Will Microsoft steal my Windows 7? Why I'm worried.

[groze]

Chromium still has issues on some distros. Here is what I did.

sudo apt-get purge chromium
sudo apt-get autoremove

Then I go to Chrome and download the version that corresponds to the distro you are using.

It seems on some distros Google chrome works better then Chromium. Google chrome if installed will usually update with the system. I don't use that as my main browser though.

I would like to try zorin but can't seems to get it installed. Just freeze during installation. I may need to use the 32 bit even though my system support 64 bit.

 

[ignatzatsonic]

ignatzatsonic, I'm sure you had bad luck with Mint in a Windows 7 VM. I'm the one who recommended that route for an experiment, so I can't help feeling responsible.

It do think it's a nearly foolproof way of taking a dip into Linux, though. Worst case scenario: uninstall VirtualBox.

It now looks like I'm leaning hard toward the Linux fork in my personal computing road, and plan to have at my original Win 7 boot disk by freeing up some space with diskmgmt.msc, then letting Linux Mint configure itself as a dual-bootable OS.

No need to feel responsible. It took no more than an hour to discover it wasn't for me. I got Mint "installed" within the Virtual Box, but it was largely non-functional---menus wouldn't pop open, etc. Probably easily fixable if I knew more about Virtual Box, but I didn't so I decided to dual boot.

You've got more nerve than I have in putting a dual boot on a single drive. I discovered that this SSD can be had cheaply and is more than large enough for my purposes.

Mushkin Enhanced ECO2 MKNSSDEC60GB 2.5" 60GB SATA III Internal Solid State Drive (SSD) - Newegg.com

I've already used Rufus to make the Mint install USB stick and confirmed that it works, so I'm ready to go when the SSD is delivered.

 

[groze]

If using gpt partition table disregard this tip it may still work but I have not tested it.

I found out on a single disk it is best for Linux to be installed in a logical partition same with Linux swap partition.

 

[ignatzatsonic]

If using gpt partition table disregard this tip it may still work but I have not tested it.

I found out on a single disk it is best for Linux to be installed in a logical partition same with Linux swap partition.

I don't think I'll be using GPT.

For my first attempt, I'm going to use the defaults of the semi-automated installer built into the ISO---rather than use something like Gparted to make partitions in advance. I'm a complete greenhorn.

I'm not sure what it will do. I guess I'll still have to size the partitions. I plan to use maybe 1 or 2 GB for swap, maybe 10 for root, and the rest for home---on a 60 gb SSD.

I see some talk about also using a data partition, and then making home quite small. Probably won't do that on my first attempt.

What's the advantage of logical partitions?

 

[ThrashZone]

Not sure but what ever you do = Do Not Encrypt the Home folder if that option is checked uncheck it
Probably isn't checked by default
You really don't have to make any partitions at all just install on the drive with nothing else connected.
This will also come in handy too
Linux Mint Forums ? View topic - "Solved" Clock 6 hours advanced switching back to win-7

 

[FerchogtX]

What's the advantage of logical partitions?

I dunno if this aplies totally to Linux, but Logical partitions remove the 4 primary partitions limit (is it four? I don't remember) But you cannot install an OS to them, jut use them for data storing...

 

[groze]

What's the advantage of logical partitions?

I dunno if this aplies totally to Linux, but Logical partitions remove the 4 primary partitions limit (is it four? I don't remember) But you cannot install an OS to them, jut use them for data storing...

It did apply to Linux and some very old Linux distros might still require primary partition but that has changed with newer distro. Almost all the distro I have tried have been installed on the logical partition without issue. Grub has solved that issue to boot to logical partition.

My setup is
/dev/sda1 Windows 7 (Primary)
/dev/sda2 Windows 10 (Primary)
/dev/sda5 Xubuntu (Logical)
/dev/sda6 ext 3 (Logical) (Nothing yet) I use this for testing other Linux distros.
/dev/sda7 (Logical) Linux swap

 

[sgage]

Folks who are considering Linux would probably be best served by visiting some Linux forums. For example,

General Help

or suchlike.

I will say again, Linux is not Windows, and there is a learning curve, but it's worth it...

 

[groze]

Folks who are considering Linux would probably be best served by visiting some Linux forums. For example,

General Help

or suchlike.

I will say again, Linux is not Windows, and there is a learning curve, but it's worth it...

Don't forget here as well PC Help Forum

 

[lehnerus2000]

Why? Partially impulse buying and partially because I spent an hour fiddling with Mint in Virtualbox on Windows 7 and got absolutely nowhere. I assume that's due to my inexperience with VMs, but I decided rather than climb that learning curve, I'd be better off spending $40 and remaining old fashioned.

ignatzatsonic, I'm sure you had bad luck with Mint in a Windows 7 VM. I'm the one who recommended that route for an experiment, so I can't help feeling responsible.

I can't comment on VirtualBox as I use VMware Player.

Chromium still has issues on some distros. Here is what I did.

I use the default browser, Firefox.

IMO, FF runs much better in Linux Distros, than it does in Windows.

If using gpt partition table disregard this tip it may still work but I have not tested it.

I found out on a single disk it is best for Linux to be installed in a logical partition same with Linux swap partition.

I've installed Linux on Primary and Logical partitions and I can't say I noticed any difference.

What's the advantage of logical partitions?

I dunno if this aplies totally to Linux, but Logical partitions remove the 4 primary partitions limit (is it four? I don't remember) But you cannot install an OS to them, jut use them for data storing...

Windows (apparently) won't run on a Logical partition.
I've never tried to do it though.

Ubuntu 10 (5 years old now) didn't have any issues.

 

[groze]

Just for info I have read windows could be installed on a logical partition but the windows boot files must remain on a primary partition. It is kind of hard to do because of the way windows uses drive letters. I think Window xp & 2000 can be installed on a logical drive not sure about other windows operating systems.

 

[Adams Seven]

Well, I went ahead with the install of Mint 17.2 in a dual boot configuration on my existing Win 7 drive, and want to report the results, as promised: a success! The dual boot menu doesn't significantly slow start-up time (which wasn't the case on an old laptop I used as an earlier guinea pig). I now feel I have the best of both worlds. I can use my Linux Mint environment for most day-to-day computing, but still boot into Win 7 when I need to use software as yet unequalled in Linux-dom.

My verdict: a newbie-friendly distro like Mint may be ready for the masses right now, but VirtualBox isn't, at least not when trying to configure a Win VM under Mint. I've fought twice to get it to work, and think many would throw in the towel in frustration.

I also haven't found a good method of cloning the dual boot drive, but that's stuff for another, separate post!

 

[lehnerus2000]

Just for info I have read windows could be installed on a logical partition but the windows boot files must remain on a primary partition.

That sounds believable to me.

I also haven't found a good method of cloning the dual boot drive, but that's stuff for another, separate post!

Have you tried Macrium Reflect?

I don't Clone drives, however I have had no issues Creating/Restoring Linux partitions on:

• My dual boot setup (W7, LM17.2)
• My triple boot setup (XP, W7, LM17.2)

 

[Lady Fitzgerald]

...I did not have the nerve to put another OS on the same drive as Windows...

If you made an image (preferably with Macrium Reflect) before trying to put a second OS on the same drive as windows, you could then restore the drive if something should go horribly wrong. I don't make any changes or install updates without making an image first and making sure my data is also backed up. It only takes 10 minutes for Macrium Reflect to backup my System files (it can be doing that by itself while I do something else) and I need to keep my data backed up frequently anyway (I normally backup daily anyway).

 

[Barman58]

Windows operating systems prior to Windows 7 require a primary partition for the actual OS files. I think it was also possible with Vista but have not any experience with this, I know it is possible with Windows7+ through personal experience

The system partition must be on a primary partition. The system partition is normally less than 1GB (windows 7 used to create on of 100MB, Windows8+ create larger system partitions as they also use this for recovery media).

The system partition is not normally allocated a drive letter by windows. As long as the partition contains the correct flags it will work, (indeed, in my experience, is is safer to not allocate a drive letter to your system "drive", (partition)


Here's an old example ...



IIRC the main system on that system was Vista, the system files were on the same partition and the various Windows 7 Pre-Beta systems were in the logical partition, and there was also a Linux OS running as part of the multi-boot from the windows system partition although the partitions do not show correctly within windows, (the rightmost two partitions are the Linux and Linux scratch "drives")

 

[ICIT2LOL]

I have to agree with Jeannie when she quoted Ignatzsonic

I did not have the nerve to put another OS on the same drive as Windows.

Personally I make a clone of the original drive (that is use) and then use the clone drive to play around with the new set up or as just recently that 10 thing. If the set up goes pear shaped then one only needs to swap back in the original drive with 7 on it.

Now there are those who I am sure will say thats ok for those who can afford it but in view that spinners are now quite cheap and I know slower but surely it is worth the effort and avoid trashing the system one had set up. There is quite a flood of members right now who have their system up the proverbial creek after trying that OS out and try get back to 7.

The other thing I will say is I did post a thread the other day - I don't know where it went but it had an article in Leo Notenboom's newsletter that had a discussion going re privacy issues in Windows 10 and frankly I found the material being discussed quite frightening.

I don't know about anyone else but in my simple mind both Microsoft and Intel are developing technologies that once tested and released then dictate what we as the consumer can do with their technologies. For example one only has to recall the rise of the i* cores of Intel and their chipsets to see that as each one emerges the older types / versions are rapidly dropped both by support from those two giant companies and leaves consumers like myself right now with the only option I have of replacing my Ivy Bridge board is to go Skylake.



If anyone would like to see that Leo Notenboom article PM me and I will give you the link.

 

[Lady Fitzgerald]

I have to agree with Jeannie when she quoted Ignatzsonic

I did not have the nerve to put another OS on the same drive as Windows.

Personally I make a clone of the original drive (that is use) and then use the clone drive to play around with the new set up or as just recently that 10 thing. If the set up goes pear shaped then one only needs to swap back in the original drive with 7 on it.

Now there are those who I am sure will say thats ok for those who can afford it but in view that spinners are now quite cheap and I know slower but surely it is worth the effort and avoid trashing the system one had set up. There is quite a flood of members right now who have their system up the proverbial creek after trying that OS out and try get back to 7.


The other thing I will say is I did post a thread the other day - I don't know where it went but it had an article in Leo Notenboom's newsletter that had a discussion going re privacy issues in Windows 10 and frankly I found the material being discussed quite frightening.

I don't know about anyone else but in my simple mind both Microsoft and Intel are developing technologies that once tested and released then dictate what we as the consumer can do with their technologies. For example one only has to recall the rise of the i* cores of Intel and their chipsets to see that as each one emerges the older types / versions are rapidly dropped both by support from those two giant companies and leaves consumers like myself right now with the only option I have of replacing my Ivy Bridge board is to go Skylake.



If anyone would like to see that Leo Notenboom article PM me and I will give you the link.

Cloning is another good way to ensure you can recover from an experiment gone bad but, being the lazy, old bi...broad I am, I would prefer to not have to physically swap out anything (my SSD is a bit difficult to get at). It's just a matter of preference and what one is comfortable with.

I would love to see Leo Notenboom's newsletter but you have your PM turned off.

 

[ICIT2LOL]

[Cloning is another good way to ensure you can recover from an experiment gone bad but, being the lazy, old bi...broad I am, I would prefer to not have to physically swap out anything (my SSD is a bit difficult to get at). It's just a matter of preference and what one is comfortable with.

I would love to see Leo Notenboom's newsletter but you have your PM turned off.

Nothing too difficult Jeannie if you check that against a new drive or a wipe and and reinstall etc etc

I will PM that link to you and I don't know why but several have said to me lately they couldn't get through while I have had plenty form others??

 

[Adams Seven]

I do my best to keep data on a separate drive from the OS, and have used various tricks to point programs to the data directories at startup. (Firefox, for instance, will look for its profile wherever the start-up firefox-p switch tells it to look.) This setup probably encouraged me to do experimentation I wouldn't have tried otherwise. It's one thing to risk my OS install, another to risk my collection of cute puppy photos! (Just kiddin' ... )

 

[ICIT2LOL]

I would love to see Leo Notenboom's newsletter but you have your PM turned off

Ok Jeannie I am trying to sort it out as it has been happening a fair bit just lately.

Adam yes mate I just image on a regular basis like I think some might have already mentioned an I do the odd one off's too especially if the machine(s) are playing up in case it is having an issue.