Ubuntu 5.04 tweaks for ThinkPad T42
Posted: Wed May 11, 2005 8:50 am
(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:
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:
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:
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:
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
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:
Code: Select all
sudo chmod -x /etc/init.d/ntpdateInstall 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:
Code: Select all
sudo gedit /etc/default/ifplugdINTERFACES="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:
Code: Select all
tar xvzf pow*
cd powernowd-0.96
sudo make
sudo make install4. 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:
Code: Select all
Option "AGPMode" "4"
Option "AGPFastWrite" "true"
Option "EnablePageFlip" "true"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
