Installing an operating system on a Lenovo laptop: a complete analysis for beginners and experienced users

Installing an operating system on a laptop Lenovo - a task that scares many users. In fact, the process is much simpler than it seems if you know the key nuances: from correctly creating a bootable USB flash drive to setting up BIOS/UEFI for a specific model. In this article we will analyze all the stages - from preparation to the first boot of the new OS - taking into account the features of popular series: ThinkPad, IdeaPad, Legion and budget V14/V15.

It is important to understand that the installation algorithm depends not only on the selected OS (Windows 10/11, Linux or even ChromeOS), but also on the hardware platform. For example, on new laptops with processors Intel 12-13 generation or AMD Ryzen 7000 may need to be disconnected Secure Boot or microcode update. We will look at all these cases, and also give advice on how to restore the system if something goes wrong.

1. Choosing an operating system: which is best for Lenovo?

Before you begin installation, decide on the OS. For most models Lenovo suitable:

• 🪟 Windows 10/11 — the optimal choice for gaming Legion and business lines ThinkPad. Please note: Laptops with AMD Ryzen 6000+ processors may require manual installation of chipset drivers after installing Windows 11.
• 🐧 Linux (Ubuntu, Fedora, Mint) - ideal for developers and older models (for example, ThinkPad T480). Check hardware compatibility on the website linux-hardware.org.
• 🌐 ChromeOS Flex - an easy alternative for weak laptops (for example, Lenovo S145 with Celeron). Free and supported by Google.
• 🍎 macOS (Hackintosh) - Can be installed on some models ThinkPad P-series, but requires deep knowledge and is not recommended for beginners.

For gamers and designers, the clear choice is Windows 11 (due to support DirectX 12 Ultimate And Auto HDR). Suitable for office work or study Linux Mint with the environment Cinnamon - it is less demanding on resources than Windows.

If in doubt, use official assistant from Microsoft or test Linux in Live USB mode (without installation). For laptops Lenovo with touch screens (Yoga, Flex) check multitouch support in the selected OS - it may not work correctly on Linux without additional drivers.

2. Preparing the laptop: backing up and checking the hardware

Before installing a new OS be sure to save important data. Even if you plan to install the system on a separate disk, errors in partitioning can lead to loss of information. Use:

• ☁️ Cloud services: Google Drive, Yandex Disk or OneDrive (up to 15 GB free).
• 💾 External SSD/HDD: connect via USB 3.0 for fast file transfer.
• 🔄 Cloning programs: Macrium Reflect (free version) or Clonezilla (for advanced users).

Also check the technical specifications of the laptop - they will affect the choice of OS and drivers:

⚠️ Attention: On laptops Lenovo Legion with two video cards (NVIDIA + Intel) before installing Linux you may need to disable Optimus in BIOS or use proprietary drivers NVIDIA after installation.

If you are installing the system on a laptop with BitLocker (for example, corporate ThinkPad), disable encryption in advance via Control Panel → BitLocker Drive Encryption. Otherwise, after changing the OS, the data on the disk will become inaccessible!

3. Creating a bootable flash drive: programs and nuances

To install the OS you will need a bootable USB drive with a capacity of at least 8 GB (for Windows 11 - 16 GB). Let's look at the best tools for creating it:

• 🖥️ Rufus - the fastest way for Windows. Supports UEFI And GPT, knows how to bypass restrictions Secure Boot.
• 🐧 Balena Etcher — cross-platform tool for Linux/macOS/Windows. Easy to use, but does not support partition layout customization.
• 🔧 Ventoy - a unique solution for multi-booting. Allows you to write several operating systems onto one flash drive and select the one you need when loading.

Step-by-step instructions for Rufus (using Windows 11 as an example):

Download ISO image from Microsoft official website

Connect a flash drive (all data will be deleted!)

Launch Rufus and select a device

Specify the path to the ISO image

Select partition scheme GPT and target system UEFI

Click Start and wait for completion (5-15 minutes)

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For Linux (eg Ubuntu) use Balena Etcher:

1. Download the image from ubuntu.com.
2. Select the USB flash drive in Etcher (the program will automatically format it to FAT32).
3. Click Flash! and wait until it finishes (the time depends on the speed of the USB port).

⚠️ Attention: On laptops Lenovo with ports USB-C (For example, Yoga 7i) an adapter may be required to boot from a flash drive USB-C → USB-A. Some models do not support booting from USB-C directly.

After creating the flash drive, check its functionality on another PC (if possible). This will help avoid errors like No bootable device found on first boot.

4. BIOS/UEFI setup: step-by-step analysis for Lenovo

In order for the laptop to boot from a flash drive, you need to change the boot order in BIOS/UEFI. The login method depends on the model:

• 🔧 ThinkPad: button F1 when turned on (or Enter → F1 on some models).
• 💻 IdeaPad/Legion: button F2 or Fn + F2.
• 🔄 Budget series (V14, S145): may need to be held Shift when turned on.

In the BIOS menu, find the following settings and change them:

After changes, save the settings (key F10) and reboot your laptop. If the flash drive is not detected, check:

• 🔌 Is it connected to the port USB 2.0 (on some models USB 3.0 does not support downloading).
• 🔄 Is the image recorded correctly (try recreating the flash drive in Rufus with option DD-mode).
• 🔧 Is the BIOS updated (on the website Lenovo there are update instructions for each model).

5. Installing Windows 10/11: step-by-step process with pictures

After successfully booting from the USB flash drive, you will see the Windows Installer screen. Follow the instructions:

1. Language selection: Leave Russian (or select the one you want) and click Next.
2. Installation: Click Install, then enter your product key (you can skip it and activate later).
3. Version selection: Suitable for most users Windows 11 Pro (there is BitLocker And Hyper-V).
4. Installation type: Select Custom: Windows installation only.

At the disk partitioning stage, be careful:

• 📁 If you have SSD, delete all existing partitions (select each one and click Delete) and create new ones:
• System partition (500 MB) - automatically created by the installer.
• Main section (remaining space) - for Windows itself.
• 🔧 For HDD It is recommended to create a separate partition for files (for example, D:) volume 200-500 GB.

After marking, file copying will begin (take 10-30 minutes). The laptop will reboot several times - don't turn it off and do not remove the flash drive until the region setting screen appears.

1. Disable Secure Boot in BIOS.

2. Update BIOS to the latest version.

3. Use another USB drive (preferably USB 2.0).

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After installation, immediately check for drivers:

1. Open Device Manager (Win + X → Device Manager).
2. If there are devices with an exclamation mark, download drivers from the site Lenovo Supportby entering your laptop model.
3. For video cards NVIDIA/AMD use official drivers from manufacturers' websites.

6. Installing Linux: features for Lenovo laptops

Linux installation process (example: Ubuntu 22.04 LTS) is similar to Windows, but there are key differences:

1. Booting from a flash drive: From the GRUB menu, select Try or Install Ubuntu.
2. Language and layout: Select Russian and check your keyboard layout (for ThinkPad manual configuration may be required TrackPoint).
3. Installation type:
   • 📦 Erase disk and install Ubuntu - for beginners (will delete all data!).
   • 🔧 Another option — for experienced users (manual marking).

When manually partitioning a disk for Linux, it is recommended to create the following partitions:

⚠️ Attention: On laptops Lenovo Legion with hybrid graphics (NVIDIA + Intel) after installing Linux, switching video cards may not work. Solution: Install proprietary drivers NVIDIA through sudo ubuntu-drivers autoinstall.

After installation, update the system:

sudo apt update && sudo apt upgrade -y
sudo apt install lenovo-firmware

To configure gestures on the touchpad (ThinkPad, Yoga) install the package libinput:

sudo apt install xserver-xorg-input-libinput

7. Drivers and optimization after OS installation

After installing any OS, you need to configure the hardware for maximum performance. Let's start with Windows:

• 🔧 Lenovo Vantage — official utility for automatic driver updates and diagnostics. Download it from Microsoft Store.
• 🎮 For gaming laptops Legion install Lenovo Legion Toolkit (an unofficial utility for controlling RGB lighting and performance).
• 🔊 For sound, download the driver Realtek Audio from the site Lenovo - the standard Windows driver may not support Dolby Atmos.

For Linux optimization includes:

• 🐧 Installing the kernel linux-lts for stability (especially on new processors Intel 13th generation):

sudo apt install linux-image-lts linux-headers-lts

• 🔋 Power management settings to increase battery life:

sudo apt install tlp tlp-rdw
sudo systemctl enable tlp

• 🖱️ For ThinkPad install the package tp-smapi to control fans and battery:

sudo apt install tp-smapi-dkms

On laptops with Optane Memory (For example, Lenovo IdeaPad 5) you may need to disable this technology in the BIOS for Linux to work correctly. It works out of the box on Windows, but on Linux it can cause errors when writing to disk.

8. System recovery and solving errors

If after installing the OS the laptop does not boot or does not work correctly, use these tips:

If Windows won't boot, use recovery environment:

1. Boot from the installation flash drive, select System Restore.
2. Go to Troubleshooting → Advanced Options.
3. Select Startup Recovery or Command line for manual correction.

To restore the Linux bootloader, run:

sudo mount /dev/sdXY /mnt  # Замените sdXY на ваш корневой раздел
sudo mount --bind /dev /mnt/dev
sudo chroot /mnt
update-grub
grub-install /dev/sdX  # Замените sdX на ваш диск (например, sda)
exit
reboot

⚠️ Attention: On laptops Lenovo with two video cards (NVIDIA + Intel) After resetting the BIOS, the image may disappear. Solution: Connect an external monitor, enter BIOS and turn on Hybrid Graphics or Discrete Graphics.

FAQ: Frequently asked questions about installing the OS on Lenovo

sudo apt install xserver-xorg-input-libinput
sudo modprobe psmouse