Installing Xubuntu 7.04 on a ThinkPad X60s

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First of all this was a complete success, and I will not go back to Wndows. Reasons for moving:

  • I don't want to move to Vista.
  • I don't like how XP slows down, and gets more bloated as time goes on
  • I just want to be able to create documents, spreadsheets, presentations, and surf
  • I want speed and efficiency

Even though the X60s is fast core duo 1.8 Ghz machine I wanted to maximise efficiency so I choose Xubuntu.

Here are the steps I followed.

  • Purchased USB CD drive ($60)
  • burn the Xubunto image and boot up on the CD (press Thinkvantage button, and F12 - select CD)
  • most screens are self evident - when the partitioning screen arrives, pick the one that manages partitioning automatically - the first choice
  • few more screens, location, language etc, nothing controversial
  • reboot and you are presented with a DOS type screen offerring Xubuntu, or lower down Windows XP Professional
  • choose Xubuntu

Thats it. So then the fun begins, and I can save you the hassles here:

  • my wireless didn't work immediately, nor power management
  • simple solution - plug into a wired network connection to get internet
  • open Synaptic Package Manager and install:
 1. Gnome Power management
 2. Gnome Network Management
 3. Open Office 2.2
  • Open Applications, System, Network - change wireless to roaming (roaming was not there before you installed Gnome Network Management)

For me that did it - I have screen saver, auto sleep on lid close, wireless connections to WPA, and WEP, and complete ability to open, edit and prepare Win Office files.

Overall, the laptop just flies and no degradation of service like Windows.

My next step is to run GParted on a CD with the USB drive, and reduce the Windows partition/ increase the Linus one. Right now it only allocated 37 Gig to Linux with 60 Gig to Windows. Windows is about 19 gig on my machine (Linux is tiny in comparison (2/3 gig I think) and I want to allocate only 25 to Windows, and the rest to Linux. I will only keep XP because of Itunes and the occasional Webcast that needs Livemeeting.

  • UPDATE*

Successfully ran GParted, and resized partitions. Its literally dragging a box, and hard to screw up. Only downside is it takes a long time - 4 hours. I ended up with 25 gig for windows, and 65 for Xubuntu. I copied my data files "my documents" over to the Linux partition before I began, and I deleted them from my Windows partiction (again before I began the resize. Otherwise I would have the same files in tow places.

Results of the entire effort - very happy.

Small glitch and solution: The menu panel (XFCE) sometimes locks on show, and refuses to autohide. At first i rebooted to correct, but since then, I found all I have to do is type this at the command line:

xfce4-panel -r

followed by this to put the wireless applet back into the panel, so that i can connect again to another network. if you are always on the same nettwrok this is not essential, but I like to see the wireless networks.

/usr/bin/nm-applet

I am now at 6 days and counting without rebooting. I have never had a Win pc that I am using actively every day last that long.

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