Installation on Thinkpad X20

[libertybasic]

Hey all,

I only just installed OS/2 4.52 on my Thinkpad X20.  It did install with some glitches (it doesn't like my PCMCIA card chipset for example).  I haven't gotten around to testing my Ethernet port.

Even though I specified SVGA(ATI) it only gives me the 640x480 16 color display mode, and I get no audio.

I realize this laptop was made after IBM stopped selling OS/2.

Any suggestions appreciated.

-Carl Gundel, author of Liberty BASIC
http://www.libertybasic.com

[Martin Iturbide]

Hi Carl. Welcome to the OS2World forum.

I don't have information about the Thinkpad X20 and OS/2. I try to put some info on the OS2World wiki.

It will be interesting if you can post the PCI.exe report and the exact Thinkpad model to see if we can get more information and try to help you.
Here I have some information about Extracting Hardware Information from ArcaOS and OS/2.

Please post the report file right here.

Regards

[ivan]

Hi Carl,

The best place to look for video drivers is http://hobbes.nmsu.edu/h-browse.php?dir=/pub/os2/system/drivers/video  There you will find snap-os2-3.1.8.zip which was the final Scitech SNAP driver that works with a large number of ATI cards.

Depending on your audio chip you may need to use the uniaud driver.  The ethernet chip driver and possibly PCMCIA driver should all be available on hobbes.

PCI.exe that Martin mentions is also on hobbes as pci.zip but you will also need an updated pcidevs.txt, also on hobbes.

[libertybasic]

Thanks guys, I'll get back to you.

I'm aiming to produce an actual non-beta release of Liberty BASIC for OS/2.  I don't really need the X20 to do that, but it would just be much more fun that way. 

I forgot how good the keyboard is on the old Thinkpads.  I do have a TP X220T which has the full size layout, but I guess it doesn't have the same key travel.

-Carl

[Bogdan]

I only just installed OS/2 4.52 on my Thinkpad X20.  It did install with some glitches (it doesn't like my PCMCIA card chipset for example).  I haven't gotten around to testing my Ethernet port.

This model should have CardBus support.

Even though I specified SVGA(ATI) it only gives me the 640x480 16 color display mode, and I get no audio.

I realize this laptop was made after IBM stopped selling OS/2.

But only for this particular product line. You can try to use some drivers from T30 (https://download.lenovo.com/lenovo/content/ddfm/T30.html) that should provide display and networking. For audio support the T20 (https://download.lenovo.com/lenovo/content/ddfm/T20.html) driver can help.

[xynixme]

I only just installed OS/2 4.52 on my Thinkpad X20.  It did install with some glitches (it doesn't like my PCMCIA card chipset for example).  I haven't gotten around to testing my Ethernet port.

You may be able to replace the ethernet adapter by a supported Intel WLAN adapter (XOR, mine has one MiniPCI slot) and antenna.

PCMCIA: same here. May work, but e.g. a warm reboot won't work. I'm using SNAP and UniAud, and USB instead of PCMCIA to transfer files. As such it's a good machine for developing software, but mine's a bit too old by now. Keys stop working after a while, and so on.

I'll attach X20.TXT. FWIW: the online documentation of PCI.EXE is reversing reality, The Great Divide, because it almost suggests that it's an ArcaOS component which is available as a stand-alone EXE too. It always was a stand-alone app, without documentation how to mimic the secundairy ArcaOS install...

[Martin Iturbide]

Hi

Just checking the Thinkpad X20 specs, it has the famous (?) Ultraport that I was never able to try, it had optional and plug-able  Bluetooth, Camera , Compact Flash Adapter, Microphone and Infrared. I guess it does not work on OS/2, right? I wonder if it would be recognized with pci.exe.

André: The "Intel  PRO/Wireless 2200BG" on your machine is not the one that came originally, right?
Let me know if this looks fine: https://www.os2world.com/wiki/index.php/IBM_Thinkpad_X20

Regards

[Doug Bissett]

That is very strange output from PCI.EXE. I see no wired NIC, at all (hard to believe). The wireless NIC should be supported by GENMAC: http://hobbes.nmsu.edu/download/pub/os2/system/drivers/network/genmac220.wpi

It appears that there is no PCMCIA adapter, only two CARDBUS adapters. Quite different. As I understand it, CardBus doesn't need a driver (but I could be wrong).

Video is a Rage Mobility AGP 2x Series, which should be supported by SNAP, or Panorama. Sorry, I am not sure where they can be downloaded, unless you want to purchase a subscription from Arca Noae (google it).

Audio is a Crystal CS4281 PCI Audio, which is supported by UniAud. You can try this ancient version: http://hobbes.nmsu.edu/download/pub/os2/system/drivers/sound/UniAud_1-1-4-RC7.ZIP There are newer versions, somewhere, including by Arca Noae subscription.

[libertybasic]

Update

After trying different configurations and one round of selective install the computer became unstable and OS/2 wouldn't start anymore so I had to reformat the partition and install only what I knew would work.  Now I have a machine that brings me all the way to the desktop.

I managed to get the Snap graphics working for me, but it tells me I have 21 days.  It gives me a key but I can't figure out where to apply it.

The uniaud driver does give me sound, but it sounds like 8 bit sampling.  LOL.  I grabbed the DOOM port from hobbes and thought that was a kick except there is no sound even with the uniaud driver installed, and eventually the  game caused my computer to hang hard.

My X20 does not have a wireless network adapter, and it does have a built in Ethernet port.

So, CardBus doesn't need a driver?  Doesn't work for me.  Neither the CF2 or PCMCIA card slots seem to be recognized.  I tried installing the T20 drivers for this also, but this didn't work.

I tried to install serial port support but neither COM.SYS or VCOM.SYS load successfully.  Sort of surprising.  The Ultrabase does have a serial and parallel port.

[ivan]

To find where to insert the SNAP key you need to use the 'registration tool' in the 'scitech snap graphics' folder.

For the ethernet, the PCI output should tell you what chipset it uses and unless it is an oddball one there should be a driver for it on hobbes.

[Pete]

Hi Carl

You may want to see if setting the sound through a mixer helps, try http://hobbes.nmsu.edu/download/pub/os2/apps/mmedia/util/mixers/PMUniMix-bin-0_82.zip


Regards

Pete

[libertybasic]

One thing I notice since wiping Windows XP and installing Warp 452 on my X20 is that the hard drive has stopped making clunking noises.  I’m surprised that the OS was making this happen.  I thought my HD was about to fail.  Perhaps it has a few more years of life yet.   

-Carl Gundel
http://www.libertybasic.com