Lenovo laptop buy

fietser · 10-05-2012, 05:11 AM

http://www.it-hardware.nl/Webwinkel-...mpaign=beslist

Hello forum,

The above laptop I want to buy.
Would like a duel boot PC from it.
Does anyone know how this laptop works with Slackware 14?
Like you comments.

Sorry for the bad english I translate this from dutch to english via goole translate.

Greetings.

STDOUBT · 10-05-2012, 05:39 AM

Hello,

In general, especially in the recent past, Thinkpad series have good compatibility with Linux.
All of the T6(x) and previous have very vanilla Intel mainboards.
For you I suggest to find out two important things about the laptop:
1) The laptop's wireless chipset is a "Thinkpad" branded chip. This means nothing (what chip is it really, and is it compatible with Linux is the question).
2) The audio. If it is Intel, you should be OK.

Also, if using the fingerprint reader is important to you, you might need to do some customization to your software. I think using it requires PAM, and some unofficial scripts. This was the case last year in fact. It may have changed by now. I don't know if Slackware has incorporated PAM (yet) *shudder* I don't want to look...

Other than recommend you to buy a T420s instead, I doubt you'll have too much trouble with the E530. Just do more research into the wireless, and maybe audio chips.

adriv · 10-05-2012, 08:29 AM

Hi fietser!

I've bought the same laptop a little while ago for my son, dual-booting W7 and SW 14.
Everything works fine and out-of-the-box (only for the webcam you have to install wxcam).
Other than that, you should have no problems with it.

bogzab · 10-05-2012, 09:32 AM

I have had a THinkpad Edge (earlier and smaller model than this) for about 18 months and have been running Slackware 13.1 and then 13.37 with no problems.

AS noted by STDOUBT, you might need to look at the wifi. The wifi chip in mine is a Realtek and this meant that I had to download a driver from Realtek but once this was done, the wifi worked just fine.

sjampoo · 10-05-2012, 01:23 PM

I have a Lenovo ThinkPad W520, which runs Slackware just fine, except for the Nvidia Crap ( dual graphics ). That Optimus thingy is a real P.O.S. (Not: point of sale!). But since your ThinkPad only has the standard integrated graphics this should not be a problem. There's a ThinkPad wiki where Linux compatibility is usually covered, incl. possible pitfalls.

(Ik heb zelf ook een Lenovo ThinkPad, die 't prima doet met Slackware, op de Nvidia rommel na ( twee graphische controllers ). Die Optimus rommel zuigt apeballen. Het model in jouw linkje heeft echter gewoon de geintegreerde GPU van de i3 processor, dus zul je verschoont blijven van de zwart-beeldscherm ellende. Er is en ThinkWiki waar voor vrijwel alle modellen wel een Linux sectie bestaat waarin de valkuilen worden genoemd).

http://www.thinkwiki.org/wiki/Known_Problems

*overigens: compleet off-topic advies: Zou je niet liever gaan voor een laptop met een iets hogere beeldscherm resolutie? 1366x768 is nou niet echt de meest 'productieve' resolutie. Breedbeeld dat door de fabrikanten er door wordt gedrukt is leuk voor filmpjes kijken, maar fatsoenljk tekstverwerken?? 1680x1050 (of 1920x1080) zijn echte vele malen prettiger.

adriv · 10-05-2012, 02:15 PM

lspci from the same Lenovo ThinkPad Edge E530 NZQ79MH,

Code:

root@joey:/home/joey# lspci
00:00.0 Host bridge: Intel Corporation 2nd Generation Core Processor Family DRAM Controller (rev 09)
00:02.0 VGA compatible controller: Intel Corporation 2nd Generation Core Processor Family Integrated Graphics Controller (rev 09)
00:16.0 Communication controller: Intel Corporation 6 Series/C200 Series Chipset Family MEI Controller #1 (rev 04)
00:1a.0 USB controller: Intel Corporation 6 Series/C200 Series Chipset Family USB Enhanced Host Controller #2 (rev 04)
00:1b.0 Audio device: Intel Corporation 6 Series/C200 Series Chipset Family High Definition Audio Controller (rev 04)
00:1c.0 PCI bridge: Intel Corporation 6 Series/C200 Series Chipset Family PCI Express Root Port 1 (rev b4)
00:1c.1 PCI bridge: Intel Corporation 6 Series/C200 Series Chipset Family PCI Express Root Port 2 (rev b4)
00:1c.2 PCI bridge: Intel Corporation 6 Series/C200 Series Chipset Family PCI Express Root Port 3 (rev b4)
00:1c.3 PCI bridge: Intel Corporation 6 Series/C200 Series Chipset Family PCI Express Root Port 4 (rev b4)
00:1c.7 PCI bridge: Intel Corporation 6 Series/C200 Series Chipset Family PCI Express Root Port 8 (rev b4)
00:1d.0 USB controller: Intel Corporation 6 Series/C200 Series Chipset Family USB Enhanced Host Controller #1 (rev 04)
00:1f.0 ISA bridge: Intel Corporation HM65 Express Chipset Family LPC Controller (rev 04)
00:1f.2 SATA controller: Intel Corporation 6 Series/C200 Series Chipset Family 6 port SATA AHCI Controller (rev 04)
00:1f.3 SMBus: Intel Corporation 6 Series/C200 Series Chipset Family SMBus Controller (rev 04)
02:00.0 Ethernet controller: Realtek Semiconductor Co., Ltd. RTL8111/8168B PCI Express Gigabit Ethernet controller (rev 06)
03:00.0 System peripheral: Ricoh Co Ltd Device e823 (rev 07)
08:00.0 Network controller: Intel Corporation Centrino Wireless-N 1000

As you can see wifi and graphics are both Intel chipsets and work out-of-the-box (I did install wicd, it picked up the signal immediately).
Don't know about the fingerprint reader, don't -want to- use it.
I saw it at tweakers.net and bought it at computerpirates. It strikes me that the laptop is now €110,- more expensive than 6 or 7 weeks ago.

Edit:
Almost forgot that if you use headphones and it doesn't work, use this solution:
http://www.linuxquestions.org/questi...tebook-932462/

Didier Spaier · 10-05-2012, 02:50 PM

@sjampoo: I agree that 1680x1050 is much nicer than 1366x768, this is what I have on my T61.

I would have preferred 1920x1080, unfortunately Lenovo laptops with that screen's resolution are not available in France.

Phorize · 10-05-2012, 05:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by fietser

http://www.it-hardware.nl/Webwinkel-...mpaign=beslist

Hello forum,

The above laptop I want to buy.
Would like a duel boot PC from it.
Does anyone know how this laptop works with Slackware 14?
Like you comments.

Sorry for the bad english I translate this from dutch to english via goole translate.

Greetings.

I had an edge laptop and I wouldn't get one again. My problem was that that the bios was locked to prevent the user from swapping out components. I tried to use install a lenovo centrino wlan0 card and it wouldn't even boot. If yours has the rtl 8192se wlan chipset I would think again. This driver was included in linux 3.0 stable and caused system freezes as far as 3.1. I don't don't how it is in 3.2 but you should at least check the current status.

fietser · 10-06-2012, 04:35 AM

Hello Forum,

Thanks for all the comments.

@adriv
I've bought the same laptop a little while ago for my son, dual-booting W7 and SW 14.
Everything works fine and out-of-the-box (only for the webcam you have to install wxcam).
Other than that, you should have no problems with it.

That's the answer I was looking for, I'll buy it.

It strikes me that the laptop is now €110,- more expensive than 6 or 7 weeks ago

Mine also.

STDOUBT bogzab sjampoo Didier Spaier kristizz
Thanks everyone for the comments.

It will take some time for Slackware 14's on it.
I always wait a while before I order the dvd.
First I just read the comments on this forum.

I must first years after only use slackware just learn to work with windows 7, sorry.

But if Slackware 14 is installed I will report here.

Greetings.

688a · 10-06-2012, 06:00 AM

I'm using Thinkpad E430！ Mine is running Win7 and Slackware 14, and so far it is good! And IBM has no their own display card driver for Linux, you might want to buy one with Nvidia chips.

jlinkels · 10-06-2012, 07:24 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Didier Spaier

@sjampoo: I agree that 1680x1050 is much nicer than 1366x768, this is what I have on my T61.

I would have preferred 1920x1080, unfortunately Lenovo laptops with that screen's resolution are not available in France.

I am typing this in a Lenovo T61 @ 1600x1080. I am using it for 4 years now. Most reliable machine I ever had. Only the battery was suddenly death 2 years ago. I can't find a good replacement for it. Recently I bought an Asus with a 17" 1920x1080 screen. Heavy as a brick, 2 hours battery life, glossy screen. Laptops are not made anymore as they used to be made.

jlinkels

fietser · 10-10-2012, 12:43 PM

Hello forum,

Unfortunately, the laptop is no longer possible.

Do you have any tips for another laptop with about the same specifications?

Thank you for your comments.

BroX · 10-10-2012, 01:52 PM

Hallo fietser,

have you tried here?

http://computerpirates.com/lenovo-th...0-nzqa4mh.html

sycamorex · 10-10-2012, 02:12 PM

I have 2 Lenovo laptops:

Thinkpad T410 - Everything out of the box on Slackware 13.1 and 13.37
Thinkpad E530 - Slackware 13.37 - AFAIR wifi didn't work out of the box, however, the drivers are included now in the kernel shipped with Slackware 14 so no problems at all.

Admittedly, the video card on T410 packed up after almost years of use (3-years manufacturer's warranty) but the guys at Lenovo replaced the whole motherboard.

fietser · 10-20-2012, 03:14 PM

BroX and sycamorex.
Thanks for your answers.
Sorry for my late reply.

The Lenovo ThinkPad Edge E530 (NZQA4MH) €727,26
This is too expensive.

This fits better in my budget.

http://computerpirates.com/computers...1-nzr6tmh.html

LENOVO TP E535 AMD A70 A4-4300M 2,5GHZ 1MB 4GB/500/72 15,6HD W7HP64 TS (NZR6TMH)
€ 487,90

Does anyone have experience with the AMD hardware.
CPU AMD Fusion A4-4300M
Video Radeon HD 7420G
Doing this works well with Slackware 14 ?
Thank you for your answers.