The only documentation specific for Vostro 3300 that is at the moment available from Dell is the Setup and Features Information Tech Sheet. There is no documentation on how to upgrade the memory, CPU, or HDD.
I have exactly the same machine, and it is working beautifully with Ubuntu 10.04 (Lynx)!!!! The only tricks were to enable the drivers from Wireless Card and Graphical Card (Nvidia)... The rest pretty much was working out of the box. This is a very very good computer! The only things I think that could be better are the only 2 USB ports and the 4 Cell battery... but anyway, I can live with this, as for the moment I am not moving too much, but soon I plan to buy a battery with more capacity (8 cell will be available for purchase soon).
Vostro 3300 is a very nice computer and works just fine with Ubuntu 10.04! Highly recommended combination!... I chose this after long search :)
Hi Tom... You are completely right :) I forgot about that one... :p
So, in total 3 USBs, which is a normal for a laptop... so the botleneck is indeed the battery life in my opinion, but one cannot have everything... its is a light, thin laptop with a powerful processor (not a ULV one) and graphical card... so the battery will not last very long, but I manage to squeeze more than 3 hours working more or less normally, by scaling down the processor and reducing the brightness of the screen.
hi!, i have my vostro 3300 now, and i have a problem, the right palm rest and the touchpad is to hot for me. I use only Linux, but i installed Windows7 again for this problem, and in Windows7 i have tha same problem, in IDLE i have this temperature: (everest 5.50 sensors):
CPU 50C(122F) CPU1N1 50C(122F) CPU1N2 53C(127F) PCH 78C(172F) GMCH 34C(93F) HD SEAG 43C(109F)
The PCH is under touchpad and is the “number one temperature”, please tellme you have this numbers with your machine? I don't know if the design or a problem with my machine
Hi, I'm planning to buy this computer and use Ubunu 10.04 on it (I have been using Ubuntu for years).
I'm very satisfyed with the reports of full compatibility with Linux on Vostro 3300. I've only 2 questions:
- The keyboard backlit works on Ubuntu? It's possible to turn it on/off with keyboard hotkeys? The backlit turn on automatically when in a dark ambient?
- What's the battery life of this computer in Ubuntu an in Windows? Dell's site only shows the 4-cell option, I would like to know if it's enough for a daily use.
I have the same laptop and I'm trying to installa Ubuntu 10.04, but at begining a purple screen apear with the "Ubuntu" letters and nothing happend. One time I wait for a lot of time and I saw a "Kernel Panic" error.
Darbo: the way I took was to go to System->Administration->Hardware Drivers, and then activate the drivers for the wireless card and for the nvidia... restart and everything worked like a charm :)
Any news concerning the fingerprint reader? I never tried to make it work, but maybe this would be very nice. Does anyone tried it yet?
I think that it's an issue with Vostro 3300. I used to use it over a plataform and it help a lot to reduce tempeture.
I know that in Windows there are a way to reduce performance, increase battery duration and reduce temperature. Maybe there are a similiar option in Linux.
hi Eduardo, dependant on the hardware you could try thinkfinger (orginally this driver is coded for lenovo thinkpads but compatible hardware has been enhanced...)
I would really like to know if this is working or not...
@darbo: could you please post lspci output for the vostro3300?
I have a problem with my projector. The image seem to vibrate, like a wrong frequency, but I checked it with different frequencies and always happens, something it get worse.
I was using my projector with another laptop (Fujitsu Siemens) with Ubuntu and it worked properly.
I install Ubuntu 10.04 in my vostro 3300, but I have a problem. Sometimes it freeze during execution of a process. I install the 32 bit version. Should I install the 64 bit version of Lucid?
I have installed the 64bits... no problems, the only issue is that the 64bits version of Flash does not work very well... it crashes some times :p But definitely you should install the 64bits, even more if you have more than 4GB of RAM, otherwise you will not take advantage of them!).
It's a problem with values of the resolution of screen.
I tried changing the frequency values with xrandr and it improves, but I didn't found a "correct" values.
I know that my problem is not the projector, because I use it with other laptop with Ubuntu and it work correctly. Then I understand that there is a problem with drivers of external screen output for Dell Vostro 3300.
I have the same problem with the resolution of screen and ubuntu linux - if anyone knows how to solve this I would be more than grateful for help, this is so important as I am going for the workshop and need to use my laptop with a projector.
Hi! I don't have problems, probably because my graphical card is an Nvidia, and it has a pretty good support!
However, I have another laptop with an Intel graphical card, and also ubuntu (10.04) installed, and I have spent much time getting it correct. Actually I have more than three years working with that setup at work. The point of problem in my case was the use of desktop effects (compiz) when having an external screen/projector connected. When I turn the effects off, the screen worked perfectly... I could adjust it to different frequencies and resolutions. Another variation, also conflicting with the effects, was when I was using the external screen as a side monitor (on left/right of the laptop monitor), it created a conflict because it supported only a given "width" resolution which was not sufficient for the width of the laptop + external screen... to overcome this, when I want to have effects on, I put the external screen "on top" of the latptop screen, and this works pretty well (because the sum of vertical resolutions is supported by the graphical card + effects...)... it is a strange error/bug/feature, but from my experience these were the ways I got it working.
...conclusion, whenever I use an external screen/projector with that laptop (in fact the same happens with my netbook), I always turn off the desktop effects(!) and it works like a charm... you can use xrandr, or another configuration tool (arandr for example) to configure the external screen. If you really want the effects, try to put them "on top" of each other.
>How do you activate the keyboard backlit? Fn+Flecha derecha, igual que en windows. >Is possible to deactivate only the Bluetooth? In the Bluetooth icon (superior panel, at right) you have this option "Turn Off Bluetooth". >Which keys activates the numeric keypad? BloqNum, but if you are using an external keyboard, by default there is a property activated to control the mouse with numeric keypad. You can disable it from System > Preference > Keyboard Preference > Mouse Key.
Wow you're in Barcelona. I will continue writing in English only for those who read your blog and don't speak Spanish (or Catalan).
- Fn+Right arrow, doesn't work, maybe my keyboard does not have that capabilities.
- About the Bluetooth I turn off the Bluetooth on the Bluetooth preferences icon. But it does not make anything on power consumption and apparently the Vostro does not turn off the led indicating the activity of the Bluetooth.
- At least, about the numeric keypad, thanks for the information. When I use that key I expect that if I press uio, jkl, etc I get the numbers (456, 123, etc), but until now I realize that the NumLk key only allows to use the Fn+i to get the number 5.
Your laptop behaves just like that?
Thanks.
P.s. Sorry for the late answer, I'm subscribed to your blog, but I don't receive any information about this comment.
I'm not living in Barcelona, I'm living in Uk right now, but I usually live in Barcelona or at least last five years.
Fn+Right arrow, work properly for my. The keyobard have a blue draw like a small rectangle with a kindf of "sun rays". May be if yours don't have this draw don't have this function.
- About the Bluetoot, it's true, it doesn't turn off, probably is a bug. Sorry, I didn't test it.
- The behaviour of the numeric keyboard is the same in my laptop. I didn't realize, because I never use it. I have always a keyboard connected when I have to work.
Saludos y aprovecha el calorcito Barcelonés!
ps: It's not my blog :) I'm just have one Vostro 3300.
At the end I turned off the bluetooth from the BIOS, because I don't use it very often.
About the keyboard backlit, I think my laptop didn't come with that functionality.
And I don't know what to expect of the numeric keyboard, I think the idea is to avoid the use of the Fn key to introduce numbers, but maybe I'm wrong and thinks has change in the last years.
Yo también quisiera aprovechar el calorcito Barcelonés, pero ahora estoy en Pittsburgh, así que también tengo que aguantar el frío.
For all that have Ubuntu in a Vostro 3300, after upgrade to version 11 (Unity) the external VGA screen stop of working. Before it works with some distortion, kind of wavy, but know it just doesn't work.
I am thinking about to upgrade from 10.04 to 11.04. Any other reactions, apart from the problems of the VGA? This is a big problem for me as I work 90% of my time with an external monitor... did any one solve it already?
Any news with Lynx?
ReplyDeleteI have exactly the same machine, and it is working beautifully with Ubuntu 10.04 (Lynx)!!!! The only tricks were to enable the drivers from Wireless Card and Graphical Card (Nvidia)... The rest pretty much was working out of the box. This is a very very good computer! The only things I think that could be better are the only 2 USB ports and the 4 Cell battery... but anyway, I can live with this, as for the moment I am not moving too much, but soon I plan to buy a battery with more capacity (8 cell will be available for purchase soon).
ReplyDeleteVostro 3300 is a very nice computer and works just fine with Ubuntu 10.04! Highly recommended combination!... I chose this after long search :)
can you name the wireless and sound card driver because i instaled linux backtrack but it didn't recognized my graphic card
DeleteEduardo, only 2 USB ports? what about the USB/SATA, does that one not work?
ReplyDeleteHi Tom... You are completely right :) I forgot about that one... :p
ReplyDeleteSo, in total 3 USBs, which is a normal for a laptop... so the botleneck is indeed the battery life in my opinion, but one cannot have everything... its is a light, thin laptop with a powerful processor (not a ULV one) and graphical card... so the battery will not last very long, but I manage to squeeze more than 3 hours working more or less normally, by scaling down the processor and reducing the brightness of the screen.
Cheers!
hi!, i have my vostro 3300 now, and i have a problem, the right palm rest and the touchpad is to hot for me. I use only Linux, but i installed Windows7 again for this problem, and in Windows7 i have tha same problem, in IDLE i have this temperature: (everest 5.50 sensors):
ReplyDeleteCPU 50C(122F)
CPU1N1 50C(122F)
CPU1N2 53C(127F)
PCH 78C(172F)
GMCH 34C(93F)
HD SEAG 43C(109F)
The PCH is under touchpad and is the “number one temperature”, please tellme you have this numbers with your machine? I don't know if the design or a problem with my machine
Hi, I'm planning to buy this computer and use Ubunu 10.04 on it (I have been using Ubuntu for years).
ReplyDeleteI'm very satisfyed with the reports of full compatibility with Linux on Vostro 3300. I've only 2 questions:
- The keyboard backlit works on Ubuntu? It's possible to turn it on/off with keyboard hotkeys? The backlit turn on automatically when in a dark ambient?
- What's the battery life of this computer in Ubuntu an in Windows? Dell's site only shows the 4-cell option, I would like to know if it's enough for a daily use.
The keyboard backlit work on Linux, the battery is bad, 2 to 3 hours max on Windows an Linux (minimum brightness, HD spin, powersave activate, etc).
ReplyDeleteThanks, that's all information I was needing. I'm going to buy one soon.
ReplyDeleteHi!
ReplyDeleteI have the same laptop and I'm trying to installa Ubuntu 10.04, but at begining a purple screen apear with the "Ubuntu" letters and nothing happend. One time I wait for a lot of time and I saw a "Kernel Panic" error.
Any idea?
Is the fingerprint reader working on lucid? Are you using thinkfinger?
ReplyDeleteEduardo, please give me any clues how to run Wireless on Vostro. I already installed 10.04 but wireless card isn't working. How to fix it?
ReplyDeleteI solved the problem just trying a new relase of 10.04.
ReplyDeletedarbo, you must to activate the drivers for Wireless. To do it, there are an option in the Administration menu, Network preferences.
There are two drivers, one under licence and another one open. Both work properly.
Regards.
Darbo: the way I took was to go to System->Administration->Hardware Drivers, and then activate the drivers for the wireless card and for the nvidia... restart and everything worked like a charm :)
ReplyDeleteAny news concerning the fingerprint reader? I never tried to make it work, but maybe this would be very nice. Does anyone tried it yet?
Hi insulae,
ReplyDeleteI think that it's an issue with Vostro 3300. I used to use it over a plataform and it help a lot to reduce tempeture.
I know that in Windows there are a way to reduce performance, increase battery duration and reduce temperature. Maybe there are a similiar option in Linux.
Regards.
Thanks guys. My Vostro is working fine now with new Ubuntu :)
ReplyDeletehi Eduardo, dependant on the hardware you could try thinkfinger (orginally this driver is coded for lenovo thinkpads but compatible hardware has been enhanced...)
ReplyDeleteI would really like to know if this is working or not...
@darbo: could you please post lspci output for the vostro3300?
I have a problem with my projector. The image seem to vibrate, like a wrong frequency, but I checked it with different frequencies and always happens, something it get worse.
ReplyDeleteI was using my projector with another laptop (Fujitsu Siemens) with Ubuntu and it worked properly.
Somebody have any idea of what can be the issue?
Sorry, I meant that it sometimes get worse when I change the frequency.
ReplyDeleteAh, obviously I'm speaking about a Dell Vostro 3300 with Linux (Ubuntu).
Hello,
ReplyDeleteI install Ubuntu 10.04 in my vostro 3300, but I have a problem. Sometimes it freeze during execution of a process. I install the 32 bit version. Should I install the 64 bit version of Lucid?
I have installed the 64bits... no problems, the only issue is that the 64bits version of Flash does not work very well... it crashes some times :p But definitely you should install the 64bits, even more if you have more than 4GB of RAM, otherwise you will not take advantage of them!).
ReplyDeleteCheers!
hi,
ReplyDeletelike BoHeMlo I have a problem but not with a projector, just with a simple extern screen. I tried with windows and there is no problem.
With ubuntu 10.04 and 10.10(beta) the image of the extern screen vibrates.
I also tried the last drivers from Intel (http://intellinuxgraphics.org/2010Q2.html) on 10.04 but without any effect.
Has anyone an idea ?
It's a problem with values of the resolution of screen.
ReplyDeleteI tried changing the frequency values with xrandr and it improves, but I didn't found a "correct" values.
I know that my problem is not the projector, because I use it with other laptop with Ubuntu and it work correctly.
Then I understand that there is a problem with drivers of external screen output for Dell Vostro 3300.
I have the same problem with the resolution of screen and ubuntu linux - if anyone knows how to solve this I would be more than grateful for help, this is so important as I am going for the workshop and need to use my laptop with a projector.
ReplyDeleteHi! I don't have problems, probably because my graphical card is an Nvidia, and it has a pretty good support!
ReplyDeleteHowever, I have another laptop with an Intel graphical card, and also ubuntu (10.04) installed, and I have spent much time getting it correct. Actually I have more than three years working with that setup at work. The point of problem in my case was the use of desktop effects (compiz) when having an external screen/projector connected. When I turn the effects off, the screen worked perfectly... I could adjust it to different frequencies and resolutions. Another variation, also conflicting with the effects, was when I was using the external screen as a side monitor (on left/right of the laptop monitor), it created a conflict because it supported only a given "width" resolution which was not sufficient for the width of the laptop + external screen... to overcome this, when I want to have effects on, I put the external screen "on top" of the latptop screen, and this works pretty well (because the sum of vertical resolutions is supported by the graphical card + effects...)... it is a strange error/bug/feature, but from my experience these were the ways I got it working.
...conclusion, whenever I use an external screen/projector with that laptop (in fact the same happens with my netbook), I always turn off the desktop effects(!) and it works like a charm... you can use xrandr, or another configuration tool (arandr for example) to configure the external screen. If you really want the effects, try to put them "on top" of each other.
I hope this helps! Cheers!
Does the Bluetooth works fine with Ubuntu 10.x?
ReplyDeleteNot for me. The Bluetooth turn on, but I couldn't use it with two different phones.
ReplyDeleteThe past Friday I get my new Vostro 3300 and that day I install the Ubuntu 10.10, I'm really happy with how it performs, but I have some questions.
ReplyDeleteHow do you activate the keyboard backlit?
Is possible to deactivate only the Bluetooth?
Which keys activates the numeric keypad?
Thanks
Hi Oscar!
ReplyDeleteCom va per Barna?
Here you have your answers:
>How do you activate the keyboard backlit?
Fn+Flecha derecha, igual que en windows.
>Is possible to deactivate only the Bluetooth?
In the Bluetooth icon (superior panel, at right) you have this option "Turn Off Bluetooth".
>Which keys activates the numeric keypad?
BloqNum, but if you are using an external keyboard, by default there is a property activated to control the mouse with numeric keypad. You can disable it from System > Preference > Keyboard Preference > Mouse Key.
Salut!
Thanks Bohemio,
ReplyDeleteWow you're in Barcelona. I will continue writing in English only for those who read your blog and don't speak Spanish (or Catalan).
- Fn+Right arrow, doesn't work, maybe my keyboard does not have that capabilities.
- About the Bluetooth I turn off the Bluetooth on the Bluetooth preferences icon. But it does not make anything on power consumption and apparently the Vostro does not turn off the led indicating the activity of the Bluetooth.
- At least, about the numeric keypad, thanks for the information. When I use that key I expect that if I press uio, jkl, etc I get the numbers (456, 123, etc), but until now I realize that the NumLk key only allows to use the Fn+i to get the number 5.
Your laptop behaves just like that?
Thanks.
P.s. Sorry for the late answer, I'm subscribed to your blog, but I don't receive any information about this comment.
Que enveja que estiguis a Barcelona.
Hola Óscar,
ReplyDeleteI'm not living in Barcelona, I'm living in Uk right now, but I usually live in Barcelona or at least last five years.
Fn+Right arrow, work properly for my. The keyobard have a blue draw like a small rectangle with a kindf of "sun rays". May be if yours don't have this draw don't have this function.
- About the Bluetoot, it's true, it doesn't turn off, probably is a bug. Sorry, I didn't test it.
- The behaviour of the numeric keyboard is the same in my laptop. I didn't realize, because I never use it. I have always a keyboard connected when I have to work.
Saludos y aprovecha el calorcito Barcelonés!
ps: It's not my blog :) I'm just have one Vostro 3300.
Wow... is not your blog, really sorry. :-P
ReplyDeleteAt the end I turned off the bluetooth from the BIOS, because I don't use it very often.
About the keyboard backlit, I think my laptop didn't come with that functionality.
And I don't know what to expect of the numeric keyboard, I think the idea is to avoid the use of the Fn key to introduce numbers, but maybe I'm wrong and thinks has change in the last years.
Yo también quisiera aprovechar el calorcito Barcelonés, pero ahora estoy en Pittsburgh, así que también tengo que aguantar el frío.
Gracias por tus respuestas.
How did you get the NVIDIA driver working? I've got Fedora 14 on 3300 with 310M graphics and I get a black screen after installing the driver :-(
ReplyDeleteFor all that have Ubuntu in a Vostro 3300, after upgrade to version 11 (Unity) the external VGA screen stop of working. Before it works with some distortion, kind of wavy, but know it just doesn't work.
ReplyDeleteI am thinking about to upgrade from 10.04 to 11.04. Any other reactions, apart from the problems of the VGA? This is a big problem for me as I work 90% of my time with an external monitor... did any one solve it already?
ReplyDeleteCheers!
This issues seems to be solved now in some kernels. Probably we will see it soon in the standard relase.
ReplyDeleteCheers,
Fernando