Lenovo thinkbook-13x-gen4 setup recommendations?

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Hello!
How is this going with Manjaro on this laptop?
I just ordered one and look forward to install Manjaro on it.
I see some people suggested to blacklist intel_ipu6 module as a (temporary) solution for the kernel panic (here)
but it also seem camera is kind of working now on Fedora, so ipu6 module will be needed at some point.

mod. comment: don’t necrobump old threads

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Hi @Lala,

From

https://www.reddit.com/r/linuxhardware/comments/1dgkx12/thinkbook_13x_gen_4_follow_up_now_fully_linux/

…which is by: https://www.reddit.com/r/linuxhardware/

Following up from https://www.reddit.com/r/linuxhardware/comments/1cgal6u/thinkbook_13x_gen_4_2024/

Now all functions work, except for the webcam, which should be up and running in the coming months (yea, it’s an IPU6 webcam).

Even the fingerprint reader works (though I need to upstream a patch)!

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If your intent with a hardware purchase is Linux - always research compatibility before purchase - never assume hardware is or will become linux compatible.

Lenovo has laptops which has been tested and certified working with Linux.

A hint about compatibility - if you can purchase without Windows LIcense - it is usually a good sign…

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Hi!
@Mirdarthos , Yes, I’m aware of those reddit posts:
https://www.reddit.com/r/linuxhardware/comments/1dgkx12/thinkbook_13x_gen_4_follow_up_now_fully_linux/?rdt=55351

https://www.reddit.com/r/linuxhardware/comments/1cgal6u/thinkbook_13x_gen_4_2024/

and related github page:

I share all links in case it helps some others. This guy craigcabrey made a great job.

Linux support seems to be fairly good (in general, most tested in Fedora apparently), check last comment here.

I was mostly interested in this kernell panic issue with Manjaro, in case @crc had some news. That’s why I posted initially here.

I noticed this morning this kernel page: If I understeed this correctly, it looks like something is coming in 6.14.0-rc5 related to IPU6…we will soon know I guess.

@linux-aarhus , don’t worry, I have some experience on this and I made my own research before purchasing and I can still sent it back in case of bad surprise.
I made my trade-off between risk (limited I think) and having all the criteria I wanted, which ended with very little choice (damn, high end laptops are getting so expensive now…)
Note: even a “linux compatible” device can be not so compatible, my previous one was an XPS13 developper edition, ubuntu pre-installed, which did’nt prevent Dell to use a poorly supported wifi chip & unsupported camera (at beginning, it worked not too bad after some time).

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@Lala

In short: the laptop is fully supported on Fedora 41. You just need to install Fedora 41 and follow the instructions on

You do not need to blacklist the ipu module: installing the RPM Fusion Intel IPU6 drivers fixes the kernel panics. However, on a new install I used to temporarily blacklist the ipu module until I had upgraded the system and installed the drivers (you do not want a panic to occur while upgrading).

Only thing to note about the proprietary drivers: when a new kernel comes in it may take 1-2 days before the drivers catch up, which causes the camera to not work temporarily (no panics though). I always keep the previous kernel installed in case I temporarily lose the camera.

What I do not know:

  1. Whether the RPM Fusion drivers are essential: it’s been some time and it may be that the most recent kernel and open source IPU6 drivers do not cause panics anymore. Craig Cabrey recently commented that on Fedora 42 everything seems to work out of the box (I am still on 41 and I can’t be bothered to uninstall the proprietary drivers: they work well):
  1. Manjaro support. For what I recall everything was working except for the camera, so if you really want to use Manjaro you need to either hope that the issue has been fixed in Manjaro and/or the most recent Linux kernel/open source drivers OR you will have to install the Intel proprietary drivers yourself somehow. If you want to test it it is relatively simple: you want the camera to work and the kernel to not panic for a whole day eheh.
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Hi @crc ,
Thank you for this feedback !!

Yes, Fedora seems to be pretty well supported, but I am used to Manjaro now and happy with it :blush:
I’ll try and see ! There have been several monthes and kernel updates since people fought to make this laptop work and Manjaro offers various and well updates kernel.

Also, I don’t really need camera quickly: I used it only for Howdy on previous laptop but I can play (1st time) with a fingerprint sensor on the thinkbook.
Btw great idea from Lenovo to place this sensor on the side, usable with laptop closed. I may even never need the camera :smile:

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