Welcome to LapWik - The Laptop Wiki
Lenovo Thinkpad X200
Introduction
This is a user submitted page about the ins and outs of the Lenovo Thinkpad X200. Here users can provide details about their experiences with this laptop and to provide helpful tips to others. Also available is the discussion section below which can be used to ask questions about the Lenovo Thinkpad X200.
Editing This Page
If you would like to edit this page please first view our Editing Guidelines.
Specifications
For full specifications see the Lenovo ThinkPad X200 specifications page.
| Name | Lenovo ThinkPad X200 |
| Processor | Intel Core 2 Duo |
| Screen | 12.1” WXGA Widescreen |
| RAM | 1GB to 4GB |
| HDD | 80GB to 320GB to 64GB SSD |
| Graphics | Intel Graphics Media Accelerator X4500 |
| Network | Ethernet, Thinkpad 802.11bg or Intel 5100 802.11abgn or Intel 5300 802.11abgn, Bluetooth |
Laptop Notes
At this stage no one has submitted any notes about the Lenovo Thinkpad X200. If you have any interesting information about this laptop to share please feel free to edit this page and submit what you have.
Discussion
I've just installed Linux Mint 14.1 64bit, with all updates (discretionary included), on my trusty old Lenovo X200 (3.5 yrs, 4Gb, 500Gb, +Ultrabase). It didn't see the gigabit Ethernet port during installation but Mint picked up wi-fi and connected to it and used it. I added two packages mentioned here: http://www.thinkwiki.org/wiki/Installing_Linux_Mint_13_Xfce_on_a_ThinkPad_X200 (Thinkpad-Extras and TLP).
Update: the Ultrabase RJ45 jack takes priority if the unit is docked; can't recall that with Windows, I think either worked.
The following work
trackpoint and left and right buttons
forward and back (page) navigation keys
sound
suspend and resume
Bluetooth
the display
USB ports
SD card drive
Thinklight
Webcam
Hotkeys: Sleep, Lock, Wi-fi toggle etc; Fn Numlock works but without OSD display
Ethernet
Audio jack (didn't test mic)
Wireless on/off physical switch (on side)
The following issues remain
Video is not accelerated (checked with glxgears; it's ok however, not sluggish)
The fan is maxed out; noise is TOO MUCH. There's fix on Thinkwiki which I have yet to apply.
The mute button works but doesn't unmute (I gather that adding
acpi_osi=“Linux”
to grub.conf will resolve; not tested yet); the volume up button works meanwhile
Mouse jiggle or “any” key press don't trigger resume from sleep (just noted for completeness; not an issue)
DVD didn't eject; got message “Unable to find block device for drive” (not tested further)
The fingerprint reader (which I stopped using under windows as it was unreliable–tiresomely so); this solution may help http://www.n-view.net/Appliance/fingerprint/index.php (not tested)
This may help: http://vminko.org/gentoo_manuals/thinkpad_x200#fan
I'm keen to get my X200 working perfectly even though it's “retired”. It's a fine machine; just needs a new battery and possibly an SSD boot volume.
The single biggest issue is the FAN which would be a dealbreaker if unfixable. It's the achilles heel of this machine, and maybe other Thinkpads too. This is my reserve machine because the fan was giving up the ghost. I replaced it myself with a spare purchased online and I don't ever want to do that again! What a lousy bit of design that a part so likely to fail should be so hard to replace.