Picking my first Linux Laptop

[Buckets]

Hooah... another way to burn my brain cells.... Love it. I'm going to try it.

Have a look at Ventoy...HERE

With ventoy, you are 'burning' an app to the usb stick .....after that is done you can drag and drop a number of distros to the usb (without the usual rigmarole of 'burning" each one to the usb using rufus/balena etcher etc etc

So, you could put an .iso on that usb for ubuntu, mint mx3, etc etc.... to open one, you would boot your pc to that ventoy usb stick , select the .iso you wish to try out, and click enter...away you go.

Thread 'How to Install and Use Ventoy (1.1.04) for Bootable USBs on Linux'

Mar 23, 2025

Ventoy turns a USB stick into a multi-boot drive. You install Ventoy once, then just copy ISO/WIM/IMG/VHD(X)/EFI files onto the USB and boot them from Ventoy’s menu—no re-imaging each time. It works with BIOS and UEFI, supports optional Secure Boot, and can use persistence via plugins.

I've done an article before on using Ventoy, but I didn't get into it too deeply. So, we should try it.

There are many additions you can use for Ventoy, so we can cover these.

Downloading Ventoy

To get Ventoy, you can go to the main website download page at...

• Jarret B
• Replies: 7
• Forum: Installation

• 

https://itsfoss.com/use-ventoy/ ... This guide works beautifully.....it must be followed CAREFULLY.

 

[Buckets]

My neighbor has an older Lonovo called a Flex something, they are looking for it. It's old I think.

In the mean time, I will try Ventoy and above mentioned distros.

 

[Brickwizard]

r Lonovo called a Flex

From memory, that's one of the better Chromebooks full spec depends on model number, Chromebooks are made down to a price, so they tend to have entry level CPU's and minimum ram [not up-gradable in most cases.

 

[deb_user]

If it's actually a chromebook, the firmware will have to be replaced in order to install Linux. I've done it on a couple of mine, but it has been years. You can check for supported devices here. The same site has the necessary scripts and instructions.

 

[MzQ1NjExN2]

 

[Buckets]

Brickwizard:​

​

It's Lenovo Flex 3-1570 80JM.​

It has keyboard problems, fans are at full speed along with CPU at 100%.​

It has problems. lol​

 

[deb_user]

That's the exact model I converted, and it's in use as my home file server.

 

[MzQ1NjExN2]

That's the exact model I converted, and it's in use as my home file server.

I have four of these. I love this model. Light as a feather. Using it now as I type this. Picked them up for $15-30 from Ebay.

 

[deb_user]

Brickwizard:​

​

It's Lenovo Flex 3-1570 80JM.​

It has keyboard problems, fans are at full speed along with CPU at 100%.​

It has problems. lol​

That is a standard laptop that came with Windows 8. Installing Linux should be straightforward, providing there are no hardware issues.

 

[Buckets]

Keyboard kind of works and fans and HD are running 100%. I would say hardware problems.

 

[Brickwizard]

It's Lenovo Flex 3-1570 80JM.​

It has keyboard problems, fans are at full speed along with CPU at 100%.​

It has problems​

Ok so i assumed it was a Chromebook with the minimum amount of information supplied, Is that with the original OS or Linux, ? Which distro? Have the bios been updated?
Cooling problems are often caused by either a filthy cooling system [take it apart and make sure the ducts and vents are clean, a dodgy fan or motherboard sensor, there are scripts to throttle back the CPU if necessary [not done it myself] but if this happens at boot stage I would start looking for a hardware fault.
Keyboard problems abound, It's not just a particular make or model or the same fault, again a bios update often solves the problem or if using Linux a distribution with an older LTS kernel might work

 

[darry1966]

My best computer is my Dell T420. Runs Mint. So I'll go with Lenovo. Other machines are Compaqs and a Dell. Welcome and enjoy the journey.

 

[MikeWalsh]

@Brickwizard :-

I had the full-speed fans issue.....just once, around 10 years ago. Shortly after going full-time with Puppy, I decided to upgrade the single-core Athlon64 3200+ on the ancient 2004 Compaq Presario desktop to a dual-core, 3800+ X2.....because it slotted straight in to the existing Socket 939.

A BIOS upgrade was needed for dual-core support.....and that's where the fun started.

MSI wouldn't acknowledge having made the MS-7184 board; they didn't list it, because it was "made under licence" for HP, who'd recently bought out Compaq. And HP had just then marked it as end-of-life, and wiped all the relevant info off their website....

I knew nothing about this stuff, but a fellow Puppian volunteered to walk me through using the Linux 'flashrom' utility. We did a LOT of digging, and found out that MSI DID list the MS-7093. This was identical to the MS-7184 with the exception of two additional SATA ports; same architecture, same layout, same CPU, same chipsets.....everything.

So we "borrowed" the final BIOS upgrade for that, and used it. It fired-up quite happily.....except for the fans howling away like an F-35 on takeoff! Transpired whoever uploaded it had 'locked' the thing with a password...

I had nearly an hour frantically searching the web for possible passwords with it running like that. Eventually found the right one, and unlocked the BIOS.....to find that the fans had been deliberately set at full-speed.

After resetting back to defaults, a re-boot, then a bit of customization to get me back to where I wanted to be with it, she ran happily like that for the rest of her life.....although she DID confuse system ID tools somewhat, due to the 7184 reporting itself as a 7093 ever after!

"Keyboard problems abound, It's not just a particular make or model or the same fault, again a bios update often solves the problem or if using Linux a distribution with an older LTS kernel might work"

Heh. And sometimes it just boils down to cheap materials and poor construction. I'm ALWAYS replacing my keyboards.....but then, I never pay very much for them. What can you expect?

I'll pay a decent amount for most components.....but with me & keyboards, it's ALWAYS been cheap'n'cheerful.

(shrug...)


Mike.

 

[Scribe1]

I have 4 Lenovo Thinkpads of various vintages and love them all. I did have another but destroyed it via extreme negligence. Rock-solid dependability, especially running Linux Mint.

 

[Buckets]

Ok so i assumed it was a Chromebook with the minimum amount of information supplied, Is that with the original OS or Linux, ? Which distro? Have the bios been updated?
Cooling problems are often caused by either a filthy cooling system [take it apart and make sure the ducts and vents are clean, a dodgy fan or motherboard sensor, there are scripts to throttle back the CPU if necessary [not done it myself] but if this happens at boot stage I would start looking for a hardware fault.
Keyboard problems abound, It's not just a particular make or model or the same fault, again a bios update often solves the problem or if using Linux a distribution with an older LTS kernel might work

It came with Win 8, it has Win 10 Pro. It only has 8gig Ram.
I have taken it apart and the fans, fins and vents are clean. I took the keyboard out. I think it has a board problem. No cold solders or burnt areas on the MB board. My guess would be the sensor. I can use a wireless keyboard but the 8gig ram and the 100% HD and fans are a problem. I will look for and BIOS update or just reinstall what it has.
As soon as it turns on fans revup, as it slowly slowly boots the funs are on off on off until full boot then just on. In the task manager it says 100% for cpu and HD.

It's highly confused... lol

 

[Buckets]

My best computer is my Dell T420. Runs Mint. So I'll go with Lenovo. Other machines are Compaqs and a Dell. Welcome and enjoy the journey.

Thanks Darry. I think I am going to enjoy this journey.

 

[Brickwizard]

It only has 8gig Ram.

tthats all i have in my desktop [but i don't do gaming]

 

[Buckets]

tthats all i have in my desktop [but i don't do gaming]

I don't do games either. Streaming and video with grand kids.

 

[Buckets]

Hi all.
I have been gone for a bit and leaving aging in the AM.
Anyway, I did get a T490 from a friend and It worked well but the hdmi and C port had problems.
So I think I will just buy a referb T480 or T490 Any preference between the two?
I hope you all had a good Thanksgiving.

 

[Brickwizard]

welcome back

I will just buy a referb T480 or T490 Any preference between the two?

Na.. They are both good machines, It's what you want/need you could also consider Dell Latitude business machines, preferably with the I5 or I 7 CPU, I dont know what the referb market is like in New England, but in the old country they are very reasonably priced due to a glut [thanks to Windows 11]