Linux on ThinkPad with German Windows OS

[Condobloke]

RAM....the more the merrier

There is no such thing as wasted ram

I have 32gb ram and would put more if I could afford it.

You could also run windows in a virtual machine.....lots of ram makes that a definite possibility, also a feasible one.

When you boot the pc to a bootable Linux usb stick......whatever language is on the pc will be of no consequence becasue the initially booted usb stick actually runs in ram....not on the hard rive/ssd
When you install Linux....there is no need to wipe the drive, the Linux Installer will do that for you and the installed result will be in English

16 GB RAM and 256 GB SSD wins.

Correct...Agreed...more ram if possible.affordable/feasible

Do you recommend antivirus?

No. unnecessary. Just be sure to activate the firewall...,<<<<Important. !

Hope I am not covering ground you have already covered

Fingerprint reader...I don't think so....not as far as I know

 

[Emanate Presence]

There you go

Fingerprint reader compatibility

Preamble I need to buy 8 external fingerprint readers but I'm not sure they will work on the latest version of Ubuntu and I do not want to spend money blindly. The readers I would like to purchas...

askubuntu.com

All your help is appreciated. That link led to this:
Fingerprint GUI is working just fine in Ubuntu 12.04 Beta1 (LightDM). You can log in, unlock screen, and authenticate everything in the GUI and also "sudo's" in a terminal. I'm using it on an old ThinkPad R52 with integrated SGS Thomson Microelectronics Fingerprint Reader.

Install instructions: Fingerprint GUI

 

[Emanate Presence]

RAM....the more the merrier

There is no such thing as wasted ram

I have 32gb ram and would put more if I could afford it.

You could also run windows in a virtual machine.....lots of ram makes that a definite possibility, also a feasible one.

When you boot the pc to a bootable Linux usb stick......whatever language is on the pc will be of no consequence becasue the initially booted usb stick actually runs in ram....not on the hard rive/ssd
When you install Linux....there is no need to wipe the drive, the Linux Installer will do that for you and the installed result will be in English


Correct...Agreed...more ram if possible.affordable/feasible

No. unnecessary. Just be sure to activate the firewall...,<<<<Important. !

Hope I am not covering ground you have already covered

Fingerprint reader...I don't think so....not as far as I know

Thanks. I will need help all along the way including how to install firewall when it's time. For better or worse, I ordered a refurbished ThinkPad 460T today with German OS and keyboard. Yikes. Will I regret it? Time will tell.... I will have to learn in practice what works on Linux and what not. Also get used to not having some conveniences of touchscreen ipad. But this device has been limiting which I hope to overcome with purchase of a Think Pad within my budget.

After changing it to English, should I do a factory reset of the Windows to remove bloatware if any?

 

[Condobloke]

Fingerprint GUI is working just fine in Ubuntu 12.04

Keep in mind that ubuntu 12.04 was released in 2012

lots may have happened (or not happened) in the elapsed time

 

[Condobloke]

After changing it to English, should I do a factory reset of the Windows to remove bloatware if any?

Read this

GitHub - Raphire/Win11Debloat: A simple, easy to use powershell script to remove bloatware apps from windows, disable telemetry, bing in windows search aswell as perform various other changes to declutter and improve your windows experience. This scr

A simple, easy to use powershell script to remove bloatware apps from windows, disable telemetry, bing in windows search aswell as perform various other changes to declutter and improve your window...

github.com

I am told by a totally reliable source that it is brilliant.

 

[Condobloke]

if you use the windows install to make a usb stick with Linux Mint......Rufus is a good program/app to use for that purpose.

Rufus - Create bootable USB drives the easy way

Rufus: Create bootable USB drives the easy way

rufus.ie

btw....there is no way known that you will remember all this !....Write it down !
The faintest pen is better than the best memory.

Note: Rufus will ONLY work on a windows machine.
If you ever find yourself needing to make a bootable usb on a Linux machine...use Balena Etcher

 

[Condobloke]

Just a scrap of knowledge I just saw printed....it can sometimes be helpful to have your head around this...

Storage…

On Linux, everything is a file. These files are stored with a system – such as a particular formatting method like Ext4. Collectively, this is your file system

from: https://linux-tips.us/the-du-command-in-linux/

This a good site for info. it is run by @KGIII, our esteemed Super Moderator

It is worthwhile to keep a note of the link: https://linux-tips.us/indexes/index/
It has a search function which works well.

 

[Emanate Presence]

Read this

GitHub - Raphire/Win11Debloat: A simple, easy to use powershell script to remove bloatware apps from windows, disable telemetry, bing in windows search aswell as perform various other changes to declutter and improve your windows experience. This scr

A simple, easy to use powershell script to remove bloatware apps from windows, disable telemetry, bing in windows search aswell as perform various other changes to declutter and improve your window...

github.com

I am told by a totally reliable source that it is brilliant.

The linked webpage is fascinating but I have no clue how to use it. Other than to get the purpose, the wording is way over my head. Where would I begin to use this?

 

[Emanate Presence]

Just a scrap of knowledge I just saw printed....it can sometimes be helpful to have your head around this...

Storage…

On Linux, everything is a file. These files are stored with a system – such as a particular formatting method like Ext4. Collectively, this is your file system

from: https://linux-tips.us/the-du-command-in-linux/

This a good site for info. it is run by @KGIII, our esteemed Super Moderator

It is worthwhile to keep a note of the link: https://linux-tips.us/indexes/index/
It has a search function which works well.

I have just awakened from sleep for a pee break as is my habit through the night. Here midnight, me half asleep, I can see a need to start collecting links for information. It won't help to start studying it now, that's not how I learn. Rather, I learn by doing. So I will start putting these tips and links into some order for when the ThinkPad arrives.

Is there a collection of apps for Linux somewhere, the equivalent of an App store?

 

[Emanate Presence]

if you use the windows install to make a usb stick with Linux Mint......Rufus is a good program/app to use for that purpose.

Rufus - Create bootable USB drives the easy way

Rufus: Create bootable USB drives the easy way

rufus.ie

btw....there is no way known that you will remember all this !....Write it down !
The faintest pen is better than the best memory.

Note: Rufus will ONLY work on a windows machine.
If you ever find yourself needing to make a bootable usb on a Linux machine...use Balena Etcher

A Linux stick for running Linux or booting it? I'm copy pasting these into Notes in A-Z order. Has someone already done that? Is there a document of Tip links? If not, at some point I will make mine available here.

 

[Condobloke]

i have had a change of mind....Use Balena Etcher, not rufus

Balena etcher is used to "attach" the .iso file for Linux Mint 21.23
This is the download file which you get from : https://www.linux.org/pages/download/
(this is on this site....up in the title bat=r of any page...it has forums, linux tutorial etc ....download Linux)
Balena will turn yur usb stick ....into a "bootable" usb stick....that means that if yiu plug in the usb stick and then boot your pc to that stick.....it will load Linux Mint.
Read this...it is straight from the guys who make Linux Mint

Install Linux Mint — Linux Mint Installation Guide documentation

linuxmint-installation-guide.readthedocs.io

Is there a collection of apps for Linux

Yes. When you have Linux Mint loaded, you type in the Menu (bottom left hand corner of the desktop) Software Manager......and it contains access to 60,000 apps...all freely available
Software manager takes a few minutes to load the first time you open it.

I told someone else here recently....leaning Linux is mostly all about Navigation.

So when you finally boot a usb stick withLinux.....explore your heart out. Do not limit yourself.

Because you have booted to a USB stick....if something goes horribly wrong (which is a bit unlikely) you can simply eject the usb stick....stick it back in, boot to it....and just carry on as if nothing happened

You may remember....when yu boot to a usb stick....what you get is called a LIVE version....it runs in ram (not on hdd or ssd)....and you can do NO wrong.

Navigate.....look at a couple of thread here and try to follow them....learn where everything is.

Happy dreams

pee break

Any diabetes in your family?

 

[Emanate Presence]

i have had a change of mind....Use Balena Etcher, not rufus

Balena etcher is used to "attach" the .iso file for Linux Mint 21.23
This is the download file which you get from : https://www.linux.org/pages/download/
(this is on this site....up in the title bat=r of any page...it has forums, linux tutorial etc ....download Linux)
Balena will turn yur usb stick ....into a "bootable" usb stick....that means that if yiu plug in the usb stick and then boot your pc to that stick.....it will load Linux Mint.
Read this...it is straight from the guys who make Linux Mint

Install Linux Mint — Linux Mint Installation Guide documentation

linuxmint-installation-guide.readthedocs.io

Yes. When you have Linux Mint loaded, you type in the Menu (bottom left hand corner of the desktop) Software Manager......and it contains access to 60,000 apps...all freely available
Software manager takes a few minutes to load the first time you open it.

I told someone else here recently....leaning Linux is mostly all about Navigation.

So when you finally boot a usb stick withLinux.....explore your heart out. Do not limit yourself.

Because you have booted to a USB stick....if something goes horribly wrong (which is a bit unlikely) you can simply eject the usb stick....stick it back in, boot to it....and just carry on as if nothing happened

You may remember....when yu boot to a usb stick....what you get is called a LIVE version....it runs in ram (not on hdd or ssd)....and you can do NO wrong.

Navigate.....look at a couple of thread here and try to follow them....learn where everything is.

Happy dreams

Any diabetes in your family?

No known diabetes in my family but I have always had fast run-through of water and even as a kid needed to pee often. Lately it's turned to benefit because waking every two hours gives opportunity to listen to the meditation I wrote and re-program my brain. I love it!

 

[wizardfromoz]

Moving this to General Linux Questions because even though it includes Windows content, Linux questions are being provided with support input.

Chris Turner
wizardfromoz

 

[Emanate Presence]

Moving this to General Linux Questions because even though it includes Windows content, Linux questions are being provided with support input.

Chris Turner
wizardfromoz

Thank you.

 

[Emanate Presence]

Moving this to General Linux Questions because even though it includes Windows content, Linux questions are being provided with support input.

Chris Turner
wizardfromoz

Thanks.