[AT] OT- Computer help please
cgs
oxygenfarm at gmail.com
Mon Feb 17 04:27:04 PST 2020
Most versions of Linux are free and legal to download; some charge for a
prepared thumb drive and/or a phone help service.
I have several computers that age which will run the lighter Linux
versions. A new solid state drive (120 GB) can be found online or at
MicroCenter for $25 (be sure your old iron has SATA connectors!)
On 2/17/20 5:20 AM, Stephen Offiler wrote:
> Hi Phil:
>
> I've got a Dell from about 2009 or so, perhaps a 3000-series (?),
> running XP. At the time it was a workstation-class laptop, capable of
> running 3D CAD software. I don't use it much anymore, but it
> definitely comes in handy sometimes. Nothing important is stored on
> it. Hard drive has given me a few scares over the last several years,
> but it comes back every time (on it's own; I have not done anything
> heroic). This bootable thumb drive thing is intriguing because you
> don't need any hard drive at all with it. In your scenario, with the
> hidden partition, you still need a functional hard drive. Plus,
> there's been enough discussion of Linux here on ATIS (and elsewhere)
> that I'm curious.
>
> SO
>
>
>
> On Mon, Feb 17, 2020 at 5:08 AM Phil Auten <pga2 at basicisp.net
> <mailto:pga2 at basicisp.net>> wrote:
>
> Hi, Stephen,
>
> I don't remember what brand of PC you have, but several
> manufacturers provide a "hidden partition" on the hard drive that
> can be used to restore the PC back to factory settings. On both of
> my Acer laptops the <Alt-F10> keys are pressed together during
> boot. This enables the restore function. That would, however,
> wipe out your files. But if there is no other alternative it would
> be worth a try. The laptop I am using to type this suffered a hard
> drive crash a couple of years ago. The hard drive was no longer
> recognized. Using the Acer part number, I was able to find the
> exact same hard drive on eBay. I had to completely rebuild my
> setup, but still much less expensive than a new laptop.
>
> If that $35 thumb drive is bootable, that would still be a good
> option for me.
>
> My 2¢
>
> Phil in TX
>
>
> On 2/16/2020 5:44 AM, Stephen Offiler wrote:
>> Hi farmer: When you say no reason to buy anything, I assume you
>> refer to that $35 thumb drive device I mentioned. As I
>> understand it, the thumb drive is bootable, circumventing the
>> hard drive and whatever OS is on the machine. The sales pitch is
>> that it will take a machine that's bricked and bring it back to
>> life. Do you have a way to accomplish that for free?
>>
>> SO
>>
>>
>> On Sat, Feb 15, 2020 at 10:39 PM Indiana Robinson
>> <robinson46176 at gmail.com <mailto:robinson46176 at gmail.com>> wrote:
>>
>> No reason to buy anything, Most distributions of Linux will
>> read Windows files. You can copy, paste move etc. and you can
>> download anything for free. I don't putter with old stuff as
>> much as I used to but I've used Knoppix for such things for
>> many years. I don't know if Windows 10 can read Linux files
>> yet or not but I once read that it was soon to be an option.
>> If you install Linux as a dual boot with Windows you can just
>> access your Windows files without having to reboot back into
>> Windows to find them or work with them.
>> Half of the Linux learning curve is terminology... If you
>> have become comfortable using Android you are half way there.
>> Android is just a mobile (and tablet) version of Linux.
>> Android is built on and running the Linux Kernel but your
>> desktop box won't run Android.
>>
>>
>> .
>>
>> On Sat, Feb 15, 2020 at 9:33 AM cgs <oxygenfarm at gmail.com
>> <mailto:oxygenfarm at gmail.com>> wrote:
>>
>> Look at
>> _http://www.linuxandubuntu.com/home/5-best-data-recovery-tools-for-linux-to-recover-data-or-deleted-partitions_
>>
>> On 2/15/20 7:12 AM, Stephen Offiler wrote:
>>> Good to hear it's all set. I've been seeing ad's for a
>>> device called "XtraPC" which, it turns out, is some
>>> flavor of Linux burned onto a thumb drive for something
>>> like $35. You can bring back most troublesome old
>>> machines from the grave (assuming the problem is hard
>>> drive/boot software, not some hardware failure of
>>> course). What I do not know is whether you can access
>>> your Windows files under Linux. Curious about that.
>>>
>>> SO
>>>
>>
>> --
>> Charlie
>>
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>> --
>> --
>>
>> Francis Robinson
>> aka "farmer"
>> Central Indiana USA
>> robinson46176 at gmail.com <mailto:robinson46176 at gmail.com>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
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--
Charlie
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