I'm an engineering student planning to buy a Moto Book 60 Pro. I've never used Linux before and don't know much about BIOS/UEFI, partitions, bootloaders, or reinstalling operating systems. I want to install Bluefin as the only operating system, erase Windows, and use the entire internal SSD for college work, programming, general use, and media.
My current idea is to start Windows when the laptop arrives, verify that the hardware works, confirm activation, save anything important, and then install Bluefin. Before I erase the drive, I want to know whether I should save recovery media, firmware details, drivers, or anything else. I also want to know whether there are BIOS settings I should change or leave alone, and whether I should test hardware from a Bluefin live USB first.
I'm not planning to dual-boot, since Bluefin's setup is not intended for dual-booting from the same drive. However, I may want to reinstall Windows in a year or two, so I'd like to understand what I should preserve now and whether I can simply download Windows installation media later.
I would appreciate a beginner-friendly checklist, including hardware compatibility checks and anything engineering students should consider before replacing Windows completely.
4 Answers
Before wiping anything, boot into Windows once and check every device: Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, speakers, webcam, brightness controls, keyboard shortcuts, touchpad, suspend/resume, and any fingerprint reader. Then test the Bluefin live USB without installing it. That will give you a much better idea of whether the hardware works under Linux.
Make a Windows installer or recovery drive if you want an easy fallback, and record the laptop's exact model and firmware version. Modern Windows activation is usually tied to the hardware and can reactivate automatically after reinstalling the same edition, but keeping recovery media is still sensible. Drivers can generally be downloaded later, although firmware updates may be easier to perform from the manufacturer's Windows utility, so consider doing those first.
You don't need to buy another computer just to learn, but practicing in a virtual machine or testing the live USB first can reduce the anxiety. Keep backups of your own files separately from the laptop, and remember that anything stored on the internal SSD will be erased during the installation. If you return to Windows later, download Microsoft's installation media, boot it in UEFI mode, and reinstall; you may need to install Lenovo/Motorola-specific drivers and run firmware utilities from Windows afterward.
For a first Linux installation, follow Bluefin's current official installation guide exactly and avoid changing random UEFI settings. Normally you should boot the installer in UEFI mode, leave Secure Boot enabled if the distribution supports it, and avoid legacy or CSM boot modes. The installer can erase the whole SSD and create the required partitions for you; just double-check that the selected disk is the internal drive before confirming.
If the installer or live environment has problems, don't assume the installation will fix them. Check the project's hardware documentation and firmware notes first. Also keep another computer or your phone available for reading documentation in case networking does not work immediately.
The bigger question is your engineering software. Some common tools, especially CAD, simulation, and specialized school applications, may require Windows or may work only through a remote lab, virtual machine, or compatibility layer. Ask your college what software and exam tools are required before committing to Linux-only. A Linux laptop can still be a great choice, but make sure you know whether your school provides remote Windows machines or campus labs.
It is worth checking this before buying the laptop, not just after installing Linux. Some programs have good alternatives, while others depend heavily on Windows-specific drivers or licensing.
You probably don't need to manually copy a product key. On many current laptops the key is stored in firmware or the activation is associated with the device, but I would still create recovery media before deleting the recovery partitions.