Help with T61 config for Linux

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tlc · #1 Post by **tlc** » Thu May 17, 2007 9:20 am

I'm considering a T61 to run Linux (preferably Kubuntu). Since it's bleeding edge, I've found no postings of people who've put Linux on it. I'm hoping that those of you who follow the chipsets can tell me what should work and what probably doesn't.

This thread http://forum.thinkpads.com/viewtopic.php?t=42373 discusses the wifi. Basically there's no driver yet for the intel 4965 and the atheros driver is binary only.

What about the graphics choices, Intel GMA X3100 GM965 or nVIDIA Quadro NVS 140M? Are these already supported?

What about Santa Rosa in general?
Anything else I should be aware of?

Edit: What about the turbo memory? I don't care about Wireless WAN.

Since this is for work, I need it to work with only a day or two of futzing around. Should I play it safe and get an T60p?

THANKS,
tlc

patch · #2 Post by **patch** » Mon May 21, 2007 3:08 pm

Both graphic choices will be great for linux. The intel graphics driver you can find more information about here: http://intellinuxgraphics.org/ and the nVidia card also has a driver released and working for the NVS card under linux (I dont have a great link, but maybe this can get you started.)
The intel driver appears to have been significantly improved.

As for turbo memory, unfortunately I am under the impression that it requires a system driver to function. (I was told thats the excuse why it does not work with Windows XP). So if that is indeed the case then you would have to wait till someone makes it work with linux.

Thats about all I can add. I don't have a thinkpad yet so I can't tell you how anything else might react with it. However I do not foresee any issues later on with compatibility and I too am planning on loading up linux if/when I get my T61.

Volker · #3 Post by **Volker** » Tue May 22, 2007 9:20 am

The nVIDIA graphics card works with a binary-only driver, whereas the Intel graphics card has an open-sourced driver. Except for 3d games I'd always choose the intel graphics.

Shuk · #4 Post by **Shuk** » Wed May 23, 2007 1:40 pm

Hi,

I'm trying to set up Ubuntu 7 on my new T61. I have the Intel GMA Graphics (GM965) but not really an idea how to install the drivers. At the moment I only get a resolution of 1024 x 768.

Unfortunaltely I am quite a noob in terms of Linux. Does anybody knows how to install the driver?

I found this site so far:
http://intellinuxgraphics.org/download.html
Does that mean I have to compile the kernel?

Thanks for any help!

Shuk

Volker · #5 Post by **Volker** » Fri May 25, 2007 1:40 pm

First of all, you only need the kernel module for 3d acceleration. And you probably don't want to compile xorg yourself

Check your /var/log/Xorg.0.log for error messages. Are you running vesa or the intel driver? If you are using vesa, you need to edit /etc/X11/xorg.conf to get the right resolution. If you want to use the intel driver, you might have to upgrade to the latest (unstable) xserver-xorg-video-intel.

Shuk · #6 Post by **Shuk** » Fri May 25, 2007 2:14 pm

Hi Volker,

many thanks for your reply!

Where do I find the 3d acceleration module?

As written above I tried to follow the instructions on http://intellinuxgraphics.org/download.html

But when I execute "make menuconfig" to edit the Kernel and go to Device Driver -> Character devices -> /dev/agpgart (AGP Support), I can't enable it!

I have edited xorg.conf and are using the Intel driver. But (I think as a result of the disabled agpgart) I get this message:

GARTInit: Unable to open /dev/agpgart (No such file or directory)

Where can I download the latest, unstable xserver-xorg-video-intel that you mentioned?

Sorry, as written above I am really new to Linux and don't know very much about how to configure/install it in the right way. However, the fact that I can't enable agpgart in the Kernel seems to be the main problem for me. Is it?

I appreciate any help!

Volker · #7 Post by **Volker** » Sat May 26, 2007 11:28 am

You should first get 2D working, then you can think about 3d imho (the latter needs extra kernel module + new mesa).

I'd suggest you search the ubuntu forums for GM965, this'll give you much more ubuntu-specific advice (which I never used). Apparently you need to upgrade the kernel, see http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=453159. Make sure you start from the normal ubuntu kernel config, run make oldconfig, and enable intel agp.

Code: Select all

CONFIG_AGP=y
CONFIG_AGP_INTEL=y

For 2D you don't need anything from http://intellinuxgraphics.org/download.html. In any case, this page is only useful if you know what you are doing. The fastest way to get 3D up is probably to wait a few weeks until ubuntu has everything incorporated.

Shuk · #8 Post by **Shuk** » Wed May 30, 2007 4:04 pm

Hi!

After some more testing and trying to get it work I think it is a problem with the 64-bit version of Ubuntu.

I installed the 32-bit version and after updating the xserver-xorg-video-intel driver everything worked fine. Also the agpgart option is enabled in the Kernel of the 32-bit version.

After installing the 64-bit version again, I encountered the same problems as before:
- agpgart is not an option in the kernel
- I don't get the intel graphics to work

So there MUST be a difference between the 64- and 32-bit version in view of the intel graphics. I have a brand new Thinkpad T61 with new Santa Rosa platform and the newest intel chipset (Intel® 965GM Express Chipset). Maybe the architecture of my pc is not supported yet? I have no idea actually. In my opinion there should be a way to get the intel graphics working for 64-bit as well, but I don't have any more ideas at the moment.

ArlexBee-871RBO · #9 Post by **ArlexBee-871RBO** » Thu Jun 28, 2007 5:15 am

Shuk wrote:Hi!

After some more testing and trying to get it work I think it is a problem with the 64-bit version of Ubuntu.

I installed the 32-bit version and after updating the xserver-xorg-video-intel driver everything worked fine. Also the agpgart option is enabled in the Kernel of the 32-bit version.

After installing the 64-bit version again, I encountered the same problems as before:
- agpgart is not an option in the kernel
- I don't get the intel graphics to work

So there MUST be a difference between the 64- and 32-bit version in view of the intel graphics. I have a brand new Thinkpad T61 with new Santa Rosa platform and the newest intel chipset (Intel® 965GM Express Chipset). Maybe the architecture of my pc is not supported yet? I have no idea actually. In my opinion there should be a way to get the intel graphics working for 64-bit as well, but I don't have any more ideas at the moment.

I've been trying to get Gentoo Linux working on my T61 for 5 days now. It's Intel GM965 with the X3100 graphic chip.

I can't get Direct Rendering to work, not even in Ubuntu. I've tried 32bit and 64bit.

Shuk, do you know if Direct Rendering is working for you? Run glxinfo to see.

Code: Select all

glxinfo | grep rendering

Shuk · #10 Post by **Shuk** » Thu Jun 28, 2007 5:56 pm

Hi ArlexBee-871RBO,

Direct Rendering is working on my system. In general for installing Ubuntu in a way it works I followed some steps here:
http://www.thinkwiki.org/wiki/Installin ... inkPad_T61

Now I have the 64-bit version running and the resolution is correct. However, I still have problems with Beryl or Compiz. No idea if it is a problem of the graphic chip or something else.

helmet4000 · #11 Post by **helmet4000** » Sat Jun 30, 2007 7:08 pm

I just received the T61 and tried Ubuntu and Suse but had some problems with wireless, sound, and graphics resolution. I have the X3100 graphics card too.

I paid $50 for Suse Linux Enterprise Desktop and it recognized the wireless but I could not get the resolution to where it should be

I put VISTA Business back on it for now and will wait until SUSE or UBUNTU can better support the hardware in the next several months and put together a dual boot system.

meat · #12 Post by **meat** » Sun Jul 01, 2007 9:32 am

Helmet, did you see this thread?

http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=471563

Jedacite · #13 Post by **Jedacite** » Mon Jul 02, 2007 11:41 am

In terms of wifi I hear that there are two methods of getting the 4965 working in ubuntu.

1. Ndiswrapper
2. Back porting driver from gutsy.
3. Manually installing Linux Driver from: http://intellinuxwireless.org/?p=iwlwifi which now does support the 4965.

I've heard of people getting ndiswrapper working so that should work (as well as ndiswrapper ever works).

If you don't want to go with Ndiswrapper you could wait until there is an Ubuntu update for it (there may already be, I haven't checked.) or until Ubuntu Gutsy (7.10) comes out which is in October. I've heard that people have had success back-porting the driver from the Gutsy Test Candidates to Feisty 7.04)

Good Luck,
Brad.

mdtaylor69 · #14 Post by **mdtaylor69** » Fri Jul 20, 2007 1:23 am

[quote="helmet4000"]I just received the T61 and tried Ubuntu and Suse but had some problems with wireless, sound, and graphics resolution. I have the X3100 graphics card too.

I paid $50 for Suse Linux Enterprise Desktop and it recognized the wireless but I could not get the resolution to where it should be

You might try the xorg updates for Intel on SLED:

Recommended update for Intel drivers
http://support.novell.com/techcenter/ps ... 121cc.html

Also the X3100 graphics work out of the box on OpenSuse 10.3. Just run sax2 -r at runlevel 3.

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