Dell D800 + Dock questions/issues

[Keven Ring]

I have a new Dell D800 laptop with a full dockstation that I am trying 
to install fedora-core-1 onto.  I have run into several issues that 
hopefully someone can suggest a method of resolving.  Before I get into 
the issues, the laptop has an nVidia card, but the dockstation has an 
ATI video card builtin.  This is, I believe, the root cause of many of 
the issues.

1) The fedora <graphical> installer does not work in the dock - the 
graphics become unreadable.  It almost makes me feel like I am back in 
the '80s with old CGA graphics... Except that you can't read what's on 
the screen....
2) Installing/running fedora undocked works [I haven't played with all 
of the available video modes, but definately 1400x1050 and 1600x1200]
3) XWindows fails to come up when docked
4) redhat-config-xfree86 fails [it detects the nVidia card, not the ATI 
card]

I have tried setting the video driver section of the XF86Config to use 
the radeon driver, and ATI Radeon (generic) as the graphics card to no 
avail.  The output from X suggests that it cannot locate a suitable 
device for that driver.

I also installed the radeon and agpgart kernel modules, again, to no avail.

What I am wondering is
A) Is there a way to get X to detect the video card on the dock
B) Is there a way to know if I am docked so that the XF86Config file can 
be modified appropriately, based on docked/undocked status.  A 
[potential] viable workaround would be to have two grub entries, one for 
docked, one for undocked, passing appropriate entries accordingly. 
 Obviously, an automated method would be preferable.

Finding a resolution to A) would be great, since it would allow me to 
use a D800 in the dockstation.  Finding a resolution to B) is not 
predicated on having a resolution to A), because I have need for knowing 
the docked/undocked status of other [similar] systems as well.

I can post the output of any recommended scans [both docked and 
undocked], if required.

Any help/insight would be greatly appreciated.

TIA

-- 
Keven Ring                      | They called it Paradise
Lead Software Systems Engineer  |   I don't know why...
The MITRE Corporation           | When you call someplace Paradise
(703)883-7026                   |   Kiss it goodbye....


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