Have heard Linux is the way to go

Users of Win 7 also appear to regularly complain about shonky updates.....whether this is a deliberate ploy on the part of msft or some inconsistency within some individual machine, I do not know.

Please excuse the typo in my previous post
 


The support by MS to their products has always been some what of a "Wizard of OZ" metaphor to me - there is but you can't talk to them right now.
Your call is important / other callers are ahead of you / you are Caller 147 / your wait time is expected to be 25 minutes / 3 hrs 48 minutes later
Good afternoon we hope your wait time was not to long, how may I direct your call ? push 1 for tech - 2 for software - 3 for after market add ons - 4 if you have no internet
Did you push 4 we heard - if you pushed 4 please say yes / please stay on the line as our tech receives your call.
Hello - what seems to be the problem today ? the back of my mind I pushed 4 did they not get the message ? I pushed 4 so the person I talk to knows how to help me.
Yes I have a yellow light / good can you just verify that you turn it OFF and back ON for me / can you turn off and unplug your connection for me, just look for the little blue or yellow thing on the back it will be flashing a light / yes unplug that , now turn off and or unplug your router, now plug it back in "yes both" ok turn the modem on first and we will wait for the light to come back on.
Oh that did not fix it - humm I am going to have to put you on hold while I get a TIER 2 tech. 1 hr and 15 minutes later - you get the idea.

There is never any support on products by the time you sit on the phone for over an hour
press 1 for trouble shouting / 2 for English / 1 for residential / can you repeat that I have no clue what you just said ? Why do I never get someone I can understand what they are saying.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
By the time we get here - we have that twitch in the left eye that happens every time we her a ladies voice say "did you try turning it off and back on again".
We never wanted to be code writers , yet somewhere along the way we read something on the web that mentioned it would be easy to fix your windows problems in 2 mouse clicks, and down the rabbit hole we went, 6 months later we are changing and editing code lines like a boss. Then we read a forum where some guy from Alaska is having Blue Screen Problems we laugh under our breath dude that is more then a problem. We'll see you on the other side in 6 months.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
side note I feel that MS Win is much like Hotel California we can check in ............
 
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Up until 2 months ago had never heard Linux mentioned being used in a home computer user setting.
That story is something total different then what I am curious about.
It is a 2 fold paradox from where I stand.
If Linux is 10 times better then anything else every - -

1. which Linux is the right choice for a person who knows zero about Linux ? ? ?
I don't want to type command lines every time I want to do something.

2. is Linux plug and play like Windows has been ?
meaning you go out and buy a new keyboard / mouse / sound card , reboot system windows prompts for driver install or ask to insert disc with said drivers for install.

Have been walked into the corner and pushed off the cliff of Windows 10 with no way back.
The problem with this theory is , not everybody wants to or can afford to run out and keep buying new products because there is no support for after market older products after an update. It is now come to an end for Windows offering drivers supported by Microsoft.
This has left me with a non-functioning gaming keyboard , non-functioning gaming mice. There answer as well all support forums - well just go buy new it is not like they are that expensive. <---- This story leads down a different rabbit hole, not related to Linux.

My plan was to have a small tower to run old games on, while I use my older gaming stuff. Plus play HD and or 4K content to my TV from said tower. Now that all my systems have been forced upgraded to Win 10 everything has become non-compliant some of them had played well for over 4 years , now they will not talk to each other ( kind of like a relationship gone sour ).

Tower is a Lenovo SFF ( small form factor ) about the size of a 2 liter bottle. It has forced Win 10 on it that does not recognize anything any longer - had win 7 on it. It did and auto update to my surprise.
system in question - lenovo think centre m79 sff - A8 pro 7600B processor / 8gig ddr 3 ram / 320 gig HDD until I get a SSD to replace it.
The question for me has become Linux ? which 1 / friend of ours says use Linux Mint , I checked on it found there is many different 1's with everyone having a differing opinion as to which is best / 18 or 19 ? KDE or not ? or no this is better because this is what I am using. Yet now there is a Mint 19.1 Cinnamon which nobody is recommending makes me wonder if others are way better why make a newer version ?
Fishy,
Welcome to the group mate!:):) As far as having to buy new hardware, not so much. If your hardware will run Win 7:eek:, I don't foresee much problem. I mostly run Slackware 14.1 on a core 2 duo E5800 with 3gb of ram (I call it "The Lab") with no problems ever encountered. By today's standards, it is a bit of an antique, but it runs well, and being an old hardware geek, I don't like to throw away perfectly good hardware.:D:D I also have used Mint Cinnamon, Peppermint, puppy, Kali, and many others on it, with no problems encountered.

Happy Trails,
Paul
 
MS Win is much like Hotel California we can check in ..

We could stab it with our steely knives, but you just can't kill the beast?

Still, violence is not the answer ... Linux, on the other hand ...is, IMO.

Cheers

Wiz
 
To retouch on 3 pages of things I will attempt to condense it all in a small snap shot - for brief over view.
I started this Linux Journey looking for a work around for a Windows 10.
Win 10 error would not allow the cooling fan(s) to run above a pre-set speed which is default settings on a Windows Update some months back on an Acer Aspire V3 laptop.
Because of this I pushed the laptop off to the side, had to keep going back in and redo the work around to get fans to run which reset to default every time the laptop would shut down of course anytime they would be a notification it would auto run anything Win 10 update related. Moving on in a nutshell "No Fan Run" was the laptop problem.

So did a wipe of 10 to do a clean install of only Linux Mint -
to find I could not run games that I had been playing, plus could not get gaming things to work / keyboard with a fang pad by Ideazon / old Logitech gaming mouse to name a couple.
Tried to do the add Wine HQ to see if that would allow the win games to run - I failed with that
Tried finding a Distro by Linux to get the gaming stuff going - failed at that.
Back up to punt - thought I'll just start all over come at all this from a different angle because clearly I am not able to figure this out.
I did find and read where they will not be adding a Distro for the Keyboard with gaming fang pad by Ideazon due to old age and out dated - sad but I get it.

My question has become how do you guys or other Linux Users get their rigs to run windows based games - am I simply trying to get Mint to do something it was not meant and need to use a different Distro or am I using the wrong Distro by adding Wine HQ to the mix from Wine HQ website ? ? ?
Do I go to a different Distro then run the ( Steam OS ) Debian 8 Jesse with Gnome base / ( Sparky Linux ) Debian with APTus Gamer base / ( Game Drift Linux ) Ubuntu with Mate base running Game Store and Crossover. Hey then again maybe you guys don't do the gaming stuff and that is fine as well, just don't want to start bouncing across 5 or 6 different places getting 20 plus different ideas and directions.

Not everybody has come to Linux by the path I came, old gamer looking for a way to keep playing old game titles and wanting to get away from the MS Windows trapped in a box.
 
Fishy just a holding Post for now

Linux 19.1 Cinnamon

Just to add to your summary. For the folks viewing, helping.

I have a 600 km road trip to make tomorrow, back in about 36 hours to here.

But briefly, I think all your points are relevant :). As do others, you can see that from the Likes?

A number can be answered, I think.

Have you made the acquaintance of Synaptic Package Manager yet? Start typing it at Menu, if not. There, search for Wine and playonlinux, you could have installed from there. It is possible you may not have installed WINE correctly.

Also google up

linux lutris

It shows potential.

Gotta go for my evening, but keep the faith, if there's a way, we'll try to have your back :D

Chris Turner
wizardfromoz
 
He had me typing in terminal "sudo apt followed with a command" tried a few attempts it was getting late and both of us needed to be up for work in 6 hours.
But now I have 2 days off again so at it again - since I have no past love affair with any Linux Distro I am the open book for hey try this.
 
Keep in the back of your mind that end of life (EOL) for win7 is november 2020.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Windows_7
Support lifecycle
Support for Windows 7 without Service Pack 1 ended on April 9, 2013, requiring users to update in order to continue receiving updates and support.[94] Microsoft ended the sale of new retail copies of Windows 7 in October 2014, and the sale of new OEM licenses for Windows 7 Home Basic, Home Premium, and Ultimate ended on October 31, 2014. Professional currently remains available to OEMs, primarily as part of downgrade rights for Windows 8 and 10 licenses. OEM sales of PCs with Windows 7 Professional preinstalled ended on October 31, 2016.[95] The sale of non-Professional OEM licences was stopped on October 31, 2014.[96] Mainstream support for 7 ended on January 13, 2015. Extended support will end on January 14, 2020.[97][98] On September 7, 2018, Microsoft announced that Windows 7 will get three more years of support after January 14, 2020 if users pay for the Extended Security Updates (ESU) service, however this only applies to users of the Professional and Enterprise editions of Windows 7.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/windowsforbusiness/end-of-windows-7-support

https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/help/13853/windows-lifecycle-fact-sheet

https://home.bt.com/tech-gadgets/computing/windows-7/windows-7-support-end-11364081315419
 
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Windows_7
Support lifecycle
Support for Windows 7 without Service Pack 1 ended on April 9, 2013, requiring users to update in order to continue receiving updates and support.[94] Microsoft ended the sale of new retail copies of Windows 7 in October 2014, and the sale of new OEM licenses for Windows 7 Home Basic, Home Premium, and Ultimate ended on October 31, 2014. Professional currently remains available to OEMs, primarily as part of downgrade rights for Windows 8 and 10 licenses. OEM sales of PCs with Windows 7 Professional preinstalled ended on October 31, 2016.[95] The sale of non-Professional OEM licences was stopped on October 31, 2014.[96] Mainstream support for 7 ended on January 13, 2015. Extended support will end on January 14, 2020.[97][98] On September 7, 2018, Microsoft announced that Windows 7 will get three more years of support after January 14, 2020 if users pay for the Extended Security Updates (ESU) service, however this only applies to users of the Professional and Enterprise editions of Windows 7.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/windowsforbusiness/end-of-windows-7-support

https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/help/13853/windows-lifecycle-fact-sheet

https://home.bt.com/tech-gadgets/computing/windows-7/windows-7-support-end-11364081315419
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Yeah Win 7 is not going to work at all since those drivers are to far back to support the things which came equipped with the motherboard / IE all the systems I use are Win 8 upgraded to 10.
I have laid down the MS Window banner and gave up on that clinging to a sinking ship since I am not a fan of Win 10 at all, I don't really have a single reason why I am not happy with 10 it just does not perform they way the other OS from Windows had in the past.
I shall jump ship while the ship is still close enough to shore I can be rescued.
Hello LINUX Distro - I still can't figure out which 1 I like the best. Have not grown an attachment to any Distro so far. I still want to dance on the side of - Playing and or Streaming Movies plus would like to play game titles now that I seen there is a way to play every single platform known to man. Missile Command , Centipede , PS One / 2 / 3 / 4 , X box , Wii , Windows titles from 98 to current all from a single Distro yee freaking haw baby. Have looked at Steam OS , a couple of Linux platform directed strictly for a gamer have found some very interesting Linux Distros so far.
About to test drive Manjaro KDE Plasma see what it is like. Linux Mint Cinnamon 19.1 and the Xfce version of it all so.
So far have just been sampling each to see what obscure things won't work or will work on each. Surprised at all the different options offered under the Linux Banner now I am narrowing my trial of only Gamer Oriented Distros.
I feel like a Kid at a Candy Store
face-plant.jpg
 
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Well it won't be Manjaro .......... ? ? ?
It won't load after it reads the install - get to the reboot portion of the show and it won't came back to welcome screen - ahh well, on to the next flavor.
 
Keep working through :)

Over 2 computers, I have 4 Manjaro with GNOME, Cinnamon, Xfce and Deepin DEs (Desktop Environments) - all working fine.

Manjaro (sometimes referred to as MJRO) as you have likely seen, is Arch-based where Arch is one of the 3 - 4 Linux granddaddies.

So if you ever come back looking for Manjaro, start a new Thread and well get you up and running :)

Once you have tried some more Linux, you might find you can DIY.

You work to suit yourself, and USB sticks or a large bunch of inexpensive DVDs are a great way to "try before you buy".

Cheers

Wiz
 
Yes on the USB - as the wife and I have both been gamer geeks for years before we met through gaming online. We have acquired a few sticks, have 3 that I have been using to swap around different Distros - the older laptop I have been playing around with the Acer seems to like the Mint best, it was snappy with the Mint - at this writing I am putting Mint Mate on it leave it for a true daily use test drive. I want to try it with the KDE Plasma add on.

I still don't have a nailed down Distro for the Desktop PC - I will leave it a dual boot since it came default to run Win 10, it has the hardware to run more work flow then the Laptop.
The Desktop PC is a Lenovo SFF installed with AMD A8 7600B able to Over Clock running crucial 16 gigs of DDR3 1600 OC memory
With this going to become an entertainment centered PC running 2 monitors not sure which Linux to install on it as of yet since 1 of the monitors will be a 42" LED. I will be using this to run the Windows Games on since as of this writing I have had no success at getting the cross platform Distro add on's to run Windows Games successfully.
 
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I don't know why but I find myself getting all giddy every time I see this box opened.
" d%!&d @ d%!&d - Aspire:~$ sudo apt-get install " OOOOOO something extraordinary is about to happen ......... !

I think I am going to shut it down for the night just finished the sudo apt-get install ttf-mscorefonts-installer <--- adds True Type Fonts
to the font directory for any of those that might see this and not know what it will do.

Next I may add the set for Websites [ Web Open Font Format ] they say it is a CSS trick for helping Mozilla load pages faster since it is the default browser for Linux,
can't hurt to check and make sure I have mine correct.
 
gamer geeks for years before we met through gaming online.

How romantic :p. My wife Elaine and I met in an elevator in a skyscraper where we both worked (both smokers) headed for ground floor and a cigarette and in her case a cup of tea. Got to talking, a few weeks later she came over to my place on Easter Sunday for a barbecue, and that will be 21 years coming up soon. :)

If you are still on the Mint MATE for daily use, make the acquaintance of Timeshift for taking a screenshot before making major changes. My Tute here describes

https://www.linux.org/threads/timeshift-similar-solutions-safeguard-recover-your-linux.15241/


Wiz
 
No I am about to drop the Mint MATE - - because me MATE don't MATE he prefers Tessa / he does like a Cinnamon gal
he stopped by last night because I had a couple of questions he took 1 look said ah you are using that I am not helping you out of that I know nothing of it.

But I still have a Desktop PC to dance with on Linux / stuck a Graphics card in it and more memory now to decide which Linux to poke on it.
It runs a quad core AMD A8 7600B over clocks to 3.7 Gig idles at 3.1 / up the G card to an ATI HD 5450 instead of onboard, plugged in memory to 24 gig of DDR 3 1600 from the 8 gig it came with.
On the desktop PC I use a 42 inch LED HD display and want to add a smaller display for sitting at for all things not related to movie watching and video streaming or gaming.
 
Well I managed to crash both of my computers badly - blue screen of death with both.
Running Linux only now on the laptop, have been for about a week now.
The Desktop I wanted to try to keep some sort of Windows install running on it for a while so as to find a fix for a few things I wanted to keep using until I could find a fix or work around with Linux.
Well that appears to not be in my stars.
I shall just focus on attempting to find a solution for Discord voice chat on Linux.
Figure out what to do to edit the libpcre.so to run a game I had hoped to play on Linux.
Others have and do get the game to run on Linux by modifying the game install and linux file with a ssl edit and a libpcre edit, 2 places for the ssl / 4 places for the libpcre.
I have managed to get Steam working / Play on Linux working / Wine came preinstalled and set up on the latest install of Kubuntu KDE Plasma on the Desktop PC which is a plus in the right direction.
I have found this to be much like learning to ride a bicycle, there is a smaller bike with training wheels a bigger bike without and a larger bike with lots of extra for experienced riders.
Where me I want to bypass the whole Bicycle thing and go straight to Super Bikes, so far I have crashed and totaled about 6 or 7 of them.

Thomas Edison said he did not do the light bulb wrong over a thousand times, he just learned a bunch of different ways how not to do it.
 

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