloaded the 319.72 driver and installed that. IT WORKED!! KINDA. It boots in the normal mode and everything seems to function, except it's in 640X480 4:3 mode, instead of the normal wide screen. Is there a way to change this driver to wide screen?
When I check System Settings > Monitor, there is no wide screen option, just 4:3. Is this because of the driver? Maybe I just need to try another driver? Your proceedure installed the driver fine, once I got one that worked.
I'm "this" close to getting this installed! It's very frustrating, but I appreciate all your help. If you know how to change the resolution, or if you think it's at 4:3 because of the driver I'd appreciate another clue.
Thanks,
Snyde

I finally called Alienware support and they told me that I also had to install the Intel HD graphics drivers for the 4600. I tried that and got an error saying it wouldn't work for this version. It's for Ubuntu 13.04. So I downloaded and installed that along with the Intel and Nvidia drivers, same problems with that. screen is in 4:3 mode, and with Ubuntu I have no "side bar". I finally came up with a fix, of sorts. I installed Zorin from the live CD using the nomodeset switch. After the install I edited /etc/default/grub and replaced the line GRUB_CMDLINE_LINUX_DEFAULT="quiet splasht" with GRUB_CMDLINE_LINUX_DEFAULT="nomodeset" and it displays correctly, and everything seems to work. I don't necessarily like doing it this way, but as long as there are no security issues running it this way I would rather run it like this thatn to have to run Windows on this computer. I'm hoping that the reason I'm having trouble installing and version of Linux on this laptop is because the hardware is so new and it might take some time before the Linux distros "catch up" with the hardware, eventually thay will, I hope. I really don't want to use Windows and put up with all of the virus spyware and adware etc. that's involve with it!! I've been using Linux for a few years now and I really don't want to go back to that mess of an OS if I don't have to.
Thanks for the help,
Snyde

snydley100 wrote:

Wolfman wrote:Hi,

start in "Recovery mode" and select "Network" (network cable rquired) and then drop to "root" and enter the commands that you have from Nvidia, although it is easier to just install from the PPA list I provided earlier!.

RESTART YOUR PC WITH CTRL + ALT +DEL, DO NOT CLICK ON RESUME AFTER INSTALLING THE DRIVERS AND RUN AN UPDATE AND RESTART IF NECESSARY.

Regards Wolfman

I tried this serveral times, and it wouldn't work. I had to start Zorin from the hard drive and press "e" and change quiet splash to nomodeset, like I have all this time.
Finally, I went to the NVIDIA site and downloaded the 319.72 driver and installed that. IT WORKED!! KINDA. It boots in the normal mode and everything seems to function, except it's in 640X480 4:3 mode, instead of the normal wide screen. Is there a way to change this driver to wide screen?
When I check System Settings > Monitor, there is no wide screen option, just 4:3. Is this because of the driver? Maybe I just need to try another driver? Your proceedure installed the driver fine, once I got one that worked.
I'm "this" close to getting this installed! It's very frustrating, but I appreciate all your help. If you know how to change the resolution, or if you think it's at 4:3 because of the driver I'd appreciate another clue.
Thanks,
Snyde

I went back, for the heck of it, and downloaded the original 331.20 driver, the one I initially tried, and this time it worked, except like the other driver it is in 4:3 mode instead of 16:9 wide screen. I'm kinda lost now. I think I'd like to try the one supplied with Zorin, or Ubuntu, whatever comes with Zorin. How do I do that?
Thanks,
Snyde

Hi,

okay bear with me, I also have an Nvidia card and have found out that the higher numbered versions of the graphic card drivers from Nvidia don't work well with my GeForce GT 430/PCIe/SSE2 card so I use the 304 version and don't have problems.

1: Remove the current drivers you have with this command:

Code:

sudo apt-get remove nvidia-319 nvidia-settings-319

(The above command is working on the assumption that you do indeed have the 319 version installed, if you have a different version like 331, change the 319 to 331 in the command)

2: Restart your PC in recovery mode and select "Network" (network cable rquired) and then drop to "root" and enter the command:

Code:

sudo apt-get install nvidia-304 nvidia-settings-304

3; Restart your PC in recovery mode and select "Network" (network cable rquired) and then run "DPKG", RESTART YOUR PC WITH CTRL + ALT +DEL, DO NOT CLICK ON RESUME AFTER INSTALLING THE DRIVERS.

4: Boot normally and do a normal update again (yes! I know) and restart once more (last time I promise!).

5: Smile

Let us know how you get on.

Regards Wolfman