[opensuse] openSUSE 11.1 on a Lenovo Thinkpad W500 or W700
I'm looking to purchase one of these laptops and was hoping someone on the list might have one and provide feedback as to how it works (graphics, wireless, etc.) with openSUSE 11.1. I would prefer the 15" W500, but have concerns about the ATI card (ATI Mobility FireGL V5700 / Intel GMA 4500MHD - 512 MB) vs. the 17" W700 with nVidia graphics (NVIDIA(R) Quadro(R) FX2700M, PCI Express(R) x16, 512MB memory) Both have Intel WiFi Link 5300 wireless.. All feedback appreciated. -- To unsubscribe, e-mail: opensuse+unsubscribe@opensuse.org For additional commands, e-mail: opensuse+help@opensuse.org
On Tue, 2008-12-30 at 00:31 -0500, Doctor Who wrote:
I'm looking to purchase one of these laptops and was hoping someone on the list might have one and provide feedback as to how it works (graphics, wireless, etc.) with openSUSE 11.1.
I would prefer the 15" W500, but have concerns about the ATI card (ATI Mobility FireGL V5700 / Intel GMA 4500MHD - 512 MB) vs. the 17" W700 with nVidia graphics (NVIDIA(R) Quadro(R) FX2700M, PCI Express(R) x16, 512MB memory)
Both have Intel WiFi Link 5300 wireless..
All feedback appreciated.
I have the x61 and it works great, I installed opensuse 11 out of the box. In 1Q I will get the X200. The Thinkpads are well supported. The intel video chips work well and support 3D. I have been running compiz in both the X40 and the X61. Yesterday came a Novell newsletter saying that one of thinkpads will come with opensuse loaded in. I do not remember which model. The 3 major obstacles in laptops are: video chip wireless chip sound chip. note: do not spend money on the intel turbo memory (as I did :() because is not supported under linux. Get as much memory as you can mainly if you plan to do virtualization. Vista pro takes a huge amount of HD space. You may want to have XP. If you use VMware for virtualization you may be able to use the installed XP in the virtual machine which eliminates extra space and use the same license. I do not know with Vista. The docking station works flawless. I love the x-series portable, huge battery life, normal size keyboard and good screen. After you use it for a week you will never go back to the 17 inches laptops (imho) -=terry=- -- To unsubscribe, e-mail: opensuse+unsubscribe@opensuse.org For additional commands, e-mail: opensuse+help@opensuse.org
On Monday 29 December 2008 21:31:32 Doctor Who wrote: Hello List Mates,
I would prefer the 15" W500, but have concerns about the ATI card (ATI Mobility FireGL V5700 / Intel GMA 4500MHD - 512 MB) vs. the 17" W700 with nVidia graphics (NVIDIA(R) Quadro(R) FX2700M, PCI Express(R) x16, 512MB memory)
Both have Intel WiFi Link 5300 wireless..
All feedback appreciated.
I have the Lenovo W500 using SuSE 11.1x64 with KDE 4.1. Here is my breakdown of success so far.... ATI Mobility FireGL V5700 / Intel GMA 4500MHD - 512 MB... Both work and support 3D. The Intel driver seems to have regressed as it displays from 500-1100 FPS in 3D while the ATI (with the fglrx driver does up to 6500 fps and non-3d at 1500 fps with the radeonhd driver) Intel WiFi Link 5300... Works with the latest kernel and knetwork manager. So far though, I haven't been able to test the bluetooth nor have I been able to tether a cell phone as a back up internet source. The cell does show up as ACM0 under knetwork manager but still doesn't fully hand shake. I can talk to the cell via minicom so I believe it's a knetwork manager issue under KDE 4.1. Intel Sound... This has been a problem for me. The sound system is crashing as long as I have the built in speakers engaged. If just plugging in externally or with a headset, sound works great. I'm also starting to suspect that the win-modem may be playing a part in this right now. Built in webcam... This item isn't working right now either. I get raster lines displayed using the correct uvc drivers but nothing usable as of yet. This has been a low priority along with the bluetooth till I iron out the sound issues. Sleep mode... The ATI fglrx driver doesn't recover from suspend to disk (Intel and radeonhd does), and suspend to ram doesn't work for me as of yet. Something else to work through :) Over all... Being on the bleeding edge with the OS and hardware, this is doing pretty well. BTW, I have the extended battery and the system stays alive for around 5 hours before needing to be plugged in. Let me know if you have any additional questions, thoughts, concerns or better yet... Solutions! -- ***************** Thank You, Michael A. Sterba ARS - KG7HQ Assistant Director/Technical Specialist Northwest Division - ARRL kg7hq@arrl.net http://www.kg7hq.wetnet.net -- To unsubscribe, e-mail: opensuse+unsubscribe@opensuse.org For additional commands, e-mail: opensuse+help@opensuse.org
On Tue, Dec 30, 2008 at 8:17 AM, Michael A. Sterba
On Monday 29 December 2008 21:31:32 Doctor Who wrote: Hello List Mates,
I would prefer the 15" W500, but have concerns about the ATI card (ATI Mobility FireGL V5700 / Intel GMA 4500MHD - 512 MB) vs. the 17" W700 with nVidia graphics (NVIDIA(R) Quadro(R) FX2700M, PCI Express(R) x16, 512MB memory)
Both have Intel WiFi Link 5300 wireless..
All feedback appreciated.
I have the Lenovo W500 using SuSE 11.1x64 with KDE 4.1. Here is my breakdown of success so far.... ATI Mobility FireGL V5700 / Intel GMA 4500MHD - 512 MB... Both work and support 3D. The Intel driver seems to have regressed as it displays from 500-1100 FPS in 3D while the ATI (with the fglrx driver does up to 6500 fps and non-3d at 1500 fps with the radeonhd driver)
Intel WiFi Link 5300... Works with the latest kernel and knetwork manager. So far though, I haven't been able to test the bluetooth nor have I been able to tether a cell phone as a back up internet source. The cell does show up as ACM0 under knetwork manager but still doesn't fully hand shake. I can talk to the cell via minicom so I believe it's a knetwork manager issue under KDE 4.1.
Intel Sound... This has been a problem for me. The sound system is crashing as long as I have the built in speakers engaged. If just plugging in externally or with a headset, sound works great. I'm also starting to suspect that the win-modem may be playing a part in this right now.
Built in webcam... This item isn't working right now either. I get raster lines displayed using the correct uvc drivers but nothing usable as of yet. This has been a low priority along with the bluetooth till I iron out the sound issues.
Sleep mode... The ATI fglrx driver doesn't recover from suspend to disk (Intel and radeonhd does), and suspend to ram doesn't work for me as of yet. Something else to work through :)
Over all... Being on the bleeding edge with the OS and hardware, this is doing pretty well. BTW, I have the extended battery and the system stays alive for around 5 hours before needing to be plugged in. Let me know if you have any additional questions, thoughts, concerns or better yet... Solutions!
Thanks. I've been using a T60 for work and looking to get an upgrade for myself. You hit on the very things I was worried about with regard to getting the laptop "in working order"...especially with regard to the 'dual graphics' capability that I doubted Linux would handle well. EmperorLinux sells these and professes to have them working with all the bells and whistles running Linux, but I'm not going to pay about $1000 more just to get it setup by them. I know they have to make a living, but geesh! -- To unsubscribe, e-mail: opensuse+unsubscribe@opensuse.org For additional commands, e-mail: opensuse+help@opensuse.org
On Tue, 2008-12-30 at 14:19 -0500, Doctor Who wrote:
EmperorLinux sells these and professes to have them working with all the bells and whistles running Linux, but I'm not going to pay about $1000 more just to get it setup by them. I know they have to make a living, but geesh!
They are great. I got a couple from them -=terry=- -- To unsubscribe, e-mail: opensuse+unsubscribe@opensuse.org For additional commands, e-mail: opensuse+help@opensuse.org
On Tue, Dec 30, 2008 at 2:39 PM, Teruel de Campo MD
On Tue, 2008-12-30 at 14:19 -0500, Doctor Who wrote:
EmperorLinux sells these and professes to have them working with all the bells and whistles running Linux, but I'm not going to pay about $1000 more just to get it setup by them. I know they have to make a living, but geesh!
They are great. I got a couple from them
-=terry=-
I'm sure they are....I've heard great things. I just can't swallow an almost $1000 markup just for a Linux install/configuration. -- To unsubscribe, e-mail: opensuse+unsubscribe@opensuse.org For additional commands, e-mail: opensuse+help@opensuse.org
Quoting Doctor Who
EmperorLinux sells these and professes to have them working with all the bells and whistles running Linux, but I'm not going to pay about $1000 more just to get it setup by them. I know they have to make a living, but geesh!
If I am an experienced, professional programmer costing my employer $50/hr plus office space, lights, A/C, benefits, secretarial and technical support, i.e., $100+ per hour, buying a laptop from EmperorLinux saves the company money unless I can set it up equivalently in less than 2 days. I don't think so. Plus they can expect that it can be done, whereas I try, it may be a model that isn't going to work 100% under Linux anytime soon. Having gone the cheap route, I can say that the only way it's going to save money is if I've done it several times before. When my ThinkPad T41 is replaced, if EmperorLinux has something near the model I want I may very well buy from them, even if I'm paying for it with my own money. Just my $0.02USD, Jeffrey -- To unsubscribe, e-mail: opensuse+unsubscribe@opensuse.org For additional commands, e-mail: opensuse+help@opensuse.org
I am using X61 and everything works great. Just a point to remember
that the wireless light only works under 11.1.
On Tue, Dec 30, 2008 at 1:31 PM, Doctor Who
I'm looking to purchase one of these laptops and was hoping someone on the list might have one and provide feedback as to how it works (graphics, wireless, etc.) with openSUSE 11.1.
I would prefer the 15" W500, but have concerns about the ATI card (ATI Mobility FireGL V5700 / Intel GMA 4500MHD - 512 MB) vs. the 17" W700 with nVidia graphics (NVIDIA(R) Quadro(R) FX2700M, PCI Express(R) x16, 512MB memory)
Both have Intel WiFi Link 5300 wireless..
All feedback appreciated. -- To unsubscribe, e-mail: opensuse+unsubscribe@opensuse.org For additional commands, e-mail: opensuse+help@opensuse.org
-- To unsubscribe, e-mail: opensuse+unsubscribe@opensuse.org For additional commands, e-mail: opensuse+help@opensuse.org
participants (5)
-
Doctor Who -
Jeffrey L. Taylor -
Low Kian Seong -
Michael A. Sterba -
Teruel de Campo MD