Which linux distro for T30?

[Madara-san]

Dear T30 users, could you recommend a good, well-maintained Linux distro, that runs well on this laptop? I've tried Ubuntu, but could not figured out how to install the driver for ATI 7500 VGA card, with OpenGL support. Thanks for the answers

[ajkula66]

Try CentOS...that's what I have on my A31p which is pretty similar to T30 hardware-wise.

Good luck.

[Madara-san]

Thank you do I need to install the graphics card's driver manually, or any other tweaking for working OpenGL, or it works by default installation?

[ajkula66]

Thank you do I need to install the graphics card's driver manually, or any other tweaking for working OpenGL, or it works by default installation?

No clue since OpenGL is not something I was concerned about in the least...

[jronald]

I have had T30/X31's running Ubuntu and Macbuntu for several years/ No issues to report. HOWEVER do some research on PAE. Dont remember what it is, but there is a fundamental difference in the time of machines when they were set up versus now.

Ron

[axur-delmeria]

Ubuntu community page regarding PAE: https://help.ubuntu.com/community/PAE

Since the T30 has a Pentium 4-M CPU, it has PAE.

From what I gather, the only processor lines that lack PAE support are:
Anything older than the Pentium Pro (Pentium I, MMX)
Pentium M (and the Celerons derived from it) CPUs with 400MHz FSB.

[Madara-san]

Okay then it "just works", no need of special drivers or x.org configs to get the graphics accelerator working? BTW, thanks for the answers

[Neil]

I could be wrong, but I don't think any current distro will "just work" out-of-the-box with legacy ATI graphic acceleration. AMD (formerly ATI) dropped support for chips older than RV600 (I think) back in 2011, and the current xorg doesn't support the legacy chips either.

If you have the know how (I don't), you could probably compile your own kernel and use an obsolete xorg version along with old ATI drivers. Haven't tried that myself, as I don't have any need to accelerated graphics on my legacy systems.

[FluffyBunny]

I have an R40 that's running Ubuntu Mate and does so quite smoothly, so I'd think the T30 would be similar. The card is an old ATI Mobility Raedon 7500 (I think. It's not with me at the moment), so it's using a free driver. (Think the free ATI one?) Can't do much with cool effects like I could do at one time (wobbly windows, the Compiz cube, etc) but it can do shadows & transparancies at least.

[Dekks]

Any old ATi cards default to the open source LLVM gallium 0.4 driver which will enable OpenGL. As you would expect the performance isnt that great given the age of the hardware although the x1300/x1400 branch was updated just before Xmas.

[Saucey]

T30 is running great with Crunchbang Waldorf (May 2013).
The only thing I had to mess with was figuring out how to get the middle scroll working properly, just needed a script.
No clue about WiFi, my model didn't come with one and I've yet to do the 1802 error hack, happy with an ethernet cord connected.

Happy distroing.

[Madara-san]

Thanks for the answers I'll try Ubuntu MATE, then.

Off-topic: I have an R51e too, with ATI x300. We installed LXLE distro, but the display does not going to sleep (screen goes blank with backlight on). What driver I have to try to solve this?

[Dekks]

Which ever distro you use run inxi -Fix

The graphics section will tell you which driver is active and if OpenGL is active, the ATi 7500 is no longer supported by flgrx official driver. FWIW you will only get OpenGL 1.3

Re your R50 issues, which acpi module is active - thinkpad_acpi or acpid ? tlp loaded?

[Madara-san]

Re your R50 issues, which acpi module is active - thinkpad_acpi or acpid ? tlp loaded?

Umm, how do I install thinkpad_acpi on LXLE? (fork of lubuntu)

[axur-delmeria]

First, check if it's already loaded as a kernel module. On a terminal window, type:

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lsmod | grep -i "thinkpad"

If not, you can load it by using the modprobe command, which needs root privileges.
I generally use Debian, so I have to su first to gain root access, then type:

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modprobe thinkpad-acpi

For Ubuntu, I think the sudo command can be used:

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sudo modprobe thinkpad-acpi

to force it to load on boot, use a text editor (with root privilege) to open the /etc/modules file and add "thinkpad-acpi" on a new line.