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/Installation/FromUSBStickQuick

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/software-download/windows10ISO/
That will allow you to do an over write update to your existing system.

[Scrounge]

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

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Some of them even run. Unfortunately, not the ones I need. I've tried that multiple times. Will probably try it multiple times again. More stuff runs now than the first time I tried it, but. :(

[Scrounge]

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/software-download/windows10ISO/
That will allow you to do an over write update to your existing system.

If your system runs with the newer UEFI system instead of the old style BIOS, you can reinstall Windows from the ISO image dbosman mentions, as it stores the Window Serial number in the UEFI system. Otherwise you may need to buy a license key for Windows. Made replacing the drive in my Dell 3668 a lot easier. I used a little program called Rufus to write the ISO image to a flash drive. You'll need a fairly large one, 8GB may be big enough, 16GB should. I had a 64GB drive sitting here, so used that one, and had room to put my install files for MS Office 2007 on there, too. Still had a bunch of room left. Or you can burn it to a DVD and boot that. Either one will work.
Bill

[HumptyDumpty]

If it is an older laptop, you might consider running Lubuntu; it's a lighter-weight version of Ubuntu, and what I I have been using on my laptops for years. My desktop uses Linux Mint, which also works very well on decently-powerful laptops.

For the sake of your sanity, DO NOT expect to simply switch over from Microsoft, and install all your Windows programs. There are Linux equivalents for most things, numerous cross-platform programs, and even a few that options that superior to what you might find on windows. Also, there are many differences in how certain basic functions are accomplished, such as installing programs.

[MaLar]

I'm surprised to see so many running Linux on here.
I've been using Linux for some time maybe ten years or more.
If your running an older machine I would use a lighter version of Linux.
regular Ubuntu is not. Lubuntu and Mint is. I run MXlinux and love it.
Depending where your at some one could burn you a disc and help'

[HumptyDumpty]

I've actually been using Linux full-time for over a decade at this point.Definitely less user-friendly for the first timer-but, the OS has matured a great deal over the years.

[Mal Paso]

Quickbooks was very unstable with wine when I tried it. Photoshop is my other must have. Linux did not play nice with windows, messed up the boot sector and got removed, took forever to get the drive back.

I've got Win7 on the last Toughbook to support it, the drive is a SSD so it's still fast. I'll hang here as long as I can.

[Bookworm]

Quickbooks was very unstable with wine when I tried it.

This is why I have 2 towers. One has Mint, the other has Win10.

The Win10 tower is there specifically to run QuickBooks.

[jim147]

Quickbooks was barely stable on windows for me.

I'm seeing a lot of people running mint. I'll try that on the next build. While Ubuntu is not lean it is the closest to windows I have seen. I started on Debian in the 90's and now have my daughter "yes I had her when I was old" in edubuntu and am teaching her Python on a Pi.

It can be fun learning new tricks.

[fiberoptik]

The f you go to the rufus link above a few, at the bottom of the page are links. 1 is a password fixer, another is ReactOs— https://reactos.org/. Supposed to out-Windows Windows 🪟. Maybe it will swing with QuickBook?? I have a laptop that won’t let me change anything being password protected. It came 2ndhand; no way to get password. Runs(...?) Win 10. Lots missing. I have tons of XP software that wouldn’t work on it. Maybe this ReactOs is both of our solutions.


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[Scrounge]

The f you go to the rufus link above a few, at the bottom of the page are links. 1 is a password fixer, another is ReactOs— https://reactos.org/. Supposed to out-Windows Windows ��. Maybe it will swing with QuickBook?? I have a laptop that won’t let me change anything being password protected. It came 2ndhand; no way to get password. Runs(...?) Win 10. Lots missing. I have tons of XP software that wouldn’t work on it. Maybe this ReactOs is both of our solutions.


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I think I'm the only one who mentioned Rufus, and I didn't include a link, so not sure what you're talking about. I did quote the link dbosman gave for the Windows 10 ISO download, but that's not the Rufus site, this is: https://rufus.ie/

Not seeing any links to other software there, either. I did use the second link, to create bootable media for another computer.

I've also reset the password on a Win10 laptop (ancient HP) with a linux live flash drive. Search "use linux to reset Windows password".

[Mal Paso]

Quickbooks was barely stable on windows for me.


Absolutely correct! Hugely bloated, poorly written, it is the only accounting program that actually works for under $5,000.

[DougGuy]

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

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Quickload runs great on any linux that will run wine. You may get an error message during QL install about fonts, just pick another font and it will continue install. OR, you could install more fonts in wine using winetricks before you run the QL installer.

[DougGuy]

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.

What model Dell? How much RAM? A lot of those are easy to open up and add memory and/or swap in a SSD which will make it a lot faster and run cooler than a spinner, and if your HDD has issues which the disk repair makes me suspect it might, you would be better off with a new drive.

For the linux install... Go download Linux Mint Cinnamon 20.1 AMD 64 .iso and go download a freebie called Balena Etcher. It will be a .zip file, you simply extract it and dbl click the app image which is the extracted file. It opens, you choose where your LM .iso is, and you choose your usb stick, and you tell it to flash. It will make the usb bootable to the linux mint desktop.

Once at the desktop, you can click on Install Linux Mint and setup wil begin, you can let it partition the disk like it wants to or you can do it yourself manually, then the installer will continue. It is best not to have anything on the disk at this point, if it finds the ghost of windows it will want to add it to the boot menu, it just messes up a good install.

You can also go download gparted .iso, and write it to a separate usb stick using etcher, boot to this and you have the best partition editor on the planet. For free! Here you can delete all the windows partitions, you can create a new dos partition table which will totally erase billy gates' muddy footprints.

If it still kicks your butt you could haul it up the road here and we can run through the install together, although if I am going to be an afternoon into swapping out a drive then installing linux, I would expect to get something for my time.

[Rcmaveric]

Gnucash is a nifty financial program for a linux. I liked it. Cant get my wife to use it. She holds the purse and is horrible at it.

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[jim147]

I got Gnucash after Quickbooks went buggy on me. I never got it fully set up before I got sick several years ago. I don't have a business anymore so doesn't matter.

[454PB]

Linux Mint has a USB image writer as standard equipment, I think it works better and faster than Rufus or Balena Etcher.

[DougGuy]

Linux Mint has a USB image writer as standard equipment, I think it works better and faster than Rufus or Balena Etcher.

Yes but if you don't have linux installed yet, well.... Etcher is not slow by any means click click click and it's off and running. Recent versions take the time to verify the write which is a plus.

[GhostHawk]

Takes a computer to build or work on a computer.

Thanks for the tip about the image writer. I'll use that.

[454PB]

Yes but if you don't have linux installed yet, well.... Etcher is not slow by any means click click click and it's off and running. Recent versions take the time to verify the write which is a plus.

Agreed, but sometimes people want to try several versions of Linux, and their image writer works for that.

[navyvet]

Stock answer if you ask for help, RTM.