Update:

Sound:

To get the sound to work add the following to /etc/modprobe.d/alsa-base.conf:

# Configure the sound card
# Codec: IDT 92HD73C1X5
options snd-hda-intel model=dell-m6
options snd-hda-intel enable_msi=1

Touchpad:

To get multitouch working on the touchpad e.g. two finger scroll, etc. I found that you will need to create a script to run  right after login to make these settings work. Here is the script code:

Create a file called touchpad.sh.

Add the following in the file:

#!/bin/sh
#
# Use xinput --list-props "SynPS/2 Synaptics TouchPad" to extract data
#

# Set multi-touch emulation parameters
xinput set-int-prop "SynPS/2 Synaptics TouchPad" "Synaptics Two-Finger Pressure" 32 10
xinput set-int-prop "SynPS/2 Synaptics TouchPad" "Synaptics Two-Finger Width" 32 8
xinput set-int-prop "SynPS/2 Synaptics TouchPad" "Two-Finger Scrolling" 8 1
xinput set-int-prop "SynPS/2 Synaptics TouchPad" "Synaptics Two-Finger Scrolling" 8 1 1

# Disable edge scrolling
xinput set-int-prop "SynPS/2 Synaptics TouchPad" "Synaptics Edge Scrolling" 8 0 0 0

# This will make cursor not to jump if you have two fingers on the touchpad and you list one
# (which you usually do after two-finger scrolling)
xinput set-int-prop "SynPS/2 Synaptics TouchPad" "Synaptics Jumpy Cursor Threshold" 32 110

Add this script to auto start when you log in. This will very between gnome and kde. This should be considered as a temporary solution. I am still looking for a more permanent solution to this problem.

Openvpn via Gnome Network Manager:

To get openvpn working correctly via gnome-network-manager you have to apply a patch:

Create the following file: openvpn.patch

Add the following code to the openvpn.patch file:

--- nm-openvpn-service.conf.fixed 2009-11-05 16:07:53.764591878 +0200

+++ nm-openvpn-service.conf 2009-11-05 12:24:59.672779358 +0200

@@ -6,6 +6,10 @@

 		<allow own="org.freedesktop.NetworkManager.openvpn"/>

 		<allow send_destination="org.freedesktop.NetworkManager.openvpn"/>

 	</policy>

+	<policy user="at_console">

+		<allow own="org.freedesktop.NetworkManager.openvpn"/>

+		<allow send_destination="org.freedesktop.NetworkManager.openvpn"/>

+	</policy>

 	<policy context="default">

 		<deny own="org.freedesktop.NetworkManager.openvpn"/>

 		<deny send_destination="org.freedesktop.NetworkManager.openvpn"/>

Install “patch” via apt-get e.g. sudo apt-get install patch.

Now apply the new patch:

sudo patch -b /etc/dbus-1/system.d/nm-openvpn-service.conf <openvpn.patch

Inside of the Studio XPS 16 i7:

From left to right: Server, APC UPS, Main Computer

Specs:

VM Server

Motherboard: BIOSTAR TA790GX XE 790GX Micro ATX

CPU: AMD Phenom 9150e 1.8GHz quad core

Heatsink: ARCTIC COOLING Freezer 64

Memory: 4GB DDR 1066

Video Card: Onboard ATI Radeon HD3300 (running headless)

Disks: 160GB System disk, 4TB active disks, 3TB inactive (Storage)

Power Supply: OCZ ModXStream Pro OCZ400MXSP 400W

Case: COOLER MASTER Centurion 590

OS: Proxmox VM Server (Debian based)

—————————————————————————————————————

Main Computer

Motherboard: GIGABYTE GA-E7AUM-DS2H Micro ATX

CPU: Inten Q9300 2.5GHz quad core

Heatsink: Scythe SCMNJ-1000 “NINJA MINI”

Memory: 8GB DDR2 800

Video Card: Onboard NVIDIA GeForce 9400

Disks: 500GB

Power Supply: XIGMATEK MC NRP-MC651 650W

Case: LIAN LI PC-V350B

OS: Dual boot Ubuntu 9.10 and Windows 7