Installing Debian on a ThinkPad T420 - Revision history

Dgriffi: /* Discrete Graphics versus Integrated Graphics */ add mesa-utils and correct a command line option

2015-04-05T08:26:48Z

‎Discrete Graphics versus Integrated Graphics: add mesa-utils and correct a command line option

Dgriffi: /* Installation */ Update dead link

2014-12-12T01:55:44Z

‎Installation: Update dead link

Dgriffi: /* If You Break Something */

2014-04-11T22:03:43Z

‎If You Break Something

Dgriffi: /* Discrete Graphics versus Integrated Graphics */

2014-02-01T08:50:48Z

‎Discrete Graphics versus Integrated Graphics

Dgriffi: /* If You Break Something */

2014-02-01T08:17:44Z

‎If You Break Something

Dgriffi at 07:50, 1 February 2014

2014-02-01T07:50:19Z

Dgriffi: /* Integrated Webcam */

2014-02-01T07:41:30Z

‎Integrated Webcam

Dgriffi: /* Discrete Graphics versus Integrated Graphics */

2014-01-13T10:26:06Z

‎Discrete Graphics versus Integrated Graphics

Dgriffi: /* MATE Desktop */

2014-01-13T09:32:20Z

‎MATE Desktop

Dgriffi: /* Discrete Graphics versus Integrated Graphics */

2014-01-13T08:37:47Z

‎Discrete Graphics versus Integrated Graphics

@@ Line 69: / Line 69: @@
 Now you can install Bumblebee. Do it like this:
-   {{cmdroot | apt-get install -t wheezy-backports bumblebee-nvidia primus}}
+   {{cmdroot | apt-get install -t wheezy-backports bumblebee-nvidia primus mesa-utils}}
 This specifies that you want to use the proprietary drivers.  Remove ''-nvidia'' from ''bumblebee-nvidia'' if you want the open-source ones.  If you want to install i386 libs, do this instead:
@@ Line 75: / Line 75: @@
    {{cmdroot | dpkg --add-architecture i386}}
    {{cmdroot | apt-get update}}
-   {{cmdroot | apt-get install -t wheezy-backports bumblebee-nvidia primus primus-libs:i386}}
+   {{cmdroot | apt-get install -t wheezy-backports bumblebee-nvidia primus primus-libs:i386 mesa-utils}}
 Edit ''/etc/bumblebee/bumblebee.conf'' and look for the "[driver-nvidia]" section.  There you will see a line that looks like this:
@@ Line 84: / Line 84: @@
 Reboot your T420.  Then start an X11 session.  Start a terminal emulator and type:
-   optirun glxgears --info
+   optirun glxgears -info
 Unfortunately glxgears is a very poor test of 3D acceleration.  http://unigine.com has several benchmarks of varying sophistication and cost (some are free as in beer).  These benchmarks will yield good results if the quality is set to "low".  Another good benchmarker is ''glxspheres'' which can be found at http://sourceforge.net/projects/virtualgl.  If you install the .deb file, the binaries will be installed to ''/opt/VirtualGL/bin''.

@@ Line 12: / Line 12: @@
 ==Installation==
 ===Preparing a Bootable Flash Drive===
-I installed Debian 7.3.0 (Wheezy) from a bootable flash drive.  The process of creating bootable flash drive is described [http://hyper.to/blog/link/debian-installer-on-a-usb-key/ here]. It is helpful to add [http://packages.debian.org/wheezy/all/firmware-iwlwifi/download firmware-iwlwifi] to this drive so wireless networking can work while you're installing.  The installer will notice this and install it automatically.
+I installed Debian 7.3.0 (Wheezy) from a bootable flash drive.  The process of creating bootable flash drive is described [http://661.org/articles/flashinstall.html here]. It is helpful to add [http://packages.debian.org/wheezy/all/firmware-iwlwifi/download firmware-iwlwifi] to this drive so wireless networking can work while you're installing.  The installer will notice this and install it automatically.
 ===Installing ''wicd'' With Preseed===

@@ Line 97: / Line 97: @@
 {{cmdroot | apt-get remove bumblebee bumblebee-nvidia}}
 {{cmdroot | apt-get autoremove}}
 {{cmdroot | apt-get install -t wheezy-backports bumblebee-nvidia primus primus-libs:i386}}
 {{cmdroot | apt-get install -t wheezy-backports xserver-xorg-video-nvidia}}
 {{cmdroot | apt-get install xserver-xorg-video-intel}}

@@ Line 86: / Line 86: @@
    optirun glxgears --info
-Unfortunately glxgears is a very poor test of 3D acceleration.  http://unigine.com has several benchmarks of varying sophistication and cost (some are free as in beer).  These benchmarks will yield good results if the quality is set to "low".  Another good benchmarker is ''glxspheres'' which can be found at http://sourceforge.net/projects/virtualgl.  If you install the .deb file, the binaries will be installed to ''/opt/VirtualGL/bin''.  Laptop video interfaces are always rather poor compared to desktop ones.
+Unfortunately glxgears is a very poor test of 3D acceleration.  http://unigine.com has several benchmarks of varying sophistication and cost (some are free as in beer).  These benchmarks will yield good results if the quality is set to "low".  Another good benchmarker is ''glxspheres'' which can be found at http://sourceforge.net/projects/virtualgl.  If you install the .deb file, the binaries will be installed to ''/opt/VirtualGL/bin''.
-{{todo|Why doesn't Bumblebee with i386 libs still not work?}}
+You might want to explicitly tell Bumblebee to use the ''primus'' acceleration/rendering bridge rather than ''auto''.  See the line that begins with "Bridge=primus".
 ====If You Break Something====

@@ Line 98: / Line 98: @@
 {{cmdroot | apt-get install -t wheezy-backports bumblebee-nvidia primus primus-libs:i386}}
 {{cmdroot | apt-get install -t wheezy-backports xserver-xorg-video-nvidia}}
 Reboot and all should be well.

@@ Line 89: / Line 89: @@
 {{todo|Why doesn't Bumblebee with i386 libs still not work?}}
 ===Integrated Webcam===
 Skype immediately noticed the camera and used it without trouble.

@@ Line 44: / Line 44: @@
    {{cmdroot | apt-get install mate-archive-keyring}}
 and press 'Y' when you're asked if your sure.  Then do:
-   {{cmdroot | apt-get install mate-core}}
+   {{cmdroot | apt-get install mate-desktop-environment}}
 This installs the basic environment.  If you want more, do:
    {{cmdroot | apt-get install mate-desktop-environment-extra}}
 Now, if you don't want to install ''gdm3'', you'll need to install the xinit package: