IBM X22 laptop under Linux

The IBM X22 is one of the smallest Laptops produced by IBM. It is ideal for people on the move because it is really lightweight and runs for about two hours on battery (also under Linux).

I'm using debian sarge which works out of the box. With this command "dpkg --set-selections < x21selections" you can select all debian packages which I have chosen. The selections include the X-windows system, the gnome desktop and loads of programming tools.

What works:

• X-Windows: Works nicely with the right configuration file. Here is the /etc/X11/XF86Config-4 file which configures both the LCD and the external monitor in the right way. The VGA is always on and I haven't bothered to activate the Fn-keys. I've also made a custom keyboard layout file /etc/X11/xkb/symbols/pc/gb_de_se which gives you the German umlauts and also the Swedish o (on Alt-0).
• Sound: Works. It's a Cirrus Logic CS4299.
• Ethernet: Works. It's an Intel(R) PRO/100.
• Wireless: Works! It's a prism chip which is supported by the 2.6.8 kernel.
• Network configuration: I have configured the network settings /etc/network/interfaces in a way that first the Ethernet is probed and then then the wireless network. Just press ctrl-C to interrupt the dhcp probing on an interface to proceed to the next one.
• The hard drive is also fully supported by the debian kernel and does DMA by default.
• Kernel configuration: to speed up the startup you can compile your custom kernel. Here is a kernel configuration /usr/src/kernel-source-2.6.8/.config where all drivers for the X21 are compiled into the kernel. With this kernel the booting process is at least 3 times faster than with the standard debian kernel. Just use the kernel sources which come with the sarge distribution (select with dselect). They are located in /usr/src. Compile the kernel ("make bzImage modules modules_install") and copy it with "cp arch/i386/bzImage /boot". Here's my boot menu: /boot/grub/menu.lst.
• PCMCIA: Works without problems. Also the compact flash reader is accessible. Here's my /etc/fstab. Please don't copy it directly over your fstab but rather use it as a template. The line with the mount-point "/flash" is relevant here.
• USB: Memory sticks are also detected. You probably have to add the last line from my sample fstab with the mount-point "/stick". Don't forget to create the mountpoint.

What doesn't work:

• The modem does not work because it's a WinModem which needs additional software in the userspace. Without additional software it just behaves as a second sound card. Happy listening to your dialtone.
• All the sleep modes don't work. I must confess that I haven't made any effort to get them to work because startup is fast enough and I love my data.

Bugs in this document: an overrepresentation of the word "work".