Thinkpads Forum

I haven't done anything like this before and was wondering how difficult it is to totally remove Windows and install another OS like Ubuntu. Are there problems down the road that pop up after doing this?

Thanks John

When you install Ubuntu, the installer will ask if you want to install Ubuntu side by side WIndows, or overwrite it and use the existing partition (there is also an advanced option that I won't go into). The install is guided step by step and clear.

Hope this helps!

What about getting another HDD for a fresh install and keeping the one with windows on in case you need to go back.

I agree, get another hard disk or SSD and keep your windows safe to restore if required, hard disks are quite cheap these days. If you're like me, loading Linux to use and not too much into the ins and outs of how it works, try Mint or Kubuntu, it just works on our wonderful ThinkPads.

Good Luck

OP can do it without spending any money by burning recovery media for the T61 before he installs Ubuntu. If he decides he misses Windows he can do a clean reinstall that way.

Since a Ubuntu live CD or USB will boot and run on a T61 he can even use the T61 between installs or with no hard disk at all. Burn live Ubuntu media, boot with it to test media, install, reboot, done.

After he's comfortable with basic Linux use he could also do what I do and install Virtualbox then run Windows in a VM if he wants the ability to use both OS at once. That's dead easy to do and there is plenty of info on the net.

T61s are fine Linux machines.

I was planning to install a second Hard Drive in the optical drive bay of my T530, and will load Ubuntu or Arch. Now I just have to decide between an Intel or Samsung SSD.

johnny9fingers wrote:I was planning to install a second Hard Drive in the optical drive bay of my T530, and will load Ubuntu or Arch. Now I just have to decide between an Intel or Samsung SSD.

You can install a mSATA SSD in the WWAN slot, leaving the HDD - as well as the media drive - in its current location .

I have a 300 gb Intel ssd in my T61 for about 8 months now and it works flawlessly. Much faster than a hdd. Highly recommended.

For those new to Linux I suggest disconnecting other hard drives in the system so they cannot overwrite their boot record.

Linux is quite portable so you can install it with your drive in or connected to another PC then install where ever you like.

WARNING on Samsung SSDs! Their Samsung Magician firmware updater does NOT work on a drive with Linux installed even if you connect it to a Windows system or try the DOS live CD updater. When you get your drive download the Samsung DOS firmware updater .iso and burn to CD then boot that to update your drive unless you can connect the blank drive to a Windows system. Many Samsungs shipped with bad firmware and their performance can deteriorate.

Of course I found this out after loading CentOS to my new Samsung 500GB drive, but I'll just image the drive for backup and nuke it if it turns out not to have current firmware and slows drastically.

Samsung SSD 840 EVO Performance Restoration Software (scroll down):

http://www.samsung.com/global/business/ ... loads.html

farmall wrote:
WARNING on Samsung SSDs! Their Samsung Magician firmware updater does NOT work on a drive with Linux installed even if you connect it to a Windows system or try the DOS live CD updater. When you get your drive download the Samsung DOS firmware updater .iso and burn to CD then boot that to update your drive unless you can connect the blank drive to a Windows system. Many Samsungs shipped with bad firmware and their performance can deteriorate.

Of course I found this out after loading CentOS to my new Samsung 500GB drive, but I'll just image the drive for backup and nuke it if it turns out not to have current firmware and slows drastically.

Samsung SSD 840 EVO Performance Restoration Software (scroll down):

http://www.samsung.com/global/business/ ... loads.html

In all fairness, you might just want to look into getting rid of EVO altogether since there seems to be quite a few people for whom the "fix" from Samsung was *very* temporary...

Thanks for that tip. Glad I didn't get a 1TB version!

If it acts up I can reimage it to another drive in my Ultrabay then then play with whatever fix is current. Yet another case of Thinkpad Convenience.