[AT] OT- Computer help please
Mike M
meulenms at gmx.com
Tue Feb 18 11:20:52 PST 2020
Steve, unless I missed it, what size thumb drive did you need?
Thanks,
Mike M
On 2/18/2020 9:09 AM, Stephen Offiler wrote:
> And... it worked! Just about as simple as it sounded. Laptop just
> boots straight off USB, automatically, no fuss, no F12 or anything
> else needed. And fast!
>
> One detail, the "USB Image Writer" runs under Linux. The equivalent
> that runs under Windows is "Etcher"
>
> SO
>
> On Tue, Feb 18, 2020 at 7:20 AM Stephen Offiler <soffiler at gmail.com
> <mailto:soffiler at gmail.com>> wrote:
>
> THANKS! Will check that out!
>
> SO
>
> On Tue, Feb 18, 2020 at 6:58 AM cgs <oxygenfarm at gmail.com
> <mailto:oxygenfarm at gmail.com>> wrote:
>
> Linux Mint has an accessory named 'USB Image Writer' which
> will put the downloaded image of your new operating system
> onto your USB. A good instruction for Mint is at
> _https://www.linuxmint.com/documentation/user-guide/Cinnamon/english_18.0.pdf_
> I use its Mate version whose latest is 19.3 on older computers.
>
> On 2/18/20 5:13 AM, Stephen Offiler wrote:
>> Yes, I have one SATA connector on the old laptop. I am
>> hearing several votes in favor of Mint/Mate. Since I don't
>> have a ton of free time, hoping maybe someone can provide a
>> decent overview of the process. I'd like to ignore the hard
>> drive on the laptop and try to boot off a thumb drive as
>> we've been discussing. Basically treat the laptop as if it
>> were already dead. I have a fully modern, fully functional
>> desktop workstation running Win 10 for downloads and
>> manipulations of the thumb drive. So what are the basic
>> steps? Download to the workstation and then send files over
>> to the thumb, or download straight to the thumb? In either
>> case, how do I make the thumb bootable?
>>
>> Thanks in advance...
>> SO
>>
>> On Mon, Feb 17, 2020 at 9:53 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!)
>>
>> 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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> --
> Charlie
>
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