Linux on T43p

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ex-SOLDIER · #1 Post by **ex-SOLDIER** » Thu Jan 18, 2007 5:23 pm

Well, I have been thinking about it but...I was wondering if I can install the T43p with a linux OS while retaining the fingerprint features that originally came with my laptop and updates from thinkvantage. It's the 2668-G1U model...
I'm not really into dual os...Unless I'm upgrading the hdd on this to 80-100 but that's not likely for now...

Any feedback is appreciated...

#2 Post by **Kyocera** » Thu Jan 18, 2007 6:06 pm

ExSoldier, you can load a linux distro of your choice but I'm not sure the fingerprint reader will work, check the Linux Conference for a lot of good advice and experience from the linux side of the house.

What branch and how long were you in? There is a few of us here, I did 20 at Ft Bragg, 82d and Army parachute team.

#3 Post by **carbon_unit** » Thu Jan 18, 2007 7:42 pm

Before you try to install linux on that T43P you should check the forum for your selected distro and see if there are special steps to accomodate the SATA-PATA hard drive interface.
It is exclusive to the T43 series Thinkpads.

christopher_wolf · #4 Post by **christopher_wolf** » Fri Jan 19, 2007 12:53 am

There are BioAPI drivers available for making the fingerprint readers work under Linux, last I checked them with was in SuSE but they should work in pretty much all the distros; most of what should work well is described on this page.

As Carbon_Unit points out, you should be aware, whatever the distro of your choice, of any special workarounds/issues that might arise due to the SATA-PATA bridge.

ex-SOLDIER · #5 Post by **ex-SOLDIER** » Fri Jan 19, 2007 3:32 pm

Thanks for all the replies. Sorry for the misintepretation on my name though. I just named that in favor of a character that I admire. Sorry for the confusion.

dkpw · #6 Post by **dkpw** » Mon Jan 22, 2007 7:16 pm

Having just acquired a T43p at the weekend, I have been enjoying a little bit of a Linux install fest.

The T43p has successfully run Novell's SuSe Linux Enterprise Desktop (SLED 10) and a Fedore Core 6 based distro called BLAG.

I ran BLAG 60000 but only after having to jump through some hoops after the installer failed, having first to install BLAG 53000 then update.

A Linux Format DVD installer for Fedora Core 6 also failed part way through installation.

If SLED works, you can be pretty sure that OpenSuSE 10.1 or 10.2 will work.

Debian and the Debian based distros such as Ubuntu should be okay and will be tested this weekend coming.

Slackware will, as always, be the most interesting test...

Linux on T43p

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