Author Topic: ArcaOS 5.06 running on Thinkpad 25 (former: ArcaOS 5.03 + OS/2)  (Read 8118 times)

Sigurd Fastenrath

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ArcaOS 5.06 running on Thinkpad 25 (former: ArcaOS 5.03 + OS/2)
« on: October 07, 2018, 09:24:50 am »
Here are my observations running ArcaOS 5.03 on the ThinkPad 25. The ThinkPad 25 is the ThinkPad Anniversery Edition, based on the ThinkPad T470 series with some Modifications, especially a Special Keyboard. This is in fact the best Keeyboard I have ever used.

I will modifiy this text here, as it is work in Progress.


First: Hardware Modifications

Usually it is not possible to use ArcaOS with the ThinkPad 25 if it comes right from the factory. It includes a NVMe M2280 512 GB SSD. This NVMe Controller is not supported by ArcaOS, as there are no Drivers. Fortunately the Laptop has an inbuild SATA/AHCI Controller as well. So I bought and installed an SATA/AHCI M2280 SSD with 1TB size.


Second: BIOS Settings
- disable secure Boot
- enable CSM Module
- change NVMe to SATA


Third: Preparing the SSD
- I wanted to keep the Original "Thinkpad 25 Signature Edition" of Windows 10 and so I installed it first from the Recovery USB Stick
- In fact I did this BEFORE I changed the BIOS settings
- as the recovery tool allways creates a GPT hardware Layout, I had to convert it then
- to convert I used a special Linux Version, as I mentioned elsewhere in this forum
- I then installed EASEUS Partition Manager to shrink Windows 10 and add Partitions
- one of the Partitions is FAT32 formatted, to exchange data between Windows and ArcaOS
- I then installed DFSEE and added LVM Informations to the SSD
- Finally I installed the AIRBOOT Manager


Fourth: Adding ArcaOS

Due to the lack of USB 3 drivers and having no USB 2.0 mode on the Thinkpad 25, ArcaOS can not be installed from DVD/USB. It may work with a Dockingstation, but I do not have one. Therefore I made it the "Usual way" I am using: Cloning and Restoring with DFSEE.
So I installed a fresh ArcaOS 5.03 on the Lenovo X200T, what went flaweless. I added some programs as mentioned elsewhere here, i.e. The Warp Server for e-business components, Bonuspak, DOSBOX, ....
I then created a clone and copied this clone on the Thinkpad 25 inside Windows 10. There I restored it with DFSEE to the designed Partition.

Reboot.


Fifth: Observations (in short)

What works (great!):

- FullHD Video Resolution with reasonable performance
- Sound (but no control on volume/loudness, with some applications it works i.e. mplayer)
- LAN
- Keyboard Backlight (via Keyboard combination)
- all 4 kernels supported
- Power Management (funny: the T25 has got two internal batteries, while the Widget in xcenter Dows Show only 5% the Power Allication does Show 77%. See Picture attached. I guess this is because xcenter does Show one battery, the program does Show both.)
- AHCI SATA controller with superb performance
- creating a RAM disk (but see below)

Not working/supported:

- WLAN
- USB (only 3.0)
- Touch support (depending on USB I guess, so I did not contact Wim Brul so far)
- DOS and WINOS2
- Bluetooth
- Camera (depending on USB I guess as well)
- RAM management: the T25 has got 16GB of RAM, but only 1.3GB are usable as "Low Memory". One can create a 14GB RAM disk, but this is a problem on modern hardware that can hopefully be resolved


Conclusion:
Really great! Once USB 3 and the Memory Problem is solved, it would make even more sense and fun!

Please see Picture.
« Last Edit: November 19, 2021, 10:38:49 am by Sigurd Fastenrath »

Martin Iturbide

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Re: ArcaOS 5.03 running on Thinkpad 25
« Reply #1 on: October 08, 2018, 01:55:39 pm »
Thanks Sigurd for your post.

Can it be possible for you to post the PCI.exe and LSusb reports so I can include it to the wiki?
What is the model number of your TP 25?
I'm guessing you are using Panorama, Uniaud, right?
Any special change on the config.sys to support any of the devices?

Thanks
Martin Iturbide
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Sigurd Fastenrath

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Re: ArcaOS 5.03 running on Thinkpad 25
« Reply #2 on: July 08, 2019, 11:28:01 am »
I switched from ArcaOS to my own custom OS/2 Clone based on Warp 4.52 including latest drivers and all the Warp 3 stuff so that it looks like Warp 3.

Using as Usual DFSEE and Cloningmethod, as there are no USB 3.0 drivers.

All the expected shortcommings still there, what I am wondering about is:

with 16GB RAM OS/2 did see 1.3GB RAM
with 32GB RAM (upgraded a few months ago) OS/2 does see 1.7 GB RAM

may be due to enhancements in QSINIT.

Another change: I do not use Airboot anymore, the IBM Bootmanager does its job now. Teh problem with Airboot is, that after cloning and restoring it almost everytime left the system with a Airboot Boot error so it can not be booted anymore.


Sigurd Fastenrath

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OS/2 Warp running on Thinkpad 25 (former: ARcaOS 5.03)
« Reply #3 on: November 19, 2021, 10:38:15 am »
Hi Martin,

for the notes an info update for this Laptop:

- uniaud works with Pauls latest UNIAUD
- USB 3.0 works with ArcaNoae Drivers
- NVMe supported with ArcaNoae Drivers

ArcaOS 5.06 installation via USB Stick possible, one has to wipe the ssd though.
Secureboot has to be deactivated, UEFI has to be switched to Legacy

Problems remaining:

- No WLAN support (already gave hope up on this topic)
- Memory Problem (still only 1.2 GB of the 32GB RAM; as far as I understand this problem can not be fixed with OS/2)

Martin Iturbide

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Re: ArcaOS 5.06 running on Thinkpad 25 (former: ArcaOS 5.03 + OS/2)
« Reply #4 on: November 21, 2021, 04:30:46 pm »
Hi Sigurd

I had updated the wiki page:
https://www.os2world.com/wiki/index.php/Lenovo_ThinkPad_25_-_Retro

Let me know if it is fine with you. If you ever produce the "Hardware Report (PCI.exe)" please post it here.
Are you using Panorama for Video? Does it has two adapter, Intel and NVidia?

Regards
Martin Iturbide
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... just share the dream.