Making Noise: Dell Dimension E521 Linux USB problems
My Dell Dimension E521 has USB problems under Linux, so I’m calling on people to make noise with Dell and Canonical, and recommending you buy from System76 instead.
Just wanted to get more noise out there that the new E521 distributed by Dell isn’t working right under Linux. Specifically I have tried Ubuntu 6.06 But there are others reporting problems with other distros and lots of different people trying different kernels.
Anyway, I have started a thread on the ubuntuforms and one on Dell’s forums that are getting a fair amount of traffic. I have also contacted Dell support with no luck, but I suggest everyone who bought this system with the intent to run Linux contact support too, making noise that they can see may help push some results. I also put a feeler out to Canonical about maybe purchasing support to address this issue.
I am holding off submitting a bug to the Ubuntu guys because they have their hands full with tomorrows release, plus I want to try out Edgy and see how it runs. If I can reproduce the problem there I will submit the bug and renew some detailed troubleshooting.
But if you are looking for a new machine and you want to run linux on it and don’t want any problems, forget Dell and go for system76. I can’t speak for their quality or support because I haven’t tried it, but I can say if I had this to do over I would have just ordered a similar machine for slightly higher cost from them.