Installing Ubuntu on Your Dell 1501

Ubuntu does not install on the Dell 1501 without a little work. But with a little work it can be done. The fix is adding the command pci=nomsi to grubs boot param. Follow this guide and you’ll be using Ubuntu in no time.

Getting Ubuntu Installed:

1. Changing the boot order in the BIOS.

This allows your Dell 1501 to first look to boot from the DVD drive. This is an essential step.

Place the Ubuntu Disc into your DVD drive

Reboot or turn on you 1501. When you see this screen, hit the F2 button.

This takes you to your BIOS screen.

2. You want to use the right arrow key to select Boot. Then use the down arrow key to access you DVD drive, I own the DVD-Burner and its name is ATAPI CD-ROM: HL-DT-ST DVD+/-RW-(PM) but common sense is your guiding light. I will say DVD and the 1501 only has one DVD slot.

3. Once you have your DVD drive selected, use the shift key and the +/=, right next to the backspace key (highlighted red) to change the priority order. Make sure your DVD drive is on the top. If you goof, the -/_ highlighted blue will lower a selection in the boot order.

Once done hit the F10 key to save and exit.

The computer will now boot from the DVD drive first. Restart your computer.

4. At the Ubuntu options menu (above screen) hit the F6 key to add to Ubuntu boot param. This will bring up a command line in the lower right hand part of your screen.

This is where the magic happens. Ubuntu will not be able to find your SATA hard disk without adding

pci=nomsi to the very end of this command line.

Yours should look just like the above picture. It will say …rw quiet splash – pci=nomsi. Hit the ENTER key and Ubuntu will begin to boot up. It will initially take a few minutes, be patient!

5. You will now see this screen. You can try Ubuntu out or go straight to the good stuff and install it.

Click the install icon on the upper left hand portion of the screen and follow the menus in order to setup your install.

After enter your time zone, keyboard, login name and password it will ask you if where you’d like to install Ubuntu you can choose to:
1. Erase the entire disk – (install Ubuntu on the Hard Drive and deletes everything else)
2. Manually edit the partition table – (allow you to separate the hard drive and have two or more operating systems on your computer)

Now Ubuntu should be installing. Sit back and relax it shouldn’t take more than 25 minutes. Once Ubuntu has been installed you will have to restart and repeat the steps of adding pci=nomsi to your boot param. This is the last time though, it will be permanent next time you load up Ubuntu.

6. Once Ubuntu loads you will want to make pci=nomsi permanent so go to the terminal. It’s located in ApplicationsàAccessoriesàTerminal

Enter in the code:

Sudo gedit /boot/grub/menu.lst (that’s a lower case L at the end)

Enter your password and a text file will appear.

This file is your GRUB boot file. Be careful you can screw your system up if you delete or alter the wrong item.

Look at the bottom of the file for the lines

kernel /boot/vmlinux-2.16.17.10-generic root=/dev/sda1 ro quiet splash

Or a very similar variation. Look at the picture below if you are unsure but USE COMMON SENSE.

Add pci-nomsi to the end of the kernel boot line. It should look like this:

kernel /boot/vmlinux-2.16.17.10-generic root=/dev/sda1 ro quiet splash pci=nomsi

7. Save and you are done. Your computer will boot into Ubuntu every time and Installation is complete.

Next Up: WiFi, you wanna wait till I get the guide up before you try to set it up. But if you want to jump the gun use this guide.

edited by pHreaksYcle