Got myself an thinkpad T42 a week ago, two days ago a friend helped me install slackware 11.0 on it. The basic features are running fine, but Im having some problems with ACPI. One thing in perticular is the controlling of the fan speed. According to thinkwiki.org there should be a file in /proc/acpi/ibm called "fan" that handle the state and speed of the fan, I dont have that file. But I do have a directory called "fan" in /proc/acpi, but the directory is empty,
Im using the 2.6.18.1 kernel (and yes I have the option enabled in the kernel, compiled it a couple of times to be sure I havent missed anything).

I've tried to create a new "fan" file in /proc/acpi/fan but I get the error "No such file or directory", I have changed the permisions for all the folders above and the fan folder to rwx and I done all this as root. Still nothing...
Maybe Im really going blind here and I dont need to create a "fan" file in /proc/acpi/fan at all and that the real "fan" file is somewhere else? Im pretty sure the laptop is running hotter in slackware than in windows aswell but so far I havent got any proof, when I was running the make command for the kernel it got up to around 57C (with a big fan blowing on it and the window open) but I have seen it gone up to 61. Anyway I want to be able to control the fan speed and something is not what it should be.

Files in /proc are created by the system. You do not create any files here.

If your running kernel is using ACPI -> IBM thinkpad extras ... then there should be a number of directories in /proc/acpi/ibm

Did you compile ACPI or IBM extras as a module ?

Ok, didnt know that the system created the files in /proc, but I know now.

I dont have any directories in /proc/acpi/ibm, only files dont know if that was what you meant. For example some files are bluetooth, cmos, thermal and so on.

I didnt compile the ACPI controllers as modules but complied them straight into the kernel, but can that really matter?

I have similar experiences running Slackware (10.2 and 11) with an older Compaq Presario 2145. Using the default Slack 2.6.17.13 kernel, I could not get the battery monitor, hardware sensors, and other stuff to work properly.

For me what worked was to recompile the kernel and compile the ACPI options into the kernel rather than as modules. After recompiling the kernel, I have everything working really well on my older Presario.

The 2.6 kernel is really easy to customize and compile. After the first compile, changes can be incorporated easily. I also keel the stock kernel on my lilo menu in case I do something dumb with my custom kernel.

Bob

I do get ACPI to work (though I havent set it all up yet) and I get the hardware sensors working and so on, also spped step is working.

The kernel is custom complied for my thinkpad and I have enabled all the ACPI options that I need.

I now know why I havent got /proc/acpi/ibm/fan, I aint using the patch for controlling fan speed!

Doh!!

Im not sure if I'll use it either, when I use speedstep and the ondemand governor the temperatures is ok.

Another question though, what kinda temperatures are you thinkpad owners getting on your harddrive? Mine is currently on 40 degrees C (idle) and Im a bit worried.