Is it X86-64 SL 6.5 or IA-32 SL 6.5 on your Dell E6520?  What boot 
changes/hardware changes exist between the E6520 and E6540 (e.g., 
mandatory "secure boot")?

Yasha Karant

On 10/23/2014 08:36 AM, DBC wrote:
> I have been running SL 6.5 on my E6520 for over 9 months and have been 
> very happy.  I wanted to install Solaris 11x86 but couldn't get it to 
> install.  The SL 6.5 has been fantastic with my only hiccups being I 
> can't play movie DVDs and can't get my iTunes program.
>
> -UnixMonk
>
>
> ------ Original Message ------
> *Received: *11:24 AM EDT, 10/23/2014
> *From: *Yasha Karant <[log in to unmask]>
> *To: *"[log in to unmask]" 
> <[log in to unmask]>
> *Subject: *Re: Dell Latitude E6540
>
>
> On 10/23/2014 04:47 AM, Nico Kadel-Garcia wrote:
> > On Thu, Oct 23, 2014 at 1:07 AM, Yasha Karant <[log in to unmask]> 
> wrote:
> >> Is anyone running SL 7 on a Dell Latitude E6540? My institution is
> >> considering this unit over the equivalent HP unit, to replace the 
> five year
> >> old laptop that I currently use, because of the net lower cost of 
> the Dell.
> >> Dell claims that it will run Linux Ubuntu 12.04 -- but I do not 
> know if this
> >> enthusiast Ubuntu has more "secure boot", etc., capabilities than 
> SL7x.
> >>
> >> Any information, on or off list, greatly would be appreciated.
> >>
> >> Yasha Karant
> > I'm afraid I don't have one in hand myself. Have you considered
> > burning a live CD or USB bootable image, visiting a computer store or
> > someone in your IT group who has one, and taking a test drive with it
> > with their permission? Laptop support for Linux can sometimes be
> > tricky as vendors use slightly cheaper, newer chip sets that no one in
> > th eLinux world has had a chance to test with, but I find that
> > technique very useful to ensure basic bootability and X windows
> > operation and peripheral operation.
> Thank you for your suggestion. Unfortunately, this Dell model that
> claims to be engineered and built to meet
> FIPS 201-certified smart card and fingerprint readers and RSA SecurID
> along with a MIL-STD-810G-tested chassis typically
> is not available in the local mass merchandiser computer laptop stores
> (Office Max, Staples, etc.). When my wife's laptop was stolen and we
> had to replace it out of our personal budget (her department had no
> funds to buy a replacement Faculty laptop because the university is
> "self-insured" for many situations, including that one), I did take a
> SL6x bootable DVD and found a machine for which SL6x would boot and that
> had sound, 802.11 WNIC, video card, DVD drive, pointing device, etc.,
> fully supported by SL (not requiring proprietary MS Win drivers). The
> first several low priced laptops did *NOT* meet this criterion, but a
> Lenovo did. Unfortunately, consumer (low price) Lenovo is of poor
> mechanical quality (hinges/chassis already fatigue fractured), and
> unlike Dell or HP, Lenovo refuses to supply the service manual and full
> parts list, nor will it sell parts. Also, several stores would NOT let
> me do a DVD boot and run (not install) -- and thus i could not test
> which, if any, machines for sale would work. i suppose if we buy the
> Dell and it does not work we could attempt to return it, or I could be
> forced to switch to Ubuntu (not appealing).
>
>