FreeBSD läuft sehr gut auf einem Thinkpad T61. Nachfolgend die entsprechende Konfiguration.

/etc/rc.conf

hostname="thinkpad"
keymap="german.iso.kbd"

#WLAN
wlans_wpi0="wlan0"
ifconfig_wlan0="WPA DHCP"

#SSH
sshd_enable="YES"

# Set dumpdev to "AUTO" to enable crash dumps, "NO" to disable
dumpdev="NO"

#Desktopsystem
anacron_enable="YES"
dbus_enable="YES"
slim_enable="YES"

ntpd_sync_on_start="YES"
ntpd_enable="NO"

#Powermanagement
powerd_enable="YES"
powerd_flags="-a hadp -b adp"
performance_cx_lowest="C3"
economy_cx_lowest="C3"

# Temp löschen
clear_tmp_enable="YES"

# moused
moused_enable="YES"
moused_type="auto"
#Flags aus da touchpad per BIOS deaktiviert
#moused_flags="-3 -V -U 2 -L 5"

/boot/loader.conf

# Kein langes Warten
autoboot_delay="1"

# Energiesparen
cpufreq_load="YES"
kern.hz=100

# Temperatursensoren
coretemp_load="YES"

# Kein Strom fuer Geraete ohne Treiber
hw.pci.do_power_nodriver=3

# p4tcc ist ein Intel-Relikt aus Netburstzeiten
hint.p4tcc.0.disabled=1
hint.p4tcc.1.disabled=1

# Agressives Powermanagement fuer SATA
hint.ahcich.0.pm_level=5
hint.ahcich.1.pm_level=5

# Sound
sound_load="YES"
snd_hda_load="YES"

# ACPI-Treiber fuer Thinkpads
acpi_ibm_load="YES"

/etc/sysctl.conf

hw.acpi.verbose=1
hw.acpi.reset_video=1

hw.acpi.lid_switch_state=S3
hw.acpi.sleep_button_state=S3
hw.acpi.sleep_delay=3
hw.acpi.power_button_state=S5

# enable ThinkPad buttons
dev.acpi_ibm.0.events=1

# allow regular users to mount removable devices
vfs.usermount=1

# disable speaker beep
hw.syscons.bell=0

/etc/devd.conf

#.........

notify 10 {
        match "system" "ACPI";
        match "subsystem" "IBM";
        match "notify" "0x04";
        action "/usr/sbin/acpiconf -s 3";
};

#......

[http://www.bsdforen.de/showthread.php?t=24823] [http://www.bmichelsen.no/blog/2012/01/28/configuring-freebsd-for-x60s/]