Ubuntu 5.04 tweaks for ThinkPad T42

[Edward Mendelson]

(NOTE: Edited to add step 5.)

Other threads here have discussed the basic installation of Ubuntu on a T42. After a couple of weeks of using this setup successfully, I've gathered a few tweaks that make the experience even easier. Almost all of these are taken (with some crucial modifications) from threads on Ubuntuforums.org. Be careful when implementing any of them, and make sure to keep backup versions of ALL files that you change. All the code below should of course be entered in a terminal.

1. Speed bootup by NOT trying to sychronize system time with an internet time server:

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sudo chmod -x /etc/init.d/ntpdate

2. Speed bootup by disabling attempt to connect to network if there's no cable connected to your ethernet port.

Install ifplugd; it is available through Synaptec from the universe repositories (Google this last phrase if you don't understand it). After installing, run (as root) your favorite text editor, perhaps this way:

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sudo gedit /etc/default/ifplugd

and modify the lines INTERFACES="" and HOTPLUG_INTERFACES="" if necessary. You probably only want to test the hotplug status of the wired ethernet connection, so the lines should read:

INTERFACES="eth0"
HOTPLUG_INTERFACES="eth0"

I don't pretend to understand these options fully, so please post corrections if I'm wrong.

I've also modified the ARGS= line to add the string

-b

which silences the otherwise excessive beeping when you plug or unplug the cable.

3. Get more sensible power management when switching between AC and battery power.

This is based on a slightly obscure hint that you can find here:

http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=21370

The key parts are in the first post in the thread, but you may get tripped up by a typo. The post includes links to two files. What you're supposed to do is this:

First, back up your copy of /etc/init.d/powernowd (notice the "d' on the end, which is missing in the post) and replace it with the contents of the powernowd.txt file available from the post. (However you do this, do it as root.)

Next, back up your copy of /etc/acpi/power.sh and replace it with the contents of the power.sh.txt file available from the post. Reboot.

Now, I found that the power controls did NOT work properly when I first set this up - power was not throttled down when I unplugged from AC power. So I replaced the built-in Ubuntu Hoary version 0.90 with version 0.91 available here:

http://www.deater.net/john/powernowd.html

Download powernowd-0.96.tar.gz to a convenient directory. Open a terminal, go to that directory, and enter the following commands:

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tar xvzf pow*
cd powernowd-0.96
sudo make
sudo make install

Reboot. To check on how well this works, I've right-clicked on the top panel, chosen Add to Panel, and added the CPU Frequency Scaling Monitor. Again, if I've got all this wrong, please shout.

4. 50-line mode in full-screen mode.

This is purely aesthetic, but I wanted to change the normal 25-line text mode in the full-screen terminal (during bootup especially) to the 50-line mode, which looks better and packs a lot more information. I did this by editing /boot/grub/menu.lst so that the line that launches the Ubuntu kernel includes this string along with all the other strings:

vga=0x318

This is perfect for a 1024x768 screen, but you may prefer something else, and a full list of options may be found here:

http://www.antlinux.com/staticwiki/VgaModes.html

5. Possible video speedup?

I can't tell if this really helps, but apparently it can't hurt. Backup and then edit (as root) your /etc/X11/xorg.conf file. Find the section that begins

Section "Device"
Identifier "ATI Technologies, Inc. Radeon Mobility [etc]"

and add (after the BusID line) these three lines:

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Option  "AGPMode"  "4"
Option  "AGPFastWrite"  "true"
Option  "EnablePageFlip"  "true"

Save the file, logout, restart X with Ctrl-Alt-Backspace, login again.

Sooner or later I'd like to gather these and other hints on a semi-permanent page (semi-permanent meaning until the next Ubuntu version arrives), so any corrections will be welcome.

Edward Mendelson

[egibbs]

Nice Ed - thanks. I think the last link is wrong though.

You didn't mention getting a 686 specific kernel. I did that, not sure if it made any difference or not. The instructions are here http://aaltonen.us/archive/2005/03/02/u ... 42/#kernel

Ed Gibbs

[Edward Mendelson]

Hmm.. I thought that thread on aaltonen.us (linked in Ed's post) had been cited elsewhere, but apparently not - anyway, ALL the advice on that page (EXCEPT the advice to replace the video drivers) is good - and should be done before doing anything that I cited in my earlier post.

The basics of installing Ubuntu on the 2nd Hard Disk adapter are in this thread:

http://forum.thinkpads.com/viewtopic.php?t=10478

(First post now corrected to fix an erroneous link - good catch.)

[baraider]

very nice info, i'm saving these for future ref when i install kubuntu on my t43.

I know gentoo has an applet where you can see the wifi signal strength as well as its status.

Don't know what you guys use in kubuntu, ubuntu to manage wifi (i assume Ctl F5 does not work?)

Am i correct in saying that the only difference between kubuntu and ubuntu is the GUI and the way certain apps are named....so can i use ubuntu apps for kubuntu...i really like the snaptic feature in ubuntu

[egibbs]

Anything gnome specific won't work under KDE without serious tweaking. Examples are video player, picture viewer, menu editor, etc. There are KDE equivlaents for all of these but I've never used them.

There is a Kynaptic for Kubuntu but I think it is not as fully developed as Synaptic is.

Fn+F5 sort of works if you install Thinkpad Buttons - if I press it 3 times it will turn my Wifi LED off, but no amount of pressing will turn it back in. I don't usually use Wifi so I can't comment further.

Ed Gibbs

[Edward Mendelson]

Can't imagine why Ed is having so much trouble with Fn+F5. Here it instantly turns off the wireless, and then, if pressed a second time, instantly turns it back on again. All the Thinkpad buttons work exactly as they do in Windows once you install the tpb package.

[egibbs]

I must just be special...

Ed Gibbs

[Edward Mendelson]

Should have added that Fn+F5 has no effect on the wireless LED on my system (always OFF under Ubuntu), but it does turn off the wireless radio. I wonder why the light goes on under Ubuntu on Ed's ThinkPad...

Ed, have you checked whether the button actually turns off the wireless radio as opposed to whether or not it turns off the light (use the top-panel Network monitor to see if the warning sign appears) - because presumably what matters is whether the radio is on or off, not the light (which I would like to have, but which I can easily live without).

[egibbs]

I have not really investigated but I'll try to take a look at it tonight if I have time. My network monitor is set up for ETH0 not ATH0, and it never shows a warning. I'll see if I can figure out how to add a monitor for ETH0.

On my machine the wireless LED (but not the Bluetooth) LED comes on very early in the Linux boot process and stays on until I turn it off.

I have the IBM/Atheros 11a/b/g card. I think you had said you have the same card - is that right?

I dnn't think there is any network stuff in /boot/menu.lst but I'll look again when I get a chance. Where else are boot config settings stored?

Ed Gibbs

[Edward Mendelson]

Ah, I don't have bluetooth on my machine, and the lights may work differently on your setup than on mine.

Boot settings are stored all over. Google the strings:

ubuntu init.d

and you'll learn a lot.

[egibbs]

Well, I added a monitor for ATH0. It shows status "Disconnected" with a signal strength of 65% (some idiot in the neighborhood is running a wide open access point).

Pressing Fn+F.5 doesn't seem to have any effect on it, though the LED does periodically come on and off.

Someday I'll figure it out but it's not a priority now.

Ed Gibbs