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guido

Well-known Member
Hello,

What system are you guys and gals running?
I'm thinking it is time to get something other then Windows Operating system.
My present unit is a dual processor AMD 3.30GHz. and 8.0 GB. of ram.....................Any suggestions?

Guido.
 
Well, you can install pretty much any version of Linux on that PC and it will run fine. You don't say, but I'll assume that's a 64 bit processor, so you should install the "X86-64" version. (Most 64 bit PCs ship with 32 bit Windows, which makes about as much sense as selling a V-8 engine with half the spark plugs pulled out.)

There are countless Linux distributions, but for the new user "Linux Mint" is probably the best choice.

More information at the link below.

I've been running a 1.68 GHz Core 2 Duo with 2 GB of memory for many years now, and it is plenty fast for everything but the FlightGear flight simulator that's available for Linux. Currently running Fedora 18.
Dozens of operating systems
 
I'm still running Windows XP Pro on both my desktop and laptop.

I bought a new desktop last fall with Windows 7, and found out some of my client's software isn't compatible with 7. I went back to my old one with XP Pro. Till I figure out what to do with it, the new one on Windows 7 is basically a $600 paperweight.

I went to a three day seminar earlier this week, and we were asked to bring our laptops, if we had one. I have a little 13" to carry around when I'm on the road. One fellow had a new laptop running on Window 8, and he was so lost in the woods he just gave up and looked at his neighbor's.

My wife's computer has Windows 7, and she gets along great with it. But--she isn't involved in all the business functions I am.

One thing I can say for sure, avoid Windows 8 like the plague.
 
(quoted from post at 14:54:13 03/09/13) I'm still running Windows XP Pro on both my desktop and laptop.

I bought a new desktop last fall with Windows 7, and found out some of my client's software isn't compatible with 7. I went back to my old one with XP Pro. Till I figure out what to do with it, the new one on Windows 7 is basically a $600 paperweight.

I went to a three day seminar earlier this week, and we were asked to bring our laptops, if we had one. I have a little 13" to carry around when I'm on the road. One fellow had a new laptop running on Window 8, and he was so lost in the woods he just gave up and looked at his neighbor's.

My wife's computer has Windows 7, and she gets along great with it. But--she isn't involved in all the business functions I am.

One thing I can say for sure, avoid Windows 8 like the plague.

Just recently (about 10 days ago) I bought a factory reconditioned, Dell Latitude E6400 laptop. It came with Windows Vista Business and office starter. 2.56 ghz, 4 GB ram, and 150 GB hard drive. The only way I could find anything that did NOT have windows 7 or 8 was to go with a used computer. I am very happy with it. It performs just like a new one.
 
(quoted from post at 16:17:11 03/09/13) Hello,
other then Windows Operating system.
If you have somebody local that can help you with Linux, or you are tech savvy, try one with Linux. http://www.pugetsystems.com has a really good reputation for custom built computer systems. http://www.linucity.com and
https://www.system76.com/ came up in my search for "linux desktop systems" but I don't anything about those companies.
 
Hello spacecadet9.

I have linuxmint 14.1 on a DVD, but I have not installed it yet. I have not been able to open the file? I'll have to try harder? I do have a local guy that will put it in for me.
Thanks for the links,
Guido.
 
Hello Goose,
Had been running XP PRO 2 weeks after it came out.
That was a very good system. I thought it was time to change, so I got Windows7. It is running pretty well so far. Just a couple of glitches , but very stable,I don't think its a paper weight. Window8 is not an option for me, that was the reason of my post.
Guido.
 
The DVD should be bootable. If you can't boot from the DVD, then it probably wasn't burned correctly. The ISO file is an image of the disk, and has to be burned as an image, not a file.
 
Hello MarkB_MI,

Mine is a 64 bit. I do have a version of Linux on a DVD, I'd been darn it won't open.
I went to the file and hit saved and open option
nothing happened, except a brief flash.
I guess I'll call my puter guru, and let him put it in for me. Supposed to be able to run it for the disk, have not been able to do that either. I know that it can be installed as a dual boot also. Its Linusmint 14.1 version. I just picked one to download, maybe I picked the wrong download?. Unless its not a full operating system file.
Guido.
 
Hello MarkB_Mi,

I saved the Linuxmint on the dvd so I could try it a learn how to use it. I guess I'll have to see that the download is an image not a file. I don't remember how it came down. I just went to the downloads window, and tryed to save and open at the same time.............no luck.
Guido.
 
XP Pro and Ubuntu 12.04 LTS
http://releases.ubuntu.com/precise/
I burned 1 CD and after getting everything backed up install took and hour or less.
Takes a little getting used to.
When I boot up I can choose between OS.
And it is fast compared to what I am used too.
Have fun!
 
I don't know nothing but you have to set your BIOS boot sequence to CD/DVD first if that is what you are installing from. Least that is what I did.
 

I'm running a Quad core Windows 7. I don't use it for very much business.
Wife is running a dual core, and Windows 8. Keeps track of our spending on it.
 
I am sticking with XP Pro and as of last fall when I was in my heart Drs. office his there was running the XP Pro
 
This post is from Windows 7, but my other computer has Ubuntu 12.04 on it. Compared to Windows, Ubuntu is a much better system if the computer has a few years on it. Well, for that matter,it's a much better system on a newer computer also. Ubuntu is free, updates are free and it has some fantastic programs that come with it.
My daughter was always a "Windows only" type of user until she went to college. She is getting a computer engineering degree and now she will only use Windows if she has to. (Man, that has to secretly hurt to admit that her old man was correct about computer operating systems....)
 
Guido, if you open that DVD in Windows Explorer and you see a file named something-or-other.ISO, then you don't have a bootable disk. Google "burning iso image" and you'll find a lot of info on how to make a bootable image.

Once you have a bootable image on the DVD, you may still need to change your BIOS settings like Duner says. First you need to turn off "fast boot" if it's enabled. Then make sure your DVD drive is before your hard disk in the boot order.

If you're not certain whether or not you want to go with Linux, consider buying a second hard disk and installing Linux on it. At any rate, you'll want to back up any files you want to save before installing the new OS.
 
AMD x4 640 3.01Ghz quad-core. Windows XP Pro. 3.0GB Ram. Only thing I hate is how easily it's affected by viruses. What version of Windows is it? Is it fully updated? Do you have working anti-virus and anti-malware software?
 
One company I work for has a building diagramming program. You can diagram a building OK on Windows 7, it just won't let you label the individual areas of the building. Works fine on XP and XP Pro. The techies are stumped.

Then, too, on downloading, editing, and resizing photos, it seems everything that takes one step on XP takes two or three steps on Windows 7. It seemed like when I tried to run 7, I wound up spending a LOT more time on the computer. And since I get paid by the job and not by the hour, I went back to XP just to get my work done efficiently again.
 
I bought a HP with The I7 Intel processor,8GB of memory, 1TB hard drive and Windows 7 Pro in December 2012. So far no problems.
 
XP PRO. Had it on this old Dell when I was using it for my work. Its just about had it. 70 gig HD has so much junk in it that I can barely bring up this website. Gotta update.
 
Hello MarkB_MI,

I tought about a second disk as well.
I may just dowload and run the file and see if i get an option to put it in a bootable DVD format. I'll have to make time for it though Thanks fo the info.
Guido.
 
Hello farmer boy,
Just read your post. I have Windows7 Home premium.
I use Microsoft Security Essentials(FREE).
I also use SUPERAntiSpiware also FREE.
Malwarebytes is another good FREE program.
When I installed the new Windows seven I took it out. Between the two, nothing is getting by so far BUT.... anytime you go to a web site that has millions of followers, that is when you stand a good change to get hit.
I got hit on Utube TWICE!!

Guido.
 
HEllo MarkB_MI,

I just looked at the file, you are right, it is an ISO file. I'll need to burn the ISO image as you said. Got to run................
Thanks...................Guido
 
Do you have to be a geek to use Ubuntu? I just loaded it on my rarely used computer, and can not get it to do anything. Are web pages supposed to show up like in Windows? Will it go to a home page that you choose? Right now, I am getting messages that I need to install add-ons, but it will not accept them. I can't even figure out how to get out of it without doing a hard shut down. Calling it a night, be less frustrating tommorrow night.
 
Bought a new laptop in Dec. Has Windows 8. I hate Windows 8. Seems in Microsoft's arrogance they figure they know what's best and you don't know anything.
Thinking about going to something else.
 
Hello big fred,

NO............... not really
I Phone; I Pod; I Pad, ..............I puke!
There most be another letter on the alphabet besides I! MAN!!!!!!!!!!!

Guido.
 
I use Ubuntu 12.04 LTS and will tell what I can.
You don't have to be a geek but a certain level of competence won't hurt.
Fire fox is the default browser so if you have ever used that it is much like Firefox for XP -Windows 7 .
You probably need some updates and add ons. To accept addons or any changes to your system, you need to accept them via your pass word. I would do the up dates first then add ons.
To shut down, curser to top right corned and click on your name , drop down menu will have shut down for and option.
I don't have a customized home page but am fairly sure you can have one. Curser to the top and click on help, that might get you something.
 
Maybe you have not done this yet.
Get to Ubuntu,
on left side click on FireFox web browser
On top of page click on help and from drop down menu click on "about firefox.
This will tell you what version Firefox you have.
Should be at least 19.0. Windows version is 19.04 right now. See if this helps.
In the future you can download Google chrome for browser that works with Ubuntu.
Right now you have unity interface (ubuntu 12.04 LTS) but gnome is an option. I have both . So far I can't determine which I like best.
 
Hello dieselbreath,

Yea! I feel the same way. Windows8 sucks at best.
I'd go back to Windows 95 and do better.
I'm going to take some time and load linus and see how it goes. I'm going with a hard drive, so i can just plug in or have one as slave.
Guido.
 
Hello,

I now have Linusmint 14 on a DVD that will auto play. I have the option of installing it or run the program for the media(DVD).
When the disk was originally burned, it went in as an ISO file. As MarkB stated it needed to be an image file. I took a second look , and Windows7 will do just that. Now I have a disk that will auto play, and also have the option to run the program form the disk. That was my original intent. That is use the program from the disk. I'll have to see what it looks like.
Maybe I won't let all the smoke out!.......later
Guido.
 
Well done, Guido.

You'll probably find running the "live" image to be a bit slow, but it will at least give you an opportunity to see what Linux has to offer.

Just a few tips, to get used to differences in how things work in the UNIX world as opposed to DOS and Windows:

Directory path names are delimited with forward slashes ("/") rather than backslashes ("&#92").

There are no drive letters. All files are located on a path below the "root" (top level) directory, regardless of what physical drive they're on. Drives must be "mounted" in order to access them; mounting attaches the physical drive to some directory path below the root directory. A typical physical drive name might be "/dev/sda1" (first partition on SCSI drive A, not to be confused with DOS drive "A:"), but it might be mounted as the root directory "/").

Linux, being a multiuser operating system, sets ownerships and permissions on all files. System files are owned by user "root". (This may not be real apparent running a live DVD.) Users typically don't have write access to other users' files.
 
Hello MarkB_MI,

Thanks for the heads up. I have been fooling with puters before Windows came out.
I probably still have DOS of flappy disks.
Does anyone still use them?
Anyhow...its been a couple of weeks since I dowloaded Linus. It may take another couple to get to it. I may just get another drive, or partition this one. First though I'll need to
get familiar with the new system. Never a painless transition, will see..........later,

Guido.
 

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