Installing Ubuntu 11.04 (Natty Narwhal) on a ThinkPad X220

I installed Ubuntu 11.04 (Natty Narwhal) on a ThinkPad X220, model 42902GW.

Netboot

As a source of network installation files I made use of another GNU/Linux computer on my home LAN which is connected to the Internet through a familiar ADSL-modem/gateway/router/caching nameserver/DHCP server (call it "the gateway") at address 172.19.3.1. The gateway's DHCP server issues leases in the range 172.19.3.2 to 172.19.3.100.

First I set up the "source" machine, in my case one which already also had Ubuntu 11.04 installed. It has address 172.19.3.7 (assigned to it by the gateway's DHCP server). For the X220 to boot from it the machine needs to run a DHCP server and a TFTP server. The DHCP server serves only this special purpose since, as I mentioned, the gateway is the network's main DHCP server. The source's DHCP server must be so configured that it doesn't conflict with the existing DHCP server.

Install the isc-dhcp-server package and edit /etc/dhcp/dhcpd.conf using the following as a model. I am not sure that every line is needed, but this worked for me.

ddns-update-style none;
option domain-name-servers 172.19.3.1;  # This is the address of my gateway
option routers 172.19.3.1;              # This is the address of my gateway
option subnet-mask 255.255.0.0;         # This is the netmask of my home network
default-lease-time 600;
max-lease-time 7200;
allow booting;
allow bootp;

subnet 172.19.3.0 netmask 255.255.255.0 {
  range 172.19.3.220 172.19.3.229;      # This is a range separate from the one used by the gateway and includes the address below
}

group {
  next-server 172.19.3.7;               # This is the address of the "source"
  host trawsfynydd {                    # 'trawsfynydd' is the name I chose for my X220
    hardware ethernet f0:de:f1:6b:22:bf; # This is the Ethernet address of the X220
    fixed-address 172.19.3.220;         # This is an address in the range as defined above
    filename "/pxelinux.0";
  }
}

Now install the tftpd-hpa package, download the network installation tarball and untar it into the location whence tftpd serves files.

$ cd /tmp
$ wget http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/dists/natty/main/installer-amd64/current/images/netboot/netboot.tar.gz
$ cd /var/lib/tftpboot
$ sudo tar zxf /tmp/netboot.tar.gz

Second set up the X220 for PXE (Pre-boot eXecution Environment).

• Switch on the X220 and press F1. ThinkPad Setup starts.
• Set Config | Network | Ethernet LAN Option ROM to "Enabled".
• Select Startup | Boot; select "PCI LAN IBA GE Slot..." and use the [+] key to move it to the top of the boot priority order
• Press F10 to save and exit.

Voilà, the X220 boots the Ubuntu installer.

Installation

I won't describe the Ubuntu installer. I'll just mention two little problems I had.

First, when it came time to resize the existing (ntfs) partition the partitioner asked what size I would like for "this partition". Did it mean the to-be-resized ntfs partition or the new ext4 partition? Turns out it meant the to-be-resized ntfs partition, so the suggested "max" selection was the opposite of what I wanted.

Second, when it came time to select "tasks" the installation reported failure. When I de-selected all "tasks" the installatino succeeded. Then I was able to reboot into Ubuntu.

Third, after reboot the screen came up black. I had to press CTRL-ALT-F1 to get the system console so I could log in.

Information

/proc/cpuinfo

processor	: 0
vendor_id	: GenuineIntel
cpu family	: 6
model		: 42
model name	: Intel(R) Core(TM) i5-2540M CPU @ 2.60GHz
stepping	: 7
cpu MHz		: 800.000
cache size	: 3072 KB
physical id	: 0
siblings	: 4
core id		: 0
cpu cores	: 2
apicid		: 0
initial apicid	: 0
fpu		: yes
fpu_exception	: yes
cpuid level	: 13
wp		: yes
flags		: fpu vme de pse tsc msr pae mce cx8 apic sep mtrr pge mca cmov pat pse36 clflush dts acpi mmx fxsr sse sse2 ss ht tm pbe syscall nx rdtscp lm constant_tsc arch_perfmon pebs bts rep_good nopl xtopology nonstop_tsc aperfmperf pni pclmulqdq dtes64 monitor ds_cpl vmx smx est tm2 ssse3 cx16 xtpr pdcm sse4_1 sse4_2 x2apic popcnt aes xsave avx lahf_lm ida arat epb xsaveopt pln pts dts tpr_shadow vnmi flexpriority ept vpid
bogomips	: 5182.27
clflush size	: 64
cache_alignment	: 64
address sizes	: 36 bits physical, 48 bits virtual
power management:

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 Chipset Family MEI Controller #1 (rev 04)
00:19.0 Ethernet controller: Intel Corporation 82579LM Gigabit Network Connection (rev 04)
00:1a.0 USB Controller: Intel Corporation 6 Series Chipset Family USB Enhanced Host Controller #2 (rev 04)
00:1b.0 Audio device: Intel Corporation 6 Series Chipset Family High Definition Audio Controller (rev 04)
00:1c.0 PCI bridge: Intel Corporation 6 Series Chipset Family PCI Express Root Port 1 (rev b4)
00:1c.1 PCI bridge: Intel Corporation 6 Series Chipset Family PCI Express Root Port 2 (rev b4)
00:1c.3 PCI bridge: Intel Corporation 6 Series Chipset Family PCI Express Root Port 4 (rev b4)
00:1c.4 PCI bridge: Intel Corporation 6 Series Chipset Family PCI Express Root Port 5 (rev b4)
00:1d.0 USB Controller: Intel Corporation 6 Series Chipset Family USB Enhanced Host Controller #1 (rev 04)
00:1f.0 ISA bridge: Intel Corporation 6 Series Chipset Family LPC Controller (rev 04)
00:1f.2 SATA controller: Intel Corporation 6 Series Chipset Family 6 port SATA AHCI Controller (rev 04)
00:1f.3 SMBus: Intel Corporation 6 Series Chipset Family SMBus Controller (rev 04)
03:00.0 Network controller: Intel Corporation Centrino Advanced-N 6205 (rev 34)
0d:00.0 System peripheral: Ricoh Co Ltd Device e823 (rev 04)

lsusb

Bus 002 Device 002: ID 8087:0024 Intel Corp. Integrated Rate Matching Hub
Bus 002 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0002 Linux Foundation 2.0 root hub
Bus 001 Device 006: ID 04f2:b217 Chicony Electronics Co., Ltd 
Bus 001 Device 005: ID 0a5c:217f Broadcom Corp. Bluetooth Controller
Bus 001 Device 004: ID 147e:2016 Upek Biometric Touchchip/Touchstrip Fingerprint Sensor
Bus 001 Device 003: ID 0424:2514 Standard Microsystems Corp. USB 2.0 Hub
Bus 001 Device 002: ID 8087:0024 Intel Corp. Integrated Rate Matching Hub
Bus 001 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0002 Linux Foundation 2.0 root hub

Configuration

• Having installed bare Ubuntu I had to run tasksel and select at least "Ubuntu Desktop".
• In order to allow NetworkManager to manage eth0 I had to comment out the "eth0" stanza in /etc/network/interfaces
• I used System Settings | Ubuntu Software Center to install ccsm ("Advanced Desktop Effects Settings") so I could enable Wobbly Windows and so I can initiate window resize with Super+Button3 (i.e., Windows-key+Right-click) which is easier than grabbing a window border or trying to press Alt and the scroll wheel while dragging.

• Create .xprofile containing

pactl upload-sample /usr/share/sounds/gnome/default/alerts/glass.ogg bell.ogg

and add

xset b 100

to .bashrc so that the system bell can be heard.

• Add PPAs to apt sources list for additional indicators

Findings

Compared with this user's experience

• (improvements)
  • I didn't have to do anything special to have the thinkpad-acpi module loaded or use special keys
  • X doesn't lock up (knock wood)
  • Both microphones are seen
  • I perceive no problem with the fans
  • There's no problem with SD cards
• (disimprovements)
  • Suspend doesn't work: it causes a general protection fault

Things to look into

Make a key table

... as I have done in the past.

How to fix suspend

"Suspend-to-RAM and brightness control of the display work with kernel >= 3.0-rc6" according to this fellow.