I am looking into buying a Windows laptop and convert it into a Linux laptop.

Does anybody have any experience with converting these into Linux machines?

https://www.pcworld.co.uk/gbuk/compu...74100-pdt.html
https://www.pcworld.co.uk/gbuk/compu...74099-pdt.html

If I install Linux on https://www.pcworld.co.uk/gbuk/compu...74149-pdt.html, does the touchscreen still work? Also, which pen would work with it?

I had spoken with PC World and they said if something goes wrong, I would need to re-install Windows on it. How easy is it to re-convert these laptops back to Windows?

Everything I've found in a quick search indicate that that machine should work and play nicely with Linux. https://certification.ubuntu.com/hardware/201408-15430/

I have Linux Mint + Cinnamon on an HP Envy and everything on it works just fine including touch screen

general rules of thumb:

• use hardware that has matured for at least one year
• even so, do extensive searches for "linux <hardware specs>"
• amd and nvidia graphics can be tricky
• all intel is the safest bet
• if your hardware is newer than debian's latest stable release, don't use debian stable (apply this logic to other distros also)

That shows it has a BIOS. Pretty sure these uses UEFI.

PC World seldom know anything about what they sell that isn't in the handout that comes with the computer - they are just sales people.

Most HP laptops have worked OK with Linux, (I still use my HP-G62), & others have successfully installed to Lenovo products.

The only way to be sure is to check all the internal equipment of each computer for compatibility.

Get yourself a 'live' pendrive, take it along to a store, & boot it, & check everything works, (only way to be sure), but then I doubt PC World will allow you to do that.

If you are spending that much money, maybe take a look at Dell, they sell with Ubuntu installed on some of their machines, which also means you get the full warranty.

In the UK? Dell UK sell Ubuntu laptops? Link?

Hi,

https://www.dell.com/en-uk/shop/lapt...finements=9964

I have never had a laptop that I couldn't get Linux to run on. Some took a bit of effort ...

My latest HP Intel gen8 something-or-other runs Fedora fine - touch included. Which I found out by accident ...

What's the procedure you have followed to install Linux?

Thanks. I'm assuming you can later install Windows if you need.

Hi,

Same here. Last one is a Dell latitude 5580 running slackware64 14.2, dual booting with w10 pro.
Using W10 multi boot option ^^'

What's your procedure?

I don't use guides but I'm sure there's a bunch on the net. Fedora has very good doco - get into the habit of using it.
here is the install guide.

I don't trust installers to manage my partitions properly - anaconda included - so I arrange either some free space for it to use, or pre-allocate the partitions before booting the install USB. For Win10, use the disk management tools included to shrink the main (system) partition - it generally won't allow you to go below about 50%, but that should suffice. I don't erase Win10, I leave it there for the rare cases I need it.
Before you start make sure you have a means of recreating Win10 should it get messed up - the latest big Win10 update trashed one of my laptops for example. You can create a system image from Win10 itself that can be used if you don't get any media with the machine.

I don't use guides too ^^"
I also use to make partitions before starting install, just to be sure i have what i want and where i want.
After that i start installation and so on.