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Laptop: Lenovo

Page created: 2025-10-17
Updated: 2025-11-01

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TODO: this computer has a name, but I forget what it is

Model: Lenovo ThinkPad L560

Manufactured: Roughly 2016?

Purchased used: $250 total shipped, October 2025

Description: 15.6" Core i7 6600U 2.6GHz 16GB RAM 512GB SSD Win 10 Pro

currently has slackware 15.0, booting into graphical login, then XFCE desktop

CPU TDP 15 W

CPU Intel Core i7 (6th Gen) 6600U / 2.6 GHz (circa 2015-2022)

Memory: 16Gb

Graphics Processor Intel HD Graphics 520

512 GB SSD

802.11a/b/g/n/ac, Bluetooth 4.1

Drive Type DVD-Writer

4 in 1 card reader (MultiMediaCard, SD Memory Card, SDHC Memory Card, SDXC Memory Card)

Model 20F2S11

Screen: 15.6 in

Weight 4.89 lbs

Boot into "bios" (UEFI)

This computer had been infected with windows 10 with "secure boot" and "fast boot" turned on.

First Method: I eventually was able to boot into "bios" through some combination of:

  • Tell windows to do a real, full shutdown

  • hit ENTER real fast while booting

  • when given the option, hit F1 to go to "bios" menu

The F11 (or F12?) boot menu also worked after that.

Second Method: I bought an identical model for a family member. For some reason, the above didn’t work. But this did:

  • Boot into Windows

  • Open the windows start menu and search for "startup"

  • Hopefully, you’ll see "Change advanced startup options" (I have no idea how to find this in "System settings")

  • Under "Advanced startup", click the "Restart now" button.

  • Choose an option menu with big clickable options, click "Troubleshoot"

  • Then "Advanced options"

  • Then "UEFI Firmware Settings"

  • Then the "Restart" button

  • Yay!

This laptop has no issue booting Slackware 15.0 using the EFI partition, so no "legacy" MBR boot is needed.

UEFI settings for booting Linux from a USB flash drive

Go to Security > Secure Boot and set Secure Boot to [Disabled].

Go to Startup > Boot and set:

 X  1. Windows Boot Manager
    2. USB HDD
    3. USB FDD
    4. ATA HDD0 ...
    ...

Note the 'X' by Windows Boot Manager - this mark appears when you hit DELETE to remove it! Use the F5/F6 keys to move items up/down in the list.

Then I inserted my USB stick, hit F10 to Save and Exit settings and then the laptop started up from the USB stick.