Oh Boy!! I think I am in way over my head. =(

ICEMAN

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Hello all!
New member here and hope you'll be patient at the risk of sounding like a cliche, but I am like many, not a Computer whiz/dev/geek etc but like to think I am a quick enough study to follow a great teachers directions that I can solve most problems...with my PC or otherwise.

So...here I go....

I have a Gateway WIN7 HP system I have had for many years (about 8 with several typical upgrades ie. GPU, Fans etc that I can recall at the moment) which recently started blue screening and freezing, usually telling me Windows has shutdown due to some problem suggesting I do a BIOS tweak and turn off caching and shadowing etc which I have no clue how to do even though I have tried to research, etc etc blah blah blah...(my version of computer jargon sorry). But my understanding is either Windows is corrupt or my Vid card possibly dying or both or neither. I am unsure but know it will go for long spells working fine and seems to crap the bed after an update or shutdowns. It seems to run okay if I just let it sleep most of the time and starts acting up when I have had to shut it down again either by demand or for an update.

I really would like to try anything but Windows in the future with all I have heard about Win10 etc. And with that being my next move/option if I am forced to buy new I thought I would investigate Linux as I have heard and seen much about it for many years but never really understood too much about it and its use.

I have read many posts and done many searches online about my issue and about Linux etc. In short I am wondering if I can replace my Win7 (or at least put it to sleep in the background as a non operating zombie only to be awakened if necessary for the most part/frankly if I could save my information I'd be thrilled to exorcise it from my PC for good) with Linux and use Linux as my operating system from now on? Another big part of that is if I can replace Win7 with Linux OS will Linux allow me to play MMORPG's online such as LOTRO, ESO, SWTOR etc? My rig has actually been not too bad over the years for quality but certainly not greatest for gaming as it is getting old but it has always served me well and I would like to try to revive it with a new OS and cross my fingers I am not into another 2k to buy a new gaming computer to replace it because I think the guts and hardware of it are still okay....but like the Scarecrow it needs a new brain.

Hope this makes sense and looking forward to learning from any who are able to help.

Cheers,

ICE
 


Hello ICEMAN,

Best advice for someone wanting to see what Linux is about and what Linux can do is to download a Linux iso and create a bootable live DVD and give it a test drive.

The most common way to try out Linux is to boot it off of a Live DVD.
Such DVDs let you run Linux right from the DVD, so nothing changes on the rest of your computer.

A good first read.
http://linux.oneandoneis2.org/LNW.htm

And then.
https://fosspost.org/reviews/distributions/linuxmint-19-review

https://fossbytes.com/install-linux-mint-19-tara-guide/



Linux Mint 19 Documentation.
https://linuxmint-installation-guide.readthedocs.io/en/latest/

Linux Mint 19 Downloads.
https://linuxmint.com/download.php
 
Last edited by a moderator:
G'day @ICEMAN and welcome to linux.org :)

You'll need to be prepared to do a bit of research, I expect you are prepared for that.

I did a brief Google with

"linux" mmorpg lotro ...and that lead to links that might be of use to you (I am not a Gamer, but I run 60 - 80 Linux at a time)

If you preface your search with Linux you'll get better results, and if you use quotes it willalso narrow down the field.

When I went to copy the search keywords to here it also referenced things like lotro linux 2018, &c.

So work through your list to see what is being used by other Gamers.

Make distrowatch.com your friend, and you can find Linux Distros that are Gamer-friendly.

I see @poorguy has beaten me in, and I endorse his comments.

In your Windows 7, you can run the command

Code:
msinfo32

and give us some of the specs for your rig. Also, on the Summary page, whether it is UEFI or Legacy/CSM.

Once we get a picture, we can better advise.

Cheers

Chris Turner
wizardfromoz

but like the Scarecrow it needs a new brain.

I like that, but then I come from Oz

It's Friday here, so all and sundry

AVAGUDWEEGEND
 
And for a blow by blow about how to take it for a test drive.....

read the blurb a couple of times....more if you wish.......it is not complicated.




**How to install/try Linux Mint on your Windows PC**

First, you can -- __and should__ -- try Linux Mint before switching to it. Fortunately, unlike other operating systems, Linux distros like Mint make it easy to give them a test run before installing it.

First you'll need to download a copy of Linux Mint, which comes with three different desktops: MATE, Xfce, and its default desktop, Cinnamon. If you have a 2012-or-newer PC, I recommend you download the 64-bit version of Mint with Cinnamon and multi-media support.

If you don't have an __ISO burner program__, download one. I recommend freeware programs ImgBurn for optical drives and Yumi for Windows for USB sticks. Other good choices are LinuxLive USB Creator and UNetbootin. These are also free programs.

((( I use unetbootin. I download the iso file separately....I don't use unetbootin to download it for me. I then use the are at the bottom of the unetbootin window to locate the iso on my pc, select the USB stick to write it to....select 4gb of persistence (so that after a reboot most/all the changes i have made will still be there)....and away we go !)))


**Giving Mint a try**

Once you've installed the burner program and have the latest Linux Mint ISO file in hand, use the burner to put the ISO image to your disc or USB stick. If you're using a DVD -- __Mint is too big to fit on a CD__ -- check your newly burned disc for errors. Over the years, I've had more __problems with running Linux and installing Linux from DVDs__ from bad discs than all other causes combined.

You can set it up a USB stick with persistent storage. With this, you can store your programs and files on the stick. This way you can carry Linux and use it as a walk-around operating system for hotel, conference, and library PCs. I've found this to be very handy and there's always at least one Linux stick in my laptop bag.

**Next, you place your disc or USB stick into your PC and reboot**. During the reboot, stop the boot-up process and get to your PC's UEFI or BIOS settings. How you do this varies according to the system.

Look for a message as the machine starts up that tells which key or keys you'll need to press in order to get to the BIOS or UEFI. Likely candidates are a function key or the "esc" or "delete" keys. __If you don't spot it the first time, don't worry about it. Just reboot and try again.__


Once you get to the BIOS or UEFI, look for a menu choice labeled "Boot," "Boot Options," or "Boot Order." If you don't see anything with the word "boot" in it, check other menu options such as "Advanced Options," "Advanced BIOS Features," or "Other Options." Once you find it, set the boot order so that instead of booting from the hard drive first, you boot from either the CD/DVD drive or from a USB drive.

Once your PC is set to try to boot first from the alternative drive, insert your DVD or USB stick and reboot. __Then, select "Start Linux Mint" from the first menu. And, from there, you'll be running Linux Mint.__

Some Nvidia graphics cards don't work well with Mint's open-source driver. If Linux Mint freezes during boot, use the "nomodeset" boot option. You set this to the Start Linux Mint option and press __'e'__ to modify the boot options. Then, replace "quiet splash" with "nomodeset" and press F10 to boot. On older PCs using BIOS, press 'tab' instead of 'e.'

__MINT WILL RUN SLOWER THIS WAY, BUT IT WILL BOOT AND RUN__. If you decide to install Mint, you can permanently fix the problem with the following steps:

Run the Driver Manager
Choose the NVIDIA drivers and wait for them to be installed
Reboot the computer

SO **FAR YOU HAVEN'T INSTALLED ANYTHING ON YOUR PC, BUT YOU WILL BE RUNNING LINUX MINT. USE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO PLAY WITH IT TO SEE IF YOU LIKE IT..**

Using a DVD drive Mint will run slowly, but it will run quickly enough to give you an idea of what it's like to use Mint. With a USB stick, it runs fast enough to give you a good notion of what working with Mint is like.

P__LEASE...play with it...explore everywhere....you CANNOT break it...remember it is on a thumb drive....if it goes up in smoke, just reboot and away you go again. No harm done.__

Advice : Have a look at **'Timeshift'** it is similar to windows system restore.....just MUCH better. It actually works.

A good tutorial can be found : https://www.linuxliteos.com/manual/tutorials.html#timeshift

While you are //playing with Linux// on a thumb drive //you will not need Timeshift//.....but after you have **actually INSTALLED Linux...then i HIGHLY recommend you give Timeshift a run**. If you have an __external hard drive as well, this is the ideal set up.__ You are able to send a 'snapshot' of your system to the external hard drive via Timeshift' ....it serves as a 'safe spot' which you can restore from with one click.
In the case of a (HIGHLY unlikely) bad update, where your normal __Linux__ would not boot.....simply boot the pc to the external hard drive...select the 'snapshot' you wish to run (usually the one made before the bad update)....click on 'restore'....go make coffee.
It will be done by the time you have made it. __Simple.__


=+==================================================================================================

https://www.zdnet.com/article/how-to-install-linux-mint-on-your-windows-pc/

==================================================================================================

Read the rest of this article online.

**PLEASE NOTE...THE MOST CRITICAL CHOICE IN ACTUALLY INSTALLING WILL BE :....HOW TO PARTITION YOUR HARD DRIVE !!!!!!.....GO ONE WAY AND LINUX WILL INSTALL ALONGSIDE YOUR WINDOWS INSTALL......GO THE OTHER WAY AND YOUR WINDOWS INSTALL WILL BE WIPED OUT. GONE. FOREVER. CHOOSE CAREFULLY !!!!!!!!**

I have always installed Linux in such a way that wipes out windows/whatever else is on the Hard drive/ssd

**You may wish to dual boot**. The instructions for that are at that link, where it tells you to __"install linux mint alongside..__"...

This procedure will install Linux Mint next to your existing Windows system and leave it totally untouched. When I do this, I usually give half my PC's remaining drive space to Mint. You'll be asked to choose which operating system you want to boot by default. No matter which one you pick, you'll get a few seconds to switch to the other operating system.

You'll also be required to give your system a name; __pick out a username for yourself, and come up with a PASSWORD. WRITE THE BLOODY THING DOWN__. You WILL need it....many times over. On many occasions when you type the password into linux.....it will NOT show on screen...not even asterisks etc etc......so have a record of it..... somewhere.

Set up a regular Timeshift schedule. Easy to do. Peace of mind assured.

Unless you work for the nsa, don't encrypt your drive. For normal day to day use , you do not need it.

Drivers : Next, you can have it check to see if your computer needs any additional drivers. I highly recommend you run this. After this, you can choose to install proprietary multimedia codecs such as drivers to watch DVDs. I think you should do this, as well.


You should also set it to __update your system to the latest software.__

Unlike Windows, when you update Mint, you're updating not just your operating system but all the other programs such as the default web browser, Firefox; office-suite, LibreOffice; and any other programs you've installed from Mint's Software Manager.
(software manager :....click on menu...then on software manager (hover over icons, you will find it)...)



__To update manually, click on the shield icon in the menu bar__. By default in the Cinnamon desktop, the bar will be on the bottom part of the screen and the icon will be on the right. It will then prompt you for your password and ask if you really want to update your system. Say yes, and you'll be ready to give your new Mint system a real try out.

**PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE READ. Your updates will be automatically set to ""JUST KEEP MY COMPUTER SAFE""**......DO NOT stop/delay/fiddle with updates. __THIS IS NOT WINDOWS__. Just let the update manager do its thing. It will not destroy your pc and have you spend countless hours trying to resurrect it from the ashes....This NOT windows. Have Faith.

At some later time after you have become REALLY familiar with Linux, you may progress to the update setting..::Let me Review Sensitive Updates""....That is for **LATER.**
__(and just in case you select that update policy, and something goes sideways....thats what Timeshift is for !!!)__


The setup routine also offers to let you look at system settings and find new programs with the Software Manager, but since you're probably a new user, you can skip those for now. Please...__.. skip this FOR NOW.__

Set up Firefox (if you use that) If you have used F'Fox in windows you may have used the "Sync Settings" in Firefox account. Use that to 'sync' your settings, add ons, history,bookmarks,preferences,logins etc

PLAY WITH IT. NO HARM WILL BE DONE
 
Hello, Ice, and welcome to Linux.org. Along with the good advice the others have already offered, I'd like to recommend you turn off your Win 7 updates. They are the source of your problems, not your aging computer. I dual boot Win 7 with all 5 of my computers, and I haven't had a single issue with Win 7. This is because I turned off Windows Update the day Win 10 was released to the public and started installing itself. I had also read, through research, that the rolling updates for Win 7 and 8 contained most of the telemetry of Win 10. Microsoft took away your ability to select which updates you wanted to install about 6 months after Win 10 was released, and they went to this "rolling update" model for both 7 and 8. You either take all the updates or none, which means their crappy drivers get installed. I chose none, and my computer is still running fine several years later.

If you want to keep your Win 7 and dual boot, there are a couple ways to do it, and the Wizard is the master at multi-booting. Good luck with whatever you decide.
 
...and the Wizard is the master at multi-booting

Kind words, friend Bayou :), but multibooting Linuxes is my forte.

I gave Windows 7 (which I quite liked) the flick a little over 4 years ago and went totally Linux household, never looked back. :D

In July Elaine and I got a good deal on a pair of Dell Inspirons, which shipped with Windows 10. I put Linux Mint 19 'Tara' Cinnamon on hers alongside the Windozer. Mine has the Windows neutered down to about 60GB and about 25 Linux on it. I would have blown away the Windows but Stan asked me to keep it on in case I could help here.

Stan (@atanere ), Brian (@Condobloke ) and others have far more recent Windows experience than I. Stan is on a Sabbatical of sorts for an indeterminate period of time.

Certainly if I can assist Ice or any other, I am happy to help.

Saturday here in Oz so Avagudweegend.

Wizard
 
Hello, Ice, and welcome to Linux.org. Along with the good advice the others have already offered, I'd like to recommend you turn off your Win 7 updates. They are the source of your problems, not your aging computer. I dual boot Win 7 with all 5 of my computers, and I haven't had a single issue with Win 7. This is because I turned off Windows Update the day Win 10 was released to the public and started installing itself. I had also read, through research, that the rolling updates for Win 7 and 8 contained most of the telemetry of Win 10. Microsoft took away your ability to select which updates you wanted to install about 6 months after Win 10 was released, and they went to this "rolling update" model for both 7 and 8. You either take all the updates or none, which means their crappy drivers get installed. I chose none, and my computer is still running fine several years later.

If you want to keep your Win 7 and dual boot, there are a couple ways to do it, and the Wizard is the master at multi-booting. Good luck with whatever you decide.

Well I certainly have a great deal of reading to do...Thank you all for the many replies. I will catch up in due time but for now...THIS gem right here makes so much sense for my Win 7 issue. In fact if I were Sherlock Homer I'd have figured this out back when Bart stuck a PB sanny in my DVD tray??!! I am definitely going to turn it off. Windows Updates I mean.

Believe it or not..my PC has not even hiccupped since sending my initial query to all you fine folks. And I am not sure if its because I actually did the reading suggested above prior to actually seeing the advice here and attempted to load an ISO via DVD burn of UBUNTU but sadly I ran into a few walls.

I did get the program to open and then tried to get the email client to recognize my existing email addresses to get started but got stumped and was unable to successfully perform that task. So I became frustrated and shut down rebooting the next day to WIN 7 and since then not a single problem. I just checked WIN Update and it was set to install automatically so I just switched it to 'NEVER' Bill Gates now. I will leave this as is for the time being and ask if the updates they call 'critical' can also be ignored?

It makes perfect sense that these updates were the source of my issue as they seemed to coincide with the next run of blue screens and freezes right after said updates but maybe my rig is also suspect as it is limping along with its age and perhaps a few of the issues I have had over the past year may be also related to that fact. In the meantime I will do my best to educate myself on the Linux programs as the prospect of NOT being bound to silicon valley and the BIG corps of MS and Apple is VERY appealing.

Thanks very much all.

ICE
 
Kind words, friend Bayou :), but multibooting Linuxes is my forte.

I gave Windows 7 (which I quite liked) the flick a little over 4 years ago and went totally Linux household, never looked back. :D

In July Elaine and I got a good deal on a pair of Dell Inspirons, which shipped with Windows 10. I put Linux Mint 19 'Tara' Cinnamon on hers alongside the Windozer. Mine has the Windows neutered down to about 60GB and about 25 Linux on it. I would have blown away the Windows but Stan asked me to keep it on in case I could help here.

Stan (@atanere ), Brian (@Condobloke ) and others have far more recent Windows experience than I. Stan is on a Sabbatical of sorts for an indeterminate period of time.

Certainly if I can assist Ice or any other, I am happy to help.

Saturday here in Oz so Avagudweegend.

Wizard
Beer? Yup...I have found a new home to learn. =)
 
And for a blow by blow about how to take it for a test drive.....

read the blurb a couple of times....more if you wish.......it is not complicated.




**How to install/try Linux Mint on your Windows PC**

First, you can -- __and should__ -- try Linux Mint before switching to it. Fortunately, unlike other operating systems, Linux distros like Mint make it easy to give them a test run before installing it.

First you'll need to download a copy of Linux Mint, which comes with three different desktops: MATE, Xfce, and its default desktop, Cinnamon. If you have a 2012-or-newer PC, I recommend you download the 64-bit version of Mint with Cinnamon and multi-media support.

If you don't have an __ISO burner program__, download one. I recommend freeware programs ImgBurn for optical drives and Yumi for Windows for USB sticks. Other good choices are LinuxLive USB Creator and UNetbootin. These are also free programs.

((( I use unetbootin. I download the iso file separately....I don't use unetbootin to download it for me. I then use the are at the bottom of the unetbootin window to locate the iso on my pc, select the USB stick to write it to....select 4gb of persistence (so that after a reboot most/all the changes i have made will still be there)....and away we go !)))


**Giving Mint a try**

Once you've installed the burner program and have the latest Linux Mint ISO file in hand, use the burner to put the ISO image to your disc or USB stick. If you're using a DVD -- __Mint is too big to fit on a CD__ -- check your newly burned disc for errors. Over the years, I've had more __problems with running Linux and installing Linux from DVDs__ from bad discs than all other causes combined.

You can set it up a USB stick with persistent storage. With this, you can store your programs and files on the stick. This way you can carry Linux and use it as a walk-around operating system for hotel, conference, and library PCs. I've found this to be very handy and there's always at least one Linux stick in my laptop bag.

**Next, you place your disc or USB stick into your PC and reboot**. During the reboot, stop the boot-up process and get to your PC's UEFI or BIOS settings. How you do this varies according to the system.

Look for a message as the machine starts up that tells which key or keys you'll need to press in order to get to the BIOS or UEFI. Likely candidates are a function key or the "esc" or "delete" keys. __If you don't spot it the first time, don't worry about it. Just reboot and try again.__


Once you get to the BIOS or UEFI, look for a menu choice labeled "Boot," "Boot Options," or "Boot Order." If you don't see anything with the word "boot" in it, check other menu options such as "Advanced Options," "Advanced BIOS Features," or "Other Options." Once you find it, set the boot order so that instead of booting from the hard drive first, you boot from either the CD/DVD drive or from a USB drive.

Once your PC is set to try to boot first from the alternative drive, insert your DVD or USB stick and reboot. __Then, select "Start Linux Mint" from the first menu. And, from there, you'll be running Linux Mint.__

Some Nvidia graphics cards don't work well with Mint's open-source driver. If Linux Mint freezes during boot, use the "nomodeset" boot option. You set this to the Start Linux Mint option and press __'e'__ to modify the boot options. Then, replace "quiet splash" with "nomodeset" and press F10 to boot. On older PCs using BIOS, press 'tab' instead of 'e.'

__MINT WILL RUN SLOWER THIS WAY, BUT IT WILL BOOT AND RUN__. If you decide to install Mint, you can permanently fix the problem with the following steps:

Run the Driver Manager
Choose the NVIDIA drivers and wait for them to be installed
Reboot the computer

SO **FAR YOU HAVEN'T INSTALLED ANYTHING ON YOUR PC, BUT YOU WILL BE RUNNING LINUX MINT. USE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO PLAY WITH IT TO SEE IF YOU LIKE IT..**

Using a DVD drive Mint will run slowly, but it will run quickly enough to give you an idea of what it's like to use Mint. With a USB stick, it runs fast enough to give you a good notion of what working with Mint is like.

P__LEASE...play with it...explore everywhere....you CANNOT break it...remember it is on a thumb drive....if it goes up in smoke, just reboot and away you go again. No harm done.__

Advice : Have a look at **'Timeshift'** it is similar to windows system restore.....just MUCH better. It actually works.

A good tutorial can be found : https://www.linuxliteos.com/manual/tutorials.html#timeshift

While you are //playing with Linux// on a thumb drive //you will not need Timeshift//.....but after you have **actually INSTALLED Linux...then i HIGHLY recommend you give Timeshift a run**. If you have an __external hard drive as well, this is the ideal set up.__ You are able to send a 'snapshot' of your system to the external hard drive via Timeshift' ....it serves as a 'safe spot' which you can restore from with one click.
In the case of a (HIGHLY unlikely) bad update, where your normal __Linux__ would not boot.....simply boot the pc to the external hard drive...select the 'snapshot' you wish to run (usually the one made before the bad update)....click on 'restore'....go make coffee.
It will be done by the time you have made it. __Simple.__


=+==================================================================================================

https://www.zdnet.com/article/how-to-install-linux-mint-on-your-windows-pc/

==================================================================================================

Read the rest of this article online.

**PLEASE NOTE...THE MOST CRITICAL CHOICE IN ACTUALLY INSTALLING WILL BE :....HOW TO PARTITION YOUR HARD DRIVE !!!!!!.....GO ONE WAY AND LINUX WILL INSTALL ALONGSIDE YOUR WINDOWS INSTALL......GO THE OTHER WAY AND YOUR WINDOWS INSTALL WILL BE WIPED OUT. GONE. FOREVER. CHOOSE CAREFULLY !!!!!!!!**

I have always installed Linux in such a way that wipes out windows/whatever else is on the Hard drive/ssd

**You may wish to dual boot**. The instructions for that are at that link, where it tells you to __"install linux mint alongside..__"...

This procedure will install Linux Mint next to your existing Windows system and leave it totally untouched. When I do this, I usually give half my PC's remaining drive space to Mint. You'll be asked to choose which operating system you want to boot by default. No matter which one you pick, you'll get a few seconds to switch to the other operating system.

You'll also be required to give your system a name; __pick out a username for yourself, and come up with a PASSWORD. WRITE THE BLOODY THING DOWN__. You WILL need it....many times over. On many occasions when you type the password into linux.....it will NOT show on screen...not even asterisks etc etc......so have a record of it..... somewhere.

Set up a regular Timeshift schedule. Easy to do. Peace of mind assured.

Unless you work for the nsa, don't encrypt your drive. For normal day to day use , you do not need it.

Drivers : Next, you can have it check to see if your computer needs any additional drivers. I highly recommend you run this. After this, you can choose to install proprietary multimedia codecs such as drivers to watch DVDs. I think you should do this, as well.


You should also set it to __update your system to the latest software.__

Unlike Windows, when you update Mint, you're updating not just your operating system but all the other programs such as the default web browser, Firefox; office-suite, LibreOffice; and any other programs you've installed from Mint's Software Manager.
(software manager :....click on menu...then on software manager (hover over icons, you will find it)...)



__To update manually, click on the shield icon in the menu bar__. By default in the Cinnamon desktop, the bar will be on the bottom part of the screen and the icon will be on the right. It will then prompt you for your password and ask if you really want to update your system. Say yes, and you'll be ready to give your new Mint system a real try out.

**PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE READ. Your updates will be automatically set to ""JUST KEEP MY COMPUTER SAFE""**......DO NOT stop/delay/fiddle with updates. __THIS IS NOT WINDOWS__. Just let the update manager do its thing. It will not destroy your pc and have you spend countless hours trying to resurrect it from the ashes....This NOT windows. Have Faith.

At some later time after you have become REALLY familiar with Linux, you may progress to the update setting..::Let me Review Sensitive Updates""....That is for **LATER.**
__(and just in case you select that update policy, and something goes sideways....thats what Timeshift is for !!!)__


The setup routine also offers to let you look at system settings and find new programs with the Software Manager, but since you're probably a new user, you can skip those for now. Please...__.. skip this FOR NOW.__

Set up Firefox (if you use that) If you have used F'Fox in windows you may have used the "Sync Settings" in Firefox account. Use that to 'sync' your settings, add ons, history,bookmarks,preferences,logins etc

PLAY WITH IT. NO HARM WILL BE DONE

**PLEASE NOTE...THE MOST CRITICAL CHOICE IN ACTUALLY INSTALLING WILL BE :....HOW TO PARTITION YOUR HARD DRIVE !!!!!!.....GO ONE WAY AND LINUX WILL INSTALL ALONGSIDE YOUR WINDOWS INSTALL......GO THE OTHER WAY AND YOUR WINDOWS INSTALL WILL BE WIPED OUT. GONE. FOREVER. CHOOSE CAREFULLY !!!!!!!!**

YESSSSSSS!!!! I had huge issues with this trying to determine what the hell the install was trying to tell me. Frankly I found that portion of it very poorly designed as it did not give you much hope in trying to figure out where exactly you should install or partition etc. Not that I know what partition actually technically means (I can assume and figure it out though) and I finally just gave up and backed out of that attempt and then began reburning another DVD to use it as I posted earlier...as a demo disc which was when I could not get the email programs figured out. So as I say...I obviously just need to sit down and read....A LOT apparently which honestly can be a big turnoff for many with this kind of thing.

But I will go through the motions at some point. I will say however that issue of partitioning should be the designer of this program's first order of business to have it better transfer onto screen for the noobs trying out the program. By that I mean have clearer directions and UI when that choice of where, how, why etc to partition comes on screen. I ended up deleting a pile of back ups to make room on my C drive(225GB) because it was messing with my head and making me think it insisted I use the original main drive that the PC came with, even though I have two other drives installed. One is my J drive installed directly (935GB) and the other is a USB plug in Seagate Backup Plus at 1.5TB. So there's plenty of room with each drive being half empty but I simply could not figure out what it was trying to tell me when I attempted the install. So I gave up as I say because I was worried about exactly what you mention of wiping my entire Win7 out unintentionally and reburned a disc to use as a demo.

Thanks for the note. I need to read it again and refer to the links etc supplied by all. TOOOOOOOOOO MUCH reading...Lol.

Cheers,
ICE
 
TOOOOOOOOOO MUCH reading...Lol.

b_Zo_Rud6_-_Imgur.gif


G'day Ice - laughing with you, not at you.

In Linux, we sometimes get criticised for not having enough documentation to read up on, not having an F1 we can press for Help. So we are damned if we do, and damned if we don't. :)

But your points are valid.

Linux is constantly evolving and by and large things are getting better all the time. If Ubuntu is your preferred choice, then Brian's Mint "recipe" above is still valid. They use the same installer, Ubiquity, which was developed by Ubuntu.

If you get the chance, do revisit my Post above on msinfo32 and see if you can provide us with some shots. I'll show you what I mean with mine from Win 10, and there will be similarities.


TgF09Tq.png


SCREENSHOT 1

... is from the Summary page. Apart from showing my computer, it shows at "BIOS Mode" that I have UEFI, yours might show BIOS or Legacy.

Also useful to us and to you is Windows Disk Management (start to type in Disk Management in Run... under Windows)


fJrqJAp.png


SCREENSHOT 2

Here, I have gone to the area where it shows 5 blue headers and one black, and right clicked on the part that says Disk 0 at left, in order to check Properties but you will likely be on MS-DOS/MBR, so perhaps no need.

What is offscreen at bottom is my 3rd drive, a 4TB WD My Book.

So if you can show all 3 of your drives and use Windows Snipping Tool to capture a pic, that would be cool.

Cheers

Wizard
 
Hi Ice, yes you can skip the critical updates too. I don't use Windows much anymore, except when I have a class to teach, and that involves some very specific PLC software, so I can't kill windows as yet. However, I have not updated my Windows 7 installation, my wife's Win 7 (she still uses it daily, or the Win 7 on my other three laptops. I haven't allowed Updates to be installed on those computers, critical or otherwise, since Win 10 was officially released. We've had no issues. I do have one brand new computer, that I just built, to replace my old security camera server. The old one absorbed too many voltage surges, or EMP, from bad thunderstorms and finally died. It has Win 10 Pro on it, and you can't stop the updates. I use Blue Iris for the camera software. We'll guess what I did last week? I installed Blue Iris on Linux Mint, through "Play on Linux", and the software ran, and I was able to use all the features of all 11 of my cameras. So, the brand new computer is fixing to get windows cleaned off of it, the SSD will have to be sterilized, I know, and then Mint Cinnamon will be installed on it.
 
I love it when he talks like that :D

Avagudweegend
 
and give us some of the specs for your rig. Also, on the Summary page, whether it is UEFI or Legacy/CSM.

Once we get a picture, we can better advise.

That's allright wiz, because you beat me to the question that I was going to ask, mainly what hardware are you using. Welcome to the group, mate. And may I add Nice avatar choice!:D

Happy Trails,
Paul
 
And for a blow by blow about how to take it for a test drive.....

read the blurb a couple of times....more if you wish.......it is not complicated.




**How to install/try Linux Mint on your Windows PC**

First, you can -- __and should__ -- try Linux Mint before switching to it. Fortunately, unlike other operating systems, Linux distros like Mint make it easy to give them a test run before installing it.

First you'll need to download a copy of Linux Mint, which comes with three different desktops: MATE, Xfce, and its default desktop, Cinnamon. If you have a 2012-or-newer PC, I recommend you download the 64-bit version of Mint with Cinnamon and multi-media support.

If you don't have an __ISO burner program__, download one. I recommend freeware programs ImgBurn for optical drives and Yumi for Windows for USB sticks. Other good choices are LinuxLive USB Creator and UNetbootin. These are also free programs.

((( I use unetbootin. I download the iso file separately....I don't use unetbootin to download it for me. I then use the are at the bottom of the unetbootin window to locate the iso on my pc, select the USB stick to write it to....select 4gb of persistence (so that after a reboot most/all the changes i have made will still be there)....and away we go !)))


**Giving Mint a try**

Once you've installed the burner program and have the latest Linux Mint ISO file in hand, use the burner to put the ISO image to your disc or USB stick. If you're using a DVD -- __Mint is too big to fit on a CD__ -- check your newly burned disc for errors. Over the years, I've had more __problems with running Linux and installing Linux from DVDs__ from bad discs than all other causes combined.

You can set it up a USB stick with persistent storage. With this, you can store your programs and files on the stick. This way you can carry Linux and use it as a walk-around operating system for hotel, conference, and library PCs. I've found this to be very handy and there's always at least one Linux stick in my laptop bag.

**Next, you place your disc or USB stick into your PC and reboot**. During the reboot, stop the boot-up process and get to your PC's UEFI or BIOS settings. How you do this varies according to the system.

Look for a message as the machine starts up that tells which key or keys you'll need to press in order to get to the BIOS or UEFI. Likely candidates are a function key or the "esc" or "delete" keys. __If you don't spot it the first time, don't worry about it. Just reboot and try again.__


Once you get to the BIOS or UEFI, look for a menu choice labeled "Boot," "Boot Options," or "Boot Order." If you don't see anything with the word "boot" in it, check other menu options such as "Advanced Options," "Advanced BIOS Features," or "Other Options." Once you find it, set the boot order so that instead of booting from the hard drive first, you boot from either the CD/DVD drive or from a USB drive.

Once your PC is set to try to boot first from the alternative drive, insert your DVD or USB stick and reboot. __Then, select "Start Linux Mint" from the first menu. And, from there, you'll be running Linux Mint.__

Some Nvidia graphics cards don't work well with Mint's open-source driver. If Linux Mint freezes during boot, use the "nomodeset" boot option. You set this to the Start Linux Mint option and press __'e'__ to modify the boot options. Then, replace "quiet splash" with "nomodeset" and press F10 to boot. On older PCs using BIOS, press 'tab' instead of 'e.'

__MINT WILL RUN SLOWER THIS WAY, BUT IT WILL BOOT AND RUN__. If you decide to install Mint, you can permanently fix the problem with the following steps:

Run the Driver Manager
Choose the NVIDIA drivers and wait for them to be installed
Reboot the computer

SO **FAR YOU HAVEN'T INSTALLED ANYTHING ON YOUR PC, BUT YOU WILL BE RUNNING LINUX MINT. USE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO PLAY WITH IT TO SEE IF YOU LIKE IT..**

Using a DVD drive Mint will run slowly, but it will run quickly enough to give you an idea of what it's like to use Mint. With a USB stick, it runs fast enough to give you a good notion of what working with Mint is like.

P__LEASE...play with it...explore everywhere....you CANNOT break it...remember it is on a thumb drive....if it goes up in smoke, just reboot and away you go again. No harm done.__

Advice : Have a look at **'Timeshift'** it is similar to windows system restore.....just MUCH better. It actually works.

A good tutorial can be found : https://www.linuxliteos.com/manual/tutorials.html#timeshift

While you are //playing with Linux// on a thumb drive //you will not need Timeshift//.....but after you have **actually INSTALLED Linux...then i HIGHLY recommend you give Timeshift a run**. If you have an __external hard drive as well, this is the ideal set up.__ You are able to send a 'snapshot' of your system to the external hard drive via Timeshift' ....it serves as a 'safe spot' which you can restore from with one click.
In the case of a (HIGHLY unlikely) bad update, where your normal __Linux__ would not boot.....simply boot the pc to the external hard drive...select the 'snapshot' you wish to run (usually the one made before the bad update)....click on 'restore'....go make coffee.
It will be done by the time you have made it. __Simple.__


=+==================================================================================================

https://www.zdnet.com/article/how-to-install-linux-mint-on-your-windows-pc/

==================================================================================================

Read the rest of this article online.

**PLEASE NOTE...THE MOST CRITICAL CHOICE IN ACTUALLY INSTALLING WILL BE :....HOW TO PARTITION YOUR HARD DRIVE !!!!!!.....GO ONE WAY AND LINUX WILL INSTALL ALONGSIDE YOUR WINDOWS INSTALL......GO THE OTHER WAY AND YOUR WINDOWS INSTALL WILL BE WIPED OUT. GONE. FOREVER. CHOOSE CAREFULLY !!!!!!!!**

I have always installed Linux in such a way that wipes out windows/whatever else is on the Hard drive/ssd

**You may wish to dual boot**. The instructions for that are at that link, where it tells you to __"install linux mint alongside..__"...

This procedure will install Linux Mint next to your existing Windows system and leave it totally untouched. When I do this, I usually give half my PC's remaining drive space to Mint. You'll be asked to choose which operating system you want to boot by default. No matter which one you pick, you'll get a few seconds to switch to the other operating system.

You'll also be required to give your system a name; __pick out a username for yourself, and come up with a PASSWORD. WRITE THE BLOODY THING DOWN__. You WILL need it....many times over. On many occasions when you type the password into linux.....it will NOT show on screen...not even asterisks etc etc......so have a record of it..... somewhere.

Set up a regular Timeshift schedule. Easy to do. Peace of mind assured.

Unless you work for the nsa, don't encrypt your drive. For normal day to day use , you do not need it.

Drivers : Next, you can have it check to see if your computer needs any additional drivers. I highly recommend you run this. After this, you can choose to install proprietary multimedia codecs such as drivers to watch DVDs. I think you should do this, as well.


You should also set it to __update your system to the latest software.__

Unlike Windows, when you update Mint, you're updating not just your operating system but all the other programs such as the default web browser, Firefox; office-suite, LibreOffice; and any other programs you've installed from Mint's Software Manager.
(software manager :....click on menu...then on software manager (hover over icons, you will find it)...)



__To update manually, click on the shield icon in the menu bar__. By default in the Cinnamon desktop, the bar will be on the bottom part of the screen and the icon will be on the right. It will then prompt you for your password and ask if you really want to update your system. Say yes, and you'll be ready to give your new Mint system a real try out.

**PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE READ. Your updates will be automatically set to ""JUST KEEP MY COMPUTER SAFE""**......DO NOT stop/delay/fiddle with updates. __THIS IS NOT WINDOWS__. Just let the update manager do its thing. It will not destroy your pc and have you spend countless hours trying to resurrect it from the ashes....This NOT windows. Have Faith.

At some later time after you have become REALLY familiar with Linux, you may progress to the update setting..::Let me Review Sensitive Updates""....That is for **LATER.**
__(and just in case you select that update policy, and something goes sideways....thats what Timeshift is for !!!)__


The setup routine also offers to let you look at system settings and find new programs with the Software Manager, but since you're probably a new user, you can skip those for now. Please...__.. skip this FOR NOW.__

Set up Firefox (if you use that) If you have used F'Fox in windows you may have used the "Sync Settings" in Firefox account. Use that to 'sync' your settings, add ons, history,bookmarks,preferences,logins etc

PLAY WITH IT. NO HARM WILL BE DONE
Nicely Said, Mate!
 
Hi Ice, yes you can skip the critical updates too. I don't use Windows much anymore, except when I have a class to teach, and that involves some very specific PLC software, so I can't kill windows as yet. However, I have not updated my Windows 7 installation, my wife's Win 7 (she still uses it daily, or the Win 7 on my other three laptops. I haven't allowed Updates to be installed on those computers, critical or otherwise, since Win 10 was officially released. We've had no issues. I do have one brand new computer, that I just built, to replace my old security camera server. The old one absorbed too many voltage surges, or EMP, from bad thunderstorms and finally died. It has Win 10 Pro on it, and you can't stop the updates. I use Blue Iris for the camera software. We'll guess what I did last week? I installed Blue Iris on Linux Mint, through "Play on Linux", and the software ran, and I was able to use all the features of all 11 of my cameras. So, the brand new computer is fixing to get windows cleaned off of it, the SSD will have to be sterilized, I know, and then Mint Cinnamon will be installed on it.
I set the updates on win 7 to manual, and checked every one carefully. I hid the ones that pertained to setting the machine up for upgrading to win 10, and it stayed on win 7. Score one for the good side! I use it so rarely that it probably needs a thousand updates, but OH WELL!:p:p

Happy Trails,
Paul
 
Ice, there are many good Linux install videos on You Tube. When I am attempting something new in Linux, I always go to You Tube first. After watching several videos you will feel like you have done the procedure many times. The install you want to select is either "Install along side Windows", or use the "Something Else" option. I always use the "Something else" option.

Since you want to dual boot with Windows, watch this video by Matthew Moore. He calls it "The Nontraditional Way", but it will make your Dual Boot a bit more bullet proof.

 
very specific PLC software,
What PLC are you teaching? I used to work on robots which used the Mitubishi Melsec, but I haven't touched one in 20 years. These new machines, even the ones that wave around plasma torches, all use embedded UNIX processors.:):D
 
Allen Bradley PLC's. The software is produced by Rockwell. Current lines are the Controllogix series and the Compactlogix series, but I have been messing with the AB line since the PLC4 days. I started with the Gould Modicon line back in 1980.
 
Oi, you pair of chirpy galahs (an Australian parrot) - go start a Thread in General Computing - sounds like you have some similar experiences and things in common, and I'd certainly read it :) - one of the things I love about this place is the wealth of experiences on tap.

Avagudweegend

Wiz
 

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