[NCLUG] Trying to check ThinkPad support for Linux

[Bob Proulx]

Ryan J Nicholson wrote:
> For those of you currently using a Linux distribution on a ThinkPad,
> what has been your experience with power management support? I use
> suspend-to-RAM when my laptop is at a desk on AC. It is a must-have
> feature for me. Has it worked for you, and if so, what model ThinkPad
> and which distro, release (or kernel version)?

The stock kernel functionality for suspend-* works perfectly on my
older T42 and on all of the T42 and T43 series I have had access.
However, this is dependent upon the graphics device.  I believe all of
the ATI and Intel graphics chips work in this regard.  I don't know if
there are other graphics chips that might not work here.  I would
probably be a little worried about a brand new graphics chip that
hasn't had a lot of exposure yet on a brand new laptop model.

I assume you are aware of the ThinkWiki?  There is a lot of good
information there.  If you haven't been there then browse around there
for a bit and a lot of your questions will already have been
answered.

  http://www.thinkwiki.org/wiki/ThinkWiki

Good stuff!

> I hope that question is an anachronism although I fear it is not. I
> have worked with too many laptops where a s2r fails to restore the
> video BIOS, or only works from the console, or causes a module to hang
> without recourse.

I sympathize.  My previous two non-thinkpad laptops had terrible
problems with both suspend-to-ram (suspend) and suspend-to-disk
(hibernate).  It was very frustrating.  I was able to patch in
suspend2 now known as tux-on-ice and it worked very well though.  If
it would be allowed into the mainstream kernel then a lot of suspend
problems would be solved.

> I also use DPMS blanking, from the software timeouts as well as the Fn
> hotkey. Again, I have used Linux on too many laptops where DPMS
> blanking is unable to turn off the LCD lamp. If it works for you
> properly on your ThinkPad, please let me know.

Works perfectly for me.  All of Fn-F3 and xset and the X screen
lockers.

> My other concern is video switching from the Fn hotkey. On the Linux
> testing page <http://tinyurl.com/j4cfh> [ibm.com], the T60 and some
> others are flagged with inoperable Fn hotkey switching. Irritating,
> and not sure I want that handicap. I don't know if it has been enabled
> in a later BIOS release, though. Is it working for anyone?

Hmm...  I don't know.  I guess I would have to say Fn-F7 doesn't work
for me.  It does generate key events though so it could be wired up to
do something.  By default it isn't doing anything for me.

But that hasn't stopped me from using an external monitor project (the
beamer for the Brits) for presentations.  I do use the 'lxrandr'
utility to switch on the external monitor.  The external monitor does
not have to be attached at boot time in order to function as some have
reported in other places.  I simply run lxrandr and then select the
internal and external monitor selections that I want to run.  I
haven't missed having the button work.  I hadn't really noticed it.
Things just work with the lxrandr program.

Bob