Installing Fedora 16 on a ThinkPad X201i
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NOTE!
This is based on the x86-64 version of Fedora 16 with the default GNOME desktop. Your experience with the 32bit version and/or KDE may be different.
Help needed
Not all models of this ThinkPad are equal, you may have a different WiFi adapter, or some options I did not have. If you tested them, please add their status down below.
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New in this release
New in this Fedora release, with regards to this model ThinkPad is the following;
- Better video performance for Intel graphics
Success Chart - Out of the box experience
The SMOLT profile for the X201i used for testing Fedora is here.
| Item | Working | Notes | |
| Installation | Local CD/DVD install | yes | |
| Network Installation | yes | ||
| USB Installation | yes | ||
| Display - Intel HD Graphics | Laptop Screen | yes | |
| VGA | yes | ||
| Displayport | unknown | Requires a dock | |
| DVI/HDMI | unknown | Requires a dock and Displayport to DVI or HDMI cable | |
| Power Management | Software Suspend (hibernate) | yes | |
| Suspend to Memory (ACPI sleep) | yes | ||
| Audio | yes | ||
| Wireless | WiFi - Intel 6200 | yes | |
| WiFi - Intel Centrino Wireless-N 1000 | unknown | ||
| WiFi - Realtek | unknown | ||
| Bluetooth | yes | ||
| WWAN with GPS | unknown | ||
| Input | Keyboard | yes | |
| TrackPoint | yes | ||
| TouchPad | unknown | ||
| Extra keys | partial | see ThinkPad Extra keys section below | |
| Fingerprint reader | yes | ||
| Ports | Ethernet | yes | |
| Modem | no | May work with the binary Conexant HSF modem drivers. | |
| USB | yes | ||
| ExpressCard | unknown | ||
| 3-in-1 MultiCard Reader | yes | SD and SDHC tested | |
| Harddisk Active Protection | no | Fedora ships the hdapsd rpm, but not the tp_smapi kernel module, which is required to read the motion sensor bugzilla | |
| TPM | yes | tpm_tis is automatically loaded. After installing the tpm-tools rpm, and starting the tcsd service, the tpm_* commands seem to work. | |
| Docking | unknown | ||
Tested and Verified on Fedora 16
Information in this section has been tested and verified using Fedora.
Installation
Installation is straight forward; you can follow the generic Fedora install instructions.
Configuration
Kernel
You may want to consider editing /etc/default/grub and adding pcie_aspm=force to the GRUB_CMDLINE_LINUX line, and running # grub2-mkconfig. This will force enable PCIe ASPM power saving functions, which are getting disabled because the BIOS claims not to support it, but it does work and it makes a significant difference in battery life. A potential downside is that if the system really does not support it, you could experience system freezes, but I have not noticed any (YMMV).
X Server - Intel HD Graphics
Works out of the box, including Compiz and external VGA display.
Other display types (DisplayPort) have not been tested as they require a Dock.
ThinkPad Extra keys
ThinkPad keys are handled by a mixture of the thinkpad_acpi, acpi button, acpi dock and acpi video drivers.
| Key | Function | Handled by | Event | Works | Notes |
| FnF2 | lock screen | thinkpad_acpi | yes | yes | |
| FnF3 | battery | thinkpad_acpi | yes | yes | |
| FnF4 | suspend | acpi button | yes | yes | |
| FnF5 | wireless | thinkpad_acpi | yes | partial | Works as a radio kill switch, kills WiFi but not Bluetooth |
| FnF7 | videomode | thinkpad_acpi | yes | yes | Switches between Mirror, LVDS only, Ext only and Extended desktop |
| FnF8 | mouse input select | thinkpad_acpi | yes | unknown | |
| FnF9 | eject | thinkpad_acpi | yes | partial | No default action, but can be associated with gnome-keybinding-properties |
| FnF12 | hibernate | acpi button | yes | yes | |
| FnHome | brightness up | acpi video | yes | yes | |
| FnEnd | brightness down | acpi video | yes | yes | |
| FnPgUp | thinklight | - | no | yes | no OSD |
| FnSpace | zoom | thinkpad_acpi | yes | no | Known Xorg limitation, scheduled to be fixed with the new XKB2 extension, whenever that may be. |
| VolumeUp | Volume Up | ? | yes | yes | |
| VolumeDown | Volume Down | ? | yes | yes | |
| VolumeMute | Volume Mute | ? | yes | yes | |
| ThinkVantage | Vendor key | thinkpad_acpi | yes | partial | No default action, but can be associated with gnome-keybinding-properties |
| NextTab | Browser Next tab | standard keyboard driver | yes | yes | |
| PreviousTab | Browser Previous tab | standard keyboard driver | yes | yes | |
| Fn Up | Stop | standard keyboard driver | yes | yes | |
| Fn Left | reverse | standard keyboard driver | yes | yes | |
| Fn Right | forward | standard keyboard driver | yes | yes | |
| Fn Down | play/pause | standard keyboard driver | yes | yes | |
| Power | Power button | acpi button | yes | yes | Need to press button for ~1 second to trigger event. Causes a dialog asking you what to do. |
| Lid | Lid button | acpi button | yes | yes | |
| Dock | Dock eject button | acpi dock | udev | unknown | |
| Radio switch | Radio kill switch | thinkpad_acpi | udev | yes |
