DiogenesPolanco/Linux-Mint-on-Lenovo-Legion-5

how to install Linux Mint on Legion 5 to have proper hardware drivers and screen brightness control

timeStamp: 22 October 2021

Linux-Mint-on-Lenovo-Legion-5 💻

How to install Linux Mint on Legion 5 to have proper hardware drivers and screen brightness control

Linux Mint is forked from Debian and similar to Ubuntu so this may work for Ubuntu OS as well.
I did try to install Ubuntu 21.xx OS and it created a custom NVIDIA driver that didnt quite work properly so be warned.

I hope this will help someone else that might be going down this same path.
It took me a while to figure it out so hopefully I can same you some time.

Laptop: Lenovo Legion 5 15 Gaming Laptop, 15.6" FHD (1920 x 1080) Display, AMD Ryzen 7 5800H Processor, 16GB DDR4 RAM, 512GB NVMe SSD, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050Ti
Amazon link: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08YKG5K7F

Linux Mint OS: https://linuxmint.com/

these are the steps I took to get Linux Mint 20.2 Cinnamon v. 4.4.8 on a Lenovo Legion 5 gaming laptop \ (text in perenthesis is what worked for me at the time of writing this)

OS installation:

• install linux mint OS onto thumb drive
• insert thumbdrive into laptop
• boot laptop while pressing F12 - this will let you choose boot device
• select thumbdrive to boot OS installer
• install Linux Mint

STEPS to get Hardware operating properly [this will get graphics card to cooperate with OS for proper operation]:

1: install latest linux kernel (kernel: 5.11.0-34-generic)

• sudo mintupdate : Mint Update Manager GUI
• using 'Update Manager' gui : credit: https://www.makeuseof.com/upgrade-kernel-linux-mint/
• Update Manager -> View -> Linux Kernels -> (5.11) -> install

2: isntall latest nvidia graphics drivers (470.63.01)

• using "driver manager" gui update graphics drivers to latest nvidia driver version
• sudo mintdrivers : Mint Driver Update GUI
• then install latest NVIDIA proprietary driver

STEPS to get screen brightness to work correctly and brightness keys to actually change screen brightness:

note: no longer works with nvidia driver version 470.74 so I am using brightnessControl.py to control screen brightness with software

1: generate xorg.conf file: sudo nvidia-xconfig

• this command comes with latest nvidia drivers installed in prior steps to graphics card working
• this will generate /etc/X11/xorg.conf
  ref: https://askubuntu.com/questions/217758/how-to-make-an-xorg-conf-file

2: add "EnableBrightnessControl=1" to xorg.conf file inside device section

• NOTE: you need to add the whole line: Option "RegistryDwords" "EnableBrightnessControl=1"
• sudo gedit /etc/X11/xorg.conf or sudo nano /etc/X11/xorg.conf
• add line in device section:
  example:

  Section "Device" 
    Identifier     "Device0" 
    Driver         "nvidia" 
    VendorName     "NVIDIA Corporation" 
    Option         "RegistryDwords" "EnableBrightnessControl=1" 
  EndSection 

3: reboot system and X11 will pick up the new configuration and your brightness function keys will now work

Realtek wifi 6 working with proper drivers:

see this github for proper drivers: https://github.com/lwfinger/rtw89

• git clone https://github.com/lwfinger/rtw89.git -b v5
• cd rtw89
• make
• sudo make install
• sudo modprobe rtw89pci

These commands are compiled in the script: installRTW89wifiDriver
NOTE: this entire process needs to be repeated on every kernel update

Battery Saver mode

• run batterySaverMode.py to put laptop into battery saver mode when plugged in
• limits charging above 60% capacity

Other helpful tips

• F2 : open BIOS during boot
• Ctrl + Alt + F1 : change to basic command line interface
• Ctrl + Alt + F7 : change back to GUI 'desktop' interface
• hold Shift during boot to open up grub for advanced options like recovery mode

another great reference for legion 5: https://github.com/antony-jr/lenovo-legion5-15arh05-scripts

Cheers everyone 🍺