Lenovo IdeaPad U110

This is a guide to running Linux with the Lenovo IdeaPad U110 laptop. If you have the Lenovo IdeaPad U110 and are running Linux on it please consider adding to this page or adding a comment below with your compatibility details. By contributing you will help other people running this laptop or trying to make a decision on whether to buy it or not.

This guide is intended to provide you details on how well this laptop works with Linux and which modules you need to configure. For details on how to actually install and configure the required modules have a look at our guides section for distribution specific instructions.

This page is just for discussing using Linux on the Lenovo IdeaPad U110. For a general discussion about this laptop you can visit the Lenovo IdeaPad U110 page on LapWik.

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For full specifications see the Lenovo IdeaPad U110 specifications page.

Tested with Kubuntu 8.10.2 Intrepid 64bit
Note 1: You must edit xorg.conf to get native 1366×768 resolution. Use safe graphics mode for install.
Working xorg.conf:

# xorg.conf.failsafe (X.Org X Window System server configuration file)
#
# This file was generated by dexconf, the Debian X Configuration tool, using
# values from the debconf database.
#
# Edit this file with caution, and see the xorg.conf manual page.
# (Type "man xorg.conf" at the shell prompt.)
#
# This file is automatically updated on xserver-xorg package upgrades *only*
# if it has not been modified since the last upgrade of the xserver-xorg
# package.
#
# If you have edited this file but would like it to be automatically updated
# again, run the following command:
#   sudo dpkg-reconfigure -phigh xserver-xorg

Section "Device"
Identifier "X3100"
Boardname "Intel X3100"
Busid "PCI:0:2:0"
Driver "intel"
EndSection

Section "Monitor"
Identifier	"Configured Monitor"
# This line tells randr to add this mode, you can comment it out after randr adds the mode
modeline “1366×768” 84.50 1360 1392 1712 1744 768 783 791 807 -hsync -vsync
EndSection

Section "Screen"
Identifier	"Default Screen"
Monitor		"Configured Monitor"
Device		"X3100"
Defaultdepth 24
Subsection "Display"
# This line is added manually to create a virtual display for xrandr
# add the width or height of the external display to the 1366x768 of the U110 display
# Keep the number as low as possible for best performance
# the number below allows me to use a 1920x1200 external monitor beside the U110
Virtual 3286 1200
Depth 24
# comment out the next line after randr recognizes the correct resolution for your U110 screen
Modes “1366×768”
EndSubSection
EndSection

Use xrandr or krandr to add external monitors. (This worked much better for me than the old method of setting it up in xorg.conf)

Note 2: Make sure the small switch on the left side near the front is forward.
Note 3: Camera reported as a Syntek UVC 1.00 device (174f:8a3f) works using the mod listed below:

      create file /etc/modprobe.d/uvcvideo.conf
      containing: options uvcvideo quirks=16
      reboot or rmmod uvcvideo then modprobe uvcvideo

Note 4: Built in microphone does not work, possibly part of camera does not appear to be enabled with uvcvideo fixabove.

1.) Appears to be an issue with the X3100 graphics card.
2.) Screen brightness works but not quite as expected, levels go up and down when increasing or decreasing.

The Lenovo IdeaPad U110 works pretty well with Linux. Less than an hour from unboxing to KDE 4.0 desktop. Wireless worked on first try, sound worked on first try, even video worked but at 800×600. This was one of the easiest installs I have done. Will add more information as I tweek and play.