Installing FreeBSD (amd64) on a ThinkPad T400 - Revision history

Mfro: Mfro moved page Installing FreeBSD 10 (amd64) on a ThinkPad T400 to Installing FreeBSD (amd64) on a ThinkPad T400: Ideally this page should be version agnostic. Current info is largely up to date for 14.2-RELEASE.

2025-02-08T16:21:15Z

Mfro moved page Installing FreeBSD 10 (amd64) on a ThinkPad T400 to Installing FreeBSD (amd64) on a ThinkPad T400: Ideally this page should be version agnostic. Current info is largely up to date for 14.2-RELEASE.

Mfro: /* Video */

2025-02-08T16:18:28Z

‎Video

Mfro: /* Video */

2025-02-08T16:17:38Z

‎Video

Mfro: Cleanup of unnecessary / outdated info, and added my custom kernel. Previous edit was 2014 so many flags in the old custom kernel here were no longer valid.

2025-02-08T02:16:30Z

Cleanup of unnecessary / outdated info, and added my custom kernel. Previous edit was 2014 so many flags in the old custom kernel here were no longer valid.

Show changes

Juedan: /* Sound */

2014-09-05T18:02:58Z

‎Sound

Juedan: Most of the configuration is described

2014-08-23T13:53:56Z

Most of the configuration is described

Show changes

Juedan at 11:39, 23 August 2014

2014-08-23T11:39:15Z

Juedan: â†Created page with '== Features == FreeBSD is an UNIX operating system for x86 and others compatible architectures. It is derived from BSD, the version of UNIX® deve...'

2014-08-22T14:04:31Z

â†Created page with '== Features == FreeBSD is an UNIX operating system for x86 and others compatible architectures. It is derived from BSD, the version of UNIX® deve...'

New page

== Features ==
[[:Category:FreeBSD|FreeBSD]] is an UNIX operating system for x86 and others compatible architectures. It is derived from BSD, the version of UNIX® developed at the University of California, Berkeley. It is developed and maintained by a team of individuals.

[[:Category:FreeBSD|FreeBSD]] offers advanced networking, performance, security and compatibility features which are still missing in some of the best commercial operating systems.

[[:Category:FreeBSD|FreeBSD]] makes an ideal Internet or Intranet server. It provides robust network services under the heaviest loads and uses memory efficiently to maintain good response times for thousands of simultaneous user processes. But on notebooks it is a very usable operating system with many features for customization, including power management.

With over 20,000 ported libraries and applications for desktop, server, appliance, and embedded environments, there are many applications which were designed specifically for notebooks.

The best is that '''[[:Category:FreeBSD|FreeBSD]] is free''', and the open source BSD license it is distributed under make sure it will continue to be free. Since FreeBSD is open source and a framework has been set up to easily do so, it is possible to build a custom kernel, allowing faster booting and operation since you can remove any features unneeded in your specific operations.

== Installation ==
The best way to install the 64 bits version of FreeBSD (amd64) on a ThinkPad T400 is to download the ISO files and burn them. There are also image files for an USB stick. You can find the ISOs and image files right here: [ftp://ftp.freebsd.org/pub/FreeBSD/releases/ISO-IMAGES/10.0/ FTP Server of FreeBSD]. Choose the version you want to install.
{{HINT|To get the most benefit of your Thinkpad T400 use only the files whose filename contains <i>amd64</i>. This is the 64 bits version of FreeBSD.}}
{{HINT|It is better to choose one of the mirrors which you can find here: [http://www.freebsd.org/doc/en_US.ISO8859-1/books/handbook/mirrors-ftp.html List of mirrors]}}

=== Known Issues ===
== Post-Installation Setup ==
=== General System Settings ===
=== ACPI ===
=== CPU controlling ===
To enable frequency control the kernel module {{path|cpufreq.ko}} must be loaded, four lines added to {{path|/etc/rc.conf}}, and the computer rebooted:
;{{path|/boot/loader.conf}}
:Add this line to load the module {{path|cpufreq.ko}} on each boot, allowing the CPU frequency to be modified:
<pre>
cpufreq_load="YES"
</pre>
;{{path|/etc/rc.conf}}
:Add these four lines to enable automatic control of the CPU frequency:
<pre>
powerd_enable="YES"
powerd_flags="-a adaptive -b adaptive -n adaptive"
performance_cx_lowest="C3"
economy_cx_lowest="C3"
</pre>

This enables the automatic control of frequency parameters of the CPU. By default, the computer runs in a state called C1. During periods of low activity, it is possible to shut down parts of the processor, including clocks, and disconnect from the system bus. In the C2 state, the CPU shuts down clocks. In the C3 state, additional power can be saved by disconnecting from the system bus and shutting down the CPU for a short time. This can provide significant power savings without any real cost. Using the paramters {{cmd|performance_cx_lowest|}} and {{cmd|economy_cx_lowest|}}, it is possible to tell {{cmd|powerd|}} the maximum state to put the CPU into. When allowing {{cmd|powerd|}} to use C3, it can be beneficial to add a line like the one below to {{path|/boot/loader.conf}}:
<pre>
kern.hz=100
</pre>
This modifies the interrupt rate of the kernel. By default it is 1000 interrupts per second. With a very slight increase (9ms!) in time between interrupts, it is possible to maximize the benefit from using C3. This might make the computer <i>slightly</i> less responsive, but with significant power gains.

=== Mouse ===
=== Video ===
=== Network ===
=== Bluetooth ===
=== Sound ===
=== MATE Desktop ===
==== Applications ====

==== Applets ====
== Additional Hardware ==
=== USB Mouse ===
=== USB Memory Sticks ===
== Tips and Tricks ==
In this section some tips and tricks are described.

=== Thinkpad buttons ===
== References ==
The following man pages are important for understanding:
* [http://www.freebsd.org/cgi/man.cgi?query=devd&apropos=0&sektion=0&manpath=FreeBSD+10.0-RELEASE&arch=amd64&format=html devd(8)], [http://www.freebsd.org/cgi/man.cgi?query=devd.conf&apropos=0&sektion=0&manpath=FreeBSD+10.0-RELEASE&arch=amd64&format=html devd.conf(5)]
* [http://www.freebsd.org/cgi/man.cgi?query=xorg.conf&apropos=0&sektion=0&manpath=FreeBSD+9.2-RELEASE+and+Ports&arch=amd64&format=html xorg.conf(5)]
* [http://www.freebsd.org/cgi/man.cgi?query=sysctl&apropos=0&sektion=0&manpath=FreeBSD+10.0-RELEASE&arch=amd64&format=html sysctl(8)], [http://www.freebsd.org/cgi/man.cgi?query=sysctl.conf&apropos=0&sektion=0&manpath=FreeBSD+10.0-RELEASE&arch=amd64&format=html sysctl.conf(5)]
* [http://www.freebsd.org/cgi/man.cgi?query=rc.conf&apropos=0&sektion=0&manpath=FreeBSD+10.0-RELEASE&arch=amd64&format=html rc.conf(5)]
* [http://www.freebsd.org/cgi/man.cgi?query=acpiconf&apropos=0&sektion=0&manpath=FreeBSD+10.0-RELEASE&arch=amd64&format=html acpiconf(8)]
* [http://www.freebsd.org/cgi/man.cgi?query=kldload&apropos=0&sektion=0&manpath=FreeBSD+10.0-RELEASE&arch=amd64&format=html kldload(8)], [http://www.freebsd.org/cgi/man.cgi?query=loader.conf&apropos=0&sektion=0&manpath=FreeBSD+10.0-RELEASE&arch=amd64&format=html loader.conf(5)]
* [http://www.freebsd.org/cgi/man.cgi?query=device.hints&apropos=0&sektion=0&manpath=FreeBSD+10.0-RELEASE&arch=amd64&format=html device.hints(5)]
* [http://www.freebsd.org/cgi/man.cgi?query=aic&apropos=0&sektion=0&manpath=FreeBSD+10.0-RELEASE&arch=amd64&format=html aic(4)]
* [http://www.freebsd.org/cgi/man.cgi?query=moused&apropos=0&sektion=0&manpath=FreeBSD+10.0-RELEASE&arch=amd64&format=html moused(8)], [http://www.freebsd.org/cgi/man.cgi?query=sysmouse&apropos=0&sektion=0&manpath=FreeBSD+10.0-RELEASE&arch=amd64&format=html sysmouse(4)], [http://www.freebsd.org/cgi/man.cgi?query=ums&apropos=0&sektion=0&manpath=FreeBSD+10.0-RELEASE&arch=amd64&format=html ums(4)]
* [http://www.freebsd.org/cgi/man.cgi?query=wpa_supplicant&apropos=0&sektion=0&manpath=FreeBSD+10.0-RELEASE&arch=amd64&format=html wpa_supplicant(8)], [http://www.freebsd.org/cgi/man.cgi?query=wpa_supplicant.conf&apropos=0&sektion=0&manpath=FreeBSD+10.0-RELEASE&arch=amd64&format=html wpa_supplicant.conf(5)]
* est (no manpage), p4tcc (no manpage)

== External links ==
* [http://www.freebsd.org The FreeBSD Homepage]
* The excellent FreeBSD manual: [http://www.freebsd.org/doc/en_US.ISO8859-1/books/handbook/ FreeBSD Handbook]
* German forums: [http://unixforen.de/ UNIXForen.de] and [http://www.bsdforen.de/ BSDForen.de]

[[Category: T400]] [[Category: FreeBSD]]

@@ Line 468: / Line 468: @@
 <pre>
 kld_list="i915kms"
-<pre>
+</pre>
 The custom kernel above includes 'iic' which is required for i915kms. I believe GENERIC also does.

@@ Line 464: / Line 464: @@
 If source code is not installed, see: https://docs.freebsd.org/en/books/handbook/mirrors/#git and clone the branch for your version.
 === Video ===
-Because the new concole drivers are currently under development the standard concole drivers sc are used. They are in
+X.Org (and probably wayland) will not work without the correct module loaded.
 <pre>
-sc0: <System console> at flags 0x100 on isa0
+kld_list="i915kms"
 <pre>
-agp0: <Intel GM45 SVGA controller> on vgapci0
+The custom kernel above includes 'iic' which is required for i915kms. I believe GENERIC also does.
-agp0: aperture size is 256M, detected 32764k stolen memory
-drm0: <Mobile Intel® GM45 Express Chipset> on vgapci0
+As of Jan 2025 the default package providing i915kms (drm-61-kmod or drm-kmod) appears to be broken (at least for the T400 GPU). I was able to get video working by uninstalling drm-61-kmod and installing drm-515-kmod.
-info: [drm] MSI enabled 1 message(s)
 === ACPI ===
 To enable ACPI goodies of the Thinkpad (Advanced Configuration and Power Interface - not to confuse with APIC Advanced Programmable Interrupt Controller!) put the following line

@@ Line 640: / Line 640: @@
 For the access to the sound devices a module must be loaded. Put the follwong line in {{path|/boot/loader.conf}}:
 <pre>
 snd_hda_load="YES"
 </pre>
@@ Line 661: / Line 662: @@
 pcm1: <Conexant CX20561 (Hermosa) (Internal Analog)> (play/rec)
 </pre>
 === MATE Desktop ===

← Older revision	Revision as of 16:21, 8 February 2025
(No difference)

@@ Line 11: / Line 11: @@
 == Installation ==
-The best way to install the 64 bits version of FreeBSD (amd64) on a ThinkPad T400 is to download the ISO files and burn them. There are also image files for an USB stick. You can find the ISOs and image files right here: [ftp://ftp.freebsd.org/pub/FreeBSD/releases/ISO-IMAGES/10.0/ FTP Server of FreeBSD]. Choose the version you want to install.
+The best way to install the 64 bits version of FreeBSD (amd64) on a ThinkPad T400 is to download the ISO files and burn them. There are also image files for an USB stick. You can find the ISOs and image files right here: [ftp://ftp.freebsd.org/pub/FreeBSD/releases/ISO-IMAGES/10.0/ FTP Server of FreeBSD]. Choose the version you want to install:
-{{HINT|To get the most benefit of your Thinkpad T400 use only the files whose filename contains <i>amd64</i>. This is the 64 bits version of FreeBSD.}}
+* {{path|FreeBSD-10.0-RELEASE-amd64-bootonly.iso}}: This is an image for CD for boot only and repair purposes
 {{HINT|It is better to choose one of the mirrors which you can find here: [http://www.freebsd.org/doc/en_US.ISO8859-1/books/handbook/mirrors-ftp.html List of mirrors]}}
 === Known Issues ===
 == Post-Installation Setup ==
 === General System Settings ===
 === ACPI ===
 === CPU controlling ===
 To enable frequency control the kernel module {{path|cpufreq.ko}} must be loaded, four lines added to {{path|/etc/rc.conf}}, and the computer rebooted:
@@ Line 40: / Line 58: @@
 </pre>
 This modifies the interrupt rate of the kernel. By default it is 1000 interrupts per second. With a very slight increase (9ms!) in time between interrupts, it is possible to maximize the benefit from using C3. This might make the computer <i>slightly</i> less responsive, but with significant power gains.
 === Mouse ===
 === Network ===
 === Bluetooth ===
 === Sound ===
 === MATE Desktop ===
 ==== Applications ====
 ==== Applets ====
 == Additional Hardware ==
 == Tips and Tricks ==
 In this section some tips and tricks are described.
 === Thinkpad buttons ===
 == References ==
 The following man pages are important for understanding:

Installing FreeBSD (amd64) on a ThinkPad T400 - Revision history

Mfro: Mfro moved page Installing FreeBSD 10 (amd64) on a ThinkPad T400 to Installing FreeBSD (amd64) on a ThinkPad T400: Ideally this page should be version agnostic. Current info is largely up to date for 14.2-RELEASE.

Mfro: /* Video */

Mfro: /* Video */

Mfro: Cleanup of unnecessary / outdated info, and added my custom kernel. Previous edit was 2014 so many flags in the old custom kernel here were no longer valid.

Juedan: /* Sound */

Juedan: Most of the configuration is described

Juedan at 11:39, 23 August 2014

Juedan: â†Created page with '== Features == FreeBSD is an UNIX operating system for x86 and others compatible architectures. It is derived from BSD, the version of UNIX® deve...'

Juedan: â†Created page with '== Features == FreeBSD is an UNIX operating system for x86 and others compatible architectures. It is derived from BSD, the version of UNIX® deve...'