Lenovo "X200 Tablet" laptop issue with IBM Trackpointer in Fossapup64_9.5
CPU is Core2 Duo CPU L9400
Memory is 2 GB
Hard drive is 232 GB
builtin WACON screen (needs a special stylus)
Puppy Linux frugal versions which have already run on my Lenovo "X200 Tablet" laptop:
xenial-7.5 32 bit
Dpup Stretch 7.5 CE (RC-4) 32-bit
bionicpup64-8.0 64 bit
easypup-2.3.3 64 bit (kernel 5.4.51)
slacko 5.7 32-bit
slacko-5.8 32-bit
tahr-6.0.6 32-bit
xenialpup64_7.0.8.6 64-bit
However when I tried to run Fossapup64_9.5 64-bit on my Lenovo "X200 Tablet" laptop,
when the "first run" screen displayed, the "mouse pointer" is frozen in the upper
quadrant of the screen and moving the IBM Trackpointer only displays a second ghost
pointer which quivers briefly (the pointer remains in its original position.)
(plugging in a USB mouse shows the same result.)
I tried web searching for Linux kernel version 5.4.53 and Trackpointer
but I didn't feel anything applied. (often IBM/Lenovo Thinkpads have many
knowledgeable users with suggestions.)
I seemed to remember something from many years ago about acpi and IBM Thinkpads and IRQ.
I rebooted with one of my other Puppies and added "acpi=off" to the my Fossapup64_9.5
Grub4dos kernel line and rebooted into Fossapup64_9.5.
Now my Fossapup64_9.5 Trackpoint (and, when plugged in, a USB mouse) worked as expected!
So I began testing my now usable Fossapup64_9.5 on my Lenovo "X200 Tablet" laptop.
It seemed to be working well except when I tried
System > CPU Frequency Scaling Tool,
It showed a (not unexpected) warning message: "ACPI was not detected"
System > Hardinfo hardware information (HardInfo 0.6-alpha) > Processor
seems to show only one CPU "engine" running at 1862 Mhz.
I was "barking up the wrong tree" !
(running, for example: bionicpup64-8.0 on this same laptop (bionicpup64-8.0 doesn't
need the "acpi=off" boot parameter for the Trackpointer to work)
shows two CPU "engines" running at 1862 Mhz.)
I spent much time trying the other numerous ACPI boot parameters
(acpi=ht or noapic or acpi_irq_balance or acpi_irq_nobalance or others)
one after another without success.
I searched on YOUTUBE for information on "X200 Tablet" laptop and one showed
how easy it was to use the WACON stylus on the screen.
I dug out an old WACON stylus and hovered it over the quivering mouse pointer on the screen.
The mouse pointer moved with the WACON stylus !
And after the mouse pointer on the screen had moved, (the stylus was not needed again)
the IBM Trackpointer and USB mouse worked as normal !
No other Puppy version had the "out of the box" IBM Thinkpad WACON stylus support !
Thanks 666philb.
Maybe this will help some other old Thinkpad X laptop owners with Fossapup64_9.5
and/or they might find a better workaround.