---
layout: post
title: "Linux on Dell Precision 7520"
date: 2017-11-29 12:00:00 +0100
comments: true
categories: 
---

Three years after the [M4800]({% post_url 2014-11-22-debian-jessie-on-dell-precision-m4800 %}),
it's time to upgrade again. Let's start with `debian-9.2.1-amd64-netinst.iso`.

Booting it up
-------------

My new laptop came with an OEM Windows 10 preinstalled. I wanted to keep it just
in case, but it turns out that:

  * since I want BitLocker, SecureBoot needs to be enabled
  * Ubuntu supports SecureBoot, but Debian does not
  * since I want LVM+encryption, I need to use Debian

So I'm ditching the pre-installed Windows (I'll make a VirtualBox VM
later on if I really need it).

Installation
------------

System install is pretty uneventful, except for the fact that the trackpad
is apparently not working within the installer. I was able to install
on LVM with encryption as desired. I was happy to find MATE as one of the
desktop options.

Post-install customization
--------------------------

X11
===

Keyboard and trackpad setup appear to work just fine out of the
box (including for GDM).

The default driver appears to work just fine with the embedded LCD
display, but is unable to handle my two external DP monitors
(see below).

Nvidia driver
=============

I am using this laptop on a docking station with two DisplayPort
monitors. This works only if the builtin Intel GPU is disabled,
and the add-on Nvidia GPU only is enabled.

Using the nvidia (non-free) driver
----------------------------------

To install the nVidia driver:

* make sure installed kernel headers (linux-headers) match kernel (linux-image),
  otherwise DKMS won't build.
* install nvidia-driver (note: this will build a kernel module, so requires
  a working compiler)
* install nvidia-xconfig
* run `nvidia-xconfig --query-gpu-info` by hand and make note of PCI BusID
* run `nvidia-xconfig --busid=PCI:x:x:x` to generate xorg.conf

BIOS setup
----------

To disable the built-in Intel GPU:

* Video -> Switchable graphics -> uncheck Enable Switchable Graphics

(I have also checked Graphics Special Mode, not sure whether this is
needed).

Desktop environment
===================

* Set focus-follows-mouse
* Set keyboard shortcut for lock screen to Win+L
* Set MATE terminal to white-on-black

[Disable GNOME Keyring SSH agent](http://william.shallum.net/random-notes/disabling-gnome-keyring-daemon-ssh-agent-on-mate-desktop):

```
$ gsettings get org.mate.session gnome-compat-startup
['smproxy', 'keyring']
$ gsettings set org.mate.session gnome-compat-startup "['smproxy']"
$ gsettings get org.mate.session gnome-compat-startup
['smproxy']

$ mate-session-properties
# uncheck SSH Key Agent and maybe others.
# This will create a copy of /etc/xdg/autostart/gnome-keyring-ssh.desktop
# in ~/.config/autostart, with appropriate settings to turn it off.
```

Sudo configuration
==================

Add myself to group `sudo`.

APT sources
===========

In `/etc/apt/sources.list`: add contrib and non-free.

Wifi drivers
============

The Intel wireless drivers require non-free binary components,
see https://wiki.debian.org/fr/iwlwifi

Packages
========

firmware-iwlwifo
vim
rsync
net-tools
pcscd
apt-transport-https
openvpn
binutils
ltrace
strace
scdaemon

Hipchat
=======

Hipchat is linked against Qt libraries that assume OpenSSL 1.0,
but Debian provides 1.1.

Work around:

```
# apt-get install libssl1.0.2
# ln -s /usr/lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/libssl.so.1.0.2 /opt/HipChat4/lib/libssl.so
# ln -s /usr/lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/libcrypto.so.1.0.2 /opt/HipChat4/lib/libcrypto.so
```

(Note: the Atlassian web site gives
[incomplete instructions](https://confluence.atlassian.com/hipchatkb/hipchat4-debian-client-doesn-t-connect-859526103.html)
-- they do not mention libcrypto).