Thinkpads Forum

Hi all,

I've been lurking here a while waiting to see what was gonna happen but I'm not totally clear on a few things so I thought I'd just go ahead and ask it myself.

As a bit of a background, I've been a Mac user for the last 7 years. I've owned nearly every line of hardware they've put out since and have loved most of it. I use a Mac Pro for my serious work but more and more I'm finding that my mobile/offline times are when I get the most done (I'm a photographer and programmer). I've gone back and forth between a MB and an MBP, disliking the MBP's size and the MB's durability (or lack of it). I've always liked IBM's build quality and size/weight, especially their X-series, but Apple's never put out an equal. I finally bought an X61 yesterday (maxed it out with 4GB, 320GB 5400, 2.0 C2D), which I won't get for a few more days.

So all that brings me to my current predicament and million-dollar question: Is it currently possible to install Leopard on an X61 and get the following working:

Important: Ethernet, wireless, graphics (I have a 24'' that I used on my MB, runs fine off VGA unlike my 30'')
Semi-important: Sound (I have an external 7.1 FW adapter that I can use at my desk, though portable sound for movies/chatting would be nice)
Not important: Bluetooth, SD reader, Expresscard

I've read a few things about power management and I have hopes that it'll work alright, though maybe my hopes are too high.

It's got to the point where I'd almost rather have my portable running XP just for PS/Lightroom if it means I'll have a 3.5lb semi-indestructible machine, but I'd much rather be running OS X on it. And if I had to, I suppose I wouldn't mind running a later build of Tiger instead of Leopard if it means I'll get more things working.

Thanks so much for any advice you may have to give, I really appreciate it.

MOD EDIT: Moved to appropriate forum.

twfact wrote:
So all that brings me to my current predicament and million-dollar question: Is it currently possible to install Leopard on an X61 and get the following working:

Important: Ethernet, wireless, graphics (I have a 24'' that I used on my MB, runs fine off VGA unlike my 30'')
Semi-important: Sound (I have an external 7.1 FW adapter that I can use at my desk, though portable sound for movies/chatting would be nice)
Not important: Bluetooth, SD reader, Expresscard

Ethernet doesn't work. My solution is a $20 USB-ethernet adapter. Wireless works great.
Graphics work, although accelerated graphics and switching between internal and external display is marginal.

Sound doesn't work, although there has been some slow progress in that direction.

Bluetooth works fine, but it must be enabled/disabled from within Windows.
The X61 doesn't have an ExpressCard slot, only a Cardbus one. This and the SD card reader don't currently work. Cardbus is also something that may improve - a few people had it working in Tiger.

Power Management is hit and miss. Basic power management is there, but SpeedStep support has been pretty unstable in my experience. In the very latest builds, sleep appears to work too.

For fun and specific uses, OS X on the X61 can work pretty well, but I wouldn't use it as a sole environment. Too many things just aren't quite there yet.

Since you have such a large hard drive, you might consider partitioning it in 3 - an XP + apps partition, an OS X + apps partition, and a FAT32 data partition. You'll be able to have both, and use whichever suits your uses better.

Thanks a lot for your reply.

About the wireless, is that only using the Atheros card, or does the default Intel chip work fine?

For the graphics, I don't need hefty OpenGL support, just as long as Expose works and it can drive 1024x768+1920x1200. I remember there being some issues with ATI drivers in past OSX86 builds where you couldn't get a res higher than 1024 or 1280, just wanted to check that there wasn't still a limitation like that on this setup.

And for your USB-ethernet adapter, is yours just one of those bog-standard adapters on eBay for $0.99-$4.99 apiece, or does it require a more complicated one? I bought one of those a while back for my Sharp Zaurus but don't have it anymore.

I was thinking the same about a multiple partition setup, I'll probably do something like that.

I can say the intel 4965 wifi chip certainly doesnt work in leopard, and probably never will unless apple releases their own driver (if they begin to use the chip in their new line of macbooks sometime in the future). The best would be to buy the thinkpad 11-chip on ebay, I think it's about $30.

twfact wrote:Thanks a lot for your reply.

About the wireless, is that only using the Atheros card, or does the default Intel chip work fine?

For the graphics, I don't need hefty OpenGL support, just as long as Expose works and it can drive 1024x768+1920x1200. I remember there being some issues with ATI drivers in past OSX86 builds where you couldn't get a res higher than 1024 or 1280, just wanted to check that there wasn't still a limitation like that on this setup.

And for your USB-ethernet adapter, is yours just one of those bog-standard adapters on eBay for $0.99-$4.99 apiece, or does it require a more complicated one? I bought one of those a while back for my Sharp Zaurus but don't have it anymore.

I was thinking the same about a multiple partition setup, I'll probably do something like that.

No, Intel 3945/4965 wireless is not currently supported (should have been clearer). Atheros a/b/g wireless is supported. The cards a pretty easy to find on eBay ($25 or so).

I'm using a Linksys USB200M USB-ethernet adapter, but I suspect the actual hardware inside is pretty standard, so cheaper adapters are a good bet.

I'm running 1600x1200 off my X61 in OS X without issues - Expose certainly works fine. Don't see why 1920 x 1200 wouldn't work.

Best.

Do you know if there's any difference between the AR5001X (http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vi ... 0187314777) and AR5213A (http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vi ... 0204927500) chipsets as far as OSX compatibility goes? The 5213A looks more enticing on a technical level (even if it doesn't actually give you full 108mpbs speeds in real life) but I'll get the 5001X if that's the one people are talking about when they mention the Atheros a/b/g. Thanks!

Beware that thinkpads only allow whitelisted pci-e wifi-cards to be used. I would go for an original thinkpad 11 abg.

twfact wrote:Do you know if there's any difference between the AR5001X (http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vi ... 0187314777) and AR5213A (http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vi ... 0204927500) chipsets as far as OSX compatibility goes? The 5213A looks more enticing on a technical level (even if it doesn't actually give you full 108mpbs speeds in real life) but I'll get the 5001X if that's the one people are talking about when they mention the Atheros a/b/g. Thanks!

As Falk mentioned, the Thinkpad has a BIOS level check that prevents non-IBM mini PCI-express cards from being used. I believe the newer Thinkpad a/b/g/n wireless does work in OS X, though I've no personal experience. Otherwise, something like this should do (I'm sure there are cheaper available too).

I was able to install Leopard on my Thinkpad Z61m I wish I could get the onboard networking to work. I got wireless working by buying a USB wireless adapter. I had to use third party drivers because the official drivers wouldnt detect it.