Fedora 15 Linux on T420s

I installed Fedora 15 on my T420s with Nvidia 4200M graphics last night, and ran into a problem (other than the graphics support). It seems the Fedora 15 install DVD and net install DVD have a bug in the installer where it crashes when it can't install the floppy drive (Fatal error installing floppy shows up on the alternate console). I was able to find a work around by loading from one of the live spin images, then using the install to hard drive feature, however this left me having to manually go through and install lots of software I wanted instead of being able to pick it as part of the install process. Has anyone else had this issue?

Ike

p.s. now working to getting the Nvidia stuff working with Bumblebee switching support

 

I'm going to get my T420 on Monday, but I'm going to install Kubuntu 11.04 on it and I'm curious, if it'll work with Bumblebee. I was reading about it since they've started to work on it.

Edit:
Here I'll be putting Fedora 15 Basic Installations and Settings document, that I've created. You can always see version of the document in it's name and inside on a first page is written when it was created.
View attachment Fedora 15 Basic Installations and Settings 1.1.pdf

 

I understand your curiosity, I will follow up when I get to it, although it may well be this weekend before I get to trying bumblebee (I am saving it for last as new versions are coming out every few days), first I need to migrate all my files, set up applications, etc.

Ike

p.s. Note In order to get through the install process I had to switch around the discrete/integrated & auto detect video bios settings a few times (auto detect worked after the install, but not during).

 

Oh, I didn't know, that it's possible to switch between those graphic options during linux install.

 

You can't switch during the install, however prior to the install I had to switch to integrated and auto detection turned off, after linux was booting from the SSD I was able to turn Optimus back on with the auto detect turned on, so it will work if I boot into windows, or if I boot into linux I get integrated by default until I get the Bumblebee switching working.

Ike

 

OK I'm trying now Fedora 15 as well, because I have certain problems with KDE4 on Kubuntu. I wanted to ask you a few questions about fedora 15.

1. If your're using firefox, have you somehow managed to install flashplayer from adobe? I was trying to do it, but I didn't succeded.
2. What codecs should I install, if I want to listen to mp3 songs?
3. If your're using thunderbird, how should I manage to put on a screen some notification about new messages?
4. What's the best file manager for Fedora. I'm using Krusader, because I'm used to use it, but it's defaultly build for KDE isn't it?

That's all for now. Thanks for reply.

 

I'm running Fedora fifteen on my T420. I'm not sure about flashplayer but for the JRE I had to go to the oracle page and follow their instructions, which involve installing from the command line. If it's a .bin file you may need to make it executable. Just google "install a .bin file in fedora" it's pretty straightforward. As for codecs for dvd's and mp3's, go to The Unofficial Fedora FAQ it can solve most of your basic issues. For thunderbird, I don't know. I use evolution. And I use nautilus as a file manager. You can install a plug in to open directories in the terminal which is convenient for some installations.

 

Use this website to get flashplayer working, it helped me.

http://www.khattam.info/things-to-do-after-installing-fedora-15-2011-06-01.html

 

Thank you a lot for those links, it really helped me.

But I had another problem today. I don't know if you've tried it, but I have installed drivers for nvidia NVS 4200M. It was a fight to install it, but I managed it. Anyway I had than a problem, that I couldn't start Xorg. I tried to set up all 3 graphic options in BIOS, but it wasn't working with any. So in the end I had to re-install my Fedora again. Have you already tried to install nvidia drivers, if you have discrete graphics card? And if so, did it work?

 

I only have the integrated graphics. Sorry, and good luck! Glad the links helped.

I've heard talk of something called bumblebee for using discrete graphics but I really don't know what that's all about.

 

Bumblebee project works on integration of both graphics card into linux. It works different than optimus, because the graphics switching is not working. Both cards are still on and everything is running under the integrated graphics, but you have a possibility to run applications under the nvidia grahpics, if you start that app with a special command.

I would try it, but as I've written, I didn't manage to turn on the Xorg after installing the nvidia drivers.

 

With a help of those link you've sent me, I've created a document of my installations. I've collected all the apps and setting I've do with my Fedora 15. There are some different information that you can find in those links and it might be helpful for you.
View attachment Fedora Basic Installations.pdf

 

Excellent! +1, maybe add it to your first post, I know you're not the o.p. but yours is second.

 

You can also "yum install /path/to/VirtualBox*rpm" and it'll automatically install the dependencies for you

 

Thanks, I add it to my manual. I just know, that I was trying to install it in easy way and it didn't work.

Edit:
I've posted a new version of Fedora 15 Basic Installations and Settings to my first post here. I've also decided to update those versions when I'll figure something new and helpful out. Yo and I've also added well-arranged style for better navigation.

 

Now I have another issue. Is there anybody who managed to make tp-fancontrol (skripts for automatic regulation of fan rotations) work? The only think, that I've succeeded in, is manual control of fan speed, but I want to have it automatic according to the scripts, that one can find here, because otherwise the fan is spinning at quite high rpm (usually around 3500 rpm).

 

So today I've tried to install nVidia drivers for NVS 4200 again on a separate Fedora 15 installation and I managed to did it. Problem was, that I was installing it under optimus and when I rebooted system after installing drivers under telinit 3, Gome 3 didn't start. The other problem was, then when I switched in BIOS a graphics option to discrete graphics, than Xorg didn't start at all and I wasn't able to boot at all.

There are still only the old graphics drivers from nVidia, so if you're planning to use Fedora 15 with Gnome 3, than you won't be able to use discrete graphics because of the nVidia drivers. We can just hope, that a new upcoming drivers will solve those problems.

 

I had the NVidia binary drivers working with Fedora 15 beta, but recently tried the released version and I couldn't get it to work. Most likely NVidia has to yet again catch up with the kernel releases. On the plus side, integrated graphics only runs very well.

 

Yeah integrated graphics works well, but I would like use some more power with nVidia. We just have to wait.

Anyway I added to my first post here a new version of Fedora 15 Basic Installations and Settings. There is a way how to install nVidia drivers and more.