Rebuilding MoparMom's Computer

[Mopar1973Man]

Well gang...MoparMom's finally went south and was acting goofy either it would boot to Win Vista and not hook up to the internet or it would boot and act like its finishing a update then crash and circle back through booting process. I had enough. I'm in the process of backing up a few partitions and now installing Ubuntu Linux x64 to her computer. I think she is going to really enjoy the solid environment.As for me I'm running a dual boot computer and working my way out of Windows as well. As soon as I find the rest of my replacement software or a emulator to use the Win Apps on Linux (WINE) then Vista will disappear from my computer as well. As for the shop computer I'm going to convert it over very soon too and get away from Windows all together... Good Bye Micro$oft! --- Hello Ubuntu Linux x64...

[anoldbiker]

_{I gave up a short time ago and went Mac's for everyone here. But I will say Windows Vista was the 2nd worst OS's Microsoft made.}

I will admit, before I shot my wife's PC, (yes, I did the shotgun routine with it, it died with a bang), I put in Windows 7 and found out it was one of their best yet. But still had 250 updates in the first 30 days of ownership. Even after 2 years of that, I just got tired of cr*p you have to put up with, with Windows.

I hear a lot of great things about running a Linux based systems. My friend says the hardest thing you need to train yourself on it ... is to get the heck off of it.

[Mopar1973Man]

Actually in the Vista / Win 7 debate I tend to say Vista is better smaller package and lot more can be tune out and lighten up conpared to Win 7 which has way too much graphical overhead. Comparing raw installs Win 7 has more running processes out of the box than Vista does. But that only my ...

[anoldbiker]

Well, I was so impressed with Windows, and the last several decades of playing with their OS systems and the memories of hours straightening it out, I'm 100% OS X and never been happier with an OS ever. (I know there are others that hate it, but what ever ...).As long as the family is happy, that's what counts.

[Mopar1973Man]

Well because of my computer business I had to be a tired and true Microsoft fan. But now with the Cloud 10 Computers basically gone I'm not going to even worry about learning new skill with Windows 7 or Windows 8. I'm just going to flip over to Linux be done. Like you said...

As long as the family is happy, that's what counts.

That what matter getting the job done and keeping the family happy.

[ISX]

I think Linux and Mac computers are great. However, I absolutely hate them because I don't understand them but the way they work and how nothing affects them is juts marvelous. It is good that most schools are getting kids started on macs rather than windows because that is the reason I am with microsoft since that's what I grew up with. I was on it at 3.1 so have evolved along with it. Trying to jump into a Mac after it has already evolved is a big undertaking that I don't want to mess with. I am a robot when it comes to reinstalling windows so that isn't the issue. I set everything up so I can format and reinstall when the thing gets slow and then it is just like new again. I have never got a virus unintentionally (clicked on email attachments that I shoulda known was a virus). That means I really have nothing against windows. I love XP and everything about it. I like a lot of the new things that 7 does though some things are a little overdone to the point of becoming in the way. I like fancy stuff so the more graphical stuff the better lol. My sister is the apple person of the family. Has the iphone and ipad and all the other crap they make. The thing I don't understand is how the whole apple stuff works, how to navigate about it, anything. To me the iphone is featureless. I can scroll through the crap on my HTC for a long time but I only see like 20 things on her iphone. Why she wanted an ipad is completely unknown to me because I swear it is identical to her iphone. Same everything on both so I really don't get it. I like that I can install anything on my phone, no matter how unstable it might be from the shady developers, same with windows applications. I also don't understand the cost of apple products. However, if I could redo life, I would start on a mac. Until then, bring on windows! Ehhh except for windows 8. I loaded the developer preview on my computer, what a joke. I don't understand the point of it. I realize it's made for cell phones but my cell phone has more features than it had as a desktop version. Windows 7 is good enough to be a windows XP endurance clone, as in they will just let it ride for 10 years or however old XP is until they can come up with something completely different (vista at that time).

[Mopar1973Man]

Well so far so good the only hang up I've got right now is getting the Canon MF4150 drivers for Linux loaded for my printer. I've run into a mild snag but I'll find a solution yet some where.

Rogan where are you?

I'm going to end up having my computer as a dual boot computer (Ubuntu Linux / Windows Vista) for some of the odds and ends that just don't work in Linux. But I'm aiming for the Linux to be primary OS for both computers and having Mopar Mom solely on Linux now. Thing is I'm getting tired of Microsoft constant need to change the interface/desktop and having to learn how to work Windows all over again... I'm tired of anti-virus and firewall requirements of windows.

Like Mopar Mom isn't exactly internet saavy so her sites happen to have lots of links that take her to so many different sites to read articles that more times out of ten she gets hit by malware or a virus. So when here Windows Vista crashed I finally gave up and install the Linux. Her machine is completely up and running fine the only thing I didn't get so far is the printer setup on my side and then share it over the network.

I love the security of Linux more so that Windows. You must log back in with your password to do any administrative functions. So if you installing software you got provide a password to even install it. Better than windows click a button or even worse of people disabling the security in Windows.

But I'm willing to take on the challenge and move to something different... Best part is the more I learn about Linux the better off I am for administrating for the web site because both my home computer and my web site are both run on Linux now.

Like even right now this post was written using FireFox / Ubumtu Linux...

--- Update to the previous post...

Now that I'm getting more comfortable with Linux here is a screen shot of the system load with Firefox running and a few other APPS. Heck Windows can't even dream of running this light. Last time I check Vista would consume most of the 4GB of RAM and then create anothe 2GB in Swap file.

[ISX]

You said Vista ran a lot lighter than 7, yet now you say you hit 4GB. With the usual million tabs open on opera, excel running, google chrome running another million tabs, and other crap, I still keep it under 4 easily. Doesn't really matter since I have 8 to use. Windows 7 runs more efficiently from what I can tell, what you said just proves it since all your tricks still can't keep it from loading up the RAM. Here is what I see 99% of the time. However!, I do want to see you focus your camera on the screen and just stroll around on Linux to show how it all works and navigates and where stuff is. Screenshot looks fancy so I want to see what else there is.

[Baconbitsforu]

Ive used them all. Windows 2000, Xp, Vista, and 7. Xp was the best... Still is now I use 7 and its ok. Way better than Vista. Use mac os at work and Linux to run web pages. Being A+ Certified I work on mostly windows.

[Mopar1973Man]

Here is the same machine with all my Windows crap running... Remember this machine is running WAMP... Apache Server, MySQL server and PHP server... Linux is unusual for a OS... Most of the controls is done from a terminal. I'll have to dig up the camera and tripod and shot a few minutes of surfing linux... Now with linux I've got WINE installed so all my windows drives are completely readable in Linux. Then if there is a windows program I want to install I can in WINE. It will emulate MS Windows for me. WINE - http://www.winehq.org/ EDIT: I just remember this is a fresh install of Win Vista and I've not tweaked it yet... :banghead: I've got a bunch of services to kill off... http://www.blackviper.com/2009/05/31/black-vipers-windows-vista-service-pack-2-service-configurations/ But so far the only problem I've got is a printer driver on Mom's computer I'm closer to getting it fixed...

[Mopar1973Man]

However!, I do want to see you focus your camera on the screen and just stroll around on Linux to show how it all works and navigates and where stuff is. Screenshot looks fancy so I want to see what else there is.

Better yet... Go over to Ubuntu site and download the software... When you get it burnt to a disc then you can boot the disc as a test drive without loading any software on the hard drive...

[Mopar1973Man]

Well I'm closer to getting to the finish line... I finally figured out the printer driver issues. Now have both computers hooked up on one printer. As for the solution to the printer... http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?p=11781593#post11781593 So now I'm moving forward and getting software and getting thing setup more...