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Using a laptop for my Junior Cert.

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  • 02-06-2016 8:09pm
    #1
    Thedarkb
    Registered Users Posts: 143 ✭✭


    I'm doing my junior cert in a week and a half (on a laptop) and I've just gotten a letter saying I need to wipe my laptop. I've got a lot of stuff of worth on this laptop and don't have any media to back it up to. On top of that, my internet is too slow and unreliable to upload what I have on it to google drive. Surely there must be some alternative to wiping it?


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    #2
    eeguy
    Closed Accounts Posts: 3,478 ✭✭✭eeguy


    Thedarkb wrote: »
    I'm doing my junior cert in a week and a half (on a laptop) and I've just gotten a letter saying I need to wipe my laptop. I've got a lot of stuff of worth on this laptop and don't have any media to back it up to. On top of that, my internet is too slow and unreliable to upload what I have on it to google drive. Surely there must be some alternative to wiping it?
    External hard drive


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    #3
    Thedarkb
    Registered Users Posts: 143 ✭✭Thedarkb


    eeguy wrote: »
    External hard drive
    Who provides that?


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    #4
    eeguy
    Closed Accounts Posts: 3,478 ✭✭✭eeguy


    Thedarkb wrote: »
    Who provides that?

    You.


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    #5
    Thedarkb
    Registered Users Posts: 143 ✭✭Thedarkb


    eeguy wrote: »
    You.
    And where would I get the money for that now?
    See my point?


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    #6
    [Deleted User]
    Posts: 0 ✭ [Deleted User]


    You could just create a partition on the harddrive and do a clean install on the new partition, that will be a fresh os with nothing on it.


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    #7
    Comer1
    Registered Users Posts: 1,062 ✭✭✭Comer1


    Will the school not provide a PC for you to do your exams on?


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    #8
    Wonzy
    Registered Users Posts: 100 ✭✭Wonzy


    Go to a public library and do it, or even McDonald's. Buy blank dvds either. You can a 64gb usb key for a tenner.


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    #9
    eeguy
    Closed Accounts Posts: 3,478 ✭✭✭eeguy


    Thedarkb wrote: »
    And where would I get the money for that now?
    See my point?
    I don't.
    I'm sure with a quick look youd find a small enough one for 30 quid.

    You could transfer your files onto another computer?
    Or buy a heap of DVDs?


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    #10
    spurious
    Moderators, Category Moderators, Education Moderators Posts: 27,188 CMod ✭✭✭✭spurious


    The school can give you a laptop.
    Do not leave it til the last minute to tell them you need one.


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    #11
    Comer1
    Registered Users Posts: 1,062 ✭✭✭Comer1


    If you are using a laptop, you should be in a special centre. The school should provide you with a laptop/PC, printing/CD burning facility and also store your work external to that laptop after each exam.


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    #12
    Thedarkb
    Registered Users Posts: 143 ✭✭Thedarkb


    spurious wrote: »
    The school can give you a laptop.
    Do not leave it til the last minute to tell them you need one.
    I was rejected.


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    #13
    Thedarkb
    Registered Users Posts: 143 ✭✭Thedarkb


    Deleted User wrote: »
    You could just create a partition on the harddrive and do a clean install on the new partition, that will be a fresh os with nothing on it.
    I bought this computer without an OS, it's running linux mint. Would that be a problem?


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    #14
    spurious
    Moderators, Category Moderators, Education Moderators Posts: 27,188 CMod ✭✭✭✭spurious


    spurious wrote: »
    The school can give you a laptop.
    Do not leave it til the last minute to tell them you need one.
    Thedarkb wrote: »
    I was rejected.

    What does this mean?
    You asked for a laptop and did not get one?
    Thedarkb wrote: »
    I bought this computer without an OS, it's running linux mint. Would that be a problem?

    The Superintendent needs to be able to check you haven't got anything on the computer that would give you an advantage. If it is an OS unfamiliar to most people this will not help and they may reject the laptop.

    It's almost as if you are looking for ways to make things difficult.

    Use your own laptop and wipe it
    or
    borrow one from someone and wipe it
    or
    ask again to use a school laptop

    I can't believe you left all this to the last minute.


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    #15
    Thedarkb
    Registered Users Posts: 143 ✭✭Thedarkb


    spurious wrote: »
    What does this mean?
    You asked for a laptop and did not get one?



    The Superintendent needs to be able to check you haven't got anything on the computer that would give you an advantage. If it is an OS unfamiliar to most people this will not help and they may reject the laptop.

    It's almost as if you are looking for ways to make things difficult.

    Use your own laptop and wipe it
    or
    borrow one from someone and wipe it
    or
    ask again to use a school laptop

    I can't believe you left all this to the last minute.
    All I got before today was an approval letter, I'm not trying to be difficult, it's my personal laptop. I applied for a laptop a few months ago and got rejected, but still qualified to use one for my exam. I had no idea until today that I was to be using my own laptop.


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    #16
    Iwasfrozen
    Registered Users Posts: 16,250 ✭✭✭✭Iwasfrozen


    Thedarkb wrote: »
    All I got before today was an approval letter, I'm not trying to be difficult, it's my personal laptop. I applied for a laptop a few months ago and got rejected, but still qualified to use one for my exam. I had no idea until today that I was to be using my own laptop.

    You should have checked this out ages ago.

    Anyway the above are your options.


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    #17
    Wonzy
    Registered Users Posts: 100 ✭✭Wonzy


    It's the junior cert. Just zip and hide the files. Job done.


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    #18
    Thedarkb
    Registered Users Posts: 143 ✭✭Thedarkb


    Iwasfrozen wrote: »
    You should have checked this out ages ago.

    Anyway the above are your options.
    All I was told by my teachers was that I'd been approved and I didn't need to worry about it :/


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    #19
    Wonzy
    Registered Users Posts: 100 ✭✭Wonzy


    You have a week and a half????

    What's the panic?

    Many good options given here.


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    #20
    rubberdungeon
    Registered Users Posts: 606 ✭✭✭rubberdungeon


    The spell check facility may have to be disabled prior to your exams, you need to have this checked.

    Do you have a teacher who oversees or is responsible for IT in your school, they may be able to advise or help you on spell check and wiping your laptop and access to a printer.
    Thedarkb wrote: »
    All I was told by my teachers was that I'd been approved and I didn't need to worry about it :/


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    #21
    Iwasfrozen
    Registered Users Posts: 16,250 ✭✭✭✭Iwasfrozen


    Thedarkb wrote: »
    All I was told by my teachers was that I'd been approved and I didn't need to worry about it :/

    There's a life lesson here. Always worry about it. Especially if someone tells you not to.


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    #22
    PLL
    Registered Users Posts: 893 ✭✭✭PLL


    Iwasfrozen wrote: »
    There's a life lesson here. Always worry about it. Especially if someone tells you not to.


    Yep. Also, just because someone says they're going to do something or something is going to happen never means it actually will.

    Best of luck with wiping it and with your JC :-)


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    #23
    John_2187
    Registered Users Posts: 47 ✭John_2187


    Just copy everything into a external hard drive (€30) and wipe the system.
    Check about that spellcheck facility because I think they assess it.

    You probably already have this done but if not, get a move on


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    #24
    Avatar MIA
    Closed Accounts Posts: 6,750 ✭✭✭Avatar MIA


    I know some people on here are teachers and good advice is given above. Care is required as this is a youngish person in a stressful position.

    OP, what have your parents said - Can they help?

    It is late in the day, and the exam invigilator will not allow you to take the exam in an unapproved PC.

    If, at the end of the day, and you've no other solution you may have to wipe your existing information.


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    #25
    spurious
    Moderators, Category Moderators, Education Moderators Posts: 27,188 CMod ✭✭✭✭spurious


    I would love to know what school is not in a position to lend a student a laptop. Perhaps there was some confusion when the OP asked?


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    #26
    12Phase
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,040 ✭✭✭12Phase


    How much data is on the computer?

    Maybe borrow an external hard drive if you can't afford one.

    They're really not that expensive though, especially if you don't need massive storage space.

    Linux may cause you a problem if the person checking it isn't familiar with it and is unable to check.

    You should be talking to you principal and the school should be organising this with the department.

    Contact your principal or career guidance teacher tomorrow!


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