|
Linux on Laptops |
|
| Home | New | Models | Components | Discussion | Submit |
Last updated: 30 May 2007
|
Hardware Components |
Status under Linux |
Notes |
|
Pentium M Processor, 1.2 GHz |
Works |
Works fine. With there being no internal CD-ROM, I booted from a USB external drive. Just push the “Access IBM” button to boot from USB to live Ubuntu and then install. |
|
12.1” XGA + TFT Display, 1024*768 at 60Hz |
Works |
Ubuntu detected and configured this correctly, as with other hardware except where noted below. |
|
1024MB |
Works |
Fine. |
|
60 GB Hard Drive |
Works |
Comes up as a SCSI device. |
|
UK keyboard, trackpoint (joystick) and mouse buttons. |
Works |
Fine. |
|
Integrated wired network |
Works |
Fine. |
|
Integrated wireless ethernet |
Works |
Fine. Ubuntu 7.04 very good for roaming and intermittent connectivity. The ((A)) wireless indicator does not come on. |
|
USB |
Works |
Fine. Tested with pen drives and optical wheel mouse. |
|
Sound |
Works |
Fine. Also the keyboard sound off and volume controls drive the Linux master volume. |
|
Eight-cell lithium-ion battery, to make weight 1.5kg, 3lb 4oz. |
Works |
Monitored correctly in terms of battery life at just over 4 hours life (it is second hand). Reported power use is about 12 watts with display at 70% brightness. |
|
SD disk |
Works |
Tested with 256MB and 2GB cards. |
|
Power button |
Works |
Gives the choice powering down. However hibernate does not work. |
|
Integrated, PC-Card modem and bluetooth, external monitor |
Not tested |
|
Kernel version 2.6.20-16-generic. Basic installation of Ubuntu 7.04 codenamed Feisty Fawn:
Why use it? It does what it says on the tin: smart, secure, easy, open source power.
Obtaining: http://www.ubuntu.com/
Installing – from external USB CD-ROM (no internal device) – no reason why flash memory, pen drive installation should not work. There is no flash memory image, but the procedure for formatting one is documented and is just like that for making a boot floppy disk years ago.
Post-Install modifications/tweaks: none.
Unresolved issues
Hibernate does not work.
There is a bird-like low level twittering noise from time to time, possibly from the hard disk. It is not noisy enough to annoy anybody else, but it makes me worry that I have indigestion.
Depends on proprietary Atheros hardware access layer.
Contact Information
C.Cartledge (at) sheffield.ac.uk but note that I am unlikely to be able to help with any technical matters.
Links:
Detailed specification:
http://www-307.ibm.com/pc/support/site.wss/MIGR-58221.html
Lenovo Linux support:
http://www-307.ibm.com/pc/support/site.wss/document.do?sitestyle=lenovo&lndocid=MIGR-48NT8D
This is a nice, light, robust, cheap, second hand laptop. It seems to be very well built, including the cool power supply. The only real issue is the lack of hibernate/suspend. I have used Ubuntu for over a year and now have it on all three of my machines. After eight years of Linux and a number of other distributions, I have no plans to change. With Ubuntu, desktop Linux has come of age.
Chris Cartledge