Getting a ThinkPad P50

WetGeek

GuzziPhil The P50 comes with slots for regular 2.5 hdd/sdd and some other new fangled slots

That's a very good design. Several of my DELL commputers offer the same accomodation.

You might still want to log onto Windows 11 on the new computer just long enough to try it out, and decide whether you want to avoid it altogether or arrange for a dual-boot. As long as you keep sensitive content off the Windows 11 drive, you might still find it useful for games that aren't available on Linux.

When I tried to create a Windows 11 VM yesterday, I used the name "Wet Geek." (Windows 11 insisted on having both first and last name. Afterwards, they referred to me as "Wet." 😊)

kaktuspalme

GuzziPhil I owned a P50. Swapping the SSD will probably work. Does your P50 also have an Intel and Nvidia GPU? Back then I deactivated the Intel GPU in the Bios to make life easier. The downside is increased energy usage.

GuzziPhil

kaktuspalme
i7-6820HQ 2.70GHz 32GB 512GB SSD NVIDIA Quadro M1000M.

kaktuspalme

I don't know how well Nvidia Prime works under Solus. But I guess you have to try. But running itself should not be a problem, from my estimation.

riffer

One of the reasons I switched from Windows 7 to linux instead of Windows 10 was that it was much quicker to set up a relatively secure and private system quickly. Even if you manage that with windows they have a habit of undoing stuff during updates.

You're really going to hate the DE. I can't get anything of value done there without frustration. It's just a jumble and a mess. Not to mention all the shit popping up all over the place.

One thing I would do is have a spare drive with windows to run firmware updates for your P50 and dock, if you get one. Solus doesn't have fwupd and even that doesn't get all the updates. Lenovo has a nice utility for firmware.

GuzziPhil

riffer

Good suggestion about firmware updates.

viyoriya

Disable unnecessary ports in bios
Enable bios rollback option in bios
Goto lenovo support page download the browser plugin to identify your system then download the software update software then update the bios
install linux

You can go back to windows anytime and the windows keys are embedded (you can see that in bios)

finally post a pic in /r/thinkpad 😊 lol

GuzziPhil

viyoriya

Thanks. I saved that for future reference.

riffer

Just some more advice. Get the cheapest drive for the P50 and replace it. You'll save money, end up with a better drive and a Windows drive as spare to do your windows stuff. I got a mediocre Toshiba 256MB with my X1 Carbon and eventually ended up with the Solidigm P44 I am running now. Technically my X1 carbon came with Fedora but I have a windows 7 license I used for Windows 10 and installed that on the Toshiba.

GuzziPhil

riffer

I've got a Kingston 500gb SSD, ready to go in.

SOLUSfiddler

Yeah, just scrap WINDOWS altogether if you don't REALLY need it!
I never understand why people fuss on end about which SSD they should get for which OS:
Whenever I bought a refurbished or privately used and recycled ThinkPad with WINDOWS on the drive the very first thing I always did and always will do is take out the drive with WINDOWS on it, keep it (I may need to re-sell the laptop or may be forced to use WINDOWS for work or whatever), pop another SSD in and install whatever I fancy.
It ALWAYS worked, no matter which brand the SSD was.

(I'm using WINDOWS at work, everything the company does is saved to OneDrive, the Microsoft cloud planet, and it feels terrible to be so tied to that company and the way they just flood you with endless notifications, suggestions, remarks about accounts not being logged into, new software bits and pieces they want you to use - you have to be so much a caretaker of your work tools and are left with so little unobstructed time to do what you need to do - just awful.
I will never use WINDOWS privately ever.)

brent

SOLUSfiddler (I'm using WINDOWS at work, everything the company does is saved to OneDrive, the Microsoft cloud planet, and it feels terrible to be so tied to that company and the way they just flood you with endless notifications, suggestions, remarks about accounts not being logged into, new software bits and pieces they want you to use - you have to be so much a caretaker of your work tools and are left with so little unobstructed time to do what you need to do - just awful.
I will never use WINDOWS privately ever.)

this^^^^

you spend half your life with WIN and it's not til you step away to linux and come back that you realize what a disgusting hustle it all is on that side...
...I have a W10 on an unplugged drive I update every couple months (in case of emergency break glass type deal).
well said, Fiddler

WetGeek

SOLUSfiddler It ALWAYS worked, no matter which brand the SSD was.

Same here. I usually bought the cheapest SSDs on Amazon, sometimes in multiples. None of them ever offended me in any way.

GuzziPhil

Well I got the P50 and a very nice machine it is to.
Solus has not played well with it unfortunately.
It's not shutting down or suspending properly. It won't wake after suspend.
Powering down, using the menu shut down option, actually doesn't work.
The laptops lights stay on, and if not plugged in the battery is flat next day.
After powering down it's hard to turn on. Have to press/hold the power button a while till all lights go out then the power button will boot it up.

So...I've temporarily pulled the ssd and installed Manjaro/Budgie on a spare ssd.
It now powers down and suspends as expected.

Oh. The bios is the most up to date.

WetGeek

GuzziPhil Solus has not played well with it unfortunately.

After you installed Solus on the Thinkpad, did you get a chance to update it fully?

GuzziPhil

And another thing.... Windows 11 got wiped after about an hour. Yuck! what a horror show!

GuzziPhil

WetGeek
Yes. Ran all updates.
Did the Doflicky thing and the Nvidia gpu was recognised and working.
Suspend issues I could live with but it's the not fully powering off thing, I didn't realise till after a few days of wondering why the battery was always flat. Odd.

[deleted]

GuzziPhil Is the UEFI firmware of the laptop on its latest version?

GuzziPhil

[deleted] Yes it is.