32-bit vs 64-bit

This is a reply to everyone who has responded to my quandary. You guys are great! Thank you so much for all your great help. I will work on getting you the information for the USB drive I have purchased. Also I am going to try once again to boot from it and see if it’ll work. It’s wonderful to know that I have a 64-bit computer and that I can do more with it than I thought. I am retired and on a limited income, and can’t afford a new PC right now. However I was given these PCs and a laptop as they were going to be thrown away and I couldn’t stand that. Even if I wasn’t poor I still wouldn’t want to see computers being thrown in the trash. Anyway you’ve given me much encouragement and help me tremendously. I’m going to give these things to try and I’ll get back to you as I see what happens. Thanks again for all your wonderful help.
 


I'm using desktop computers from 2006 and 2007 and Linux works well on them they were others discarded computers.

I haven't bought a computer since 2006.
 
That's what I'm talking about! I also have a network my daughter gave me for Christmas about 8 years ago. Again, running 32 bit Vista. It, too, will be given the Linux treatment.
 
Thanks for your help. As far as checking the check some seems to be a little daunting for some reason. It shouldn’t be it should be fairly simple but I can’t wrap my head around it. What do I download to do that?
Just paste this in your web browsers search bar

https://{gh} download.cnet.com/MD5-SHA-Checksum-Utility/{AH} 3000-2092_4-10911445.html

That is the page just hit the download button and once it is downloaded open it up and install it.
To use it just open it up and browse for the file you want to check sum and click on it and while it is running to ascertain the check sums copy the SHA check sum you copied from the site you downloaded the file from. When all the lines of the check sums are filled out paste your check sum in the verify check sum box and hit the verify button and it will tell you if the file is good and correct.

But before you do just remove the brackets and letters I did that as I am unsure about the rules with inserting site addresses directly in the comments.
 
Site addresses/url's etc are cool. I have added the url address below to rule out any mistakes.

 
Thanks, Gents. I’ll be performing this (or attempting to) shortly.
 
That's what I'm talking about! I also have a network my daughter gave me for Christmas about 8 years ago. Again, running 32 bit Vista. It, too, will be given the Linux treatment.
I meant to say netBOOK
 
http://pix.iemoji.com/sbemojix2/0474.png
 
I also have a netbook my daughter gave me for Christmas about 8 years ago. Again, running 32 bit Vista. It, too, will be given the Linux treatment.
If you catch a screenshot of the netbook's system overview (like your other screenshot)... we will be happy to look up the CPU specs for it too so you can be sure it is also 64-bit. It probably is though. I think you said there was a third computer also, so post a screenshot of that as well, if you want.

Once you get a working bootable Linux USB, you can try it on any of your computers. If they were to actually be older 32-bit machines, it will fail to boot and give you an error something like, "incompatible CPU architecture," or like, "wrong kernel type," or something like that. It won't harm the computer if the USB fails to work.

There are some other things that can cause boot failure, or what seems like a boot failure. If the Linux USB can't load a compatible video driver, you may end up with a black screen (especially on a netbook or laptop). There is usually a simple fix for this though, so don't worry if it happens.

I'd suggest concentrating one just one computer to start with. Get your Linux USB working and get Linux installed so you can start to learn it better and get a little more comfortable with it. Then start a new thread for each of your other computers, if you need further help with them. Or a new thread for particular problems, such as a "black screen" issue, or if wireless internet doesn't work, etc.

Cheers
 
If you catch a screenshot of the netbook's system overview (like your other screenshot)... we will be happy to look up the CPU specs for it too so you can be sure it is also 64-bit. It probably is though. I think you said there was a third computer also, so post a screenshot of that as well, if you want.

Once you get a working bootable Linux USB, you can try it on any of your computers. If they were to actually be older 32-bit machines, it will fail to boot and give you an error something like, "incompatible CPU architecture," or like, "wrong kernel type," or something like that. It won't harm the computer if the USB fails to work.

There are some other things that can cause boot failure, or what seems like a boot failure. If the Linux USB can't load a compatible video driver, you may end up with a black screen (especially on a netbook or laptop). There is usually a simple fix for this though, so don't worry if it happens.

I'd suggest concentrating one just one computer to start with. Get your Linux USB working and get Linux installed so you can start to learn it better and get a little more comfortable with it. Then start a new thread for each of your other computers, if you need further help with them. Or a new thread for particular problems, such as a "black screen" issue, or if wireless internet doesn't work, etc.

Cheers
Thanks. Just for a lark, I tried the USB drive on my netbook and on my laptop and it didn’t work on either one of them either. I’m going to post some screenshots and also pictures of the scant information that came with the USB drive.
 

Attachments

  • 3DC480AB-821A-4239-A0EF-8FF1EAD7EE4C.jpeg
    3DC480AB-821A-4239-A0EF-8FF1EAD7EE4C.jpeg
    2.5 MB · Views: 504
  • 127903BB-D872-4B6A-8ED5-F4B3A2061421.jpeg
    127903BB-D872-4B6A-8ED5-F4B3A2061421.jpeg
    1.4 MB · Views: 507
  • 84C0D2DE-7400-4F7E-8EEF-BF04E1F61F5E.jpeg
    84C0D2DE-7400-4F7E-8EEF-BF04E1F61F5E.jpeg
    1.2 MB · Views: 524
  • 0FB21B93-F251-4C72-A0CA-732A015F3FCA.jpeg
    0FB21B93-F251-4C72-A0CA-732A015F3FCA.jpeg
    1.4 MB · Views: 513
  • BC25AA6E-9F78-48E8-88AE-62D47C5B073F.jpeg
    BC25AA6E-9F78-48E8-88AE-62D47C5B073F.jpeg
    1.1 MB · Views: 485
  • 4B82695F-B126-4EEB-ADB3-7F7786055037.jpeg
    4B82695F-B126-4EEB-ADB3-7F7786055037.jpeg
    3.8 MB · Views: 563
  • 83EC6C2D-45F5-47BB-91AC-DAFF6AF83D3E.jpeg
    83EC6C2D-45F5-47BB-91AC-DAFF6AF83D3E.jpeg
    1.5 MB · Views: 528
  • 338EE3B0-1B98-4C83-B372-AD405494F4D6.jpeg
    338EE3B0-1B98-4C83-B372-AD405494F4D6.jpeg
    1.1 MB · Views: 511
  • DBAA5ABD-BA4D-41B5-921E-01B201B463CD.jpeg
    DBAA5ABD-BA4D-41B5-921E-01B201B463CD.jpeg
    1.4 MB · Views: 483
  • 990DEF17-E754-4C7B-AFD6-1ACC762BA23B.jpeg
    990DEF17-E754-4C7B-AFD6-1ACC762BA23B.jpeg
    1.5 MB · Views: 515
  • 16A4334D-2A9D-4559-851C-82C19CF380D2.jpeg
    16A4334D-2A9D-4559-851C-82C19CF380D2.jpeg
    1.5 MB · Views: 527
Wow... now THAT is indeed an interesting USB package! :D

All of the "utilities" it lists on the back page are, in fact, Linux distributions (distros). The mechanism that is booting the USB looks to me to be the "Plop Boot Manager" which is a very useful tool, but I've not seen it used like this before. I'll try to Google this up and see if I can learn more about it.

The first problem I see though is that none of your screenshots show the way to actually select one of those distros. (I don't want to call them utilities... utilities are different things.) Step #4 of your instructions says you should see a list of them which you can choose one by using the arrow key to highlight it, then hit Enter, and it should boot the distro. After booting it (into what is called "live mode") then you could also install it.

At your first pic, "Bootmanager Setup"... is there a screen before that one? If not, then on this setup screen, you may need to arrow down to "Show USB Boot" and hit Enter. I'm just guessing though, so no big deal if that is wrong. If you see on another screen a selection for "Utilities"... try that to see if the list of distros will appear.


Just for a lark, I tried the USB drive on my netbook and on my laptop and it didn’t work on either one of them either.
Your other computers may not work with the "ESC" key to interrupt the boot.... you may need one of the F-keys instead. You have to be quick, but watch when they start to boot up, on the company logo (HP, Dell, Acer, or whatever)... look for any text that tells you which keys will access Boot Menu. Or tell us the exact brands and models and we may can find out on the web.
 
The Everything But Stromboli website (here) doesn't mention this product. They resell name brand memory storage and also produce their own in-house brand. It does look like they sell your device on Amazon (here), but it does not get very good reviews (here). A few reviewers responded that it works fine, so whether yours will work is kind of up in the air.

As I said above, look through the menu when you boot on it, and see if you can find the selection to get into the "Utilities" and get something to run. Linux Mint will be a good choice, if you can get there.

If it seems to be impossible, as it was for some reviewers, then I'd guess you will need to erase/format that USB and install Linux to it manually... unless you have another USB flash drive to play with. Or you can put Linux on a DVD if you have a DVD burner and blank DVD's (DVD+R or DVD-R.... not DVD-RW).
 
You know, I get in more trouble trying to save money. If I had just bought the one that was 40 some dollars and advertised as a new PC or whatever it’s called I probably would’ve been just fine.

Now,I know when I boot up the computer once the USB drive is in, right before it goes to the screen I took the picture of, it sort of flashes a screen but I can’t make it stop on that screen. It flashes, then goes right to the other screen. Is there a way to make it stop on the first screen?
 
You know, I get in more trouble trying to save money. If I had just bought the one that was 40 some dollars and advertised as a new PC or whatever it’s called I probably would’ve been just fine.

Now,I know when I boot up the computer once the USB drive is in, right before it goes to the screen I took the picture of, it sort of flashes a screen but I can’t make it stop on that screen. It flashes, then goes right to the other screen. Is there a way to make it stop on the first screen?
I just re-read your instructions and I’m going to try to see if I can get into that boot menu. By using one of the function keys.
 
If I had just bought the one that was 40 some dollars and advertised as a new PC or whatever it’s called I probably would’ve been just fine.
I don't think so! Linux is free.... cheap USB drives are $5 or so. People do sell pre-packaged Linux, but it is not necessary to buy it that way. If your EBS drive doesn't work like it should, you can erase it and still use it. But you will need to download a large Linux file, probably close to 2GB. If you have a good internet connection, this isn't a problem, but it can be tough if you don't have a good connection.
 
I just re-read your instructions and I’m going to try to see if I can get into that boot menu. By using one of the function keys.
The other Function keys will be for booting the other computers. Just stay on this computer for now, and I guess that the ESC key works to get your Boot Menu. You definitely booted your USB, as shown in your screenshots.... so we just need to find out if it will work or not. You need to find that "Utilities" menu selection.
 
I don't think so! Linux is free.... cheap USB drives are $5 or so. People do sell pre-packaged Linux, but it is not necessary to buy it that way. If your EBS drive doesn't work like it should, you can erase it and still use it. But you will need to download a large Linux file, probably close to 2GB. If you have a good internet connection, this isn't a problem, but it can be tough if you don't have a good connection.
I have a decent Internet connection but I do have another question. The only working computers I have mostly don’t have any virus wear on them because they’re old and they’re vista. So will I be taking a bad chance if I went online with this unprotected computer to download the Linux distro? I have another computer available at a different location that I can go use but of course it’s always more convenient to use the one you have at home.
 
The other Function keys will be for booting the other computers. Just stay on this computer for now, and I guess that the ESC key works to get your Boot Menu. You definitely booted your USB, as shown in your screenshots.... so we just need to find out if it will work or not. You need to find that "Utilities" menu selection.
Also, it seems to me the only way to download it is on to a PC. I couldn’t do that with a tablet, could I ?
 
The other Function keys will be for booting the other computers. Just stay on this computer for now, and I guess that the ESC key works to get your Boot Menu. You definitely booted your USB, as shown in your screenshots.... so we just need to find out if it will work or not. You need to find that "Utilities" menu selection.
I have yet to see a utilities menu selection.
 

Staff online


Top