{"id":817,"date":"2026-04-03T15:00:00","date_gmt":"2026-04-03T15:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/rjbarrett.redirectme.net\/?p=817"},"modified":"2026-04-03T15:00:00","modified_gmt":"2026-04-03T15:00:00","slug":"i-saved-a-doomed-windows-laptop-by-embracing-linux","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/rjbarrett.redirectme.net\/?p=817","title":{"rendered":"I saved a doomed Windows laptop by embracing Linux"},"content":{"rendered":"


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Two weeks ago I set aside my M4 MacBook Air and picked up a nine-year-old ThinkPad. It\u2019s one of an estimated 200 to 400 million Windows 10 PCs that don\u2019t meet Microsoft\u2019s requirements for Windows 11. When Microsoft officially ended support for Windows 10 in October, it became \u201cobsolete.\u201d The solution, according to Microsoft, is to get rid of it and buy a computer that can run Windows 11.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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But that\u2019s not good enough. This ThinkPad \u2014 like millions of other PCs in the same boat \u2014 is still perfectly functional. Its hardware is more than capable of everyday tasks. I\u2019ve been using it for web browsing, writing in Google Docs, talking to my Verge<\/em> colleagues on Slack, and even some gaming on Steam. Not bad for a laptop that\u2019s supposed to be retired.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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All you have to do is reject Microsoft\u2019s framing. It\u2019s not safe to leave it on Windows 10, since Microsoft chose to stop offering security updates, and Windows 11 isn\u2019t supported. But who says this laptop needs to run Windows at all? There\u2019s another operating system that runs great on older hardware, is still actively maintained, and can prevent millions of computers from being scrapped before their time.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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That\u2019s right: The secret to saving this laptop, and maybe yours too, is Linux.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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The spec that blocked my laptop from running Windows 11<\/h2>\n<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
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This story was written on a Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 5 with 16GB of RAM, 512GB of storage, and a 7th-gen Intel Core i7-7600U processor. It\u2019s a more powerful version of a laptop The Verge<\/em> reviewed when it came out in 2017. At the time, it was considered a high-end, ultra-portable workhorse of a laptop, offering upwards of eight hours of battery life in a surprisingly lightweight package. It started at $1,100 when it was released, but my configuration would have cost $2,100. I found this one used on eBay for just $250.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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The ThinkPad could still run Windows 10 perfectly fine.<\/em><\/figcaption>Photo by Stevie Bonifield \/ The Verge<\/cite><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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When it arrived, the ThinkPad was in almost new condition without any noticeable wear and tear. It even came with a new charger. It booted into the setup process for a clean installation of Windows 10 without any issues. After using it on Windows 10 for a few days, I had a hard time remembering it was a laptop from nearly a decade ago. It certainly didn\u2019t feel like a device that was ready for the laptop graveyard.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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2017 Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 5 (as tested)<\/h2>\n<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
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  • Display:<\/strong> 14-inch FHD (1920 x 1080) IPS, 300 nits<\/span><\/li>\n
  • Processor:<\/strong> Intel Core i7-7600U (2 cores, Intel HD Graphics 620)<\/span><\/li>\n
  • Unified memory:<\/strong> 16GB<\/span><\/li>\n
  • Storage:<\/strong> 512GB SSD<\/span><\/li>\n
  • Webcam:<\/strong> 720p<\/span><\/li>\n
  • Connectivity:<\/strong> Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 4.1<\/span><\/li>\n
  • Ports:<\/strong> 2x USB-C \/ Thunderbolt 3, 2x USB-A, HDMI 1.4b, microSD card slot, SIM slot, 3.5mm combo audio jack<\/span><\/li>\n
  • Biometrics:<\/strong> Fingerprint reader<\/span><\/li>\n
  • Weight:<\/strong> 2.9 pounds \/ 1.31kg<\/span><\/li>\n
  • Dimensions:<\/strong> 12.74 x 8.55 x 0.63 inches \/ 323.5 x 217.1 x 15.95mm<\/span><\/li>\n
  • Battery:<\/strong> 57Wh<\/span><\/li>\n
  • Price:<\/strong> $2,100 (at launch) \/ $250 (purchased used)<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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    It seems like this laptop should be able to run Windows 11, but it can\u2019t. Microsoft\u2019s base requirements for Windows 11 include at least 4GB of RAM, 64GB of storage, a TPM 2.0 security chip, UEFI Secure Boot, and a 64-bit processor with at least 2 cores running at 1GHz or faster. My ThinkPad has all of that \u2014 except its processor is one generation too old. Windows 11 requires a processor that\u2019s an Intel 8th generation or AMD Ryzen 2000, or newer.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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    Technically it still works, but continuing to use it on Windows 10 without security updates could be risky. Even if I decided to opt in to Microsoft\u2019s Windows 10 Extended Security Updates (ESU) program, that would only get me one extra year of updates, which ends on October 13th, 2026. So, whether now or later this year, this laptop is<\/em> losing support from Microsoft.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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    Sure, you could use a tool like Rufus or FlyOOBE to upgrade to Windows 11 anyway, but that\u2019s still only kicking the can down the road. Bypassing security requirements could cause problems with future updates. But also, who needs Windows?<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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    Making the move to Linux Mint<\/h2>\n<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
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    I\u2019ve been using Fedora Linux on my gaming PC for over a year now, but decided to go with Linux Mint for the ThinkPad. It\u2019s one of the most beginner-friendly Linux distributions thanks to its stability, easy setup, and default Cinnamon desktop environment, which looks and feels a lot like Windows 10. It\u2019s based on Ubuntu \u2014 the most popular Linux distribution \u2014 which means that just about any app that works in Linux will work right off the bat. It also works well on older hardware.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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    A lot of apps, like Steam, need to be installed with the command line on Linux.<\/em><\/figcaption>Photo by Amelia Holowaty Krales \/ The Verge<\/cite><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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    The Mint installer was easy to use, with just a few steps and clear explanations for each one. After about 10 minutes, Windows 10 was gone and a Linux machine was born.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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    Mint greeted me with a little welcome window offering to help me get started by customizing my desktop theme, checking for updates, or visiting the software manager to search for apps. Plenty of basic apps were also preinstalled, including Firefox and the whole LibreOffice suite, which is a free, open-source alternative to Microsoft Office.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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    Windows 10 was gone and a Linux machine was born<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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    I took my time searching for themes and customizing Cinnamon in between getting Slack and Steam installed. I had to install Steam through the command line, a process that will probably seem pretty involved for anyone used to Windows or macOS. Linux doesn\u2019t have a central app store like those operating systems do, although there are a couple platforms like Flathub and the Snap Store that mimic app stores. So, most apps have to be installed using the command line, often by just copy-pasting a command from the app\u2019s download page.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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    Steam is available in Linux Mint\u2019s default repository, so I could get it with a quick \u201csudo apt-get install steam\u201d in the terminal. I didn\u2019t need the command line for Slack, though. I just downloaded the .deb file from Slack\u2019s website then installed it using Mint\u2019s built-in GUI tool.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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    Getting everything set up the way I like only took about an hour. After that, I benched my MacBook for the week and turned my attention to the ThinkPad.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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    This Linux laptop is obsolete no more<\/h2>\n<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
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    A nine-year-old laptop can still surprise you.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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    When I took the ThinkPad out of the box, I was legitimately shocked by how lightweight it is. According to our original review, the ThinkPad weighs 2.9 pounds, about the same as my 13-inch M4 MacBook Air, which weighs 2.7 pounds. The ThinkPad somehow feels like the lighter laptop to me, partly because of its plastic chassis. It might not look as premium as the MacBook, but it doesn\u2019t feel cheap, either \u2014 it\u2019s reinforced with carbon fiber. I didn\u2019t notice any flexing or bending with the ThinkPad\u2019s chassis during my time using it.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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    \"<em>This<\/div>\n
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