How do I make sure I have the right drivers for installing Linux on T61 Thinkpad?

[uberman]

I'm prepping a dedicated Thinkpad T61 to try out Linux Ubuntu. How can I make sure I've found and installed the correct drivers so that I can connect to the Internet?

That's probably my most pressing question as then I'd want to search for applications and such. I don't want to screw it up and be unable to connect.

 

[Jodell88]

Who's the manufacturer of network card?

Most likely you won't have to worry about drivers for anything.

 

[Essence_of_War]

Try booting a live cd and see if it works, if it works on the live cd it will almost certainly work on the full install.

That being said, I know the t60 is great out of the box with ubuntu 12.04 (wifi, lan, USB, and discrete graphics!) so id be surprised if the t61 didn't work nicely with a recent ubuntu.

 

[uberman]

Try booting a live cd and see if it works, if it works on the live cd it will almost certainly work on the full install.

That being said, I know the t60 is great out of the box with ubuntu 12.04 (wifi, lan, USB, and discrete graphics!) so id be surprised if the t61 didn't work nicely with a recent ubuntu.

That is a good idea. I will create a bootable live CD. That would help me overcome some of the reluctance of screwing up an install. Thanks.

 

[Essence_of_War]

Also, live-media are typically installation media. That is to say, you can throw in the live disk, tinker around a bit, and if you find you like it, you should be able to run the installer directly from the live-boot. The Ubuntu installer is quite user-friendly.