Installing Debian on an X230 - Revision history

Fabian: /* Wireless */ Added details about the unauthorized MiniPCI card problem and USB adapters workaround

2013-07-11T13:23:17Z

‎Wireless: Added details about the unauthorized MiniPCI card problem and USB adapters workaround

Fabian: Added the Brightness Control extension info

2013-04-14T01:57:26Z

Added the Brightness Control extension info

Fabian: /* Using gpointing-devices-settings (broken) */

2013-03-18T01:51:36Z

‎Using gpointing-devices-settings (broken)

Fabian: Added solution to UltraNav scrolling

2013-03-18T01:50:43Z

Added solution to UltraNav scrolling

Fabian: Added Pointing devices app capture

2013-02-17T05:00:23Z

Added Pointing devices app capture

Fabian: Draft

2013-02-17T04:45:37Z

Draft

New page

These notes refer to installation of Debian 7 (Wheezy) on an {{X230}} system, model 2306-CTO.

== Thinklight and backlit keyboard ==
Both of these features work as expected out of the box.

== Brightness ==
The following information applied to a Trisquel installation and is being verified for Debian.

Brightness control works using the expected Fn + function keys, however only 6 levels are detected. To control up to 16 levels of brightness, you can add the {{bootparm|acpi_backlight|vendor}} kernel parameter to the boot options{{footnote|1}} :
# Edit the {{path|/etc/default/grub}} file:<BR/>{{cmduser|gksudo gedit /etc/default/grub}}
# Append {{bootparm|acpi_backlight|vendor}} to the default kernel parameters:<BR/>GRUB_CMDLINE_LINUX_DEFAULT="quiet splash acpi_backlight=vendor"
# Update GRUB:<BR/>{{cmduser|sudo update-grub}}

Reboot to make the changes effective.

{{NOTE|Although more brightness levels will be supported, the Gnome indicator will not display the brightness level acurately. See the bug report link below.}}

Check these links for more information:
* http://forums.lenovo.com/t5/Linux-Discussion/Contact-to-engineers-developers-for-fixing-ACPI-Backlight-broken/td-p/992621
* https://bugzilla.kernel.org/show_bug.cgi?id=51231

== UltraNav scrolling ==
The UltraNav scrolling is not supported out of the box. To enable this functionality, the '''gpointing-devices-settings''' package has to be installed.

Once installed, select the TrackPoint device, and check the '''Use wheel emulation''' option and choose button #2.

Also make sure to check both options for vertical and horizontal scrolling if you will be using them.

== Wireless ==
Wireless does not work with 100% free drivers out of the box. The internal half mini PCIe card can't be replaced by a compatible card as this system uses BIOS whitelisting. There isn't a modified BIOS available yet (as of Jan 15 2013).

Debian Squeeze and Wheezy '''non-free''' component includes [http://wiki.debian.org/iwlwifi support for such non-free drivers installation].

As a workaround, an external USB adapter such as those sold by [http://libre.thinkpenguin.com ThinkPenguin] can be used.

== Fingerprint reader ==
The fingerprint reader does not work with 100% free drivers out of the box.

== Battery ==
Several optimizations are needed to maximize battery time. Most apply to any GNU/Linux distributions, except for running Libre kernels. See [https://trisquel.info/en/wiki/optimizing-battery-time Optimizing battery time] on the Trisquel wiki.

== References ==
#[http://forum.thinkpads.com/viewtopic.php?f=9&t=106568&start=0 Ubuntu 12.04/Mint 13 and X60s - brightness controls issue]

← Older revision		Revision as of 01:51, 18 March 2013
Line 43:		Line 43:

	=== Using gpointing-devices-settings (broken) ===		=== Using gpointing-devices-settings (broken) ===
		+	{{WARN\|This used to work - now it doesn't!}}
		+
	To enable this functionality, the '''gpointing-devices-settings''' is mentioned in several places as a way to configure it. Unfortunately it seems with Gnome 3 it doesn't anymore.		To enable this functionality, the '''gpointing-devices-settings''' is mentioned in several places as a way to configure it. Unfortunately it seems with Gnome 3 it doesn't anymore.

@@ Line 21: / Line 21: @@
 == UltraNav scrolling ==
-The UltraNav scrolling is not supported out of the box. To enable this functionality, the '''gpointing-devices-settings''' package has to be installed.
+The UltraNav scrolling is not supported out of the box. Normally moving the Trackpoint while pressing the middle-button (identified by blue dots, just above the trackpad) should provide scrolling motions for applications that support it (the web browser for example).
 Once installed, look for the '''Pointing devices''' application, or launch '''gpointing-devices-settings''' from command line. Select the TrackPoint device, check the '''Use wheel emulation''' option and choose button #2.

@@ Line 58: / Line 58: @@
 == Wireless ==
 Wireless does not work with 100% free drivers out of the box. The internal half mini PCIe card can't be replaced by a compatible card as this system uses BIOS whitelisting. There isn't a modified BIOS available yet (as of Jan 15 2013).
 Debian Squeeze and Wheezy '''non-free''' component includes [http://wiki.debian.org/iwlwifi support for such non-free drivers installation].
-As a workaround, an external USB adapter such as those sold by [http://libre.thinkpenguin.com ThinkPenguin] can be used.
+As a workaround, an external USB adapter such as those sold by [http://libre.thinkpenguin.com ThinkPenguin] can be used. When using such external adapters, consult ThinkPenguin's support as even firmware published under free licenses is not installed by default and may require manual compilation or installation.
 == Fingerprint reader ==

@@ Line 5: / Line 5: @@
 == Brightness ==
-Brightness control works using the expected Fn + function keys, however only 6 levels are detected. To control up to 16 levels of brightness, you can add the {{bootparm|acpi_backlight|vendor}} kernel parameter to the boot options{{footnote|1}} :
+Brightness control works using the expected Fn + function keys, however only 6 levels are detected.
 # Edit the {{path|/etc/default/grub}}  file:<BR/>{{cmduser|gksudo gedit /etc/default/grub}}
 # Append {{bootparm|acpi_backlight|vendor}} to the default kernel parameters:<BR/>GRUB_CMDLINE_LINUX_DEFAULT="quiet splash acpi_backlight=vendor"

@@ Line 23: / Line 23: @@
 The UltraNav scrolling is not supported out of the box. To enable this functionality, the '''gpointing-devices-settings''' package has to be installed.
-Once installed, select the TrackPoint device, and check the '''Use wheel emulation''' option and choose button #2.
+Once installed, look for the '''Pointing devices''' application, or launch '''gpointing-devices-settings''' from command line. Select the TrackPoint device, check the '''Use wheel emulation''' option and choose button #2.
 Also make sure to check both options for vertical and horizontal scrolling if you will be using them.