Win/Linux setup assistance (NY)

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Night Wing
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Win/Linux setup assistance (NY)

Unread post by Night Wing » 2018-07-20, 18:55

TwoTankAmin wrote:
Off Topic:
Anybody out there who uses Pale Moon and is very familiar (probably a professional) with all of the things I need (Windows 7, Linux, dual boot a VPN, privacy, privacy and privacy), if you can help me locally in NY zip code 10549, PM me. If you can help me remotely, do the same. However, I will need to make sure that I can trust anybody with access to my box before I move ahead. I am willing to discus compensation with a properley qualified individual..
The easiest way to dual boot Windows 7 and a linux distro is with a full sized desktop tower computer because they come with a two hard drive bay. My sister-in-law is just like you. Loves Windows 7 but hates Windows 10 so she'll never use it. Since she has a Dell desktop tower computer, I put a second hard drive in her desktop tower. I then unplugged the power to her Windows 7 hard drive. I do it this way because if you don't, linux will wipe the Windows 7 hard drive. I "DO NOT" like to put two operating systems on one hard drive. This is just a disaster waiting to happen in my opinion. I do the same for laptop computers.

With no power to her Windows 7 hard drive, then the linux Mint live DVD will see the powered second hard drive. Linux Mint will then format the second hard drive and install Mint on it. Once I have Mint installed on the second hard drive, I configured linux Mint for her, load linux Pale Moon and linux SeaMonkey browsers on it for her, configure Pale Moon and SeaMonkey, then put back all of her Bookmarks which I had put on a thumb drive from her windows Pale Moon and SeaMonkey.

Then I re-hook the power cable to her Windows 7 hard drive, then boot up into Windows 7. Then I synchronize the time in Windows 7 so no matter which hard drive she uses, Windows or linux Mint, the time and date is always correct for her time zone for both operating systems.

BTW, my sister-in-law lives 221 miles from me. Since she "isn't right around the corner from me", I put windows and linux Teamviewer on both of her hard drives. Since I have Teamviewer on all of my linux and windows hard drives, if she has a problem, she calls me via the phone, tells me her problem, fires up Teamviewer and then I take care of her problem in either of her windows or linux hard drives since with Teamviewer, I can control both of her hard drives depending on which one she is having a problem with. All from the comfort of my soft computer chair sitting in front of my monitor.

And to reiterate, I'm not a linux power user and I'm not a windows power user.
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Re: The Windows 10 mega-thread!

Unread post by Nigaikaze » 2018-07-20, 19:59

TwoTankAmin wrote:Windows 7, Linux, dual boot a VPN, privacy, privacy and privacy
Night Wing is on the right track with two physical hard drives, one for Win7 and the other for Linux -- that's how I've done it with all of the Linux/Win7 PCs that I've set up. I made the switch to Linux full time a while back, but certain family members still need Win7 to play some Windows-specific games, so I haven't fully purged Windows yet. Windows 10 will never be allowed to connect to my home network. I even had my 88 year old mother switch to Linux. I'll be driving through your neck of the woods the last week of September, so if you haven't found anyone else to help out before then, I could swing by to help if you like.
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Night Wing
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Re: The Windows 10 mega-thread!

Unread post by Night Wing » 2018-07-21, 14:55

TwoTankAmin wrote:I am already set up in many ways for Linux. Pale Moon works in Linux, Protonmail works in Linux. I would have to replace Office, but I only use Outlook and Word, so that should be easy. I really want to get away from the Microsoft universe completely once 7 is not a viable OS.
The only way to try linux is to actually install a linux distro and play with it to get yourself comfortable using it. With that said, you would have to download a linux distro iso to your computer, then burn the iso to a live DVD disc. Then play with the live DVD disc to see if you like it. Since a live DVD disc is not installed on your hard drive, there are some things you won't be able to do which would involve drivers.

But there is an easy solution. I'm going to make you an offer and there is no cost to you. So here goes.

I'm going to assume you've heard about the Teamviewer program where someone can take control of your computer or you can control someone else's computer. Basically, I'll let you play with my linux Mint 19 (Tara) with the Xfce destkop environment with YOU controlling MY linux Mint 19 hard drive on my computer remotely using your computer.

You'll be using windows Teamviewer so you can control my linux Mint hard drive with me running linux Teamviewer. I'll even show you how to set up Teamviewer and use it as a portable version where it won't be installed on your hard drive, but you can still use it to control my computer running linux Mint 19.

You will be able to see all of my Mint 19 Settings to see how I setup and run Mint 19. You'll also be able to play with my Thunar file Manager and my Synaptic Package Manager and I use both of these programs extensively. Anything else is not out of bounds for you either.

You can use my linux Pale Moon 27.9.4 (as if this date) to surf the internet. I've got 35 bookmark folders which comprise well over 600 bookmarks and you can visit any of my bookmarks you like.

Of course, I'll be on the phone talking with you since I'll be sitting in front of my monitor while you have control of my computer. This way if you have questions, I can answer them for you. Time wise, if you want a 30, 45, 60, 90 or 120 minute session, that is fine by me. And this won't be a one time deal. You can use my computer again running linux Mint 19 along with linux Pale Moon if you like. Once, twice, three times, etc; does not matter to me.

By using my computer to play with linux Mint, you'll get to know how to run linux Mint and get comfortable with using it. Bottom line, if you can use Windows 7, I think you'd be comfortable using linux Mint in about 45 minutes of time. BTW, I've got a fast internet connection. My download speed from my ISP is 178 Mbps. This old 8 year old desktop tower computer of mine has 16 GB of ram memory with a processor speed of (2.80).

So think it over and if you really WANT to learn about linux Mint, which is quite stable and easy to use, this is the BEST WAY for YOU to........LEARN.

If this offer intrigues you, drop me a private message and I'll give you my home telephone number so we can setup a time and date to do this. I'm retired so I'm real flexible scheduling wise. I'll even show you how to set up Teamviewer and use it as a portable version where it won't be installed on your hard drive, but you can still use it to control my computer running linux Mint 19.
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TwoTankAmin
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Re: The Windows 10 mega-thread!

Unread post by TwoTankAmin » 2018-07-21, 17:10

Great offer, however....

I can break just about anything digital without even knowing it. I would be happy to sit down at your PC and play around with Linux, I am very reluctant to do so remotely.

However, I have pretty much used the same Windows interface since before XP. Of course XP brought changes, but I have used the classic windows look for a very long time. What appealed to me 5+ years ago when i was given a CD based version of Mint was how much it looked like classic windows especially the browser. I want my user interface to stay as similar as possible to what I have now. Here is how basic i am. In 30 years of windows I have never used anything but the classic theme. Aero was disabled on this box from day 1. I have never done tabbed browsing, I just downloaded my first ever web app- the Bridge from Protonmail. It encrypts and decrypts in and outgoing emails (it also works with Linux). They call it an app, I do not. An app, besides whatever it is supposed to do, is almost always spyware. So i have no use for them.

My disdain for Windows 10 is well known. I rejected windows 8/8.1 and 10 is even worse in terms of the UI. Most of what i do when I get new software is to turn off and/or hide most of the functions because I do not use them and they get in the way. I am a minimalist is the best term to explain it.

The point is, I would bet dollars to donuts that I would not be able to navigate your desktop. I took a couple of screen shots to show you how things look for me and how I want them to stay to the greatest extent possible. I have used these interfaces for so long I can almost navigate them with my eyes closed.

Desktop https://photos.smugmug.com/photos/i-rL9hz34/0/268982a9/XL/i-rL9hz34-XL.jpg
Pale Moon https://photos.smugmug.com/photos/i-rL9hz34/0/268982a9/XL/i-rL9hz34-XL.jpg
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Re: The Windows 10 mega-thread!

Unread post by Night Wing » 2018-07-21, 18:55

TwoTankAmin wrote:Great offer, however....

I can break just about anything digital without even knowing it. I would be happy to sit down at your PC and play around with Linux, I am very reluctant to do so remotely.

The point is, I would bet dollars to donuts that I would not be able to navigate your desktop. I took a couple of screen shots to show you how things look for me and how I want them to stay to the greatest extent possible. I have used these interfaces for so long I can almost navigate them with my eyes closed.

Desktop https://photos.smugmug.com/photos/i-rL9hz34/0/268982a9/XL/i-rL9hz34-XL.jpg
Pale Moon https://photos.smugmug.com/photos/i-rL9hz34/0/268982a9/XL/i-rL9hz34-XL.jpg
First off, using my linux Mint hard drive while using my linux Pale Moon remotely is the same thing as you sitting down at your computer playing with your own linux Mint and Pale Moon on your hard drive or being at my home physically doing the exact same thing. The worst thing that could happen, the connection is lost. No harm will be done to your computer or my computer if that happens. Just liked a dropped call on a cell phone.

You will be able to navigate my desktop with ease. Like I said before, if you can use and run windows 7 or XP, you can run linux Mint. If you want a blank desktop with no icons on it, that is easy to do.

Although my linux Pale Moon looks different than your Pale Moon, I can show you how to duplicate your Pale Moon look "exactly" on my linux Mint hard drive in about 5 minutes of time using the Customize window since I've looked at your screenshots of your Pale Moon and Desktop.

And if you're worried about the distance between us remotely (you in New York, me in Texas), don't be worried. I also remotely help my wife's 1st cousin with her computer who lives in............Hawaii. Remember, I'll be guiding you on what to do and how to do it while we're talking on the phone with each other while you're using my linux Mint and linux Pale Moon.

And if you want to bet dollars to doughnuts that you can't navigate my desktop or worse, you'll break my system because I can tell that is what is "really" in the back of your mind.....you will easily lose that bet which means I'll be taking all of your dollars and eating all of your donuts (figuratively speaking on both counts).

Hindsight is always 20/20. If you can find a better offer than mine, take it. But I know and you probably already know, you're never going to get a better offer than mine.

So, the ball is in your court. In a tie basketball game, are you going to shoot the ball at the basket, make the the swish shot, win the game and go home a winner "or" are you going to take the easy way out and pass the ball to someone else to take the shot (and hope he wins the game) because you're afraid something bad might happen to my linux Mint hard drive? If it was me, I'd take the shot, make the shot, win the game and go home a winner.
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Re: The Windows 10 mega-thread!

Unread post by TwoTankAmin » 2018-07-21, 21:52

I do things differently than most. For starters I have not used double-click wor my mouse for the last 20 years. One mouse click is all anything takes from me. I do not do tabbed browsing. The only time I have two tabs in a browser window is when I do something like going to Addons. The only way is a new tab. And when I do it drives me crazy because my ingrained habit to close something is to click the X in the upper right corner of me browser. So when its time I want to close the addons, I end up closing the whole window by mistake- it is a reflexive action for me after 20 years of non-tabbed browsing.

And the other thing is, I need to be able to work with Linux on my box. I prefer to learn how in an environment as close to what it will be when its all done. I find I have reached an age where learning, and especially unlearning things get more difficult every year.

I configured Windows 7 over 5 years ago. It was a challenge because the last time I dealt with starting mostly from scratch was 7 years before that. I do not remember most of what it took to configure things. I have to relearn most of this stuff each time. The next time I prefer not to try it alone.

I am also basically lazy. One of the qualities of the truly lazy is our goal is always to accomplish any task big or small with the least amount of effort possible. The reality here dictates how things should go.

1. The probability is that Windows 7 for me will be done by the end of 2020.
2. The only other OS option available to me is Linux.
3. This box will need to be replaced in the next year or two anyhow.
4. I have another legit copy of Windows 7 Home Premium with the key. My Office 2010 is good for two devices,
5. I was able to move my data files from XP to 7 using the Windows tools for that. I have no clue how to move/convert data from Windows and Windows based programs to Linux.
6. I believe it should be possible to install a new copy of 7 on a new box and then somehow transfer settings etc, from my current box. But I have no idea how to do it.
7. I will not take this box out of service until the new box is up and running properly.
8. I do not want to maintain two boxes for any amount of time, i.e. more than a few weeks.
9. I do not use the cloud.
10. I think I could continue to use windows 7 related stuff for many years as long as it is offline?

So where this leaves me is- Step 1, I want to put together new box. It can use a dual boot or use separate drives so it can run both Windows 7 and Linux Mint I am not sure of much beyond this when it comes to Linux. Then I would install Windows 7 and get it to be a clone of what I now have. the cloning part is beyond me. Next comes the fun. install Linux, get it looking and working how I need it to. This means getting the programs such as for email, word processing, browsing in place. Doing all of this will require I get a lot of help/guidance. There are a lot of things I do in Windows that I do not even know if they exist in Linux- like backup and restore. If there is, I can earn how to work it, if there isn't, then I need to be told another good way to do it. And then I have no clue about things like my camera software, picture editing, system utilities to maintain things.

I do not see how logging on to somebody else's box does a lot to help with the above process. I will never use Windows 10, so my future looks pretty clear to me. Implementing it is another story. I am pretty much self taught for all I do with my PC and online. But I know nothing about Linux beyond that I must use it. So what i need most of all is help getting there with the least effort (lazy) and without crashing and burning on my end. I do not need to be logged onto your system to get this done. If anything, I would need you to be logged onto mine to help. And it should be on a new box. So the first step is actually determining what components to get. The only one inflexible part of is that the cpu must be AMD.

None of this would be necessary if Microsoft had chosen a different path with 10. If it were realistic to think I could keep using Windows 7 for another 10 years, that would be my preferred path.
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Re: The Windows 10 mega-thread!

Unread post by Night Wing » 2018-07-22, 00:37

@TwoTankAmin

You can set up linux Mint to use a single or a double mouse click. This is in the Settings for Mint. If you find learning is more difficult for you now than when you were younger, then why would you not let someone help you? Just remember this, linux is not windows and windows is not linux. They are two different animals. Although you say you want to learn linux on your own, if you make mistakes constantly, you'll get so frustrated you'll give up. Having someone to talk to you about linux when you need help is the smart way to go.

And although you say,
"I do not see how logging on to somebody else's box does a lot to help with the above process".

Without any help and trying to learn linux on your own which you admit you have trouble learning now, you're basically going to be "flying blind". And if you fly blind long enough, you'll eventually "crash and burn".

Now you also stated, "
I have another legit copy of Windows 7 Home Premium with the key."
You might not get what you want on this score. Microsoft wants people off of Windows 7 and onto Windows 10 and Microsoft will do anything in it's power to make that happen.

Two weeks ago, my Windows 7 backup hard drive, after 8 years, died one day. No problem for me. Everything I do whether in linux Mint or Windows 7 is always backed up.

I went down to the shop where I volunteer, unpackaged a new 1 TB hard drive and tested it to make sure there were no bad blocks on it. There weren't any. So I bought the hard drive, came home, installed it in the desktop tower, went through my usual things I do like disconnecting the power to my linux hard drive, turned on the power to my desktop tower and opened the DVD drive. I then put in my disc of Windows 7, got to the Boot Menu and loaded Windows 7 onto the new hard drive.

Once I got to the Desktop, I went into the Control Panel, clicked on System, went to the bottom of the screen to activate Windows 7. Put in my 25 digit product key code which came with Windows 7 and which I have been using for the last 8 years and has been working for the last 8 years. To my surprise, Microsoft said my 25 digit product key code was "invalid".

I called my neighbor and he told me he has seen this quite a few times already where people can't activate a legitimate copy of Windows 7. Even though the code key is valid, Microsoft may not allow you to activate your Windows 7 operating system. Microsoft wants to frustrate people so they'll go to Windows 10.

My neighbor asked me if I still had the "hack" where I could activate Windows 7 myself without going through Microsoft. I told him I still have the "hack" on nine flash/thumb drives. So I activated Windows 7 myself using my valid 25 digit product key code. I figured if Microsoft is going to try and screw me, I'll return the favor and screw Microsoft instead. I know how to play "hardball".

Could Microsoft say your product key code for Windows 7 is invalid? The odds are 50/50 Microsoft will say your code is invalid. Then what are you going to do if that happens? I have a feeling you don't have the hack to activate your legitimate copy of Windows 7 like I do.

So with all your best laid plans for the future with your new box, etc; there is a poem with these words you should remember for future use and those words are:
The best-laid plans of mice and men often go awry.

No matter how carefully a project is planned, something may still go wrong with it. The saying is adapted from a line in “To a Mouse,” by Robert Burns.

As for your Office 2010, you'll have to activate that too so there is another potential pitfall for you if Microsoft says your legit code for Office 2010 is "invalid". BTW, I have the "hack" for this also. The reason I volunteer at my neighbor's computer repair shop and don't get paid, I went there to.....LEARN EVERYTHING.........and I learned........WELL.
Last edited by Night Wing on 2018-07-22, 03:35, edited 1 time in total.
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TwoTankAmin
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Re: The Windows 10 mega-thread!

Unread post by TwoTankAmin » 2018-07-22, 16:31

@Night Wing

Firstly, I really appreciate your offer to help. Especially the offer to let me log onto your system. For all you know i could be an accomplished hacker and con artist as easily as the digital boob I am.

Firstly, I just activated my recently purchased Office 2010 with no problem. My boxes have been OEM for a long time, its just that I build them from scratch not a big company. When I bought 2010 I was not looking for a copy to be used on more than one device because that is all I have. I was surprised to discover the license was for up to two devices.

My 2nd copy of Windows 7 is brand new with the little certificate with the key. Pm the disk it states: Intended for distribution with a refurbished PC. I can keep the case, the power supply the fans etc. and put in all new components. Legally, Microsoft cannot refuse to honor a legitimate copy being used in accordance with the terms of its sale, since that would end them up in court. I am not even sure it is true that they are blocking legal copies of Windows 7 from activating. What I do know is if one has a Windows license for a single PC and one replaces that PC, sometimes it becomes necessary to call Microsoft to activate with the key. Windows recognizes it is on a different set of hardware. Even changing a broken component or upgrading a part can cause Microsoft to think a user has a different box than the one on which they originally installed Windows.That is not the same thing as installing a legal brand new copy on a new box. This is one of a few reasons why I grabbed the extra copy in the first place.

I agree that I need help with this project. But I do not necessarily agree with you in thinking I need to play with Linux before I install it. I really have no option as to whether or not I install it. I also know what I want/need from my PC. What is important to me and what do I need? Perhaps the most important consideration is that Pale Moon works with Linux. I have used Outlook and Word for a very long time and have never really liked either one. For my needs they are bloatware. I would love a simpler word processing program and to have Outlook Express back. But if I need to change fro Office, then hopefully what exists is not as bloated.

1. I want to end up with Linux being as reasonably similar, in terms of the user interface, as what I now use. My understanding is Mint is the best option for this. So step one is for me lo find out which flavor most likely meets this goal. Unless my logging onto your box will let me see and play around with all three options, why do this? Either I try all three before I choose or else I trust somebody to look at what I have and then tell me what would get me the closest to that. As far as I can tell, it is more important for you (or anybody else helping) to see what I have on my box now than the reverse. I will need big help getting Linux configured. I have used Windows for decades so I am somewhat familiar with it. I would be lost with Linux.

2. I will need a new box in the near future. My hard drive is 5+ years old. The potential for mechanical failure increases with age and hours of use. Next it would be a bit foolish for me to go through what it takes to get Linux up and running on my current box knowing in 12-18 months I will have to repeat the process with all the problems that will entail. The part of this where I need help is not in putting the parts together or loading the software, it is in knowing which parts and which software to choose and how to configure things.

3. The other issue where i will need help is in transferring what can be moved from my current PC re the Windows 7 stuff to the new box. I am not worried about converting file from a Windows friendly format to a Linux friendly one re email, word documents etc. I am sure there is software for this. I had to use such software to move Outlook Express files to Office Outlook. On the Windows 7 side, I am also interested in transferring the non-data stuff so that I do not have to reconfigure everything from scratch, just duplicate it. I have never done this before.

Windows 7 goes out of service in Jan 14 2020, unless there are still so many using 7 that Microsoft decides to extend this (I doubt it). So somewhere around then, or a bit afterwards, I will have to become exclusively a Linux user. I want to start moving now with both OSes on a new box. This will give me time to move without undo haste or pressure. I will be able to learn Linux while still being able to rely on Windows 7 to insure I can do what I want/need to online. I also see the potential to continue using Windows stuff but only offline?
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Night Wing
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Re: The Windows 10 mega-thread!

Unread post by Night Wing » 2018-07-22, 19:20

@ TwoTankAmin
Firstly, I really appreciate your offer to help. Especially the offer to let me log onto your system. For all you know i could be an accomplished hacker and con artist as easily as the digital boob I am.
If you were a hacker and/or a con artist, once logged into my system, if you made a move to go where you're not supposed to go, say going directly to my Home folder, I would know it in a split second of time because I would be sitting in front of my monitor watching what you're doing on my system. All I would have to do is move my mouse and keep moving my mouse and you would not have control over your mouse to do anything on my system.
Legally, Microsoft cannot refuse to honor a legitimate copy being used in accordance with the terms of its sale, since that would end them up in court. I am not even sure it is true that they are blocking legal copies of Windows 7 from activating.
Like you stated above. Microsoft cannot refuse to honor a legitimate copy of Windows 7. But you're dealing with a CEO in Satya Nadella who is full of tricks which means Microsoft can put a few road blocks legally up to keep you from activating your copy of Windows 7. You want to know how?

If you find your valid key code is "invalid" and you email or call Microsoft on the phone, Microsoft can tell you the Activation server "has a problem at the moment and is offline so try again at a later date". So you call back the next day and and you get a response saying, "the Activation server is down for maintenance. Try again at a later date". Now the third one is a deal breaker because it can let Microsoft off the hook legally. Let's say you've activated a legal copy of Windows 7 onto a hard drive and the hard drive develops a few bad blocks in it. If you buy a new hard drive and load Windows 7 "AFTER" January 14th, 2020; Windows 7 has already reached it's end of life (EOL), Then technically and legally, I don't think Microsoft has to honor the valid key code anymore. Microsoft would just tell you to upgrade to Windows 10.

The scenarios I've just given you above, they are called "delaying tactics' and every corporate lawyer knows and uses them if and when the situation arises.
I agree that I need help with this project. But I do not necessarily agree with you in thinking I need to play with Linux before I install it.
By logging into my Mint Xfce you'll be ahead of the learning curve. An analogy for you. Like running a 10K race where you try to learn Mint on your own, you start at the starting line. But by logging into my Mint Xfce, it would be like starting the race for you at the 5K halfway mark instead of the starting line.
Perhaps the most important consideration is that Pale Moon works with Linux.
Of course Pale Moon works in linux. What do you think I'm using to type this post to you? I'm using 64 bit linux Pale Moon (27.9.4). And linux Mint works with my now very old Logitech 5000 webcam as well as with my Canon MP530 all in one printer (copy, print, scan, fax).
I would love a simpler word processing program and to have Outlook Express back. But if I need to change fro Office, then hopefully what exists is not as bloated.
Mint comes with the Libre Office office suite installed by default. It's similar to Microsoft Office, but it is not an exact duplicate. Keep this in mind, Microsoft has declared Office 2010 end of life (EOL) for some updates.
I want to end up with Linux being as reasonably similar, in terms of the user interface, as what I now use. My understanding is Mint is the best option for this. So step one is for me lo find out which flavor most likely meets this goal
Mint comes in three flavors: Cinnamon, Mate, Xfce. Xfce is the easiest to learn in my opinion since I did for awhile run both Cinnamon and Mate. If you have difficulties learning Xfce, then the learning process for Cinnamon and Mate will be greater.
Unless my logging onto your box will let me see and play around with all three options, why do this? Either I try all three before I choose or else I trust somebody to look at what I have and then tell me what would get me the closest to that. As far as I can tell, it is more important for you (or anybody else helping) to see what I have on my box now than the reverse.
Where I come from, "trust is a two way street". Since you're telling me I need to know what is on your Windows 7 hard drive (now) and how you've configured everything, that is not a problem. Unfortunately, you're not going to like my answer which is..........using Teamviewer, I take control of your Windows 7 hard drive and see everything, Office, Pale Moon, etc, etc, etc.
On the Windows 7 side, I am also interested in transferring the non-data stuff so that I do not have to reconfigure everything from scratch, just duplicate it.
You want assurances on the above. There are no guarantees on the above so assurances can not be given. Windows is not linux and linux is not Windows.

So somewhere around then, or a bit afterwards, I will have to become exclusively a Linux user. I want to start moving now with both OSes on a new box. This will give me time to move without undo haste or pressure. I will be able to learn Linux while still being able to rely on Windows 7 to insure I can do what I want/need to online. I also see the potential to continue using Windows stuff but only offline?
Look at my signature. On the desktop tower which I'm now on, there are two hard drives in it. One hard drive (default) is loaded with 64 bit linux Mint 19 (Tara) Xfce and the other hard drive (backup) is loaded with 64 bit Windows 7 Home Premium, SP1.

In conclusion, you don't like Windows 10. Fine. You want to learn something like linux to keep away from Windows 10. Fine. But, when presented with the opportunity to learn linux Mint Xfce, you've come up with every excuse not to try linux using my system at this time. Basically, if I was a professional wedding planner, I'd say you've got a bad case of "cold feet". This is the long and short of it.

Normally, I would just take this offer to you off the table. But my late dad reared me well. I will keep this offer open for you if you ever change your mind. If you do change your mind, just type a private message to me and I'll give you my home phone number in a reply private message.
Last edited by Night Wing on 2018-07-23, 03:11, edited 2 times in total.
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Re: Win/Linux setup assistance (NY)

Unread post by Nigaikaze » 2018-07-23, 01:03

Regarding dual-boot configurations, if there is enough space in the case, you might want to consider adding in a third hard drive. That way, you could use the first hard drive for a Windows installation, the second hard drive for a Linux installation, and the third as a separate data drive to hold all of the data, documents, pictures, files, etc. that you want both operating systems to be able to access. That's how I have my main workstation set up.
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Re: Win/Linux setup assistance (NY)

Unread post by Night Wing » 2018-07-23, 03:41

Nigaikaze wrote:Regarding dual-boot configurations, if there is enough space in the case, you might want to consider adding in a third hard drive. That way, you could use the first hard drive for a Windows installation, the second hard drive for a Linux installation, and the third as a separate data drive to hold all of the data, documents, pictures, files, etc. that you want both operating systems to be able to access.
Most desktop tower computers come with a two hard drive bay. Below is how I add a third hard drive even though there is only a two hard drive bay.

When I'm at the shop and a customer wants to add a third hard drive in his desktop tower computer, all I do is look to see if there is another unused sata port on his motherboard. Then I look at his power supply. If there are three power hookups which can power a third hard drive, I go get a small laptop hard drive from our stock, then gerry rig the small laptop hard drive to a space so it can't move thereby securely mounting it inside the desktop tower box. Once in place at the spot of my choosing, I then hook up the sata cable and power to the small laptop hard drive.

So there are two regular 5.25" hard drives and one small 3.5" laptop hard drive to give the desktop tower computer customer lots of added storage space. Then I turn on the computer, bring up the Boot Menu and see if the computer recognizes all three hard drives. If it does, my job is finished.
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Re: Win/Linux setup assistance (NY)

Unread post by TwoTankAmin » 2018-07-23, 18:01

just a few quick things as Time here is very tight for a while.

Interesting article from Forbes on Linux:
5 Reasons You Should Switch From Windows To Linux Right Now
Jason Evangelho Contributor i Jul 23, 2018, 06:10am 15,782 views #Windows10
https://www.forbes.com/sites/jasonevangelho/2018/07/23/5-reasons-you-should-switch-from-windows-to-linux-right-now/#122b11fd777b

@Night Wing
I will take you up on your offer. Between my fish breeding hobby being most active in the summer and more work combine with ongoing major home renovations, it will likely be closer to late August before I get big chunks of free time. I will shoot you a pm when ready. Again, thanks for your offer of help.

I have been doing some poking around for Linux mint info and the various "flavors." I tried to watch a Youtube video of Xfce. It dealt with the release of ver. 18 (I know now its 19). It basically had my eyes going in circles and I stopped it half way through because I had no clue what they were talking about, even with the pictures. I do not want to have to learn a ton of stuff to use Linux. What I need is to lay out what I need from an OS and then pursue that while ignoring as much as I can of the other 90% that I do not need want and would consider bloatware. I really need to be able to ask a lot of questions of somebody who can give me the right answers.

I need to know what I need to do what I want and then I want to try and remove or hide what I do not to the greatest extent possible.. As with trying to research anything on the net, there is always plenty of information. The real issue is in knowing which is accurate and which is not. When it comes to Linux I have no idea. Considering how long it took me to learn this for Windows, I might die of old age before I can do it with Linux.

Re Windows 8 refurbished Disk. I bought it online, it came in an envelope. All I got was a plastic case, unlabeled in any way. Inside was the DVD which does say "Intended for distribution with a refurbished PC. The DVD looks like it is a genuine Microsoft one. I cannot remember for sure where I bought it, but I think is was Ebay. From what I can tell the key does not phone home to Microsoft. However, I think this copy of 7 might only get updates for security things, but I am not sure. It also appears that once loaded it cannot be transferred to any other device. Finally, one cannot upgrade it. Finally, something good from Microsoft relative to Windows 10 :P
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Re: Win/Linux setup assistance (NY)

Unread post by Night Wing » 2018-07-24, 19:19

@ TwoTankAmin"]

I'm glad to see you're going to take me up on my offer to help you. You'll benefit greatly knowledge wise by using my Mint 19 Xfce system.

Since you decided to check out Mint 18 Xfce on YouTube and you got a little overwhelmed; by using my system, we'll go at your pace, not my pace. So you can go as slow as you want. BTW, Mint 19 does not look like Mint 18 anymore. Mint 18 had the Mint-X theme default look, but Mint 19 has the Mint-Y default theme (flat) look.

I do not like the flat look of the Mint-Y theme in 19 so I made my Mint 19 look like Mint 18 using the Mint-X theme since the Mint-X theme look is still present in the Icons tab under the Appearance setting in 19. Other things have been changed too, but nothing which is earth shattering.

As you can tell by looking at some YouTube videos, learning Mint Xfce takes a little bit of time. As for you learning a ton of stuff; a ton of stuff for you isn't the same as a ton of stuff for me. In other words, your 2000 lbs is probably my 200 lbs. What I'm saying is; by me helping you, you will learn a ton of stuff, but you won't realize you'll learning a ton of stuff. I strive to make learning fun and interesting. And you can ask as many questions as you like. Bottom line, "you will learn by doing".

Once you get comfortable using my Mint 19 (Tara) Xfce system, you'll need to register on the Mint Forums site by getting yourself a username and password. The people on the Mint Forums are a friendly group of people help wise. They have a ton of knowledge. The link to it is below.

https://forums.linuxmint.com/

BTW, I'm a registered member on the Mint Forums site with my Night Wing user name.
Last edited by Night Wing on 2018-07-24, 19:24, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Win/Linux setup assistance (NY)

Unread post by TwoTankAmin » 2018-07-24, 23:39

I am TwoTankAmin anywhere on the net I go. I have bee TTA since about early 2000. Since I do not use social media, I am not required to use my real name in places where it displays. However, when I deal with folks met online on a personal level, I always use real names.

Re Xfce- I have been poking around and I have found several Linux distros that look a lot more like Windows than Xfce. I was looking and reading here on the Its Foss site https://itsfoss.com/windows-like-linux-distributions/ I liked the looks i saw assuming I can customize what is placed where. And I was very impressed by their saying on one distro running Widows programs is possible. My Windows has used only the classic theme since day 1. I prefer to retain that to the greatest extent possible as well.

I am 70 years old. I have been using Windows since 1988. The look and set-up of XP and 7 were very close to the same. When I say I do not want to learn a ton of new stuff, there is more to it than learning stuff. The longer one has done things the same way combined with getting up in years, it becomes harder to move to something new. The reason is you are not just learning something new, you have to forget what you knew. Here is a very simplified example. I use a few password conventions when I create them based on the type of site i am visiting and the nature of the data it could put at risk. I have a 7 character pword I use for most sites that are forums etc. where there is not a lot of user information to be compromised. For financial type sites it's a whole different ballgame.

Since I registered on this site I uses the same standard 7 digit pword I have used for this sort of site for about 20 years. When Moonchild decided to require users switch to 8 digit pwords I added two digits to the front of my standard pword. That was what, about 2 months or more back? I am still typing in my old pword in almost every login which fails. I thought I had changed that habit, it turns out I was wrong. The point is, the more like classic Windows and Windows 7 I can have Linux look, the easier it will be for me to master. This will be complicated by trying to use Win 7 and Linux side by side for a while initially.
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Re: Win/Linux setup assistance (NY)

Unread post by Night Wing » 2018-07-25, 02:36

@ TwoTankAmin

When Microsoft brought out Windows 8, I viewed it as nothing more than a phone/tablet operating system with the Desktop "bolted on as an after thought". I know a flop when I first see it and I knew the market place was going to throw Windows 8 on the "software ash heap of history" as operating systems go and the market place did. It was then back in October of 2012 when I wanted to learn a linux distro.

I installed Zorin, Solus, SolydX, Ubuntu, Xubuntu and finally Mint (Cinnamon, Mate, Xfce). Mint Xfce is the one which I preferred because Mint is full featured programs wise and it is highly customizable if you know what you are doing and how to do it. So I started with Mint 14 Xfce back in December of 2012.

Later on, I tried Manjaro but Manjaro is a rolling release and it broke my system, "twice". Twice burned, lessons learned. Manjaro was out for me. Mint is not a rolling release. It is very, very stable and very easy to learn with just a little bit of patience.

With Mint Xfce, I can make Xfce "look" like Windows XP or Windows 7. But since Mint is a linux distro, it will "not" act like Windows XP or Windows 7. Take the example below.

If you want to install linux Teamviewer in Mint Xfce, you have to go to the TV site below.

https://www.teamviewer.com/en/download/linux/

Scroll down the page a little ways and then you have to choose the correct .deb package to download. You won't see Mint listed. But Mint is based on Ubuntu so you would choose the correct bit (64 or 32) under Ubuntu/Debian. The smart move is to save the download someplace on your system. My Desktop has no icons on it so I save everything to my Desktop.

This is where you would need my help. With the TV .deb package on the Desktop, you would think if Mint looks like XP or Windows 7, it is going to act like it. Wrong. With out my help and if you were learning on your own, you would most likely double left click on the TV .deb package file to install it because that is what your are used to doing when installing a program in Windows. It will not install this way because linux distros do "not" act like Windows.

What you have to do is "right click" on the TV .deb package file. Then a gui window opens up and it will give you some choices. You would then "left click" on the choice, "Install with Gdebi Package Installer" and Gdebi will automatically install linux TV for you.

BTW, Kubuntu uses the KDE desktop environment and KDE is more resource intensive (system wise) than Cinnamon, Mate or Xfce. I wouldn't recommend KDE for a raw newbie beginner to linux like yourself.

Almost forgot. Your 70 and I'm 68 so if I can learn linux, so can you.
Last edited by Night Wing on 2018-07-25, 02:41, edited 1 time in total.
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