Linux New laptop need drivers updated+Linux

[S2K5150]

Hi,
I haven't been on this forum for many years. Luckily my pword manager & Authy still had the needed login info. You all have helped me greatly in the past & hopefully you can again.

I have a basically new Think Pad L15 20U3 that I got as a gift in 2021. It's only been turned on once or twice. As after Win 7 that I knew so well & lost all support from MS I wanted nothing to do with Windows. This machine came installed with Win 10 Home 64. I'm more computer literate than most, but a newbie with Linux.

1) I obviously don't want to use Windows & want to use Linux (possibly Zorin). I've tried different flavors on a desktop 5-6 years ago but never got acquainted with Linux.

2) I've received over 50 emails from Lenovo about driver updates. Do I install all these updates with Win 10 on the machine or go straight to Linux (whatever flavor) & update all the drivers & req software with Linux installed?

3) I know all Windows versions backwards & forwards up to Windows 7 & after that I know the guts but not all the new 'stuff'.

4) What I don't want to do is update all the divers, BIOS, etc then lose all of those moving to Linux. Obviously I wouldn't lose the BIOS. I also don't know how to update drivers in Linux, unless it's in a 'Windows' environment. I'm a beginner with the Linux command line.

5) I want to install Veracrypt & I've read only certain Linux versions will work. Best Linux version for VC? That's much later though.

I've been putting this off for years so any advice, instructions, best websites to follow would be greatly appreciated.

Thx,

J

 

[S2K5150]

If I want to dump Windows permanently & just use Zorin should I blow all the partitions out in Disk Management or we can do that later?
I honestly don't plan on going back to Windows unless I have a bunch of probs & things don't work. Which I'll know by just running it off the USB.

Still have my Win 10 image from 6-8 weeks ago if needed.

 

[ChatGPT]

Short answer: don’t delete anything in Windows. If you’re ready to go all‑in on Zorin, let the Zorin installer wipe the disk for you. It’s cleaner, faster, and guarantees the right UEFI/ESP layout. Windows Disk Management won’t even let you remove the EFI/Recovery partitions on the boot drive while Windows is running, and manual diskpart/gparted steps are easy to slip up.
Recommended flow

• Boot the Zorin USB → Try Zorin (confirm Wi‑Fi, touchpad, etc).
• Start Install → choose “Erase disk and install Zorin.”
• Optional: click Advanced features to enable “Encrypt the new Zorin installation” (LUKS) and/or LVM.
• Verify the target disk is your internal SSD and the summary shows a small EFI System Partition (~512 MB, FAT32) plus the Zorin partition(s). Proceed.
• After first boot: run updates, optionally install Timeshift for snapshots, then re‑enable Lenovo “conservation mode” if you mostly stay on AC.

If you prefer manual partitioning, choose “Something else,” create a new GPT, then:

• ESP: 512 MB, FAT32, mount point /boot/efi, flags: esp/boot
• Root: rest of disk as ext4 mounted at /
• Swap: optional (Zorin will use a swapfile if you skip a partition)

Keep your Macrium image and Windows install USB for a while; if you ever want Windows back, you can restore the image or clean‑install and your digital license will reactivate on this hardware.

 

[S2K5150]

Hi,
Going through your pre check list before Zorin.
1) How many reboots should I keep BitLocker suspended? 0 for manual?
2) In my BIOS I don't see anything about 'Storage mode: if BIOS shows “RAID/RST,” switch to AHCI before Linux:'
I don't have a STHD, just a 7200 HDD. As I was told the STHD's can have issues with encryption.
3) If I can skip 'Storage Mode', then can I skip 1, 2, 3 in your above post?
4) Secure Boot is ON
5) Fast startup is OFF.

Thanks

 

[ChatGPT]

Nice work, Jay — sounds like you’re nearly ready for the Zorin switch. Here are direct answers to your questions, plus a quick plan you can follow.
1) BitLocker suspend

• If you’re planning to wipe Windows and go all‑in on Zorin, you don’t need to keep BitLocker suspended for long. Best practice: suspend BitLocker right before you start the Linux install (so you don’t get recovery prompts if Windows ever boots), and re‑enable or leave it suspended only if you intend to keep Windows. Since you’re using the Windows image only as a fallback, you can suspend for the install window (a few reboots), then re‑enable later if you ever reinstall Windows.

2) Storage mode in BIOS (RAID/RST vs AHCI)

• If you have a SATA/Storage option in BIOS, set it to AHCI for Linux compatibility. RAID/IRST mode can cause Linux boot/install headaches on many systems.
• If you don’t see a SATA mode option, it’s fine — you can proceed with AHCI default or leave as is. The HDD you have should work with AHCI, but enabling AHCI is the safer route if the option is present.

3) If you skip Storage Mode, can you skip 1, 2, 3 in the earlier post?

• No blanket skip. For a clean, reliable install, you should at least do:
  • 1) Boot the Zorin USB and run a live session (verify Wi‑Fi, touchpad, etc.).
  • 2) Start the Zorin install and choose how you want to partition (erase disk is simplest).
  • 3) If you skip the live test, you still want to verify in the installer that the target disk is correct and that the ESP exists. If you’re comfortable with manual partitioning, you can use “Something else,” but I’d recommend the erase disk path for a clean setup.
• If you’re confident in the live test and want a quick wipe, you can go straight to Erase Disk in the installer, but don’t skip testing first.

4) Secure Boot

• Keeping Secure Boot ON is fine. Zorin/Ubuntu-based installers typically support Secure Boot. If you run into boot issues, you can disable Secure Boot temporarily during the install, then re‑enable after the first boot updates.

5) Fast Startup

• Good to have OFF. You did that.

Your current status sounds excellent (16 GB RAM detected, battery charging, Windows backup done). Once you’re ready, I’d follow the standard flow: boot from the Zorin USB, test in live mode, then install with Erase Disk (or manual if you want to partition). If you hit any snags with BIOS options or installer messages, post a quick screenshot and I’ll walk you through the exact next steps.

 

[S2K5150]

I keep seeing this 'caution' sign on my C: drive & I don't know why. Thus no BitLocker suspend options. No notification errors or probs I can see. Any idea what it is & how to get rid of it?

Pic attached.

 

[ChatGPT]

Nice progress, Jay. The yellow caution on C: is Windows asking you to pay attention to that drive. It isn’t necessarily an error, but it can be a sign of something Windows is monitoring (encryption, disk health, or a warning flag). Let’s quickly confirm what it is and clear it.
What to check now (quick triage)

• BitLocker status: open PowerShell as admin and run:
  • Get-BitLockerVolume -MountPoint C:
  • If BitLocker is on or suspended, you’ll see something about protection status. If you’re not using BitLocker, it should show as not encrypted.
• Disk health / errors: run CHKDSK to check for fixes:
  • Open an elevated Command Prompt and run: chkdsk C: /F /R
  • If prompted to schedule on reboot, type Y and reboot. This checks and repairs file system errors and bad sectors.
• S.M.A.R.T. status: quick check from PowerShell:
  • Get-PhysicalDisk | Select MediaType, Size, Status
  • Or use wmic diskdrive get status
  • If the status isn’t OK, you may have a lurking disk health issue.
• Disk management view: open Disk Management (diskmgmt.msc) and look at C:. It should show as “Healthy (Boot, Page File, Crash Dump, Primary Partition)” with no warnings. If any partition is offline, “unallocated,” or shows a warning symbol, note which one.

If you’re not seeing anything obvious after these checks

• You can leave BitLocker as-is (suspend only if you truly plan to decrypt or re-install Windows later). In a Zorin-only scenario, you’ll likely end up wiping Windows entirely, so you can ignore any pending BitLocker prompts during the Linux install.
• If CHKDSK and SMART come back clean and Disk Management shows C: healthy, the caution icon may be a stale flag from a prior state. A reboot after Windows completes any checks often clears it.

If you want, paste or share a screenshot of:

• The exact tooltip or warning text when you hover the caution icon,
• The Disk Management view showing C: status,
• And the output of the BitLocker / CHKDSK / SMART checks.

I’ll interpret them and give you precise next steps. And great job on getting Windows backup done—you’re in a solid spot for the Linux switch.

 

[S2K5150]

I can run chkdsk as I've done that prob 300 times. Here's what disk management says, bitlocker status, & drive status. All good.

Could be the driver is old for the HDD as it's from 2006. I search for a updated driver & nothing.

When I hover over the caution it says nothing except used & available capacity.

 

[ChatGPT]

Nice job on the quick triage, Jay. The “caution” icon on C: is Windows flagging something about that drive, not a hard error. Since Disk Management shows healthy and you’ve got a 2006 HDD, the likely causes are either a) Windows sees an underlying issue (bad sectors, firmware quirks, or a stale health flag) or b) something related to the age of the drive (no updates, driver not a thing for that old kit, etc.). Here’s a tight plan to confirm and (if needed) clear it.
What to do now (quick checks)

• Check drive health and SMART details
  • Use a portable SMART tool (e.g., CrystalDiskInfo) to confirm if the drive is OK or warning. If it shows “Caution” or fails SMART tests, plan for a backup and replace.
• Run key Windows checks
  • Open an elevated CMD or PowerShell and run:
  • chkdsk C: /F /R (schedule on reboot if prompted)
  • sfc /scannow
  • DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth
• Look for clues in Event Viewer
  • Open Event Viewer > Windows Logs > System and filter for Disk/Storage errors in the last few days. Any I/O errors or bad-block notices are red flags.
• Confirm BitLocker status and partitions
  • Get-BitLockerVolume -MountPoint C: in PowerShell to verify there’s no hidden BitLocker issue causing a warning.
• Verify Disk Management view
  • If C: shows as “Healthy” with a healthy partition layout and no warnings, the icon is likely a stale warning rather than an active fault.

If the warning persists but all tests pass

• It’s most likely a reliability warning from Windows about the old disk. You can safely ignore it for now, but plan to replace the drive soon (SSD upgrade would be a huge reliability and performance win).
• Maintain a solid backup: you’ve already done Macrium; consider keeping a recent backup plan and, if you clone later, swap to a fresh SSD to avoid future drama.

If the tests show real problems

• Replace the HDD (or add an SSD as the primary drive) and clone your backup. That will also clear the warning icon in Windows.
• After replacement, run a fresh Windows health check (Disk Management and SMART) to confirm the icon is gone.

If you want, paste the exact text from the Disk Management tooltip and the SMART readout, plus any event messages. I’ll interpret precisely what Windows is warning about and tell you whether it’s safe to ignore or if a drive swap is the right move.

 

[S2K5150]

I attached a bunch of pics for you but they didn't post They did upload..
New IOS 26 prob.. I'll try again..

 

[ChatGPT]

Nice work pushing through the checks, Jay. The yellow caution icon is a Windows flag, not a hard fail, but it can be easy to misinterpret with an aging drive. Since you’ve got the data and backups in place, here’s a concise plan to pin down what’s going on and what to do next.
What to verify now (quick triage)

• BitLocker status
  • Run this in an elevated PowerShell:
  • Get-BitLockerVolume -MountPoint C:
  • If it says LOK or Protected: On, you’re seeing BitLocker in action. If it says NotEncrypted or Not Present, you’re not using BitLocker on C:.
• Disk health / SMART
  • Use a SMART read (PowerShell or a tool):
  • Get-PhysicalDisk | Select MediaType, Size, Status
  • Or wmic diskdrive get status
  • If SMART shows OK, the warning is likely not a current hard fault.
  • If SMART reports warnings or “Predicted Failure” or a failing attribute, plan for a drive replacement soon.
• Disk health deep dive
  • Run CHKDSK /F /R if you haven’t recently (you mentioned you’ve done this many times). If prompted for reboot, allow it.
  • Open Event Viewer > Windows Logs > System and look for Disk/Storage errors in the last few days. Any I/O errors are a clue.
• Disk Management view
  • In Disk Management, C: should be “Healthy (Boot, Page File, Primary Partition)” with no warning icons on the drive or partitions.

Why the caution might be there

• On an older HDD (like a 2006 mechanical drive), Windows sometimes flags the drive even when it’s technically healthy but aging, especially if there are occasional bad sectors or firmware quirks.
• If the drive shows “Healthy” in Disk Management and BitLocker is off, the caution symbol is often a harmless, lingering alert rather than an active fault.

What to do if the tests are all clean

• If CHKDSK, SMART, and Disk Management all look good, the caution symbol can be considered a benign flag. You can ignore it for now, but plan for a cheap, reliable upgrade (SSD) soon to avoid future headaches and to improve performance.
• Keep a fresh backup habit (you’ve already imaged with Macrium) and consider a routine to snapshot your Windows install before any major changes.

If you see real problems

• If SMART shows a warning or CHKDSK finds bad sectors, back up ASAP and plan to replace the drive (preferably with an SSD). Then you can clone your backup onto the new drive and re‑install Windows or migrate data as needed.
• After replacing, you’ll likely want to disable the old drive in BIOS/UEFI until you’re ready to retire it, and carry on with Zorin on a fresh disk layout.

About the attachments

• I didn’t see the pics yet in this chat. If you can re-upload or paste key details from the screenshots (especially Disk Management view and any SMART readouts), I’ll give you a precise read on what Windows is signaling and the exact next steps.

If you want, you can also paste:

• The exact text of the warning tooltip when you hover the icon.
• A quick screenshot of Disk Management (C: row and any unallocated space).
• The output of Get-BitLockerVolume -MountPoint C:, CHKDSK results, and SMART info.

I’ll translate that into a crystal-clear plan and the exact next commands to run. You’re almost there—the “fun” part is Linux on Zorin next!

 

[S2K5150]

Another attempt to attach. I'm baffled why these pics won't show.. I did the same thing weeks ago & no issues.

 

[ChatGPT]

Nice. Let’s pin down what that caution icon is telling you and what to do next.
What the caution likely means

• The yellow caution on C: is a Windows flag, not a hard failure. It often appears when Windows is watching the drive’s health or encryption state, especially on old disks. If Disk Management shows C: as Healthy, the flag is usually benign and can disappear after a reboot or after the OS finishes any background checks. You’re not seeing active errors, which is a good sign. This matches what I’ve seen in similar cases.

Quick triage you can run (copiable steps)

• BitLocker status (PowerShell Admin):
  • Get-BitLockerVolume -MountPoint C:
  • If BitLocker is NotEncrypted, you’re not using BitLocker on C:. If it shows On/Suspended, you’ll know why the option isn’t showing.
• Disk health and SMART:
  • Get-PhysicalDisk | Select MediaType, Size, Status
  • Or: wmic diskdrive get status
  • If SMART shows OK, the caution is likely not a live fault.
• Check disk for filesystem issues:
  • chkdsk C: /F /R (you can schedule on reboot if prompted)
  • sfc /scannow and DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth as general health checks
• Disk Management view:
  • diskmgmt.msc — confirm C: is “Healthy (Boot, Page File, Primary Partition)” with no warning icons on the C: row.
• If you can share the exact tooltip text you see when you hover the icon, plus a screenshot of Disk Management and the BitLocker/SMART outputs, I’ll give you a precise reading and next steps.

What to do next if tests look clean

• If CHKDSK/SMART/Disk Management are all fine, the caution is likely a stale flag. You can ignore it for now, but keep the Windows backup plan solid (you already did Macrium).
• Given the age of the HDD (and no vendor driver updates), plan an upgrade to an SSD when possible. It will improve reliability and remove this kind of warning entirely.

If you want to share the screenshots or the exact outputs from the commands above, I’ll give you a precise read and tell you exactly what to do next.

 

[S2K5150]

I'll go through your list & log on to the forum on this PC & hopefully I can upload. Thx

 

[ChatGPT]

Thanks — and thanks for retrying the upload. If the forum attachment still misbehaves, no worries: paste the short text outputs I list below instead (they’re faster to grab and just as diagnostic). Either attach screenshots (Disk Management, the tooltip when you hover the yellow , and a SMART readout from CrystalDiskInfo) or paste the command outputs — I’ll interpret them right away.
Quick checklist — what I need from you (pick one: upload screenshots or paste text)
A — Screenshots to attach

• Disk Management (diskmgmt.msc) showing the C: row and any nearby partitions.
• Hover the yellow over C: and screenshot the tooltip (if it shows nothing except used/available, still grab it).
• A SMART readout screenshot from CrystalDiskInfo (portable version is easiest).
  Attach them (JPG/PNG). If the forum rejects large images, zip them or use a picture-host (Imgur) and paste the link.

B — If uploads fail, run these commands and paste the outputs (copy/paste the full text into your reply)
1) BitLocker status (PowerShell, admin):
Get-BitLockerVolume -MountPoint C: | Format-List *
2) Basic disk health summary:
wmic diskdrive get Model,SerialNumber,Status,Caption
3) Windows physical disk status:
Get-PhysicalDisk | Format-Table FriendlyName,MediaType,Size,HealthStatus -Auto
(run in PowerShell as admin)
4) Logical disk free/used (CMD or PowerShell):
wmic logicaldisk get DeviceID,Size,FreeSpace,VolumeName
5) CHKDSK log (if you recently ran chkdsk and it ran at boot):

• Open Event Viewer → Windows Logs → Application → find the entry from Wininit with source "Chkdsk" (copy the text).
  6) (Optional) Recent disk errors from System log (Event Viewer):
• Event Viewer → Windows Logs → System → Filter Current Log → Event sources: disk, volmgr, ntfs — then copy any Disk/IO errors you see.

If you prefer a SMART GUI (recommended)

• Download CrystalDiskInfo Portable, run it, and either:
  • Note the drive health summary (Good / Caution / Bad) and any failing SMART attributes (Reallocated_Sector_Count, Current_Pending_Sector, Uncorrectable_Sector_Count), or
  • Screenshot the window and attach it.

Quick troubleshooting if the icon persists and all tests look clean

• Reboot and let CHKDSK run if scheduled (sometimes Windows leaves a stale flag until a boot‑time check completes).
• If everything is clean (SMART = OK, Disk Management = Healthy, BitLocker = NotEncrypted), the yellow icon is likely a stale/benign flag. You can ignore it but plan a replacement SSD later (the HDD is old). See earlier guidance I gave.

If the outputs show problems

• If SMART shows caution / failing attributes, or Event Viewer shows I/O errors, backup immediately and plan to replace the disk (SSD recommended). I’ll walk you through cloning the Macrium image to the new SSD and making it bootable.

If attaching images: a few tips so they actually upload

• Keep each image under ~5–8 MB (use phone camera medium size or resize).
• Use PNG/JPG, not HEIC. If you must use HEIC, convert to JPG first.
• If the forum blocks upload, zip the images (under 10 MB total) and attach the zip.
• Or upload to Imgur and paste the direct image links here.

Next step for you

• Try one of the two options above (attach the screenshots or paste the outputs from the commands). I’ll read them and give exact, step‑by‑step next actions — including how to clear the icon if it’s a stale flag, or how to replace the drive safely if it’s failing.

References

• The yellow caution is usually a Windows drive‑health/encryption flag; if Disk Management/SMART/CHKDSK are clean, it’s often benign — still worth checking SMART and Event Viewer.

Ready when you are — paste outputs or attach the images and I’ll parse them immediately.

 

[S2K5150]

I figured it out. Last time I used it I suspended Bitlocker permanently with '0'. Turned BL back on & flag went away.

Glad I ran sfc/scannow as it did find some integrity errors & fixed them. Crystal, SMART, & disk mgt days my HDD is good to go. It's not a 2006 drive. It's the driver that's got that date. Probably can go to Western Digital's website & flash the firmware/update the driver.

Going to run chkdsk for good measure. Will install Linux tmrw evening.

 

[ChatGPT]

Perfect — nice detective work, Jay. Glad you found the cause and fixed it.
Quick recap — you did exactly the right things

• You re‑enabled BitLocker and the yellow caution cleared. Good catch.
• sfc /scannow repaired integrity errors. Smart.
• CrystalDiskInfo / SMART and Disk Management look healthy — no urgent drive replacement needed.
• Running CHKDSK for one more pass is a good final check before wiping.

One small note before you erase Windows for Zorin

• If you plan to fully wipe the disk, turn BitLocker off (decrypt) first — otherwise Windows may trigger recovery/TPM issues during/after the install. Two options:
  • Temporary suspend (if you’ll keep Windows): manage-bde -protectors -disable C:
  • Fully decrypt (recommended if you’ll erase): manage-bde -off C:
  • Check progress/status with: manage-bde -status C:
    (Run these in an elevated PowerShell / Admin CMD.) If you fully decrypt, wait until manage-bde reports 0% encrypting/decrypting in the status output.

Final pre‑install checklist for Zorin (short)

1. Verify backups: confirm your Macrium image and create a recovery USB for Windows (just in case).
2. Decrypt C: or suspend BitLocker (see commands above).
3. Boot Zorin USB → Try Zorin live mode — check Wi‑Fi, touchpad, audio, brightness keys.
4. Installer: choose “Erase disk and install Zorin” (clean, easiest). Keep Secure Boot on — Zorin generally supports it.
5. First boot: update the system, install drivers/firmware if prompted.
6. Optional: enable full‑disk encryption during Zorin install if you want protection similar to BitLocker (LUKS).

If anything pops up during the installer (wrong disk shown, GRUB messages, or Secure Boot complaints), pause and post a quick photo/screenshot here — I’ll walk you through the exact button to click.
Enjoy the Zorin install tomorrow — you’ve already done the hard prep. If you hit any snags or want me to walk through the installer step‑by‑step, I’m right here.