ThinkWiki - User contributions [en]

Template:Industry News

2005-12-09T05:44:39Z

68.228.77.193:

12/08/2005 New [[fglrx]] driver version 8.20.8 released

11.11.2005 New [[fglrx]] driver version 8.19.10 released, adds suspend and PowerPlay

26.10.2005 New fglrx driver version 8.18.8 released

13.10.2005: Lenovo announces new R51e to be shipping with SUN StarOffice 8.

15.09.2005: Lenovo announces new WideScreen Z Series. Read [http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,1895,1858628,00.asp here] and [http://news.zdnet.com/2100-1040_22-5862939.html here].

14.09.2005: [http://www.qrivy.net/~michael/blua/upek-bsp.html Beta release] of BSP for UPEK fingerprint sensors released.

SMAPI support for Linux

2005-12-07T06:08:39Z

68.228.77.193: /* Models on which this driver works */

ThinkPad laptops include a proprietary interface called SMAPI BIOS (System Management Application Program Interface) which provides some
hardware control functionality that is not exposed by any other interface (e.g., ACPI).

The SMAPI interfaces changes a lot between models, and is poorly documented, so Linux support is not exhaustive for most models. There are currently two SMAPI access mechanisms available: <tt>thinkpad</tt> and <tt>tpctl</tt> for older ThinkPads, and <tt>tp_smapi</tt> for newer ones.

{{WARN|These drivers use undocumented features and direct hardware access. They thus cannot be guaranteed to work, and may cause arbitrary damage
(especially on models they weren't tested on).}}

==Using the <tt>thinkpad</tt> module==

This solution consists of a module, called <tt>thinkpad</tt>, and a user-space tool caled <tt>tpctl</tt>. It provides very rich functionality for older ThinkPads, but on newer ThinkPads much of this functionality is exposed and supported through an ACPI interface and the SMAPI access does not work anymore. For details, see the [http://tpctl.sourceforge.net/README README] and [http://tpctl.sourceforge.net/SUPPORTED-MODELS list of supported models].

* Project page: http://tpctl.sourceforge.net/
* You need to download the [http://sourceforge.net/project/showfiles.php?group_id=1212&package_id=29354t thinkpad module] and [http://sourceforge.net/project/showfiles.php?group_id=1212&package_id=1204 tpctl userspace tool].
* There is also an optional GUI: [http://sourceforge.net/project/showfiles.php?group_id=1212&package_id=99929 configure-thinkpad].

==Using the <tt>tp_smapi</tt> module==

The <tt>tp_smapi</tt> kernel module exposes some features of the SMAPI BIOS found on recent ThinkPads via a sysfs interface. Currently, the only implemented functionality is control over battery charging (this is useful for [[Maintenance#Battery_Treatment|increasing battery lifetime]], or for using a leftover under-spec power supply that can't handle the combined power draw of running and charging).

* Project page: http://tpctl.sourceforge.net/
* You need to donwnload only the [http://sourceforge.net/project/showfiles.php?group_id=1212&package_id=171579 tp_smapi kernel module].

To compile and load the module:

# tar xzvf tp_smapi-0.06.tgz
# cd tp_smapi-0.06
# make load

To install permanently (optional):

# make install
# modprobe tp_smapi

Example of usage:

# echo 40 > /sys/devices/platform/smapi/start_charge_thresh
# echo 70 > /sys/devices/platform/smapi/stop_charge_thresh
# cat /sys/devices/platform/smapi/*_charge_thresh
40
70

To unconditionally inhibit charging for 17 minutes:

# echo 17 > /sys/devices/platform/smapi/inhibit_charge_minutes

To cancel charge inhibiting:

# echo 0 > /sys/devices/platform/smapi/inhibit_charge_minutes

If you get a "not supported" error, your laptop doesn't provide the specific function (or at least not via SMAPI).

Other things that can be controlled through SMAPI, but are not supported in this version of the driver, include forcing battery discharge, PCI bus power saving, CPU power saving control, extended smart battery information, CD/DVD drive speed control and fan control. See the included README file for more information.

====Models on which this driver works====
* ThinkPad {{T43}}, {{T43p}}, {{X41}} (all functions)
* ThinkPad {{T42p}}, {{X40}}, {{G41}} (all except <tt>stop_charge_thresh</tt>)
* ThinkPad {{T40p}} (only cdrom_speed)

For the details, see the README file inside the package.
If you have new data, please report it on the [[Talk:SMAPI support for Linux|discussion]] page.

====Models on which none of the functions work====
* ThinkPad {{T40}}, {{R50p}}, {{R40}}, {{X31}} and probably all earlier models. These apparently don't have the relevant capabilities, even under Windows.

Please update the above and report your experience on the [[Talk:SMAPI support for Linux|discussion]] page. If the module loads but gives "not supported" errors when you try to use it, report whether the corresponding functionality is available under Windows - maybe your ThinkPad just can't do that.

[[Category:Tools]] [[Category:Patches]]

SMAPI support for Linux

2005-12-07T06:08:09Z

68.228.77.193: /* Models on which none of the functions work */

ThinkPad laptops include a proprietary interface called SMAPI BIOS (System Management Application Program Interface) which provides some
hardware control functionality that is not exposed by any other interface (e.g., ACPI).

The SMAPI interfaces changes a lot between models, and is poorly documented, so Linux support is not exhaustive for most models. There are currently two SMAPI access mechanisms available: <tt>thinkpad</tt> and <tt>tpctl</tt> for older ThinkPads, and <tt>tp_smapi</tt> for newer ones.

{{WARN|These drivers use undocumented features and direct hardware access. They thus cannot be guaranteed to work, and may cause arbitrary damage
(especially on models they weren't tested on).}}

==Using the <tt>thinkpad</tt> module==

This solution consists of a module, called <tt>thinkpad</tt>, and a user-space tool caled <tt>tpctl</tt>. It provides very rich functionality for older ThinkPads, but on newer ThinkPads much of this functionality is exposed and supported through an ACPI interface and the SMAPI access does not work anymore. For details, see the [http://tpctl.sourceforge.net/README README] and [http://tpctl.sourceforge.net/SUPPORTED-MODELS list of supported models].

* Project page: http://tpctl.sourceforge.net/
* You need to download the [http://sourceforge.net/project/showfiles.php?group_id=1212&package_id=29354t thinkpad module] and [http://sourceforge.net/project/showfiles.php?group_id=1212&package_id=1204 tpctl userspace tool].
* There is also an optional GUI: [http://sourceforge.net/project/showfiles.php?group_id=1212&package_id=99929 configure-thinkpad].

==Using the <tt>tp_smapi</tt> module==

The <tt>tp_smapi</tt> kernel module exposes some features of the SMAPI BIOS found on recent ThinkPads via a sysfs interface. Currently, the only implemented functionality is control over battery charging (this is useful for [[Maintenance#Battery_Treatment|increasing battery lifetime]], or for using a leftover under-spec power supply that can't handle the combined power draw of running and charging).

* Project page: http://tpctl.sourceforge.net/
* You need to donwnload only the [http://sourceforge.net/project/showfiles.php?group_id=1212&package_id=171579 tp_smapi kernel module].

To compile and load the module:

# tar xzvf tp_smapi-0.06.tgz
# cd tp_smapi-0.06
# make load

To install permanently (optional):

# make install
# modprobe tp_smapi

Example of usage:

# echo 40 > /sys/devices/platform/smapi/start_charge_thresh
# echo 70 > /sys/devices/platform/smapi/stop_charge_thresh
# cat /sys/devices/platform/smapi/*_charge_thresh
40
70

To unconditionally inhibit charging for 17 minutes:

# echo 17 > /sys/devices/platform/smapi/inhibit_charge_minutes

To cancel charge inhibiting:

# echo 0 > /sys/devices/platform/smapi/inhibit_charge_minutes

If you get a "not supported" error, your laptop doesn't provide the specific function (or at least not via SMAPI).

Other things that can be controlled through SMAPI, but are not supported in this version of the driver, include forcing battery discharge, PCI bus power saving, CPU power saving control, extended smart battery information, CD/DVD drive speed control and fan control. See the included README file for more information.

====Models on which this driver works====
* ThinkPad {{T43}}, {{T43p}}, {{X41}} (all functions)
* ThinkPad {{T42p}}, {{X40}}, {{G41}} (all except <tt>stop_charge_thresh</tt>)

For the details, see the README file inside the package.
If you have new data, please report it on the [[Talk:SMAPI support for Linux|discussion]] page.

====Models on which none of the functions work====
* ThinkPad {{T40}}, {{R50p}}, {{R40}}, {{X31}} and probably all earlier models. These apparently don't have the relevant capabilities, even under Windows.

Please update the above and report your experience on the [[Talk:SMAPI support for Linux|discussion]] page. If the module loads but gives "not supported" errors when you try to use it, report whether the corresponding functionality is available under Windows - maybe your ThinkPad just can't do that.

[[Category:Tools]] [[Category:Patches]]