F Windows/Microsoft

That's what I keep telling people. If just the casual home users were to stop using Microsloth products and move to a Linux Machine, or hell if all they do is email and web surfing, a Pi will work just fine. Then The Gates Empire would crumble in a matter of months.

 

Seeing that you know how to run a Raspberry Pi, I'd be interested to know which tutorials or whatever you learned with, to know how to build one and how to implement one to do specific things.

 

For me, Linux builds are still very WYSIWYG. I've played with builds that breaks something just updating the software. I've seen people setup all the workarounds to get a game like Fortnite barely working. I'd rather run an Android or Chrome OS (same thing) if I just want to do basic stuff; brows, download videos, play some light games or emulators... Windows is still the main OS I choose to deal with. You can install Windows 10 from USB and WITHOUT ETHERNET connected and skip network setup and all the login telemetry bullshit. After windows installs you can setup your wifi as METERED and this limits some background updates. Windows will still nag you of course but that's what it is these days. Last time I messed with a Windows 11 laptop, about 9 months ago, you can also skip network login on setup. You have to follow a procedure where you hold a keyboard combo and reboot to bypass network setup. Oh yeah, MicroShaft wants you to set up an account SO BAD! Bypassing and ignoring their nagging bullshit still beats trying to get something working on Linux IMO anyway. Really depends on what you want to do with your computer.

 

Well i fixed the MS10 issue wich was stupidly simple(delete a map and run as admin*sigh*) and update your usb drivers manually(win7 issue), you just have to keep searching/reading until you find the right answer. Shame the answer(s) didnt come from MS support. Got everything up and running, better then before, shame i lost my music files. I am happy about a clean pc and install(hardware/software),was needed. I also read support for 10 ends this month, still dont want to switch to 11.

I did read up Linuxmint and already made a flashdrive, but still alot of people/forums say use this linux or that.Ill keep reading up for a bit, before i want to go into the next headache

Thanks for all the advice

Mzzls

 

Biggest issue is that people are still forced to buy it,with almost every pc/laptop and most(like me) are lazy or just not tech enough.And all the other softwareindustry still cater to MS first, although it seems to get better,

I do like the EU bashing big tech more and more atm. Trying to do something against the monopolies.

Mzzls

 

I use one HDD (I'll call it the main HDD) for the OS and a second one (I'll call it the storage drive), for all my files.
I also have a third one for when I want a new OS or OS version. I'll call it the replacement drive.
If installing a new OS I unplug the storage drive beforehand.
That means; no matter what I mess up in trying a new OS, I won't break or lose any of my files.
So; all 3 HDDs are in the tower unit but only the Main HDD and the storage drive are attached with the data cable to the Mother board.

To install a new OS or new version; I'll unplug the storage drive.
I'll adjust the Bios to make sure the USB runs first on bootup.
I'll shutdown and then attach the data cable from the main HDD to the replacement drive.
That means we'll be running the replacement drive on next bootup.
I'll insert the stick drive with the new OS/OS version on it, to a USB port.
I'll bootup and the stick drive will be 'triggered' and so the new OS version will install to the replacement drive.
That takes about an hour on my machine though much of that is it working itself with only about 15mins of my time needed to select language, location etc at the beginning.
Once installed, I'll shut down and remove the stick drive.
I'll reboot and make sure all is well with the new install - also installing software packages from the Software Manager.
(I wish I knew of a way to store them somewhere such that they wouldn't need to be re-selected and re-installed)

When I know it works, I'll shut down, plug in the storage drive again and all is good to go.

At that point, the main HDD is what was the replacement drive and the mainHDD is now the replacement drive and it's ready (though unplugged) to accept the next iteration of the OS, whichever I choose next time.


If after installing the new OS, I decide I don't like it, I can revert to the replacement drive, download a new OS and then start the install process above once more.

hth.

 

Thank you for the advice.But i already have separate hardrives(SSD). Outiside the musicfiles,i lost nothing important on my pc(wich cant be restored). And even those i can rip back into my pc(cd s), i use to have a seperate external harddrive for my music/games, but those also break after a few years.I might do that again.

Biggest mistake i made was clearing out everything(MB/harddrives) without making sure i had a current OS i could install. And trying to get around that by installing win7(bugzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz). I will switch to linux, it is basicly the same as installing windows, just not in the mood for the download/installing times atm.

Mzzls

 

Yes, there are people all over saying "Use my Distro!" or "Our Distro is best!" the face is that ALL distros are the same. If it is based on a Debian system, like Mint, then underneath, it is all the same. The only difference is the User Interface. Essentially, Ubuntu, Mint, Zorin, Arch, Solyd/XK, etc. are all the same O/S, with different looks, and setup for a different type of user. The Cinnamon Desktop on Linux Mint is designed for Windows Users transitioning to Linux for the first time.

EOF (or End of Life) Support for Windows 10, doesn't mean it will stop working, just that you will no longer get security updates. Windows 11 is nothing special, and may actually force you to upgrade your hardware, if something isn't compatible.
Now would be the time to switch. The setup isn't all that hard, and is menu driven for you to point and click.

You can always switch. If you happen to have an old computer laying around (or laptop) you can put Mint on that, to play with. Or as I mentioned before setup a virtual machine within Windows. Even if you choose a different distro, it is worth switching to Linux. I gave up Windows in 2010 and haven't looked back, and haven't regretted the decision. And I am guilty of Distro hopping : (changing Linux O/S's on occasion. I'll find a distro that looks cool, play with it on a VM for a while, and if I like it I'll install it as my daily driver for a while.

 

I'm old enough to remember that

 

I have a second(previous build) pc(just needs a cleaning and a new harddrive maybe dvd) and a laptop(needs a new vidcard)....................again tech lazy Still have some weeks off, no hurry

I like gardens more



Mzzls

 

Egads! ... I haven't thought about Heathkit in ages. I remember a Shortwave Radio kit to build a weather radio.

 

I didn't build it from scratch, but I did bring it back to life.

 

Not sure if that one was capable of mounting in a car.
I had a Cobra Linear to go along with my CObra 148 GTL, with SSB 3 switch Mod

 

MX Linux so far hasn't done this to me. It seems to be a pretty robust environment (knocks on wood). Also, there are systems like Puppy Linux that don't do autoupdates at all. Instead, you just drop a couple of files into a convenient location in what is called a frugal install, and boot those with a boot loader of choice. Very stable systems (barring maybe a programmer error) that are easy to repair if shit indeed goes sideways.

 

Not if you choose a Linux distro, such as Puppy, or Tinycore, that boots directly from a USB stick and loads completely to and runs from RAM. Thus completely bypassing any need to manipulate the Windows partition. Just straight from a flash drive into the RAM. On Windows 8/10/11 systems you just need to disable the windows Fast startup/fast boot just to be on the safe side, and you're golden. And preferably, today you need a system with a minimum 4 GB of RAM for this, but more is way preferred of course. Makes life easier.

 

Any Debian based Distro can be set to do manual updates and not do it automatically. But we are talking about a person who has worked primarily with the point and click environment of Windows. I agree that everyone should learn to use a Linux System, but there is no sense in trying get him to navigate a file system that is more complex than windows. Autoupdates and TImeshift are easy ways to set it and forget it while learning the basics.

 

You can boot Mint, Ubuntu, Zorin, Arch, and Solyd from flash drive and use it as well. Plus Puppy & Tonycore are not exclusively used on a USB stick. they can both be installed in HDD.
I'm also not sure that this user is confident enough to fiddle around with his computers BIOS. For a user that isn't used to complex operations a Dual Boot can be confusing and dangerous. Installing VM's is as easy as installing any other program, and VirtualBox and Linux work splendidly together.

 

Random internet find...

 

I did take your advice and ordered a cheap HD for my old pc(hope the hardware is bit compatible) install linux first on that. So i can still game

Tinker around a bit with different linux versions.

Mzzls