blog.liw.fi → posts → 2024 → Checklist for primary laptop

I recently needed to get a new laptop, and this brought up the question: how do I make sure it works? It's my primary laptop: it's what I use when I do anything with a computer, even if only as a terminal to access a server.

I've had this thought before, but this time I decided to make a checklist so I can stop doing things ad hoc. I asked on the fediverse for suggestions, and based on that and my own thoughts, below is my initial list. I'm sharing this in the hope it's of use or inspiration to others.

(As it happens, I bought a used, refurbished ThinkPad, but that doesn't actually affect the checklist. Brand new hardware can be broken, too. Every new-to-me laptop requires me to make sure I can do the things I need to do with it.)

The purpose of this list is to make sure that the basic things work, so that I can deal with anything that doesn't work. Thus, the list doesn't have an item to make sure that I have, say, my usual programming tools installed. Instead, it has an item to make sure I can run my preferred configuration management tool, Ansible, which means I can install and configure the tools I like.

To get up and running, I need hardware that mostly works, and a graphical desktop, access to the world wide web, and the capability to do sysadmin stuff. With these things, I can search for solutions to problems, and communicate with others if I need help.

(If you'd like to comment on this article, please do it on the fediverse.)

Hardware

I can...

  • ☐ run memtest86+, at least one pass
  • ☐ install Debian and GNOME
  • ☐ connect via Ethernet
  • ☐ connect via WiFi
  • ☐ see desktop on all external monitors
  • ☐ suspend to RAM and resume
  • ☐ see video from internal webcam
  • ☐ see video from external webcam
  • ☐ play sound via internal speakers
  • ☐ play sound via headphones
  • ☐ play sound via HDMI monitor
  • ☐ record sound via internal mic
  • ☐ record sound via headphone mic
  • ☐ record sound via external webcam mic

Sysadmin

I can...

  • ☐ open my password manager
  • ☐ browse the web and make searches
  • ☐ make a new backup
  • ☐ run Ansible on my usual targets