Ready to wipe MS Win 8.1 and load a Linux version, but

[Matlock]

First off, my net connection is a slow VZ MiFi jetpack, 5Mbps download and 9Mbps up, no cable. Slow speeds AND I have to watch that I don't go over my data limit (18 G). My 2 yr old laptop has Win 8.1.

Now to the issue;
Over the last year it's started freezing during updates and won't update without first running the "Win update troubleshooter". Adds about 5-6 minutes every 2-3 days when I see new updates are available. Going to Win 10 isn't a good idea with problems with Win 8.1 and, even if I do a clean install It's still a sucky OS, maybe more so than what I have now.
I've tried correcting the issues, running SFC and eventually restore. It did work for three days for updates but I lost a lot of features and apps. I fixed most of them but I'm no longer enthused about more of the same problems.

So, here's my question, should I uninstall/delete/wipe my hard-drive and install a free copy of Linux ___  or?               And, as a semi-literate pc user how difficult is this process and should I just hand over my laptops (one Vista, one Asus Win8.1) to either a local repair dude to do a OS change or just squish everything with a 15lb sledge and use my droid phone?
Worth noting, I occasionally buy/sell on-line and a few emails but I no longer play with CAD or photoshop, etc.

All suggestions are welcome.

 

[ldmccain]

All I can say is what I did..
Updated to win10 and dual boot Ubuntu on my old 17" laptop.
Was so aggravating I now have a mac. Only boot the old one when on free Wi-Fi to play a game.
Win10 forced me to do something I said I would never do. Own an Apple product.

Wandering Larry

 

[Matlock]

How often do you need to do updates for your Mac?
I bricked my Ipad2 from a ITunes update a little over a year ago. Now I use it for a door stop in the summer months.

Damn I'd love to turn back the clock to XP. Not many bells and .... whistles were not even invented back then.

 

[Dennis]

I'm not an expert and hate the process of upgrading due to what I think could happen. I thought Win XP was great. Went to Win 7 and got used to it. I recently did the Win 10 upgrade and went without a hitch....yay. Aggravating as it was I got all the regular updates and believe I read that is what made it so easy. I have high speed though. What I got to what I couldn't stand was IE. Slow, jerky, doa. Edge seemed just as bad. Switched to Google and stopped all of that.
Maybe try the local repair dude to do the install. Not sure what a disc would cost to install from that. I hate low, slow bandwidth!!
I liked Win 95

 

[ldmccain]

I've had it several months now and only remember 4 updates. All have been for installed apps. Haven't had an OS update yet. When it finally does I'll put it off until I'm ready.
So far all of my essential apps work on it. Basecamp, keepass, Kindle, moneydance, calibre, gimp.
And it integrates my google calendars into the local calendar. Something I've tried for years to get windows and Linux to do.
Wandering Larry

 

[Optimistic Paranoid]

Got a number of options here:

I believe that people like the Geek Squad have a number of sophisticated diagnostic programs that are head and shoulders above the do-it-yourself stuff Microsoft provides.  So letting them diagnose one of your machines to see what they find is one option.

There is a thread here about mirrorcasting your android phone to a TV.  Add a Bluetooth keyboard and use the phone as you CPU box.  Another option.

Hard drives have gotten ridiculously cheap.  I see you can get a 1tb Western Digital Black Caviar on Amazon for $73 right now.  Rather than wipe my current drive, I'd just pull it and do an install on a new drive.  A Black Caviar is probably way better than whatever the factory gave you.  Another option.

Apple is not a technology company, Apple is a cult.  String some cloves of garlic together on a thread and wear it as a necklace. and you will be safe from them.

 

[rvpopeye]

I installed Linux/Zorin 7 on my XP (that lost MS support).
Linux/Ubuntu Studio on my Vista(that will lose MS support next April).
Kept my W7 , W7 .(MS still supporting that till 2020)
And just upgraded my W8.1(MS support till 2023) ASUS Transformer Tablet to W10 (MS will support that for as long as it still runs).
All are working just fine.

I'd suggest trying the W10 upgrade out and if you have problems THEN think about Linux.
It will still be there waiting for you to make the decision. And still free!

You can go to a library ,Mickey D ,Starbucks ,park in the lot at Lowes,,,,,
to get wi-fi for the W10 upgrade ......and/or Linux download then come back for instructions on how to install it on your computer............

OH yeah , W10 is free till tomorrow night ! Then $120

 

[blars]

If you have a DVD drive, you can try one of the "live" distributions without wiping your windows. (and install/co-install later) 'm a long-time Debian user, but Ubuntu (based on Debian) seems to be more intuitive to people used to windows.

 

[BradKW]

Not sure where you're getting the negative impression of Win10, but likely it's just anecdotal. I upgraded from Win7 and have found it to be a seamless and solid platform...really don't know anyone personally that's not happy with it. I'd suggest you try it...unless the problems you're experiencing are hidden in carry-over drivers, it stands a good chance of correcting them. Oh, and I use Google Chrome as browser.

That said, You need to do very little to try Ubuntu and see if it's for you. It's definitely not for everybody...most casual Windows and Apple users will be surprised at how much they come to rely on an operating system taking care of all the background things, such as drivers. But you can easily install Ubuntu on a USB thumb drive and boot from that, no changes permanent or otherwise to the current OS on your hard drive. It will ask you on each re-boot if you want to install, just click No.

I have an older friend who is so unsavvy he can't reliably access email year to year. What he does manage to do is surf a lot of porn and apparently click on anything he feels like. As a result, I've had to clean or fix his laptop constantly. I finally got fed up with it and put Ubuntu on a pen drive and showed him how to use it...and I haven't had to do a repair since.

How to create a bootable USB stick on Windows

 

[Oberneldon]

I don't like W10 as it sets up. I don't want to share my information as the default settings sets up out of the gate. It operates as a managed environment that in my opinion is designed for Windows tablet when wifi usage isn't an issue.

I now have W10 on desktop and notebook and I go in and turn off all possible settings that use bandwidth by auto sharing or down loading.

It is also important to do this if using wireless data as this fluff of sharing uses data in the background.

There is a good YouTube link that was shared here some time ago that walks you through changing settings.

Brent

 

[skyl4rk]

Buy or make a Linux Mint dvd and install over the entire drive (in other words, don't dual boot).

 

[BradKW]

I think it's a really bad idea for someone who has never used Linux before to overwrite their current OS when booting from a USB drive or DVD is an option.

 

[ArtW]

There's a discussion about this on my Motorcycle forum, too
the new machines that come with win 10 are going to have a chip in them to prevent installation of other OSs, apparently, so will be brickwalled into MS only
the biggest problem many seem to have with 10 is it will work only with MS drivers, which aren't the best, and windows programs, which are expensive
Windows has always been monetized, unlike Linux, from what I've read, but now they're walling their users in
personally, I plan on going all android all the time, eventually, but to be fair, I'm not close to a 'power user'

 

[eDJ_]

I see it suggested to pull the old HD out and install a better one.   Would a SSD (solid State Drive) make it any more responsive when on slow service ?

 

[eDJ_]

I see it suggested to pull the old HD out and install a better one.   Would a SSD (solid State Drive) make it any more responsive when on slow service ?

 

[BradKW]

SSDs are a generational leap in technoloy and perfomance and you really can't say enough good things about them. Unfortunately though, they can do nothing about slow data speeds. Best that could be said is sometimes people might think the problem is data speeds when it's really system issues.

From above, saying that Windows will only use MS drivers which aren't good, makes little sense. MS isn't in the driver business, 3rd parties write drivers to help their product perform in the windows ecosystem. That's like saying that Ford will make cars that only accept tires that fit...

 

[skyl4rk]

I think it's a really bad idea for someone who has never used Linux before to overwrite their current OS when booting from a USB drive or DVD is an option.

Booting from a cd or usb stick is good to test things out but it is not a real replacement for having the operating system on the hard drive. 

A single operating system linux install to hard drive is much simpler than dual booting, no fooling around with partitions, no fooling around with bios settings, and you have the entire hard drive available to your operating system.

You have to start somewhere.  Back up your files and give it a try.

 

[BradKW]

Agreed. I just can't empasize enough though how important it is to try it out before wiping a Windows install. If, for example, my parents got the idea to go linux and did a full install, it would be a nightmare trying to get them functional again with all the things Windows has trained everyone to believe "just works".

A decent analogy is Windows is a fully functioning class A RV. Linux is a custom shell that allows a DIYer to build a better suited camper to their needs.

 

[ArtW]

maybe it was windows approved drivers
copy / pasted from recent discussion



Quote
Yes, but they are busy right now making sure all new Windows PCs contain their boot review lock out chip (a physical chip) that keeps you from loading or accessing any other OS product on that new machine. They do this by making sure Win 10 won't work AT ALL on any bulk manufacturer priced software licenses without the chip being present, a "required security" thing you know.

It is a MS requirement both contractually and physically that is intended to brick you into their MS walled garden.

By not writing any new Win 7 drivers and forcing all sub-vendors to use only approved Win 10 drivers MS has in essence put a functional end to Win 7 and Win 8.1 which will kill them off piecemeal very quickly.

 

[bigsallysmom]

I too wanted to play with an operating system other than windows. I dual booted ubuntu 12.02 on an old xp laptop using wubu to install through windows. i thought about putting it on a stick but my laptop was so old that i couldn't tell it to boot from a usb port. it took a long time to download and during the install the electricity failed causing something like a blue screen of death and required a uninstall and reinstall. then i upgraded to 14.04. some issues with not getting wifi to work so uninstalled and reinstalled. made the mistake of trying to install 16.06 but afterwards realized the laptop didn't have the minimum required. so back to installing and installing 14.04.


I'm not a novice. i've taught computers to middle school kids for years and maintained several hundred computers and laptops. i would say that adding ubuntu the way i did was not a task for a newby unless they had access to another computer to research the fixes and a boatload of time, bandwidth and determination.