Help! From 24H2, Windows 11 will no longer run on x61 tablet (or other core2duo)

[thinkpadrobert]

It's the end of an era for my x61 tablet that I've been using since 2009. Since the core2duo doesn't have the POPCNT instruction, I will no longer be able to run windows 11 on it.

https://www.hwcooling.net/en/microsoft- ... ore-2-pcs/

Kind of sad about it, but time to move on to linux. Which is the best one for this old machine?

Also, I like this machine for it's pcmcia slot which I use to run the excellent Audigy soundcard with the really excellent kx drivers. Can anyone recommend me a laptop with a POPCNT supporting cpu and a PCMCIA slot?

[TPFanatic]

Linux Mint XFCE is what I just installed on my friend's ThinkPad T530. It replaces an Elitebook running Windows 7.

Set up an admin account with a password. Remember the password, it'll get prompted for lots.

Then set up a user account, this should be your primary user.

The OS comes with a software center, we were able to download useful software for the basic stuff the user enjoys doing. Firefox browser is as awesome as ever.

T530 is quite a bit faster than X61 Tablet.


While it is a general best practice to run an up-to-date operating system, old machines can get by just fine with out-of-date operating systems for tasks where they are airgapped or otherwise effectively firewalled and protected from attacks that would take advantage of old-OS vulnerabilities. Enough governments and businesses pay Microsoft good money to maintain security updates for Server 2008 and 2008 R2. Even XP can still be "secured" with US Department of Defense group policies. Denial of physical access to an attacker is ultimately what makes or breaks a secure system. Even a modern Windows 11 PC's TPM can be compromised by a clever attacker.

My personal machines still run anything between Windows XP and Windows 10. I'll be skipping 11. I don't want Copilot, forced updates, telemetry, overzealous Windows Defender, and stupid background tasks. Unironically interested in ReactOS. edit to add: ReactOS f*3&ing sucks

[thinkpadrobert]

Thanks for the reply. Looks like there aren't any laptops with sufficiently modern CPUs and a cardbus slot. The best I can do is an expresscard slot with an adapter, which will jut out of the side of the machine by a good 10-15 cm.

Maybe I'll just keep rocking the x61t with win 10 for my audio applications and dual boot for other stuff.

[axur-delmeria]

there aren't any laptops with sufficiently modern CPUs and a cardbus slot. The best I can do is an expresscard slot with an adapter, which will jut out of the side of the machine by a good 10-15 cm.

IMO Cardbus was already overstaying its welcome by the time the X60 came out-- the last Pentium M Thinkpads already had an Expresscard slot after all.

[TPFanatic]

I support you finding some combination of your existing hardware and available out-of-date/obsolete (read: stable) operating systems to produce a ThinkPad X61 Tablet with Audigy soundcard and drivers that JustWorksTM.

Screw Windows 11. Ignore the subliminal messaging to upgrade, upgrade, upgrade (read: pay money, pay money, pay money)... you are already armed with the capability and the support of the Thinkpads Forum to produce a system that JustWorksTM. You will save money and live better.

"Just do it!" LaBeouf, 2015

[Plunkyy]

I would suggest running Windows 10 LTSC IoT edition since it's supported until 2032. It's got none of the bloatware that comes with regular Windows 10 so it should run quite snappy as well! Windows 11 from my understanding is mostly just a re-skin of Windows 10 anyways. Linux is my preferred choice for these older laptops but it's nice to have options.

[thinkpadrobert]

Windows 10 LTSC IoT edition sounds interesting! You can even buy keys for it at the usual somewhat less official places. Thanks for that suggestion.

[TPFanatic]

Id just use it unactivated before paying someone to do something definitely against ToS.

[thinkpadrobert]

I haven't researched this thoroughly, but it might be possible to use the Intel® Software Development Emulator with virtualbox to emulate SSE4.2 instructions. This would enable you to run windows 11 in a VM using a linux host on the x61t. I'm not sure why you'd want to do this, but leaving it here for future reference just in case.