Linux

[jonp]

I read a thread on here a while ago about it. My Dell laptop I bought used online from a retailer has worked fine but yesterday when I opened it up it started an automatic download. I let it go and when it shut off to reboot it came up with automatic disk repair and now wont do anything but that so seeing as to how I didn't pay that much for it anyways I was thinking of putting Linux on it and trying that.

Anyone know how to get that done? I have a thumbdrive but that is as far as I know how to go.

[MrWolf]

I have two old machines I tried putting Linux on. Even bought a disc. Nope. Good luck.

[Digger]

Been using linux for quite a while ...
Using this approach has worked well for me ...
Pendrive linux
link:
https://www.pendrivelinux.com/

Keep using some older Dell laptops in Ubuntu and others ..Helps you keep getting your money's worth out of them and with better security.
Also Here is a link to different distro's of linux available , this particular site helps give you a bit of a better out look as to what is going on with the different versions everyone gets to use , very educational .
Link:
https://distrowatch.com/

Other users here will have input also ..

[perotter]

A thumbdrive with Linux on it?

I've been using Linux for over 20 years. Normally I buy/get a CD with it on, use it to boot from and install that Linux unto the disk drive. But one PC I use for machine control has no disk drive, so I use a thumbdrive to boot and run Linux on it.

[ryanmattes]

If you're not familiar with linux, use Ubuntu.

Here's are some instructions, you'll need to do these on another windows computer.

https://help.ubuntu.com/community/In...mUSBStickQuick

When it says to download the version you want, get the highest number that your computer matches the requirements for, that also says LTS in the name. LTS means "long term support," meaning that's a stable, reliable version they'll support for 5 years, releasing security patches, updates, and drivers for it.

There is also a way to "try before you buy," by making a bootable USB stick. You can boot up and play around in it, but it lives on the thumb drive and never touches the computer's hard drive. That's useful if you want to get a feel for how it works.

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[jim147]

Agree with Ryan. For a new user get Ubuntu.

I've been using Linux since before it had a GUI. Any questions just ask.

[Rcmaveric]

I use Linux Mint on my desktop and laptop. I run Rasbian on my SBC.

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[454PB]

I'm using Linux Mint 20, and I can dual boot with Windows 10, but I seldom do.

Once you use Linux, it's hard to go back to Windows.

[WebMonkey]

just be aware that 'most' ubuntu based flavors have ended their 32bit releases.

to most, this isn't a big deal.
'old' machines aren't really that old in architecture speak.

some of us, however do have machines with 32bit cpus.
not as old as my 8088s or z80s, but older than what most people are calling old.

sounds like me.

[popper]

If you press F8 of F12 on startup it may allow you to do a Win setup or at least a CD or USB boot. If you can get it to boot from USB there is a program for formatting the hard drive from USB. You also may be able to boot from CD with a rescue program. Once the hard drive is formatted, use usb linux thumb drive to install linux on the machine. Some Linux usbs will do the format for you.

[derek45]

I use LINUX MINT

easy to install and runs so much faster than win10

.

[454PB]

If you have a really old (think Windows XP) in 32 bit, you can install Sparky Linux.

[waksupi]

I use LINUX MINT

easy to install and runs so much faster than win10

.

Running Windows 10, I was ready to throw away the computer. With Linux Mint, shazam! It ran like it should. I took it to a computer geek, and had him remove everything Windows related.

Windows 10 does many updates, and never removes the old updates. They load your computer down until it has no processing capability left.

[Scrounge]

I have two old machines I tried putting Linux on. Even bought a disc. Nope. Good luck.

If the drive is thoroughly trashed, which is possible, you may need to replace the drive. If you bought Seagate or Western Digital, they have utilities that can recover an unreadable drive if it isn't actually destroyed. I had two drives that I absolutely could not reformat in linux or windows 10 just recently. Both Seagates. 2& 4tb drives. Recovered both with SEATOOLS. Linux had apparently wiped the original boot sectors. I'm using the 4TB on this dell computer with Win10, since I have programs I think I need that won't run under linux. I've tried a bunch of versions of linux. So far, no joy for me. If I can ever find what I need in a Linux version, Windows will be gone that day.

[Rcmaveric]

You can install and run windows programs with Wine on Linux.

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[Rcmaveric]

When I get home i need to see ifni can get Quickloads to run on Linux with wine.

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[fiberoptik]

Puppy Linux is easy, small, fast, & comes in many flavors depending upon needs. Can be run from thumbdrives or cd. I have used many of them. Some use Ubuntu base. puppylinuxnews.org also https://lxle.net


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[gwrench]

There are a number of programs that can put linux into a bootable form on a flash drive. Unetbootin and rufus are a couple that I know work in windows.

https://rufus.ie/

[Rockzilla]

Rufus works really good for making bootable disks /drives simple straight forward

I use Ventoy for my applications..boot to thumbdrive, choose my install O/S from the ISO's
easy to update the ISO's to the thumbdrive or run "Live O/S's" from it
make some modded Windows builds to play with. just a hobby for me,
to keep the mind sharp. Doing this running a Live Disk or PE version of
Windows.

Drive may have crashed during the update process.. did you do backups??
and have a restore point..

have installed Linux on various machines old Dell's, home built PC's old 32 bit..
distrowatch is a good place for Linux.

Anyway what model and what O/S?
Win 7, Win 10, x86 or x64??
or even Win XP?

old as some one mentioned..
Z80's, 8085's, 8080's, 8088
Old Heathkit Computers...H-8's, H-89's, H100's, Compupro S-100 systems
and of course..HDOS, CPM80, CPM85, CPM86, CCPM86, MPM86, Dos, DRDOS, ZCPR3
this is sorta of old....they still work, ran a 100 node BBS (PCBoard) back in the day
Memories...

another bad hobby of mine...

-Rock

[dbosman]

Do you want to try to fix Windows first?
Have someone make you bootable flash drive for Windows 10 20h2 from here:
https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/soft.../windows10ISO/
That will allow you to do an over write update to your existing system.