Computer operating systems

Ben82 · Unread post by **Ben82** » 15 Sep 2013, 20:09

Been using Windows 8 now for a few weeks-ish. Only complaints really are:
My linux box doesn't like my Win8 laptop going offline. I seem to have to do a lazy umount of the windows share, and wait for it to timeout, and then remount it, or reboot the linux box.

It seems like very recently samba has made progress with SMBv2/v3 as used in Windows 8, so that might fix it, but that'll take probably a few hundred years before it gets included in CentOS, so probably a compile from source job.

Other complaint is when Alt+F4ing a Metro app it just gives me a green screen (colour scheme of my choosing) rather than going to the previous desktop app, or the start menu.

Unread post by **myglaren** » 07 Oct 2013, 21:59

Run into a problem and any suggestions appreciated.

I have here a workmate's mother's laptop, ancient NEC.
Has XP SP1 on it. No updates since 2005.
Windows update won't work as it is using IE6 and needs as a minimum IE8.
IE fails to update, cant find some target file it needs.
Haven't any discs but they wouldn't help anyway.

I would just bung Linux on it as she only wants it to wander around the web BUT the CD-ROM is kippered and won't recognise any of the many CDs I have put in it.
Too old to boot from USB - tried that first.

There was a heap of corporate connection software on it that prevented me getting on the net or ages then decided it was never going to be any use as it was trying to connect through some business server that I had no passwords for - anybody's guess where she got this thing.
She could use it as it is but not for very long I imagine, IE6 won't render most sites anymore (even has problems with Microsoft sites) and there is zero protection on it so Mr Virus will kill it off in no time.

Xaccers · Unread post by **Xaccers** » 08 Oct 2013, 02:37

Download and install the latest service pack then ie8 or Firefox
See if her bank offers free AV or install MS Security Essentials

Unread post by **myglaren** » 08 Oct 2013, 06:28

Xac wrote:Download and install the latest service pack then ie8 or Firefox
See if her bank offers free AV or install MS Security Essentials

Thanks Xac, I'll try the service pack thing but up to now it's refused to download anything from Microsoft and has problems navigating the download sites.
MS Security Essentials will bring it to its knees though. Very low spec, hardly any memory.

Unread post by **CitroJim** » 08 Oct 2013, 06:32

myglaren wrote: MS Security Essentials will bring it to its knees though. Very low spec, hardly any memory.

Ideal Linux candidate then

Unread post by **myglaren** » 08 Oct 2013, 06:46

CitroJim wrote:
myglaren wrote: MS Security Essentials will bring it to its knees though. Very low spec, hardly any memory.
Ideal Linux candidate then

Yes, that was actually the original plan but the buggered CD-ROM scuppered that. A lightweight Linux would be perfect for it.

Unread post by **CitroJim** » 08 Oct 2013, 07:08

myglaren wrote:
CitroJim wrote: Ideal Linux candidate then
Yes, that was actually the original plan but the buggered CD-ROM scuppered that. A lightweight Linux would be perfect for it.

Ahh, that's a shame. BIOS too old to boot from a USB Stick I guess...

Unread post by **myglaren** » 08 Oct 2013, 07:22

Yep, tried that first.

Ben82 · Unread post by **Ben82** » 08 Oct 2013, 08:09

PXE boot a possibility?

Xaccers · Unread post by **Xaccers** » 08 Oct 2013, 12:38

Try a USB CD ROM drive?

Unread post by **CitroJim** » 08 Oct 2013, 16:39

Xac wrote:Try a USB CD ROM drive?

That's the same as a stick so if it won't boot from a stick it won't boot from anything else stuffed in any of its USB ports.

I once overcame this by popping the hard disk out and writing a bootable XP image onto it but I can;t start to recall now how I managed it.

Ben82 wrote:PXE boot a possibility?

Ben, yes, perhaps if a bootable image of BartPE was dropped onto the hard disk along with OS source files and then booted? That would bring up a PXE environment that might help install the proper OS of whatever desired flavour?

Unread post by **myglaren** » 08 Oct 2013, 17:28

Thanks guys, will check that out later - have grandson hee now listening to some rubbish on my laptop and can't concentrate on any serious tasks.

Unread post by **Northern_Mike** » 08 Oct 2013, 19:40

Does it have a floppy drive installed? I know it's a long shot... if so, you could use PloP to make a bootable floppy which will detect a USB drive, which will allow you to reboot from a bootable CD/DVD or USB stick.

Are there any settings in the BIOS to enable or disable legacy USB?

Unread post by **myglaren** » 08 Oct 2013, 19:43

Northern_Mike wrote:Does it have a floppy drive installed? I know it's a long shot... if so, you could use PloP to make a bootable floppy which will detect a USB drive, which will allow you to reboot from a bootable CD/DVD or USB stick.

It does have a floppy Mike.
The only computer in the house with one

Will check that out as to be able to boot from a USB stick would be ideal.

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