I see you intend to use the laptop with diagnostic software. Which compatibility layer do you intend using with Debian? Sounds an interesting little project. I was a massive fan of Windows XP and still use it on my diagnostic only netbook (no internet).
No, you can't be, because if we are both different then we are the same. The being different paradox.
Windows 8.1 virtual machine in Virtual Box. Might as well get some use out of 16G of RAM. I'd have tended towards using 7 - or XP - but since they won't install on the boards I bought 5 years ago, I finally dumped those DVDs.