Slackware 12.1 on a Thinkpad T61

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This guide is based on Slackware 12.1 upgraded to kernel 2.6.25.5. Mostly random notes, hopefully will be shaping up soon.

Specs

Installation

  • Create a set of Rescue and Recovery discs before proceeding, it'll save your bacon when/if (probably when) things go bad.
  • Used a Ubuntu boot CD (8.04) and Gparted to split off a new Linux partition from the main Windows partition. This is probably possible with fdisk/cfdisk but Gparted graphical, simple, and straightforward. Leave the rescue partition (~8 GB) alone, newer (early-2008?) T61s ship with Rescue and Recovery version 4 which vastly improves the boot options.
  • Insert and boot from the Slackware 12.1 DVD, no key presses are necessary as the drive is set as the first boot device from the factory.
  • Start cfdisk and verify that that:
    • The Linux partition is flagged as bootable
    • The NTFS partition is not bootable
  • Run setup
    • Disk space shouldn't be a problem, choose the full option

Sound (or lack of it)

The speaker is not activated at boot. Edit the /etc/asound.state file and change false to true: 

name 'Speaker Playback Switch'
value.0 false
value.1 false

Run alsactl store after saving to preserve the changes through restarts.

Temporary fixes are running amixer sset Speaker toggle or activating the speaker through Kmix's Switches tab.

Console Resolution

Add vga=867 to /etc/lilo.conf then run lilo

X Resolution

Given the size (14.1") and resolution (1440x900) the correct dpi is 120.4.

xdpyinfo | grep dots should display resolution: 121x120 dots per inch. Visit Cherife Li's guide for a xorg.conf with the correct screen and device sections.

Boot Hot Keys

  • F1 = BIOS
  • F11 = Boot recovery partition
  • F12 = Select boot device
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