User:Twt

User twt normally resides in Conway, AR USA

About My Lenovo

I have a Lenovo ThinkPad E540 model 20C6008QUS (Core i7 processor, Intel video, 500GB hard drive, came with 4GB RAM, came with Windows 7 and disks for Windows 8). I purchased it in January 2015. I upgraded the RAM to 16GB, and I was considering an SSD but haven't ordered one yet.

I run Ubuntu 14.04 on it -- I tried Ubuntu 14.10 and it doesn't run so well. I've only booted Windows 7 in order to upgrade the BIOS.

Ubuntu Installation Notes

1/22/2015: ordered E540 from Newegg

1/23/2015: received E540 Model: 20C6008QUS

1/27/2015: received RAM upgrade (previously received 32GB SD card)

I installed 1 x G.SKILL Ripjaws Series 16GB (2 x 8G) 204-Pin DDR3 SO-DIMM DDR3 1600 (PC3 12800) Laptop Memory Model F3-1600C9D-16GRSL

initial (delivered) BIOS & ECP

    $ sudo dmidecode -s bios-version
    J9ET88WW (2.08 )

    $ sudo dmidecode -t 11
    # dmidecode 2.12
    SMBIOS 2.7 present.

    twt@ThinkPad1:~$ for X in system-{manufacturer,product-name,version} \
    >   baseboard-{manufacturer,product-name,version} \
    >   chassis-{manufacturer,version} bios-{vendor,version,release-date}; do \
    >   echo -n "|| `sudo /usr/sbin/dmidecode -s $X` " \
    >   | perl -pe 's/\n/\\n/' ; done; \
    >   sudo /usr/sbin/dmidecode | perl -0777 -ne \
    >   'm/\n(.*).\n.*\n(.*Embedded Cont.*)\n/i; print "\n|| $1$2\n"'
    || LENOVO || 20C6008QUS || ThinkPad Edge E540 || LENOVO || 20C6008QUS || 0B98401 WIN || LENOVO || Not Available || LENOVO || J9ET88WW (2.08 ) || 05/20/2014 
    || 

Things I have noted/considered

4GB RAM (stock 1 module) has been quite usable compared to 2GB in my old netbook

Trackpad is horrible with default settings, especially in stock Windows 7. SEE SEPARATE TRACKPAD NOTES

It seems like the fan runs all the time, though slowly. (thinkfan, and possibly other ThinkPad packages may help) Fan doesn't seem to respond quite right. SEE SEPARATE FAN NOTES

I have noticed sometimes System Indicator LED blinks fast on resume from suspend.

tpb (thinkpad buttons) package doesn't seem to be needed (thinkpad_acpi kernel module supplied in Ubuntu)

askubuntu items tagged "thinkpad" http://askubuntu.com/questions/tagged/thinkpad

There was a good FAQ at forums.lenovo.com: "Checklist for first-time users of ThinkPad IdeaPad https://forums.lenovo.com/t5/Welcome-FAQs/Checklist-for-first-time-user-of-ThinkPad-IdeaPad/td-p/1129281

EXCELLENT set of links to info for Thinkpad Edge E540 accessory info: http://support.lenovo.com/us/en/products/laptops-and-netbooks/thinkpad-edge-laptops/thinkpad-edge-e540?TabName=Accessories

NOTE ttf-mscorefonts--installer causes all sorts of odd problems. DON'T mess with it. I have heard there are new free fonts with similar metrics to replace them.

NOTE in February 2015 I tried upgrading to Ubuntu 14.10 HOWEVER it was terrible -- lots broken (see notes). Downgraded to Ubuntu 14.04.1 again. !! Don't forget to clean up /boot directory after downgrading!!

Installation process:

1) created system recovery discs (required 5 DVDs -1 boot & 4 data)

2) Created partitions for Ubuntu by shrinking Windows:

  (Created extended partition 4 then within it created 5 & 6)

3) Tested Ubuntu 14.04.1 from USB stick for several days.

  Needed gpointing-device-settings for trackpad
  OK except for occasional slowdowns 
  AND BIOS bug preventing wake from suspend. 
  See https://forums.lenovo.com/t5/ThinkPad-Edge-S-series/E540-Suspend-Resume-failure/m-p/1868488#M33991
  4GB RAM (stock; one stick) is fine, but I put in 16GB

4) Workaround for BIOS bug: disable USB3.0 in BIOS. (shows as an error in Windows 7)

5) Installed Ubuntu 14.04.1

6) Installed gpointing-device-settings

6a) Trackpad settings "touchy." See separate note for fix(es?).

7) Installed Dropbox (via Ubuntu)

8) Installed KeepassX

9) Installed chromium (will probably install chrome too)

10) battery indicator no longer working right... (never shows "charged" or "charging" always implies I'm running on battery even when plugged in) trying out TLP http://linrunner.de/en/tlp/docs/tlp-linux-advanced-power-management.html because it claims to recalibrate ThinkPad batteries.

--) TESTING FAN STUFF. do I need to install packages?

13) created /etc/modprobe.d/thinkpad_acpi.conf contents: options thinkpad_acpi fan_control=1

14) installed thinkfan (package) but /proc/acpi/ibm/ stuff doesn't seem to work. /sys/ stuff ???

15) installed lm-sensors fancontrol http://askubuntu.com/questions/22108/how-to-control-fan-speed

16) installed stress http://www.hecticgeek.com/2012/11/stress-test-your-ubuntu-computer-with-stress/

17) installed udev-discover because I keep digging in the sysfs tree etc looking for fan info

--) REMOVED / UNDONE

9) XXX DON'T install ttf-mscorefonts-installer (via terminal)XXXX

10) Installed owncloud-client

12) added owncloud repository at opensuse.org (had trouble with URL MUST copy/paste)