[ltp] IBM Thinkpad T41 type 2373-7fu; recommendations for auction purchase and *nix type

[cr]

Personally, I'd try Damn Small Linux for test purposes.   It used to use 
(probably still does) the Knoppix loader to autoconfigure it.     It's quick 
to load, which may be an advantage if you have a lot of machines to try.   
I'm not sure Knoppix would boot any faster than Ubuntu, being a fairly 
heavyweight system.

My R40 Thinkpad (which is probably similar in specs) runs Debian 5.0 quite 
happily.   (Dual boot with its original WinXP, using Grub, as it happens).   
I don't know about any built-in WIFI, I use a PCMCIA card with the Atheros 
chipset and that works fine.  

cr

On Thursday 26 August 2010 03:20:01 Andy Graybeal wrote:
> Greetings,
> I just signed on to this list.
>
> I have the opportunity to hopefully purchase several IBM Thinkpad T41
> type 2373-7fu machines at an auction.
>
> I'm wondering if anyone has any luck running Ubuntu 10.04 on these
> machines?  Or can recommend a *nix for these machines?
>
> The machines have the Centrino 1.6gHz, 512MB memory, WIFI, the harddrive
> has been removed for security purposes.
>
> As well, each one has a very nice carrying case, ibm mouse, extra
> trackpoint nubbins, powersupply, phone cord, and other small misc items.
>
> I'm allowed to test them before I bid, is there anything specific I
> should be looking for?
>
> I took a Ubuntu 10.04 bootable CD and jump drive to test with, but it
> took an enormous amount of time to boot these machines from the media.
> I'm thinking about taking a Knoppix or Dyne:Bolic boot disks instead..
> hopefully these will boot much faster.  If anyone can recommend a
> bootable linux to test with that would be good.
>
> What approximate maximum bid should I go to on these? Remember no
> harddrive and only 512MB of RAM, and I'm in the United States.  I expect
> to get 5 machines if I can afford it; though I'd like to get all of them :)
>
> I've looked at IBM Thinkpad T41's on Ebay, buy-it-now foes for about
> $130-$150.
>
> One machine looks like it was dropped and has a small hunk of plastic
> missing from it's left corner and the lid seems a bit flimsy.  I didn't
> bother to turn this one on.
>
> Several of the machine have their bios passwords set.  I need to find
> out the details, but if I remember correctly it is the password to get
> into the BIOS, not the password to boot the machine up.  I read in the
> manual that if the supervisor password is set, a board replacement is in
> order to get around this.  If there are enough machines without
> passwords, I won't be bidding on the ones with passwords.
>
> Where can I expect to purchase replacement harddrives and possibly
> upgrade the memory?  And how much do you think I'll be looking at as far
> as price for this?
>
> I would be grateful with any other information you can pass along.
> SpeedEvil from Freenode's ##ibmthinkpad says that I should get screw
> packages from ebay and loctite / threadlock because they will be my
> friends.  SpeedEvil was very helpful in the channel.
>
> Just so everyone is aware, I have owned a T42 and just recently
> purchased a T410.  The T42 has expired into parts.
> Ubuntu 10.04 runs great on the T410.  I hope Lenovo can extend the
> legacy into the future.  I'm happy to find this mail list.
>
> -Andy