[ltp] Linux (SuSE 7.1) on IBM Thinkpad 600x?

[Boyan]

Hello,

These days I am faced with a tough question: Is it safe for me to install
linux (SuSE 7.1) on my new thinkpad 600x?

A relatively new linux user so ,please, bear with me. I am scared by the
stories of lm sensors corrupting the EEPROM of some IBM thinkpads. I can
see that the topic of the I2C support and the sensors in the new kernels
has been a recurrent one in this mailing list and elsewhere on the
Internet. The replies and answers suggested seem somewhat elusive to the
nonspecialist. It is great that there are brave people who could say
openly that some model's motherboards are endangered by the lm sensors
(the 600x is a model on that list). On the other hand the newer kernels
seem to offer built in I2C support. That is, the message is :there is a
danger and be warned! That is fine but what to do next?

In my case I recently purchased the thinkpad 600x and the linux SuSE 7.1
distribution and would like to make use of them both. From what I know by
now the distribution comes with two kernels 2.2.18 and 2.4. The default
package selection (if at all, I would go for that option) in YAST2
automatically installs the package "sensors" from the (ap) series and
later a configuration file can be found under /etc/sensors.conf. The
description of the sensors package in YAST2 says: "The interface
/proc/bus/i2c/ is provided by loading kernel modules. Which modules should
be loaded can be interactively detected as root by calling
/usr/sbin/sensors-detect. The default configuration in /etc.sensors.conf
should be changed to fit the actual circumstances of the motherboard." It
does not say much (to me) as to whether the sensors-detect has been issued
during installation time.

- Does SuSE 7.1 need the I2C and lm-sensors support during first time
installation?

If not then no problem with me uninstalling the offending package
"sensors" at a later time.

- In view of the above, is there a reason to go for one kernel or the
other (2.2.18 or 2.4) or should I simply install both?

- Are there some kernel options that can be selected during installation
and that could avoid the problem?

The fears that I have may be unwarranted and may be not. In both cases any
suggestion and feedback would be appreciated.

Regards,
Boyan.


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