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[Technology] XtraPc



B

BensGrandad

New member
Jul 13, 2003
72,015
Haywards Heath
I have an old laptop which had windows 7 which i upped to windows 10 but it is very slow and I thought that perhaps I could buy that to witch to linux and it would operate quicker. As it was a pop up on NSC it seemed obvious to ask fellow posters about it sorry.

I read the part highlighted by schmunk but it seemed, on quick reading, long and complicated, so I think that I will wait until a quiet day when I have no grandchildren running around and print it out to read and study. will then go from there but if somebody has a simple method eg put in a usb and go to linux on the web and download to the usb that would help. Many thanks
 




Coldeanseagull

Coldeanseagull

Opinionated
Mar 13, 2013
8,358
Coldean
There are many, many linux distros available for the complete novice. However, it will be an utter minefield for someone to go in without first reading how to put them on your harddrive via usb or cd. New terminology will need to be learned, like sda, hda, swap out partition and root, but for speed of use and virus free operation it's well worth the hassle.
Have a read of distrowatch, there you'll find a lot of info.
Also, do a google search for something like linux for complete beginners. You'll read about the basics, peoples hatred of all things microsoft and hear about operating systems like Ubuntu and Mint
 






B

BensGrandad

New member
Jul 13, 2003
72,015
Haywards Heath
Coldeanseagull said:
Also, do a google search for something like linux for complete beginners. You'll read about the basics, peoples hatred of all things microsoft and hear about operating systems like Ubuntu and Mint
Click to expand...

I have just had a quick read and it seems that Mint and Chalet are the nearest and best substitute for Windows in looks and use. I may try to download to a usb one of those and give it a try on my old laptop.
 




Dick Swiveller

Dick Swiveller

Well-known member
Sep 9, 2011
9,531
BensGrandad said:
I have just had a quick read and it seems that Mint and Chalet are the nearest and best substitute for Windows in looks and use. I may try to download to a usb one of those and give it a try on my old laptop.
Click to expand...
Exclusive live stream as BG attempts using Linux to clean up Windows.

 




Coldeanseagull

Coldeanseagull

Opinionated
Mar 13, 2013
8,358
Coldean
BensGrandad said:
Can I still use Google Chrome, Canon Printer etc on the linux OS.What about spyware and anti virus protection.
Click to expand...

Yes via a package, yes via canon website for the drivers, yes as an add on in your browser and yes, but you don't get a lot of viruses with linux.....it's free, people don't have a grudge when it's free
 




1066familyman

1066familyman

Radio User
Jan 15, 2008
15,233
BensGrandad said:
Can I still use Google Chrome, Canon Printer etc on the linux OS.What about spyware and anti virus protection.
Click to expand...

I'd bin off Chrome and use Chromium instead if I were you. You'll be amazed at how rapid it is on Linux on old laptops.

You'll have no trouble with your Canon printer either. Ours runs fine with Linux.

Once you move to Linux you'll wonder why you didn't do it years ago. Easy to install and run yourself after just a little bit of reading up. Good luck.
 


S

Sussex Nomad

Well-known member
Aug 26, 2010
18,185
EP
This is what it does.

1. Clears your PC of the old OS.
2.
3.
4. Doesn't matter any more you won't be reading this.
 


Nottseagull

Nottseagull

Well-known member
Nov 28, 2006
8,485
The Tory stronghold of Mansfield (majority increas
BensGrandad said:
I couldnt see how windows would allow or assist a download to another system in competition with them and their market dominance
Click to expand...
Windows is nothing more than an operating system (OS), therefore you can remove it from your machine and replace it with something else. I have downloaded linux distros (distroes??) via Windows before, so that is not an issue. If your hard drive (HDD or SSD) is large enough you can have both on your machine at the same time, although only one will be running at any one time. This is called 'dual boot' and involves messing around with the hard drive's (or hard disk's) partitions so not for you (or even me), because you can do damage to your machine if you get it wrong.
 
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B

BensGrandad

New member
Jul 13, 2003
72,015
Haywards Heath
I hate to be a nuisance but I must be doing something wrong.

I downloaded Ubuntu on my pc with windows 10: Copy and pasted the download to a 32GB memory stick then inserted the memory stick into the E drive of the old PC but nothing happened. What have I either done wrong or not done to make the memory stick activate in the PC please.
 




B

BensGrandad

New member
Jul 13, 2003
72,015
Haywards Heath
I just googled and it said Ubuntu was the most popular for beginners. It also said about my memory stick being a bootable stick so may have to remove and reformat to ensure that it is.
 




Nottseagull

Nottseagull

Well-known member
Nov 28, 2006
8,485
The Tory stronghold of Mansfield (majority increas
BensGrandad said:
I just googled and it said Ubuntu was the most popular for beginners. It also said about my memory stick being a bootable stick so may have to remove and reformat to ensure that it is.
Click to expand...
You mean you didn't even format your stick beforehand?? This tells me that you are doing it blind without following detailed instructions! You need to be taken through it step by step, so I'm advising you to join this forum to ask for help. Make sure you are specific in your thread title e.g. when you asked for advice on meat retailers, you failed to even mention meat in your thread title!
Would suggest something like 'PC too slow and considering Linux'. You will then get advice on speeding up your machine, if that is what the root problem is.
https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/forumdisplay.php?f=29
 
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B

BensGrandad

New member
Jul 13, 2003
72,015
Haywards Heath
After much frustration and being unable to understand most of the literature about Linux I have ordered a Mint Cinnamon 64 bit installation DVD on E bay as it was only £2.29. and will be here Thursday. so onwards and upwards. A lot less than the original £28 as per this thread.and hopefully achieve the same results. especially as I have 3 old laptops to try it on,. An ACER on XP upgraded to Windows 7, An Acer on Windows 7 upgraded to Windows 10 and a Compaq on Windows 7 now upgraded to Windows 10 If it works on 1 of them I will be happy.
 
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SIMMO SAYS

SIMMO SAYS

Well-known member
Jul 31, 2012
11,749
Incommunicado
Nottseagull said:
You could have had the problem sorted before Thursday and for £0 had you followed my advice.
Now you run the risk of infecting your machines,
unless the software is from a reputable eBay merchant. Can you post the page it came from?
Click to expand...

You need a break from BG
Have a kitkat lol
 


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