Install Ubuntu 8.10 (Intrepid Ibex) on a ThinkPad T400

T400

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Before Installation

Before you can start Ubuntu from CD or USB you have to change two BIOS settings:

• Change to Internal or ATI Graphics with Config --> Display --> Graphics Device --> [Integrated graphics] or [Discrete Graphics]
• Disable OS Detection for Switchable Graphics. Otherwise it will mysteriously switch back to Switchable Graphics.

Now you can boot you Live-CD, connect to Wireless Lan, and install the OS.

What works out of the box?

• Wireless (Intel 5300 ABGN)
  • Only tested G mode yet
• Gigabit Lan
• Touchpoint and Trackpad
  • Including scroll at the right side of the pad by default.
• Optical drive
  • Not tested burning yet
• Sound card
  • To use your internal microphone you have to change to HDA Intel CONEXANT Analog (ALSA) in audio-settings.
• SD/MMC Memory card reader (Ricoh)
  • Only tested SD cards.
• Control buttons/Hotkeys
  • Volume control buttons
  • Screen brightness control (but changing Brightness is a little bit diffuse. It's getting brighter but on maximum it changes to nearly lowest and get brighter again.)
  • Thinklight control
  • WLAN/BT/OFF toggle (Fn+F5 and mechanical toogle)
  • Media player control
• Some ACPI features
  • Battery status, power graphs and history (tested with an single 6-Cell battery)
  • Lid states and events

Integrated Fingerprint Reader

Theres a new chipset build in, the "AuthenTec AES2810". So neither the thinkfinger nor the fprint Project support this Device at the moment.

$ lsusb

$ Bus 002 Device 004: ID 08ff:2810 AuthenTec, Inc.