[NCLUG] Trying to check ThinkPad support for Linux

[Chad Perrin]

On Fri, Apr 23, 2010 at 11:51:24AM -0600, Sean Reifschneider wrote:
> On 04/22/2010 02:21 PM, Bob Proulx wrote:
> > development.  I want to be able to see a lot of text on the screen at
> > one time.
> 
> How to have vim show additional context to the left and right -- multiple
> "pages" on screen at once:
> 
> http://www.tummy.com/journals/entries/jafo_20080811_010440
> 
> > However there can be caveats to that statement.  In particular double
> 
> The biggest caveat is to not expect to just be able to drop any old
> wireless card in and have it work.  The BIOS won't allow the machine to
> boot with a non-approved card in it.  You are pretty much stuck with a
> model that you were able to get 802.11n on from the factory.  For example,
> on my T61 the FRU for the abgn card is 42t0865, and you HAVE to use that.
> $20-ish on ebay.  But, of course, the T61 is widescreen.

Actually, there's a way around that 1802 error message that comes up when
starting a ThinkPad with an "unauthorized" wireless card.  I don't recall
exactly where it is online, but there's an ISO for a bootable CD that can
be used to disable the error message and let the laptop start up with
your wireless card in it.  I can provide a copy of the CD if you can't
find it online.

For some reason, the CD won't boot with a hard drive in the laptop (in my
experience), and of course the wireless card has to be out of the machine
when booting from the CD because otherwise the error message will come up
and stop it from booting before it even tries to boot from the CD.  The
CD image is called "no-1802" if you have a need for it and want to go
searching.

In some cases, running that utility will disable the wireless indicator
LED, and I've heard rumors it can disable the ability to turn the
wireless card on and off in some cases.  On the other hand, that may be
preferable to having no working wireless card at all.  (Just make sure
you unplug the machine before screwing around with the wireless card, of
course.)

-- 
Chad Perrin [ original content licensed OWL: http://owl.apotheon.org ]
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