Difference between revisions of "Install Mandriva 2009.0 on a ThinkPad W500"

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(Linux is only a kernel. Spelling. Added correction about EC mute.)
 
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[[:Category:W500|W500]] '''this is work under progress'''
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[[:Category:W500|W500]] {{NOTE|The below issues have been fixed in later GNU/Linux versions, but they have been left in case someone decides to try installing Mandriva 2009.0 for some reason.}}
  
 
==BIOS Issues==
 
==BIOS Issues==
  
−
Linux (ie Xorg) currently lacks the support for on-the-fly switching of GPUs. It not only does not support switching, you also have to expicically turn off switching in BIOS. Go to Config->Display->Graphics Device and '''DISABLE''' OS detection of switchable graphics.
+
* [[Switchable Graphics]]
 +
GNU/Linux with X.Org previously lacked the support for on-the-fly switching of GPUs. It not only did not support switching, you also had to explicitly turn off switching in BIOS. Go to Config->Display->Graphics Device and '''DISABLE''' OS detection of switchable graphics.
  
−
If you don't disable OS detection, linux will see two graphic adapters (try it with lspci) and will be confused on which one to use, leading to random weird side effects such as hangs and worse.
+
If you don't disable OS detection, Linux will enumerate two graphic adapters (see `lspci` output) and X.Org will be confused as to which one to use, leading to random weird side effects such as hangs and worse.
  
 +
* AHCI
 
I also had to turn off AHCI in Config->SATA and used '''Compatibility Mode''' instead, otherwise the kernel would not boot occasionally.
 
I also had to turn off AHCI in Config->SATA and used '''Compatibility Mode''' instead, otherwise the kernel would not boot occasionally.
  
−
The T9400 and up CPUs also support advanced Intel Virtualization technologies. Just don't turn on VT-d (disk I/O virtualization) in BIOS, otherwise WLAN any a couple of other things will not work and even freeze your system, see [https://qa.mandriva.com/show_bug.cgi?id=44711 https://qa.mandriva.com/show_bug.cgi?id=44711]
+
* Intel Virtualization
 +
The T9400 and up CPUs also support advanced Intel Virtualization technologies. Just don't turn on '''VT-d''' (disk I/O virtualization) in BIOS, otherwise WLAN any a couple of other things will not work and even freeze your system, see [https://qa.mandriva.com/show_bug.cgi?id=44711 https://qa.mandriva.com/show_bug.cgi?id=44711]
  
 
==Things not working/issues==
 
==Things not working/issues==
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As I've found most of the components are just working out of the box, I will only list the issues I have found so far:
 
As I've found most of the components are just working out of the box, I will only list the issues I have found so far:
  
 +
* booting with "vga=788" not working
 +
** the Mandriva installer added the "vga=788" parameter to my Linux boot line. That prevented the laptop from booting quite frequently, not always though. Still to be investigated, but removing "vga=788" from the kernel boot line solved the issue for now.
 
* [[Active Protection System]]
 
* [[Active Protection System]]
 
** HD-APS is not working for me, probably due to a BIOS bug, see [http://bugzilla.kernel.org/show_bug.cgi?id=12221 http://bugzilla.kernel.org/show_bug.cgi?id=12221]
 
** HD-APS is not working for me, probably due to a BIOS bug, see [http://bugzilla.kernel.org/show_bug.cgi?id=12221 http://bugzilla.kernel.org/show_bug.cgi?id=12221]
−
*** some kind of workaround is to add pnpacpi=off to the kernel boot line, but I am not sure about the sideffects
+
*** some kind of workaround is to add pnpacpi=off to the kernel boot line, but that turns off ACPI, which is no real option
 
* Suspend/Resume
 
* Suspend/Resume
 
** while suspending works fine, resuming always ended with a blank screen, workaround below
 
** while suspending works fine, resuming always ended with a blank screen, workaround below
−
* muted audio not shown in alsa mixer
+
* muted audio not shown in alsamixer
−
** when you use the built in "mute audio" button on the ThinkPad keyboard, this is not show in any audio mixer I've tried. So if you don't hear a sound, give the "mute audio" button a try :-)
+
** when you use the built in "mute audio" button on the ThinkPad keyboard, the EC does a hardware mute without sending a XF86AudioMute event, so the mute state will not show in any audio mixer. So if you don't hear a sound, press the "mute audio" or "volume up" button to unmute :-)
 
* 3D and radeonhd
 
* 3D and radeonhd
−
** the radeonhd driver (still) does not support 3D acceleration
+
** the radeonhd driver did not support 3D acceleration
 +
* 2D and fglrx
 +
** see below
  
 
== Suspend/Resume problem ==
 
== Suspend/Resume problem ==
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If resuming just leaves you with a blank black display, try the following:
 
If resuming just leaves you with a blank black display, try the following:
  
−
   echo "ADD_PARAMETERS='--quirk-vbe-post' > /etc/pm/config.d/w500_vbe_post
+
   echo "ADD_PARAMETERS='--quirk-vbe-post'" > /etc/pm/config.d/w500_vbe_post
  
 
== Display / Xorg ==
 
== Display / Xorg ==
  
−
The laptop comes with switchable graphics, so you can choose on your own which GPU to use:
+
The laptop comes with [[Switchable Graphics]], so you can choose on your own which GPU to use:
  
 
* intel
 
* intel
 
** consumes the least energy
 
** consumes the least energy
 
** DVI connector on the [[ThinkPad Advanced Mini Dock]] ist not recognoized
 
** DVI connector on the [[ThinkPad Advanced Mini Dock]] ist not recognoized
 +
** a static dual head configuration gives weird background garbage when one of the statically configured monitors is not connected, see [http://bugs.freedesktop.org/show_bug.cgi?id=19412 http://bugs.freedesktop.org/show_bug.cgi?id=19412]
  
 
* radeonhd
 
* radeonhd
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* fglrx
 
* fglrx
 
** changing runlevel to 3 (init 3) leaves you with X eating 100% CPU
 
** changing runlevel to 3 (init 3) leaves you with X eating 100% CPU
 +
** huge performance issues when switching between virtual desktops, switching can take a couple of seconds with 100% CPU again
 +
 +
So if battery life and 3D are important for you, you should probably use the intel driver, but I am fine with the radeonhd driver for now. And fglrx is nothing but proprietary nonsense, IMHO ... for a '''commercial''' driver this is ridiculous.
 +
  
−
So if battery life, DVI and 3D are important for you, you should probably use the fglrx driver, but I am fine with the radeonhd driver for now.
 
  
 
[[Category:W500]][[Category:Mandriva]]
 
[[Category:W500]][[Category:Mandriva]]

Latest revision as of 03:36, 12 April 2025

W500

NOTE!
The below issues have been fixed in later GNU/Linux versions, but they have been left in case someone decides to try installing Mandriva 2009.0 for some reason.

BIOS Issues

GNU/Linux with X.Org previously lacked the support for on-the-fly switching of GPUs. It not only did not support switching, you also had to explicitly turn off switching in BIOS. Go to Config->Display->Graphics Device and DISABLE OS detection of switchable graphics.

If you don't disable OS detection, Linux will enumerate two graphic adapters (see `lspci` output) and X.Org will be confused as to which one to use, leading to random weird side effects such as hangs and worse.

  • AHCI

I also had to turn off AHCI in Config->SATA and used Compatibility Mode instead, otherwise the kernel would not boot occasionally.

  • Intel Virtualization

The T9400 and up CPUs also support advanced Intel Virtualization technologies. Just don't turn on VT-d (disk I/O virtualization) in BIOS, otherwise WLAN any a couple of other things will not work and even freeze your system, see https://qa.mandriva.com/show_bug.cgi?id=44711

Things not working/issues

As I've found most of the components are just working out of the box, I will only list the issues I have found so far:

  • booting with "vga=788" not working
    • the Mandriva installer added the "vga=788" parameter to my Linux boot line. That prevented the laptop from booting quite frequently, not always though. Still to be investigated, but removing "vga=788" from the kernel boot line solved the issue for now.
  • Active Protection System
  • Suspend/Resume
    • while suspending works fine, resuming always ended with a blank screen, workaround below
  • muted audio not shown in alsamixer
    • when you use the built in "mute audio" button on the ThinkPad keyboard, the EC does a hardware mute without sending a XF86AudioMute event, so the mute state will not show in any audio mixer. So if you don't hear a sound, press the "mute audio" or "volume up" button to unmute :-)
  • 3D and radeonhd
    • the radeonhd driver did not support 3D acceleration
  • 2D and fglrx
    • see below

Suspend/Resume problem

If resuming just leaves you with a blank black display, try the following: 

 echo "ADD_PARAMETERS='--quirk-vbe-post'" > /etc/pm/config.d/w500_vbe_post

Display / Xorg

The laptop comes with Switchable Graphics, so you can choose on your own which GPU to use:

  • radeonhd
    • consumes the most energy
    • lack of 3D support
  • fglrx
    • changing runlevel to 3 (init 3) leaves you with X eating 100% CPU
    • huge performance issues when switching between virtual desktops, switching can take a couple of seconds with 100% CPU again

So if battery life and 3D are important for you, you should probably use the intel driver, but I am fine with the radeonhd driver for now. And fglrx is nothing but proprietary nonsense, IMHO ... for a commercial driver this is ridiculous.

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