# Lenovo Desktop and Linux **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [June 10, 2007, 3:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lenovo-desktop-and-linux/407468 "2007-06-10T15:49:46Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Khadaji](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Khadaji](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Khadaji)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2007, 3:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lenovo-desktop-and-linux/407468/1 "2007-06-10T15:49:46Z")
I have a new Lenovo desktop. 3000 J series. It has Vista on it. I need to either dual boot it with Linux or - if that is not possible - replace Vista with Linux. (I need a Linux development environment.) I have a Ubuntu CD, but the machine does not boot from it. I went into the bios to see if I could change the boot load order. If one can, I don’t understand how. **Boot Protocol** - this cannot be changed **Boot Strap Type:** Choices are BBS, int 18H, int 19H and Auto detect. Auto detect seems to bypass the CD all together. The other 3 \*seem \*to hit the CD (the light flashes a lot) but then Vista loads anyway. I tried the Ubuntu CD on an eMachine and it boots right into Linux. I’ve googled Lenovo and Linux and all kinds of combinations but am apparently still missing a key search word, because I haven’t found anything on how to do this yet… I am willing to wipe the hard drive all together, but if the machine will only boot to Vista, I don’t know how to do that. Can anyone point me to some tools or does anyone have some experience with Lenovo and Linux? (I asked the freaking sales guy if this were possible and he said “sure.” This is twice in two weeks that I got BS from a sales person.) ---
**Author:** ![Tuckerfan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/eada6e/32.png) [@Tuckerfan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tuckerfan)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2007, 7:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lenovo-desktop-and-linux/407468/2 "2007-06-10T19:40:22Z")
Have you checked with the folks at the [Ubuntu forums](http://ubuntuforums.org/)? Unlike a lot of Linux forums, they don’t give you any flack for asking a n00b question. I’d be surprised if someone there didn’t have the answer you’re looking for. ---
**Author:** ![Khadaji](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Khadaji](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Khadaji)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2007, 8:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lenovo-desktop-and-linux/407468/3 "2007-06-10T20:13:06Z")
[QUOTE=Tuckerfan] Have you checked with the folks at the [Ubuntu forums](http://ubuntuforums.org/)? Unlike a lot of Linux forums, they don’t give you any flack for asking a n00b question. I’d be surprised if someone there didn’t have the answer you’re looking for. [/QUOTE] Thanks! I’ll check there! ---
**Author:** ![Myglaren](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f1d935/32.png) [@Myglaren](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Myglaren)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2007, 8:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lenovo-desktop-and-linux/407468/4 "2007-06-10T20:49:31Z")
There is an article here from a week or so ago about Ubuntu on a Thinkpad, via [Slashdot](http://linux.slashdot.org/linux/07/06/06/1517241.shtml), that may have some pointers for you. ---
**Author:** ![Khadaji](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Khadaji](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Khadaji)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2007, 11:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lenovo-desktop-and-linux/407468/5 "2007-06-10T23:00:28Z")
OK, I got it sorted. At start up there is a prompt cntrl-S. I tried it and got the options above. Turns out that is for the ethernet bios… After some research I found that Lenovo used to be IBM. Also found that the Del key will give you BIOS options. But alas no boot stuff in there either. ☹ Finally, after hitting keys randomly, I find that F12 will allow me to change the boot order. And low and behold, Ubuntu boots! ---
**Author:** ![Myglaren](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f1d935/32.png) [@Myglaren](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Myglaren)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2007, 11:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lenovo-desktop-and-linux/407468/6 "2007-06-10T23:12:27Z")
Great stuff. They like to keep you guessing, don’t they? Let us know how you fare with it. I run Ubuntu on a desktop, plus dual-boot with XP on another. I have a new laptop with Vista on it and don’t want to mess up the warranty on it but am going to get a second hard drive and install Ubuntu on that, see how that goes. ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2007, 8:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lenovo-desktop-and-linux/407468/7 "2007-06-11T08:41:24Z")
Good to hear you got it sorted - I’ll post this here anyway: I just had the job of trying to set up Ubuntu Linux on a machine that had a CD drive, but would not boot from it. The machine will boot from a floppy though, so I created a boot floppy with [Smart Boot Manager](http://linux.simple.be/tools/sbm) on it (you can do this on almost any other machine - Mac, Windows or Linux). Booting from that floppy brings up a comprehensive boot menu, including boot from CD, even if the BIOS doesn’t support this natively or if it isn’t working for some other reason.