Distro sugestion? Well, you already know, Ubuntu, just works out of the box. I usually install some kind of fan control, but other than that its fully working with no hassle 15 minutes after you start installing it. I have Ubuntu (14.04-15.10) running on my sons x200 and x201, and on my own x220 and...

To start with the obvious: Did you change the boot order? F12 or change it in bios. If so, are you sure your cd drive is ok? I have a few older thinkpads that can read most cds, but they struggle with live cds and install disks. Try with an external cd drive. I would also download the distro image a...

I could not install 12.04 on my T40, du to the PAE thing. Maybe you could upgrade from a previous edition without going to the latest kernels. I simply went with Lubuntu 12.04.

On my T43 ubuntu 12.10 runs just fine, with 2gb memory. If its really slow youre not doing it right.

Elchund

I run Ubuntu 12.04 64 bit, it works perfectly as installed from the ISO, tick the box that says something about 3rd party or "non-free" sources and the Nvidia driver will be installed automatically. If you really want to you can add fine tuned fan control with tpfanco and the jupiter applet for batt...

I have used an external drive with ubuntu a lot, with thinkpads and with acer netbook. never had to do anything but plug it in. Try reconnect?

If you open disctools the drive should appear, maybe you need to mount it? Maybe there is some setting in the acers bios that you need to edit?

Tron

I am only happy to help. You can probably safely run higher temperatures than you do, I have my fans turned of below 50 degrees centigrade, then I use 15% up to 52 degrees, 30% for the next two and then 60% for the cpu and graphics chip and 50% for the other sensors, after that I leave it to hardwar...

I am quite sure it is easier to install the fan control from the tpfanco page and control the fan yourself. The tpfan GUI is easy to use.

Tron

Temp 1 is the cpu, temp 4 I guess is the graphics controller. The cpu should not operate at much higher than the 63 degrees you got after stressing it a bit, but it will not damage it i think before you above 70 for some time. But the fan should definitely start to operate way before 63 degrees. You...

I have tried xubuntu as well, on that old t40. I really understand how you feel, it looks and feels both nice and fast, even a bit extravagant maybe :D With the dockbar and all the extras installed (themes, multimedia etc.) it makes you feel like you paid $500. Install thinkpad fan control, http://c...

I am not familiar with the OS you are trying to install, but my experience with older machines like the T40 is that some linux distributions need better graphics to run smoothly than these old machines offer. Try a lightweight, less graphic intensive OS like Lubuntu, http://lubuntu.net/ or just a pl...

I have no experience with the T60/ATI x1400, but I run or have run Ubuntu 10.10, 11.04 and 11.10 on T61, R60e and X60 and never experienced problems like you describe. I installed the mint 11 LXDE on a R31 a few weeks ago and had no such problems with the install. I removed it because I (unlike ever...

I run Ubuntu 11.10 on a T61 and X60, both with thinkpad fan control which is "plug and play" if you download the packages from: http://code.google.com/p/tpfanco/ This "tpfanco" project attempts to revive thinkpad fan control, and they sucseed (?) in my opinion, no need for tweaking or file editing w...

I think you should try Ubuntu 10.04 or 10.10 on your R32. I have a R31 that runs Ubuntu 10.10 just fine, works out of the box. Its not a very fast computer even with Linux, but now it is at least practical to use for web browsing, documents and presentations. If you want to keep windows Ubuntu let y...

Thats frustrating, reminds why I have an unfinished Arch install on an old hdd somewhere.

I have PM`ed you the contents of my /common-auth from my R60, but I do not know if you can use it to get any further, I am only starting to learn how it all works in Linux (slow middle-aged brain..)

Tron

Your question is indeed valid, of course, since i do believe thinkfinger is not quite up to date and fprint seems to me to be surpassed by a third possibility, Fingerprint GUI: http://www.n-view.net/Appliance/fingerprint/ This is what I use myself, T43 and T61 running Ubuntu Natty, it actually reall...

I have installed a number of different Linux distros on my thinkpads, both older machines like R32 and T40 and more modern ones like my late T61. My experience has been that ubuntu linux is the one were most things work "out of the box", like: - audio volume and mute buttons - all the "FN key" switc...