I am on Linux Lite and it saya it would mount my old windows files.
Revisiting Windows
Boot Problems
It is common for your Windows Machine to stop booting.
It reads the boot sector and if it does see Windows not it hangs up.
I know very little about Windows since I do not use it, even though I have a Win 7 in one of the partitions.
I use Linux Grub to Boot Windows, since windows never supported booting a Linux distribution, it hangs up. It wants the first sector of the boot partition.
In addition one need to boot windows first and thereafter Linux.
I have an old IBM, the last one out of the ten (rest dismantled and retired to junk) distributions. Its SATA hard disk's boot sector is gone for good and I cannot boot it but I use a devious method to boot all my my Linux distributions (may be five).
Linux lets you boot off from a different partition and is not choosy of the first boot sector.
Each distribution has a copy of the Grub file for booting. Today I downloaded Devil Linux and booted it to find it says no Grub and goes to rescue mode (which I have forgotten now).
So I thought my hard disk finally succumbed to my perennial insults which include sudden power drops and outage. So bit worried when through my devious routine but still the same result.
Why do I post this?
To report I have no computer to access the web.
No.
I did not do my routine right.
I had a USB hard disk attached to the system.
I am using it to copy all my valid data, in case my hard disk goes out.
It does not have a bootable Linux in it.
Now I have gone to the minimal MicroSD boot, using a MultiUSB port.
Mind you this solid state hard disks are killing the turntable disks and sending them to the junk yard prematurely.
So one cardinal rule nowadays is to have minimum of 4 GIB RAM and USB bootable boot menu.
I still use 1 GB RAM.
I like the slow pace anyway since my physiology is gradually slowing down.
Good RAM and USB booting are the minimum one needs.
So if your USB does not have a bootable sector it won't boot up.
Nothing wrong with the hardware. It is prudent to have a bootable USB with some of its extra data storage is reserved for saving data.
Linux can do all this especially the Knoppix.
Knoppix gone defunct, now.
Latest Knoppix is out but there is a fault in the torrent right now.
Wednesday, October 28, 2015
Windows- Reproduction Unedited!
When One is troubled with Windows What one can do?
It is strange that when one is troubled with Windows he or she goes into shell and blame oneself and not the operating system.
It is the opposite when one is troubled with Linux.
If he / she is a one who comes from the windows background without batting an eyelid he / she blames the distribution as if the whole hell has descended on him / her.
It is often a minor glitch he or she has overlooked to configure or may be downloading a suitable alternative package or worse come file a bug report to which a ready solution is available within 6 weeks.
If that does not help one can swap the distribution and select one that suits and download it. (I have two books already available, not digital yet selecting a distribution and also the utilities and packages, if this blog entry is not adequate enough).
One problem with this approach is if one is not using a torrent download (even this can be painful if there is one seeder who has gone into hibernation at night-simply switched off the computer) it can be time consuming. The download time can be awfully long and and painful (I have enough of stories often due to failure of the Sri-Lankan Telecom but, never or do not complain because I download several at a time and I know one will be finished by morning when I am in deep sleep and dreaming some bizarre episode of Cloud Computing like Star Wars of yesteryear).
But once one has a CD (ideally D.V.D with almost everything one needs in one pack) the live session is breezy and installation is cakewalk if not catwalk.
Only thing Linux guys forget is to keep it running 24 hours (cron jobs at midnight are vital to get rid of the junk files that collect is one switches off the computer regularly; leave seeds for others to access) at least once or twice a week.
If you are lazy use a the sweeper or do it manually which I prefer now because of the frequent downloads.
Now come to Window guys/girls.
Steps
1. Do not blame yourself.
2. It is often the operating system at fault.
3. It can be due to a corrupt file or large macro sitting on the file and spying on you.
4. The pet devise to blame is the latest virus and I bet you you will not have a solution this side of 6 months.
With so many holes in the operating system which Microsoft will never able plug and then they will promise you the new version is very beautiful (but very slow to run unless you doubled up your RAM) and one should change and upgrade and works better (of course till the next ultra new version is ready for upgrade).
You are in this vicious cycle (V.C) and never get out of it.
If a guy of my age descends on me with a problem, I do not try to convert the guy to Linux fearing one gets a heart attack.
I ask a few questions.
If it it a pirated copy.
If the answer is Yes, thrash the pirated copy and get a copyrighted version.
This is I am openly campaigning for the guy to remain with Microsoft.
Microsoft should be happy with my efforts now but I do not charge anything for this advice.
The poor guy has to pay through his nose anyway.
Do not forget the virus guard and that also will cost you some quids.
Get somebody to format and install, I won't do that for you unless he or she wishes to have a Linux distribution dual booted.
He has to spend a half a day with me with food and beverages ready and ample.
This is Christmas time anyway.
If the guy has not got the money, then the scenario changes.
I ask what are the things that he uses computer for, regularly.
Invariably, the answer is that he uses the email and nothing else to be in contact with the family and friends.
Then I give him a breezy Live CD and ask the guy to use it till he himself try to find a remedy for the malady or ultimately ditch Microsoft and ask me to install the new distribution in his computer.
The last course, of course works well for Linux and I of course have to have two visits instead of one.
That of course keeps our friendship lasting and viable.
Who says Microsoft is bad.
It makes "my sphere of activity" to enlarge and expand.
Sunday, November 29, 2015
My Old Media Files with Windows 8
I am getting ready well in advance for Christmas holidays.
I found two hard disks with in built Hard Disk Player.
It was full of old Linux Isos and few media files and song tracks.
One of the flies was Home Alone Video.
I tried to play it with Windows Media Player, it only played the audio file.
I connected it to a KVM Switch / Slot and played it on VGA but it needed speakers for audio.
Well I needed RF Jack to plug into Combo.
All are now USB media players.
Ah, lot of work and wire connections not digital but analogue.
Then on second thought, I wanted it to be played on Peppermint's VLC Media Player.
Presto!
Files were good as NEW.
This why I say Window's is pain in the Arxxs.
I won't bother to visit Microsoft and PAY for a Media Player.
Windows Guys / Girls there are lot of Linux Software that can be used in Windows and I won't list them, here.
You better find them yourself.
