Few questions about X60s under Linux

[RUSH2112]

I posted this in the Linux section as well, but I'll repost here incase any of you can help me.

Note from Moderator: No Multi-posting. Moved to Linux conference where it belongs.

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I've been (painfully) running Windows on my X60s 1704-69U, since I couldn't get a Linux distro working right on it. When Ubuntu 6.10 was released, I figured I'd give it a shot. I much prefer Gentoo, but I know that Ubuntu is pretty good about working out of the box, so it is generally preferable on Laptops, especially newer ones. It works pretty well and is very useable. The Thinkpad wireless card works fine, suspend and hibernate work, SMP works (even with the generic i386 kernel, but I installed the 686-smp kernel to optimize performance).
I just have a few quick questions

1. Sound? It worked on the live cd, but not on the install. Any tips?
2. Is there any way to get the wireless switch to work. The system just seems to ignore it.
3. Any tips for improving battery life? Gnome only estimates 3hrs 30 mins, and thats with brightness on medium. I easily do 6 hours with wireless on in Windows.
4. I know there was not much last time I ran Linux on a laptop, but there may be something that I was missing or that has since come out for this, but are there any decent wireless managers? I need to connect to 3 different wireless networks, one has WEP. I hate having to either go through the hassle of Gnome Wireless Manager or edit /etc/network/interfaces every time I switch networks.
5. The system also seems to run a bit warmer under Linux

I checked ThinkWiki and a few other places, I really couldnt find anything for these questions.

[dfumento]

A very important rule in successful computing is "don't make trouble for yourself." That is one reason why we purchase Thinkpads and not Dells (not so well built, terrible support) or Apples (incompatible software).

IBM has an official Linux for Thinkpads with various ThinkAdvantage utilities already compatible with it. I installed it dual boot without problems on an X60s. It is called Novel SLED 10. Use this and minimize your problems. You see, this particular version of Linux has gone through extensive IBM testing like the Thinkpads themselves.

For instance, I got 4:30 battery life with full brightness compared with your 3:30 hours with half brightness. Access Connections works with this version and handles the wireless problems you are having.

See for complete step by step instructions:
http://forum.thinkpads.com/viewtopic.php?t=31975

For you own sanity, just go with the tried and true standards. Since Novell SLED 10 is what major companies such as Intel and Cicso use on Thinkpads (preinstalled by IBM), you are going to get much better support. It was also chosen by IBM after an extensive evaluation of the various Linux versions.

[RUSH2112]

Hmm, thanks for the tip. I first used Linux with SUSE 9.1, but I'm not so crazy about SUSE nowadays as an upper-intermediate user, but I will give it a shot.

[Spif]

I thought the ThinkVantage utilities for Linux only worked on the T60p? Would be really nice if the official power management program works on the X60s!

[dfumento]

Power management works. The T60p is very similar the the X60s except for CPU chip and the discrete graphics chip, both which have nothing to do with power management, access connections, etc.

I can understand personal preferences for different Linux's but unless you have a compelling operational reason, probably best just to go with "the standard."

The SLED 10 install includes various software SDKs and works really well in my opinion. Also, since Intel/Lenovo picked it, it must be good.

[Spif]

Wow, this is really great news!

In a few days I will buy an X60s and I really thought I would be forced to use Windows on it to get decent battery life and have everything working.

[Mr. The Guy]

A very important rule in successful computing is "don't make trouble for yourself."

That doesn't sound like any fun at all

[dfumento]

A very important rule in successful computing is "don't make trouble for yourself."

That doesn't sound like any fun at all

Ahhh yes....the fun is that when the basic stuff works without trouble, then you can do the fun stuff like code!

Here is the things that work from another thread:

On lowest brightness, the unit gets 6:40 hours and the screen is still very readable.

The following ThinkVantage features work:
Configuration
F3, F4, F5, F12, F-Home, F-End, F-PgUp
(Power manager, Suspend to RAM, Access Connections, Hibernate to disk, increase brightness, decrease brightness, Thinklight).

Bluetooth.

[NeoMatrix]

...The following ThinkVantage features work:
Configuration
F3, F4, F5, F12, F-Home, F-End, F-PgUp
(Power manager, Suspend to RAM, Access Connections, Hibernate to disk, increase brightness, decrease brightness, Thinklight).

Bluetooth.

Is the fingerprint reader functional in SLED 10 with the ThinkVantage tools?

On another note, as discussed elsewhere on this forum (OS X discussion), although not technically linux, OS X is another option. Members have successfully installed 10.4.6 with a 10.4.8 update to get most features working (including suspend) and wireless (after replacing wireless card with IBM a/b/g Atheros card).

[Dead1nside]

I wish Lenovo would support Red hat Enterprise Linux, and give some choice. Do they open source the Linux tools?

[azimi3]

Have you seen this site? http://www.williambrownstreet.net/Linux/

I have ubuntu 6.06 and XP running as a dual boot on my x60 without any major problems. A lot of the stuff works right out of the box but some minor tweaking is needed. I have recently started using Linux more than XP and I mostly use, Internet, E-mail and Office Documents and it works perfect for me.

[cb474]

Here's one person's argument, from Thinkwiki, about why it my be worth choosing another distribution of Lenovo's installation of SUSE:

In June 2006, Lenovo announced it would be shipping ThinkPad T60p laptops with SUSE Linux Enterprise Desktop (SLED) 10 pre-installed, since SLED apparently supports all of the features of the T60p. I contacted my local IBM supplier, who said that Lenovo were no longer manufacturing the T60p, since the company which was making the displays went out of business. This meant I could not get a T60p with SLED pre-installed. I decided to go for the T60 2007, which is the closest thing I could find to the T60p. This comes with Windows XP Professional pre-installed.

I first tried to get SLED installed on the T60. Although it did indeed install, and most features worked, I soon got bored of SLED. Firstly, SLED uses Gnome 2.12, which is by now ancient. Secondly, although the Lenovo utilities do work on SLED, they only work well if you use KDE as your default desktop environment, which is a pity since I'm a Gnome user. The utilities were very unstable to me too. Finally, what made me give up SLED was the usual problem - it's an RPM based distribution. Once you start using Debian derivatives, with their apt based installer, you won't want to go back. That's when I decided to try Ubuntu, and have not regretted it since.

http://www.thinkwiki.org/wiki/Installin ... inkPad_T60

I've thrown my hat in with Ubuntu, as a Linux newbie, for what it's worth. I would like to find a way to make the wireless switch work though. Or simply to have Ubuntu start up with wireless disabled and know that the wireless radio is really powered off. I think it's effecting my battery life a bit.

[iMav]

I currently own a T23 that I purchased off of Ebay not too long ago. I ALSO own a MacBook. The T23 has re-kindled my love affair with the trackpoint. I would really like to replace the MacBook with a light ThinkPad (which would, of course, run Linux). Is the X60 the only current ThinkPad to not have the touchpad (I know they all have the trackpoint)?

What I'd really like is a 13.3" widescreen with trackpoint, Core2Duo 2.0GHz, 2GB ram, and nVidia graphics...however, I know nothing like that exists. So, I'm thinking the X60 is the closest thing - 12" non-widescreen and Intel 950 integrated graphics being the tradeoffs. Am I correct in this? Or is there a model out there (current or slightly out dated, that would more suit my Linux, mobile-computing needs).

The graphics is a BIT of a sticking point in that I want/need to play WoW under wine. WoW performs adequately enough on my MacBook with the 950 graphics...so that would be my minimum requirement.

[tomh009]

Of the current ThinkPads, X60, X60s and R60e are TrackPoint only; all others have both TrackPoint and touchpad.

No widescreens, as you have found out. If you need discrete graphics, you have to go T60. The X60 is available with your other requirements (1.83 GHz Core 2 Duo, up to 3 GB of memory and GMA 950). You need to decide on the portability vs power equation ...

[iMav]

Of the current ThinkPads, X60, X60s and R60e are TrackPoint only; all others have both TrackPoint and touchpad.

I did not realize that the R60e was trackpoint-only. However, I don't think I'm willing to buy a new 15" if I don't have the option of a SXGA+ or UXGA display.

The X60 is looking better and better. I will be on vacation back in the states at the beginning of April. Maybe I can get one to my doorstep within that two weeks.