---
name: "thinkpad"
section: "4"
platform: "linux"
package: "thinkpad-base"
version: "5.8-4"
release: "Debian 3.1 (Sarge)"
platforms: ["linux"]
url: "https://new.carta.tech/thinkpad"
---

# thinkpad(4)

device driver modules for IBM ThinkPad laptops

## NAME

thinkpad - device driver modules for IBM ThinkPad laptops

## SYNOPSIS

**insmod thinkpad** \[**enable\_smapi=** *n*\] \[**enable\_superio=** *n*\] \[**enable\_rtcmosram=** *n*\] \[**enable\_thinkpadpm=** *n*\]\
 **insmod smapi**\
 **insmod superio**\
 **insmod rtcmosram**\
 **insmod thinkpadpm**

## DESCRIPTION

**thinkpad,** **smapi,** **superio,** **rtcmosram** and **thinkpadpm** are device drivers for certain ThinkPad components in the form of loadable kernel modules.

The **thinkpad** driver merely loads the other driver modules as needed.  It also provides access to the other drivers on non-devfs systems. The **smapi** driver is the interface to the IBM System Management Application Program Interface (SMAPI) BIOS found in some ThinkPads.  The **superio** driver controls the Super I/O chip.  The **rtcmosram** driver provides access to the RT/CMOS nonvolatile RAM.  The **thinkpadpm** driver makes available certain power management functions.

Each module adds an entry under /proc/driver/thinkpad named like itself which contains some information about itself.

## PARAMETERS

The **thinkpad** module takes the following parameters.

- **enable\_smapi=***n*

  Disable (0) or enable (1) use of the **smapi** module

- **enable\_superio=***n*

  Disable (0) or enable (1) use of the **superio** module

- **enable\_rtcmosram=***n*

  Disable (0) or enable (1) use of the **rtcmosram** module

- **enable\_thinkpadpm=***n*

  Disable (0) or enable (1) use of the **thinkpadpm** module

## SECURITY

The user requires write permission on the device file in order to change settings or to "sedate" the machine.

## FILES

- */proc/driver/thinkpad*

  Files containing information about the drivers are in this directory.

- */dev/thinkpad*

  This is a directory containing the following special device files:

- */dev/thinkpad/thinkpad*

  Special device file (char, major 10, minor 170) through which ThinkPad devices are controlled

- */dev/thinkpad/smapi*

  Special device file through which the SMAPI BIOS may be accessed

- */dev/thinkpad/superio*

  Special device file through which the Super I/O chip may be controlled

- */dev/thinkpad/rtcmosram*

  Special device file through which the RT CMOS RAM chip may be controlled

- */dev/thinkpad/thinkpadpm*

  Special device file through which certain ThinkPad power management actions may be performed

## BUGS

None known.

## AUTHOR

The device drivers were written by Thomas Hood.\
 This page was written by Thomas Hood.

## SEE ALSO

[**tpctl**(8)](/tpctl/8.md)