[AT] OT- Computer help please

Mike M meulenms at gmx.com
Thu Mar 5 18:50:39 PST 2020


Downloaded Linux Mint onto a memory stick tonight, and so far am very
pleased with what I see. It will take a little learning curve, but it
sure is more snappy than Windows 7. I'll keep playing with it and learn
as I go. I did have to F12 my computer to change to boot sequence, and
after that it was seamless. Tractor reference, I used my tractor to drag
a couple huge Oaks and a couple Black Cherry trees onto the pavement
tonight before some rain set in, and we go into mud season. Created all
kinds of hate and discontent as they were dragged through the brush and
smaller trees.

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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>>>>                         AT at lists.antique-tractor.com
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>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>                     --
>>>>                     --
>>>>
>>>>                     Francis Robinson
>>>>                     aka "farmer"
>>>>                     Central Indiana USA
>>>>                     robinson46176 at gmail.com
>>>>                     <mailto:robinson46176 at gmail.com>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
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>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
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>>>
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>>
>>             --
>>             Charlie
>>
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>>
>>
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>
>         --
>         Charlie
>
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