Is There Anybody Out There ....?

Johnboy1951

Just occurred to me I had not seen a post on here in a long time.

Have you abandoned the idea/project?

Stigura

Abandoned nothing, Johnboy! Just turned my baleful gaze to other things, whilst being too spent to worry about new drives, too much.

Spoke to my local lad, about drives. He mentioned that His 7 was now appearing shaky!

But, somehow, the conversation sort of turned from gigabytes and terabytes to metal rods, bird traps and his new girlfriend Actually ended up resolving the grand total of Nothing!

So, I guess, I'm just still hung up on the question of which external hard drive?

Stigura

Well; Just re read a page or two. I see, basically, I'd need an external, just to put my Linux on. Then, spend each day clattering F12 to force a boot to it?

Alternative is to wipe 7. Install Linux. Get on with life. Oh! And save fifty quid into the bargain!

Can ye guess which route I favour? :cool:

Only niggle here, Johnboy, is that the last time I saw " BIOS ", I had a stomach like a wash board. Now? I have a stomach like five months gone! And all recall of all that stuff is as lost as my memory

So; My defining position is: I wouldn't have the faintest clue where to even start! " Get Dean O' to do it! " May seem the obvious answer. But, A. Ye mentioned earlier, I believe, a Linux load isn't so fool proof? Either way; Dean has zero experience with Linux ~ Yet!!! :P Wait till he gets forced onto 10!

And, B.? There'd be much easier, and faster, ways than waiting for Dean O' to find the time for me.

That's what I need next: A walk through of how to completely rip out 7 and replace it with Linux ..... Is there a Tutorial For Dummies, please

Johnboy1951

Installing an operating system in anything but the providers default manner requires knowledge of hardware, partition table, partitioning, file system formatting and other such basic stuff.

MS does not provide an easy means to do a 'non-default' installation.
Most Linux distros do ....... but of course those are limited to what the developers considered suitable at the time it was conceived.

It is much easier to install any operating system on a HDD that is to be solely for that OS. All complications are thus removed and the 'default' install method works fine.

This is an easy matter when dealing with a desktop machine where an extra HDD can be installed inside, rather than a laptop or other device with limited physical space.
In some laptops where there is a CD drive, it can be removed and a caddy with HDD put in its place, thus giving a second HDD.

So the first thing is ........ what is the device it is to be installed to?
Can it take a second HDD/SSD?
Is the hardware of that device (CPU, GPU, RAM) sufficient for the intended purpose?

What also works quite well is an SSD plugged into a USB slot via an adapter cable or small external housing.
USB 3 would be preferable but USB 2 works very well.

In the BIOS/EFI firmware it *should* be possible to specify the USB connected device to be the default boot drive.
It is so on most PCs ...... I currently run my OS from such an SSD (the internal HDD space occupied by multiple HDDs).

So a written out plan is the best course ....... discuss the plan and when decision made stick with it until complete.

Johnboy1951

Just to add in answer to this

A walk through of how to completely rip out 7 and replace it with Linux ..... Is there a Tutorial For Dummies, please

You can boot the Live Linux OS, and select to install it, selecting to use the Complete Hard Drive.
It will then completely wipe windows from the drive and install Linux in its place.

There is no return from this except a reinstall of Win from scratch.

Stigura

Second post sounds good, Johnboy! :cool:

So; I, basically, stick my usb stick, with my Linux on it, om my machine. Fire it up. Press the button and sit back as Linux does it for me?

Then, when I fire her up the next day? Boosh! I'm looking at Linux? Sounds like a plan!

I appreciate ye own trepidation that I may irrevocably divest myself of 7. But, hey! That's on the cards anyway! Billy Boy's seeing to that. There's no way round it. My 7 will just get sketchier until it fails completely and I'm Forced to get 10.

Selling my machine, without doze? LOL! Not gonna happen! This little machine too will die, sooner than later. I'm never going to try to sell it. Only ever Sold one machine in my life. That was a dead Dell. For scrap! (Never doing Dell again!)

Where's that leave us, please?

Johnboy1951

Stigura wrote: »

Second post sounds good, Johnboy! :cool:

......

Where's that leave us, please?

If you want to go ahead on that basis then grab an updated ISO from here and put it on your USB stick and then boot using it.
http://ftp.nluug.nl/pub/os/Linux/distr/pclinuxos/pclinuxos/live-cd/64bit/

When you get to the installer you will be given choices on how you want to proceed - in this case use the complete HDD.

I am sure there are posts and info in the wiki about what to expect when installing.
Maybe Table of Contents on this page will give an indication
https://pclinuxoshelp.com/index.php/Main_Page

If I find something better I will add it.

Stigura

" Grab an updated ISO "

And, just how crucial is this, Johnboy? I mean, the one I got a month ago looked like everything I could wish for.

This, latest, one is set to take up to ten hours ~ couple of gigs, racing down at an average of 100 kbs.

How often does one need to do this? What's the gain?

Johnboy1951

Stigura wrote: »

" Grab an updated ISO "

And, just how crucial is this, Johnboy? I mean, the one I got a month ago looked like everything I could wish for.

This, latest, one is set to take up to ten hours ~ couple of gigs, racing down at an average of 100 kbs.

How often does one need to do this? What's the gain?

The gain is that the initial install is as current as possible ....... all apps updated to current and probably a newer kernel in the new ISO.

Installing from last months ISO means that after the install you will need to update your install to get these updates.

I generally update on a daily basis, but others do so on a weekly basis.
PCLinuxOS is a 'rolling' distro and can be kept up to date in this manner for years.
Other distros require a reinstall every so often .... maybe every 6 months!

So I get incremental updates daily rather than a reinstall periodically.

In your case I would say use the ISO you have, and do the updates after install.

Stigura

Cool. Thanks

Okay, well this one's now leapt down to forty minutes to go (?!) What ever. I've no where to go.

Really looking forward to it, actually. Finally pressing that button and waving doze goodbye.

Spoke to my friend in Kiwi, last night. She'd vanished for a few days there. Said she'd been having pc trouble. I'm like; " Ah. Ye running 10 though, aren't ye? " Trying ever so hard to keep the 'I told ye so!' out of my voice!

Okay. I'll just sit here, mooching about, and wait for what's happening to take shape.

Johnboy1951

Stigura wrote: »

Cool. Thanks

Okay, well this one's now leapt down to forty minutes to go (?!) What ever. I've no where to go.

Really looking forward to it, actually. Finally pressing that button and waving doze goodbye.

Spoke to my friend in Kiwi, last night. She'd vanished for a few days there. Said she'd been having pc trouble. I'm like; " Ah. Ye running 10 though, aren't ye? " Trying ever so hard to keep the 'I told ye so!' out of my voice!

Okay. I'll just sit here, mooching about, and wait for what's happening to take shape.

When you boot the Live OS to the desktop, check out things like sound and internet connection that they work ...... BEFORE you install.

Stigura

:cool: Well, Johnboy, same time the next day, look. I've just spent a straining, yet none the less profitable morning, on here. Now? I really think it's about time. Don't you?

I'm now logging off. (I've cleared my desk top) I'll now reboot. Test sound and connection. Then, hit that button!

Hope to see ye, back on the other side!

Stigura

Okay, Johnboy; I'm on line, obviously. But, yep, ye dead right! I can't hear Youtube

I'll stay on here now, till ye get back to me and we sort this glitch.

Thanks

Stigura

Hmm. Froze up completely, in there. Had to hit the big button and reboot to 7 Never had these problems last time ...


Anyway, I'm here. Wait till ye reappear

Johnboy1951

Here now.
No sound from Youtube when running LiveOS using which browser?
Did you try other browser?
Did you have a look at PA Volume Control to see if various levels were raised or reduced?

Any error messages appear?

Stigura

Firefox is my browser.

Volume controls were actually the first things I touched, once it was open. Set everything to 100% ~ I'm deaf so need all the help I can get.

No error messages at all. Just froze. Escape couldn't help me. Big Button Time.

Johnboy1951

Sound was working using the previous ISO?

It is unusual to need to hit the power button. There are usually other options to try first ...... key combinations which will do a 'safe' shutdown. As you are running from a LiveUSB there is no need of those .

Have you booted more than once and had the same freeze up after no sound?
Need to know if the problem is repeatable or was maybe just a glitch during booting.

Stigura

I'm Not gonna lie and say I even remember if I had sound, last time. Though, I'd strongly suggest I would have had. Something I'd have noticed.

Okay. I'll now go away and reboot into Linux. I'll fiddle around a bit and make careful, written notes of anything noticeable.

Before I go though, let me just run this past ye: This place and Yahoo refused my passwords. Figured I'd remembered them wrong. So, to get at my typed records, I had to access another USB stick.

To do that, I plugged it into my hub. I then opened a folder, in that, in Dolphin. So on, so forth. Reset my passwords. But froze.

I'll sit and wait for ye response, before rebooting

Johnboy1951

Stigura wrote: »

I'm Not gonna lie and say I even remember if I had sound, last time. Though, I'd strongly suggest I would have had. Something I'd have noticed.

Okay. I'll now go away and reboot into Linux. I'll fiddle around a bit and make careful, written notes of anything noticeable.

Before I go though, let me just run this past ye: This place and Yahoo refused my passwords. Figured I'd remembered them wrong. So, to get at my typed records, I had to access another USB stick.

To do that, I plugged it into my hub. I then opened a folder, in that, in Dolphin. So on, so forth. Reset my passwords. But froze.

I'll sit and wait for ye response, before rebooting

I am unsure what this means.
You used a second USB stick for the LiveOS or something else?

Stigura

Ummm ..... I had the Live stick plugged into my mike. That's my default way of using any USB thing. It's right here on my desk. Faultless.

Needing to access what is, effectively, my backed up hard drive ~ on another stick ~ I plugged That stick into a Multi USB Hub I have attached to the machine.

Just checked: Mike is plugged into the same hub ....?

Johnboy1951

OK, besides not knowing how a USB stick plugs into a microphone, it appears that all you did was access some information stored on another USB stick.
Is that a powered hub you are using? Just wondering if all the power is being drawn from the PC socket or if it is supplied externally to the hub.

Do a new boot with the LiveUSB with nothing else plugged into the PC.

Stigura

Johnboy1951 wrote: »

Do a new boot with the LiveUSB with nothing else plugged into the PC.

Off I go, to do so

Stigura

Okay; I've been in here five minutes now. ALL volumes cranked to the max. And I heard an initial 'Pop!', from my speaker. My speakers are working.

Yet, again, the chube makes no sound I'm just trying to think how else to get a noise out of this thing. But, yeah; That which makes noise in 7 is silent here.

Johnboy1951

Try using VLC to play an audio file in case the problem is just with Firefox.

Stigura

Just tried to watch a news clip, on Yahoo news? Said, " Huston ..... ". Told me to try refreshing. That didn't work.

Trying to think of where to get a sound file

Johnboy1951

What is shown on the Config tab of PA Vol Control?

Is there a sound card there?

Is it using a suitable profile?

The tray volume icon down right side ...... check that also - check settings that it is using the correct device and that the volume is about right.

Johnboy1951

Open the Konsole application (expect it is under "More Applications" in the menu, and put in the following command and hit the Enter button

inxi -Fxxx

Copy all that is shown in Konsole and paste it into your next post.

Stigura

God! This is Horrible!!! It's as broken and clunky as all hell! Doing some Really spastic things! Icons dragging a trail of themselves. Schit refusing to react to a click ~ for Ages? Urgh!!!

If I hadn't of had that really sweet experience, last time? I'd be Noping the hell away from Linux and ..... Well, faced with 10? Probably given up the internet

No worries. I'll keep the faith. I've Seen what this can ~ and should ~ be like. And I loved That!


[guest@localhost guest]$ inxi -Fxxx
System: Host: localhost Kernel: 5.5.5-pclos1 x86_64 bits: 64 compiler: gcc v: 9.2.0 Desktop: KDE Plasma 5.18.1
tk: Qt 5.12.7 wm: kwin_x11 dm: GDM 2.20.11, SDDM Distro: PCLinuxOS 2020
Machine: Type: Desktop System: Acer product: Veriton N280G v: N/A serial: <root required> Chassis: type: 3
serial: <root required>
Mobo: Acer model: TPDS03 serial: <root required> BIOS: Acer v: P01-A3 date: 01/15/2011
CPU: Topology: Single Core model: Intel Atom D425 bits: 64 type: MT arch: Bonnell rev: A L2 cache: 512 KiB
flags: lm nx pae sse sse2 sse3 ssse3 bogomips: 7181
Speed: 1795 MHz min/max: N/A Core speeds (MHz): 1: 1795 2: 1795
Graphics: Device-1: Intel Atom Processor D4xx/D5xx/N4xx/N5xx Integrated Graphics vendor: Acer Incorporated ALI driver: i915
v: kernel bus ID: 00:02.0 chip ID: 8086:a001
Display: server: X.Org 1.20.7 driver: intel,v4l compositor: kwin_x11 resolution: 1920x1080~60Hz
OpenGL: renderer: Mesa DRI Intel Pineview v: 1.4 Mesa 20.0.0 direct render: Yes
Audio: Device-1: Intel NM10/ICH7 Family High Definition Audio vendor: Acer Incorporated ALI driver: snd_hda_intel
v: kernel bus ID: 00:1b.0 chip ID: 8086:27d8
Device-2: JMTek LLC. type: USB driver: hid-generic,snd-usb-audio,usbhid bus ID: 4-2.4.3:5 chip ID: 0c76:161f
Sound Server: ALSA v: k5.5.5-pclos1
Network: Device-1: Ralink RT3090 Wireless 802.11n 1T/1R PCIe vendor: Lite-On driver: rt2800pci v: 2.3.0 port: 0400
bus ID: 02:00.0 chip ID: 1814:3090
IF: wlan0 state: down mac: 20:68:9d:7a:27:62
Device-2: Realtek RTL8111/8168/8411 PCI Express Gigabit Ethernet vendor: Acer Incorporated ALI driver: r8169
v: kernel port: e800 bus ID: 03:00.0 chip ID: 10ec:8168
IF: eth0 state: down mac: d0:27:88:db:07:63
IF-ID-1: eth1 state: unknown speed: N/A duplex: N/A mac: 0c:5b:8f:27:9a:64
Drives: Local Storage: total: 312.83 GiB used: 2.11 GiB (0.7%)
ID-1: /dev/sda vendor: Western Digital model: WD3200BPVT-22JJ5T0 size: 298.09 GiB speed: 3.0 Gb/s
rotation: 5400 rpm serial: WD-WX81E32FEJ36 rev: 1A01 scheme: MBR
ID-2: /dev/sdb type: USB vendor: Kingston model: DataTraveler 2.0 size: 14.74 GiB serial: 001CC0EC346CBD20C71B003D
rev: PMAP scheme: MBR
Sensors: Missing: Required tool sensors not installed. Check --recommends
Info: Processes: 158 Uptime: 1h 08m Memory: 1.94 GiB used: 1.04 GiB (53.7%) Init: SysVinit v: 2.88 runlevel: 5 default: 5
Compilers: gcc: 9.2.0 alt: 9.2.0 Shell: bash v: 4.4.23 running in: konsole inxi: 3.0.37
[guest@localhost guest]$

Johnboy1951

Let me know about the PA Vol Crtl I asked about please.

I see you are using KDE this time.
Was it MATE or KDE you used last time you tested?

The icons and 'dragging' indicates a graphical problem which could be due to lack of available memory.

Stigura

" What is shown on the Config tab of PA Vol Control? " How do I find that, please? (Probably gave up trying, last time, because all hell was breaking loose)

KDE5, both times. Was fantastic, last time

Lack of memory doesn't sound good!