gistfile1.txt

Tried:
Distros: Ubuntu 15.10, Linux Mint, Arch.

1. With BIOS SATA Operation = Raid: Nothing booted. Live USB boot for ubuntu started, but then stalled.
2. With SATA Operation = AHCI: 
  Ubuntu: Booted "Try Install" with nomodeset in grub. Installation started, and never finishes. Gets quite far.
  Arch: Won't boot.
  Linux Mint: Try mode installer boots, but can't see hard drive, and no network to get drivers.
3. With SATA Operation = Disabled:
  Ubuntu installs. Synaptics touchpad doesn't work. Machine runs hot, and 81Wh battery depletes in under three hours. 
  That's AFTER installing latest nvidia drivers, etc. Intermittent crashes too.
  
Hardware:
 Dell Precision 5510. Xeon E3-1505M Quad Core @ 2.8GHz, Hyperthreaded with TurboBoost.
 Samsung 1TB m.2 PCIE 3 NVME SSD (PM951)
 32GB DDR4 GSkill RAM
 Nvidia Quadro 1000M gpu
 Intel 530 HD on CPU gpu
 Synaptics Touchpad. 
 Intel AC8260 Wifi
 
Bootable USB sticks made via Rufus in Windows.