[AT] OT- Computer help please

[cgs]

If you want to retain the Windoz 'rescue' partition, most Linux install 
programs include a '/something else/' option (not using the /entire/ 
disk) whereby you can create/designate a separate partition on which to 
install Linux (it uses a program called /Gparted/ to do this).
Most computers, even after setting the BIOS to enable booting from a 
disk or thumb, need to be jolted by pushing /esc/ or /del/ or /f12/ etc 
when the initial screen shows up, then it will show your boot choices.

On 2/17/20 10:01 AM, bloomis at charter.net wrote:
>
> Good point Spencer. I had a difficult time getting my Asus laptop to 
> boot off the thumb even after setting USB as the primary boot. Google 
> led me to the need to also enter ESC to bring up a boot menu choice. 
> Jeez. I’m going to run Linux on that machine but for some odd reason I 
> want to keep the factory rescue partition. Heck I think it’s Vista. I 
> don’t think I can ever restore it to even W7 without the original 
> Vista so… I’ll probably image that partition.
> I’ve looked thru the manual and the forums on how to avoid erasing the 
> rescue partition, but as Charlie said the verbiage of Linux is, 
> different.
> Also someone mentioned defragging. SSDs don’t need it. I’m hoping to 
> put Linux on my desktop, same situation, 12 yo Dell Vista, now W7, on 
> an SSD, but this one I don’t really care about the partition. It’s I’m 
> just not ready to pull the trigger fully just yet. A lot of years 
> invested in Outlook as far as email, calendar, tasks, etc. hence the 
> learning on the laptop.
>
> Brad
>
> *From:* AT <at-bounces at lists.antique-tractor.com> *On Behalf Of 
> *Spencer Yost
> *Sent:* Monday, February 17, 2020 6:41 AM
> *To:* Antique Tractor Email Discussion Group 
> <at at lists.antique-tractor.com>
> *Subject:* Re: [AT] OT- Computer help please
>
> Just some thumb drive ramblings:
>
> Making thumb drives bootable is generally trivial. Most distributions 
> of Linux have great documentation on this.
>
>
>
> As others have mentioned, you need to have/borrow a second machine to 
> create it if you are doing this because your machine is in the fritz.
>
> Setting your bios to boot off the drive and having it actually work 
> can be challenging for some older makes/bios.
>
> To state the obvious:  Bootable thumb drives to rescue files don’t 
> work for ransomware and drive failures.   So no substitute for backups.
>
> micro SD cards  an be handy for this too.   Making your machine boot 
> off them is about the same in terms of difficulty and success rate.
>
> Some retail bootable solutions contain more than an operating system: 
>   Many have scan/repair tools and may be worth the $35.  Replicating 
> those capabilities in your bootable USB drive is not trivial.
>
> To ease some concerns:  Linux is open source and most (all probably??) 
> distributions of Linux have a free open source version in addition to 
> the paid “better” distribution that would include support.   So all of 
> this 100% legal.   Obviously you can steal and install software for 
> any OS so whether your additional installs are legal is up to you.
>
> Spencer
>
> Sent from my iPhone
>
>
>
>     On Feb 17, 2020, at 7:27 AM, cgs <oxygenfarm at gmail.com
>     <mailto:oxygenfarm at gmail.com>> wrote:
>
>      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!)
>
>
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-- 
Charlie

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