Dell Precision M4800
Installation
If you get a black screen after the initial Debian installation try to ssh into your system and edit /etc/default/grub
1. Try to disable kernel mode setting (KMS). ( The system might boot in a 1024x768 environment. )
GRUB_CMDLINE_LINUX="nomodeset"
or
2. specify the resolution for grub and your terminal.
GRUB_GFXMODE=1024x768x16 GRUB_GFXPAYLOAD_LINUX=keep
After changing /etc/default/grub you need to run
update-grub
If you still get a black screen try to switch to a different virtual terminal (ctrl+alt+f1) and back (ctrl+alt+f7).
Hardware
# lspci 00:00.0 Host bridge: Intel Corporation Xeon E3-1200 v3/4th Gen Core Processor DRAM Controller (rev 06) 00:01.0 PCI bridge: Intel Corporation Xeon E3-1200 v3/4th Gen Core Processor PCI Express x16 Controller (rev 06) 00:14.0 USB controller: Intel Corporation 8 Series/C220 Series Chipset Family USB xHCI (rev 04) 00:16.0 Communication controller: Intel Corporation 8 Series/C220 Series Chipset Family MEI Controller #1 (rev 04) 00:19.0 Ethernet controller: Intel Corporation Ethernet Connection I217-LM (rev 04) 00:1a.0 USB controller: Intel Corporation 8 Series/C220 Series Chipset Family USB EHCI #2 (rev 04) 00:1b.0 Audio device: Intel Corporation 8 Series/C220 Series Chipset High Definition Audio Controller (rev 04) 00:1c.0 PCI bridge: Intel Corporation 8 Series/C220 Series Chipset Family PCI Express Root Port #1 (rev d4) 00:1c.2 PCI bridge: Intel Corporation 8 Series/C220 Series Chipset Family PCI Express Root Port #3 (rev d4) 00:1c.3 PCI bridge: Intel Corporation 8 Series/C220 Series Chipset Family PCI Express Root Port #4 (rev d4) 00:1c.4 PCI bridge: Intel Corporation 8 Series/C220 Series Chipset Family PCI Express Root Port #5 (rev d4) 00:1c.6 PCI bridge: Intel Corporation 8 Series/C220 Series Chipset Family PCI Express Root Port #7 (rev d4) 00:1c.7 PCI bridge: Intel Corporation 8 Series/C220 Series Chipset Family PCI Express Root Port #8 (rev d4) 00:1d.0 USB controller: Intel Corporation 8 Series/C220 Series Chipset Family USB EHCI #1 (rev 04) 00:1f.0 ISA bridge: Intel Corporation QM87 Express LPC Controller (rev 04) 00:1f.2 RAID bus controller: Intel Corporation 82801 Mobile SATA Controller [RAID mode] (rev 04) 00:1f.3 SMBus: Intel Corporation 8 Series/C220 Series Chipset Family SMBus Controller (rev 04) 01:00.0 VGA compatible controller: NVIDIA Corporation GK106GLM [Quadro K2100M] (rev a1) 01:00.1 Audio device: NVIDIA Corporation GK106 HDMI Audio Controller (rev a1) 03:00.0 Network controller: Intel Corporation Wireless 7260 (rev 73) 11:00.0 SD Host controller: O2 Micro, Inc. SD/MMC Card Reader Controller (rev 01)
WIFI
Required non-free firmware:
aptitude install firmware-iwlwifi
nouveau errors
[ 5.592804] nouveau [ DEVICE][0000:01:00.0] BOOT0 : 0x0e63c0a1 [ 5.592805] nouveau [ DEVICE][0000:01:00.0] Chipset: GK106 (NVE6) [ 5.592806] nouveau [ DEVICE][0000:01:00.0] Family : NVE0 [ 5.592819] nouveau [ VBIOS][0000:01:00.0] checking PRAMIN for image... [ 5.592824] nouveau [ VBIOS][0000:01:00.0] ... signature not found [ 5.592824] nouveau [ VBIOS][0000:01:00.0] checking PROM for image... [ 5.657521] nouveau [ VBIOS][0000:01:00.0] ... appears to be valid [ 5.657522] nouveau [ VBIOS][0000:01:00.0] using image from PROM [ 5.657632] nouveau [ VBIOS][0000:01:00.0] BIT signature found [ 5.657634] nouveau [ VBIOS][0000:01:00.0] version 80.06.7d.00.06 [ 5.657963] nouveau [ MXM][0000:01:00.0] BIOS version 3.0 [ 5.659985] ACPI Warning: \_SB_.PCI0.PEG0.PEGP._DSM: Argument #4 type mismatch - Found [Buffer], ACPI requires [Package] (20140424/nsarguments-95) [ 5.660206] nouveau [ MXM][0000:01:00.0] MXMS Version 3.0 [ 5.660229] nouveau 0000:01:00.0: irq 46 for MSI/MSI-X [ 5.660235] nouveau [ PMC][0000:01:00.0] MSI interrupts enabled [ 5.660275] nouveau [ PFB][0000:01:00.0] RAM type: GDDR5 [ 5.660276] nouveau [ PFB][0000:01:00.0] RAM size: 2048 MiB [ 5.660277] nouveau [ PFB][0000:01:00.0] ZCOMP: 0 tags [ 5.662262] nouveau [ VOLT][0000:01:00.0] GPU voltage: 600000uv [ 5.690519] nouveau [ PTHERM][0000:01:00.0] FAN control: none / external [ 5.690523] nouveau [ PTHERM][0000:01:00.0] fan management: automatic [ 5.690531] nouveau [ PTHERM][0000:01:00.0] internal sensor: yes [ 5.690550] nouveau [ CLK][0000:01:00.0] 07: core 405 MHz memory 810 MHz [ 5.690572] nouveau [ CLK][0000:01:00.0] 0a: core 405-666 MHz memory 1620 MHz [ 5.690603] nouveau [ CLK][0000:01:00.0] 0f: core 405-666 MHz memory 3008 MHz [ 5.690669] nouveau [ CLK][0000:01:00.0] --: core 405 MHz memory 810 MHz [ 5.726798] nouveau E[ PBUS][0000:01:00.0] MMIO read of 0x00000000 FAULT at 0x400700 [ IBUS ] [ 5.726983] [TTM] Zone kernel: Available graphics memory: 16477614 kiB [ 5.726985] [TTM] Zone dma32: Available graphics memory: 2097152 kiB [ 5.726985] [TTM] Initializing pool allocator [ 5.726989] [TTM] Initializing DMA pool allocator [ 5.726996] nouveau [ DRM] VRAM: 2048 MiB [ 5.726997] nouveau [ DRM] GART: 1048576 MiB [ 5.726998] nouveau [ DRM] TMDS table version 2.0 [ 5.726999] nouveau [ DRM] DCB version 4.0 [ 5.727001] nouveau [ DRM] DCB outp 03: 08015fd6 0f420020 [ 5.727002] nouveau [ DRM] DCB outp 04: 08015f92 00020020 [ 5.727003] nouveau [ DRM] DCB outp 05: 08014fc6 0f420010 [ 5.727004] nouveau [ DRM] DCB outp 06: 08014f82 00020010 [ 5.727004] nouveau [ DRM] DCB outp 08: 04038fb6 0f430014 [ 5.727005] nouveau [ DRM] DCB outp 10: 02027fa6 0f420010 [ 5.727006] nouveau [ DRM] DCB outp 11: 02027f62 00020010 [ 5.727007] nouveau [ DRM] DCB outp 13: 02049f00 00000000 [ 5.727008] nouveau [ DRM] DCB conn 00: 00000040 [ 5.727010] nouveau [ DRM] DCB conn 04: 01000446 [ 5.727011] nouveau [ DRM] DCB conn 05: 02000546 [ 5.727011] nouveau [ DRM] DCB conn 07: 00010746 [ 5.727012] nouveau [ DRM] DCB conn 08: 00020847 [ 5.727013] nouveau [ DRM] DCB conn 09: 00000900 [ 5.745901] [drm] Supports vblank timestamp caching Rev 2 (21.10.2013). [ 5.745903] [drm] Driver supports precise vblank timestamp query. [ 5.752198] nouveau [ DRM] MM: using COPY for buffer copies [ 8.175651] nouveau E[ PGRAPH][0000:01:00.0] grctx template channel unload timeout [ 8.175750] nouveau E[ PGRAPH][0000:01:00.0] failed to construct context [ 8.175816] nouveau E[ PGRAPH][0000:01:00.0] init failed, -16 [ 8.177449] e1000e: eth0 NIC Link is Up 100 Mbps Full Duplex, Flow Control: Rx/Tx [ 8.177463] e1000e 0000:00:19.0 eth0: 10/100 speed: disabling TSO [ 8.177936] IPv6: ADDRCONF(NETDEV_CHANGE): eth0: link becomes ready [ 8.183565] nouveau [ DRM] allocated 3200x1800 fb: 0x80000, bo ffff88080bbf3800 [ 8.183626] fbcon: nouveaufb (fb0) is primary device [ 8.499266] Console: switching to colour frame buffer device 400x112 [ 8.507094] nouveau 0000:01:00.0: fb0: nouveaufb frame buffer device [ 8.507095] nouveau 0000:01:00.0: registered panic notifier [ 8.538090] [drm] Initialized nouveau 1.1.2 20120801 for 0000:01:00.0 on minor 0 [ 57.693649] nouveau E[ PGRAPH][0000:01:00.0] grctx template channel unload timeout [ 57.693684] nouveau E[ PGRAPH][0000:01:00.0] failed to construct context [ 57.693686] nouveau E[ PGRAPH][0000:01:00.0] init failed, -16 [ 82.283641] nouveau E[Xorg[1125]] failed to idle channel 0xcccc0000 [Xorg[1125]] [ 97.286987] nouveau E[Xorg[1125]] failed to idle channel 0xcccc0000 [Xorg[1125]] [ 100.717043] nouveau E[ PGRAPH][0000:01:00.0] grctx template channel unload timeout [ 100.717078] nouveau E[ PGRAPH][0000:01:00.0] failed to construct context [ 100.717080] nouveau E[ PGRAPH][0000:01:00.0] init failed, -16
Optional non-free driver:
# nvidia-detect Detected NVIDIA GPUs: 01:00.0 VGA compatible controller [0300]: NVIDIA Corporation GK106GLM [Quadro K2100M] [10de:11fc] (rev a1) Your card is supported by the default drivers. It is recommended to install the nvidia-driver package.
Severe Problems:
Missing VT output with the non-free driver
Dell disabled Optimus support
http://en.community.dell.com/support-forums/laptop/f/3518/t/19530676?pi239031352=2