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Blog Post: July 7 2025

Installing Ubuntu 24.04.2 on a Brand New Dell XPS 15 9530

I recently embarked on a mission: to transform a brand new Dell XPS 15 9530 laptop, fresh out of the box with Windows 11, into a dedicated Ubuntu machine. My goal was simple – never let Windows touch this machine. In the past, I have always installed Linux on used hardware. This time, it was going to be Linux all the way on a brand new laptop.

Here's a look at the target computer:

• Dell XPS 15 9530

• 13th Gen Intel Core i7-13620H x 16

• 16 GB RAM

• 512 GB SSD

• Intel Graphics (RPL-P)

• 64-bit

Before diving in, any seasoned Linux installer knows there are a few critical pre-installation steps, especially on Dell XPS machines:

1.  A Bootable USB Drive: Loaded with the latest Ubuntu Desktop ISO. (Got that covered!)

2.  Disable Secure Boot & Fast Boot in BIOS: While the F12 boot menu can bypass the default boot order, for a truly clean installation and to prevent future headaches, entering the BIOS setup (usually F2 repeatedly at the Dell logo) to disable "Secure Boot" is highly recommended. Some also suggest disabling "Fast Boot."

3.  Change SATA Operation Mode to AHCI: Dell XPS laptops often default to "RAID" or "Intel RST." Linux generally prefers "AHCI" for NVMe SSDs. Missing this can mean the installer won't even see your drive!

Now, for my confession:

In my eagerness to get Linux onto this machine, I completely forgot about steps 2 and 3! Instead of hitting F2 for BIOS, I went straight for F12 to get to the one-time boot menu. A little confused in the moment, I just proceeded with the installation from there.

A Surprisingly Smooth Start

Despite bypassing those crucial BIOS tweaks, the installation itself was surprisingly uneventful:

1. Turned on the laptop.

2. Pressed F12 repeatedly after the Dell logo.

3. Waited for the "Preparing one-time boot menu" message.

4. Selected the USB recovery device under UEFI BOOT.

5. The Ubuntu installer fired up, recognized the SSD, and completed without a hitch!

Initial checks showed everything working – graphics, external speakers, all good. I was feeling pretty smug... until the first reboot.

The Post-Install Glitch: "Not Enough Power!"

Upon rebooting, a rather unwelcome message from the BIOS greeted me:

"Your port does not provide enough power to operate the attached device. If possible, attach a power adapter to the external device."

Followed by three ominous buttons: `Continue`, `BIOS-Setup`, `Diagnostics`.

Clicking `Continue` allowed the system to boot normally, and everything *seemed* fine. But what was this phantom power issue?

Troubleshooting From Power Cycles to Peripheral Puzzles

This kind of persistent message, especially after a fresh install, can be tricky. My initial thoughts revolved around two main possibilities:

1.  A "Sticky" BIOS Message: Sometimes, a temporary glitch during installation can leave a persistent error message in the BIOS, even if the underlying problem is resolved. The solution for this is often a full power cycle.

• This involves completely unplugging the laptop from power, removing the back cover (which, as I discovered, required a specific T5 Torx screwdriver – a quick trip to Home Hardware sorted that out!), disconnecting the internal battery cable, and then holding the power button for about 30 seconds to drain all residual power from the capacitors. I successfully performed this, but the message persisted on the next boot in spite of the full power cycle.

2.  Peripheral Power Conflict: Since the power cycle didn't clear it, my next suspicion turned to peripherals. I had a USB-C hub connected to my laptop. This hub, with its Type-C male end, two USB 2.0 inputs, Ethernet, and two HDMI inputs, was plugged into one of the laptop's regular Type-C ports. My Dell XPS 15 9530 has two Thunderbolt USB-C ports and one regular USB-C port.

3. The "Sweet Spot" Discovery: I decided to experiment. I unplugged the hub from the regular Type-C port and plugged it into one of the Thunderbolt USB-C ports. I kept the laptop's main power adapter plugged into the regular USB-C port (as power delivery pass-through through my hub didn't seem to work in any configuration).

• Success! Upon rebooting with this new configuration, the dreaded power message was gone! The laptop booted quickly and cleanly.

It turns out the Thunderbolt ports on Dell XPS laptops are significantly more robust in terms of power delivery and negotiation during the early boot phase. The regular USB-C port, when asked to power the hub and potentially its attached devices, was hitting its limit too early in the boot sequence, causing that error.

Lessons Learned & Takeaways

This experience reinforced a few key lessons for anyone installing Linux on modern hardware, especially Dell XPS:

• Don't Panic at Post-Install Glitches: Many issues, even seemingly serious BIOS warnings, can be resolved with systematic troubleshooting.

• The Power of the Power Cycle: It's a fundamental troubleshooting step for many hardware-related oddities.

• Peripherals Matter (Especially USB-C Hubs): How and where you connect your peripherals, particularly power-hungry or complex hubs, can significantly impact boot behavior.

• Thunderbolt is Your Friend: If your laptop has Thunderbolt ports, they often offer superior power delivery and stability for hubs and external devices compared to standard USB-C ports.

• Sometimes, You Get Lucky: While I forgot critical BIOS pre-installation steps (Secure Boot, Fast Boot, AHCI), the Ubuntu installation still proceeded flawlessly. This isn't always the case, but it shows that Linux can be surprisingly resilient!

I'm incredibly happy with my Ubuntu Linux Dell XPS 15 9530. It's booting fast, everything works, and I've got a deeper understanding of its quirks. It's another win for open source!

The image below depicts my new Dell XPS laptop on the left and my (older) HP Chromebook on the right.