# How will Gentoo run on this machine?

## Hydraulix

I'm not a big fan of Intel but I really want to get a thinkpad. Sadly IBM doesn't make a AMD based thinkpad. :Sad:  Anyway what's supported on this computer? 

Here's a clip from the website.

General

Model name 		2379R9U

Description		ThinkPad T42 (IBM Think Express Program)

Operating System

Operating System Title		Microsoft Windows XP Professional

Architecture

Bus type/architecture		PCI

Bays		Ultrabay Slim

Indicator light		Yes

Cover material		Magnesium

PC Card support		2 Type II or I Type III

Display

External display supported		Yes

Simultaneous external display		Yes

Screen type description		TFT FlexView display with wide viewing angle and high density

Viewable image size (diagonal) inches		15.0

Screen illumination		Backlit

Max colors or gray shades		16777216

Maximum Resolution		1400x1050

Graphics

Video RAM std/max		64MB

Description		ATI Mobility RADEON 9600

Graphics type		SXGA+ IPS

Video RAM type		DDR SDRAM

Max resolution		2048x1536 16777216 colors

Max colors (with max video RAM)		16777216

Graphics bus interface		AGP 4X

Video on Planar		Yes

Processor

Processor (CPU)		Intel Pentium M Processor 745

Processor speed[1]		1.80 GHz

Front side bus (FSB)		400 MHz

Internal L2 cache memory size		2 MB

System memory

Memory (RAM) std/max[8]		512MB / 2GB

RAM slots total		2 SODIMM

RAM slots available		1 SODIMM

Memory speed		333 MHz

RAM type		DDR SDRAM

Module specifications		PC2700

Hard drive

Hard disk size (GB)[4]		60 GB

Interface type		ATA-100 (Enhanced IDE)

Hard drive speed (RPM)		7200

Optical device

Optical device		CD-RW/DVD-ROM Combo

Device interface		EIDE

Optical device speed[5]		24X/24X/24X/8X Max

Audio

Integrated speakers		2

Speaker power rating		1.0 Watts

Volume control buttons		Yes

Speaker Quantity		2 (Internal Speakers)

Number of speakers		2

Audio chipset		SoundMAX

Audio data width		n/a

Audio on planar		Yes

Communications

Fax/modem description		56K V.92 designed modem

Fax/modem speed[3]		56Kbps data/14.4Kbps fax

Infrared port		Yes

Infrared port speed		4Mbps

Ethernet description		Integrated Intel PRO/1000 Gigabit Ethernet

Ethernet interface type		Gigabit Ethernet- Integrated

Ethernet on motherboard		Yes

Wireless Networking Components

Wireless speed		Bluetooth: 1Mbps;11b:11Mbps, 11g:54Mbps

Wireless Networking Components 1

    Wireless Standard[10]		Bluetooth

    Wireless Type		PAN

    Antenna		Ultra Connect

    Description		Bluetooth

    Frequency		Bluetooth:2.4GHz

    Wireless Implementation (Form Factor)		Integrated

Wireless Networking Components 2

    Wireless Standard[10]		Intel PRO/Wireless 2200BG

    Wireless Type		LAN

    Antenna		Ultra Connect

    Description		Intel PRO/Wireless 2200BG

    Frequency		802.11b/g: 2.4GHz

    Wireless Implementation (Form Factor)		Mini PCI

Accessories

A/C adapter		72 watt

Worldwide A/C compatibility		Yes

Port replication		Supported

Docking station		None

Standard features

Pointing Device Type		IBM ThinkPad UltraNav

Keyboard type[11]		Full size

Keyboard light		Yes

Expansion options

Plug and play support		Yes

Parallel Port Type		1 (EPP)

Serial Port Type		2 (USB 2.0)

Port connectors		2 USB 2.0, AC adapter, Expansion Bus port (for Dock II/Mini Dock or Port Replicator II), External Display, External microphone, Headphone/Line out, Infrared, Parallel, RJ-11, RJ-45, S-Video out

Slots total (available) and type		1(0) Communication Daughter Card 2,1(0) PC Card

Compact flash slot		No

Compact Flash Slot		No

Security Chip		IBM ESS 2.0 and Integrated fingerprint reader

BIOS type		Flash ROM

Infrared Support		Yes

Weight & dimensions

Height		1.2 in

Depth		10.6 in

Width		13.0 in

Security

Security features		Hard disk drive password, Power-on password, Supervisor password, IBM Security Slot, IBM Embedded Security Subsystem 2.0, Integrated fingerprint reader

Security identification technology		Fingerprint Reader

Limited warranty[7]

Type of service[13]		Customer Carry-in Repair or ThinkPad EasyServ

Limited warranty period		Three years parts and labor (system battery: one year)

Packaging

Weight metric		2.8 kg

Weight US		6.2 lbs

Battery

Battery Types		9 Cell Lithium-Ion

Battery Voltage		10.8 V

Software[12]

Operating system provided		Microsoft Windows XP Professional

Communications applications[9]		Adobe Acrobat Reader;IBM Access Connections

Utility applications		IBM Rescue and Recovery with Rapid Restore;Norton AntiVirus 2004 with 90 days of virus definition upgrades;PC-Doctor

Multimedia applications		IBM Drive Letter Access by Sonic;InterVideo WinDVD Creator;Intervideo WinDVD Player

Productivity applications		Access IBM

Other applications provided		IBM Client Security Software (web-downloadable);IBM fingerprint software;IBM Record Now

Supported operating system		Microsoft Win

dows 2000, Microsoft Windows XP Professional, Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition

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## inode77

Allmost everything is supported on a IBM Thinkpad T series laptop.

Limitations:

- no FIR just SIR useable

- no HW sound mixing

The rest should work just fine.

I would not buy any 15'' notebook => too big

I recommend a T43p 14'' (1400x1050) version (if you've got the money) with a 9cell extended battery.

If you work alot with big (resource hungry) apps I'd go for 1GB RAM, else 512MB RAM is more than enough.

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## Hydraulix

Sweet. What's makes the T43 better? I'm thinking about going with 1GB of RAM. But I'll have to see. How would all the nice little buttons work in Linux? Untill the fingerprint reader is supported under Linux. I'll have to keep a small windows partition just to scan my finger.

Edit: Also will I be able to put the computer to sleep, spin down the hard drive when not in use and down clock the processor speed when I'm just web browsing?

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## inode77

Dynamic CPU freq => cpudyn, cpufreqd, .....

Hibernate => Suspend2 patch

Buttons => ibm-acpi (all except "Access IBM")

Google for IBM Thinkpad T4(1|2|3) linux.

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## Hydraulix

Thanks. Does anyone know when we will have a 64bit thinkpad? If that's in the works then I'll just wait untill it comes out.

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## Hydraulix



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## mleegwt

http://www.linux-on-laptops.com/ibm.html

Have your pick for some reports.

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## re_re

on a whole gentoo should run great, .... i'm not a big intel fan myself either, but i have to hand it to intel on the M processor series..... they did their homework, did an excellent job on it..... short instruction set...., should compile apps fairly fast

and yes, i know i am using an intel lol.... building a dual opteron box

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## Hydraulix

Nice one. Thanks for the links and help. I'm really stuck on what computer to get. I have a G3 iBook but it's really showing it's age.  Now I really enjoy OS X. But I really need to get a x86 Linux system. Now my grandfather is giving me two computers. A really old 200mhz IBM aptiva system that I'll just use for a FTP server. And I'll have another Athlon system. I'm not sure on the specs of the Athlon system but I'll use it as a desktop machine. I'm thinking I really need another laptop since I'll have two desktops. But I really can't see me buying a 32 bit processor since 64 bit will replace it. Not to mention I would like to get another mac since I have an iPod but the G5's are $$$$. I can't decide! :Very Happy: 

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## re_re

may i ask why you are so stuck on the thinkpad?..... i mean, its a good comp, but, you're really paying for the name, just pay attention to the hardware specs....you can probably get a notebook with similar quality to the thinkbad, but with an athalon64 cpu and maybe for a little less money.

and heh..... as far as the powerbook G5....... :drools:

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## Hydraulix

The reason I'm thinking about getting a ThinkPad is it's really Linux friendly. Also I like the finger print scanner it has and how the hard drive locks if it falls. I don't really like Intel. I really wish IBM would start making AMD notebooks. But then if they made a G5 or a dual core G5 powerbook I would but that in a second.

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## re_re

ahh, i c..... hehe...... it would fail every time for me..... my finger tips get scraped off at work every day....... i was arrested once, they tried to get the machine to read my prints for 2 hours..... they finally gave up hehehe

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## super-lupo

Hello!

Don´t know if this is excactly what you are looking for, but in this Thread: 

https://forums.gentoo.org/viewtopic-t-283274-highlight-thinkpad+fingerprint.html

user "Master One" gave a solution to use the fingerprint sensor for authentication.

Hope it helps you out. Will see it myself next week, when my new Thinkpad arrives.

Greetings,

Lupo

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## Hydraulix

Nice one. Please post up when you get your ThinkPad. I have a feeling that the dual core G5 isn't going to be a powerbook. So for my little problem that I wrote above. I think I am going to get a ThinkPad then I'm going to get the dual core G5 when it comes out. And later on I'll build a dual AMD 64 bit machine. That should take care of me needing a computer. :Very Happy: 

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