Your windows xp Laptop or computer Meets the Requirements To run Windows 10?

XP was the last Microsoft O/S where the user/owner on the local machine was in the drivers seat.
Now the Microsoft "cloud" (the wife calls it 'Skynet') runs the show.
Want no part of it.
Why? ... because I DON'T TRUST Microsoft.

 

If you opt for dual boot Mint with Windows, you will not lose anything unless something goes wrong, (Back-up).

You will still have access to all your Windows stuff, and even when you are running Linux, whilst you do not have Windows GUI, the Linux file manager can still access the files in your Windows system as long as you have not encrypted them.

Usually, whilst running Mint, you will use Linux specific programs rather than Windows programs. They are often better, do not cost you, and are downloaded from software repository, so compatibility and dependencies are taken care of for you. (And there are thousands to choose from) Some Windows applications, eg Photoshop, are more advanced than Linux equivalents, if you are requiring advanced professional usage: you would need to check out any specific example.

Some, many but not all, Windows applications can be run on Linux systems using 'WINE' and also some other Linux compatibility applications. Applications heavily Driver-dependent (often games) are those most likely not available through WINE.

You will find yourself required to supply new passwords required by your Linux operating System, and browsers and suchlike. Many browsers allow importing and exporting of data relating to saved URLs (Favourites etc) but security, such as passwords you use to log onto various websites, you will probably have to re-enter.

 

Dual booters: If you have a new empty hdd/ssd in your computer with nothing installed install Windows first and then Linux. You can boot into either O/S from the Linux GRUB. That's the general consensus and it worked for me. With Acer netbooks and Lenovo ThinkPads I had no issues with drivers at all in the Linux domain. They were all in place (everything worked) after the installation.

 

"Bought it in my dog's name, and he couldn't speak English..." Hah! Eee, I like it, I like it! That's certainly ONE way to deal wi' the buggers.....


Mike.

 

THAT I will agree with, 100%. The Linux kernel is better than 95% nothing BUT drivers these days, and as Dyehard says, there's precious little that isn't supported nowadays by the kernel. The only times you may have difficulties is when attempting to install a Linux 'distro' to a brand-new box, just off the production line,

You have to realise that almost all drivers are specifically written with the assumption that the user will be running Windows. The major manufacturers and equipment vendors give very little thought to Linux, if at all, due in no small part to the ridiculously restrictive 'lock-in' practices & 'legal' requirements that M$ have in place for any vendor that wishes to bulk-purchase the OS for installation on, or for use by, their hardware.

Therefore, all drivers for the Linux kernel have to be 'reverse-engineered' from their Windows counterparts; a painstaking process, since vendors are not at all forthcoming with product data-sheets, etc. (About the only one who really seems to take Linux into account at all is Intel, believe it or not, but in their case they're simply being pragmatic, since they realise that most of the servers and datacentres world-wide that comprise the backbone of the internet run some form of Linux, even when they use Intel hardware. For Intel, it's just a sensible business decision.)

This process can take anywhere from 5-6 weeks up to 6 months, depending on the number of kernel maintainers available to be assigned the task. And in the open-source world, precious few developers receive a regularly salary, IF they receive one at all. Much of the time, Linux software is written simply for the satisfaction of doing so - because the developer originally writes something for his own, personal use. If it turns out the way he/she wants it to, it may then be released for public consumption.

I wouldn't be at all surprised if even Ian runs some form of Linux on this Forum's servers.


Mike.

 

All this sounds like pure speculation From Wikipedia?

 

Would you care to expand on and clarify that statement?
I haven't suggested anything that I haven't done myself (successfully) several times.

 

Sorry, please disregard. I made this post in the wrong thread by mistake.

 

For what it's worth, Dyehard is right about GRUB. I use it a lot and it (mostly) has never given me problems.

 

I know, that post was made by mistake - finger trouble I thought I made the post on another thread. This happened because I had 3 tabs open with 3 different threads on them. Quite embarrassing

 

I don't take this stuff personally.
It's essentially an academic discussion about running XP (a legacy O/S abandoned by its creators) in an increasingly hostile, challenging computing environment.
If I make suggestions that others have had problems/issues with then I welcome that dialog.
It's an essential component of the scientific method that things are tried and tested in the real world and shortfalls and problems thoroughly discussed and made known to all.
Unfortunately unlike Linux we don't have access to the "guts" (source code) of XP and don't have the ability to change things "under the hood"

 

Absolutely. And I have only ever tried to share the best ways of doing anything with other folks.

FWIW, although I run Linux exclusively, I still run many pieces of Windows software under the Linux compatibility layer known as WINE. I got so used to using them in XP itself, I was simply pleased to find out that there was a way I could keep using them.

I run a right mixture of stuff, including Linux apps, Windows apps, old DOS-Box and Amiga games under emulators.....I'm not proud; if something does what I want it to, I'll use it, regardless of architecture or platform.

Best way to be. I use Linux for two main reasons; i), it's free (I'm a real skin-flint!), and ii), in the case of Puppy, with its totally unique method of operation, it's darned near bullet-proof.

In over 5 years of using Puppy, I've never yet caught a single 'nasty'.....and that's despite 'running-as root', AND indulging in some highly risky practices at times. At the end of a session, if I think I may have caught something, I simply choose to shut down without 'saving'.....and the entire thing, warts and all, disappears into the vacuum of cyberspace!

Now that's 'security' for you.....


Mike.

 

Priscus no correction needed, often people who spell well
can neither wright poetry, be creative and according to my girlfriend kiss very well

 

did you know you cant really turn win 10 off, unless you unplug it, the lights go out, but the drive is running so it works faster at turn on.

also it is a bloated resource hog, but it also is a mechanical version of the same attitude America has towards women, use user and discard, is it any wonder these machines are sick as they are, when you look at the rapist culture that makes and markets them.

 

call it, MS's personal drawl of stolen under wear

 

boy its a rare day in Tokyo when your wrong and I am right, but it is a moral question,

 

Primary HDD came installed in the Dell Optiplex PC with a corporate version of XP Pro (the sort that never has to be activated). The PC had a spare 5.25 bay. I had local computer shop install a mobile-rack like this: (https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/81ZiQwn+BUL._AC_SL1500_.jpg
which allows me to switch in and out bare hard discs, reminiscent of the old 8-track tapes.

 

Currently when I run MX Linux as LiveCD, within half hour my HDD starts spinning wildly for up to five minutes. As I understand the concept of LiveCDs, they are not supposed to have access to the hard drive, as they are supposed to run from RAM. I have no idea why it is accessing my primary HDD, or what it is doing, but as this is where my XP Pro resides, I'm not amused. My question is will this stop if I actually install MX Linux to my secondary HDD, or will it still be able to access my primary HDD?

 

If the windows O/S option isn't available on GRUB run "sudo update-grub" from terminal after Linux has booted up. I've had no issues with the GRUB multi-boot arrangement to date.

 

Live linux CD/DVD WILL access your hard drive, though it should not change your windows files.

It does so to index the files that comprise your windows system, and usually, (at least FAT or NTFS) will present this to you within Linux as a drive, or as a virtual drive, so that you can access your Windows files from within Linux.