Posted on 01/17/2018 7:20:22 PM PST by markomalley
When faced with a situation, such as Windows not doing what you want it to do or doing what you wish it did not, then assume others have had the same problem and provided a solution. Thus Google such things as "turn off Cortana", "Make Windows 10 like Windows 7" . See post 10 for basic changes.
Also, https://www.howtogeek.com/224471/how-to-prevent-windows-10-from-automatically-downloading-updates/ All these are free, no ad ware etc.
And just came across this but have not tried it ($5) ): DoNotSpy10 http://pxc-coding.com/portfolio/donotspy10 /
I consider myself a little above novice when it comes to Linux as I can do most of the basic stuff and am familiar with running some commands.
I’m not sure what all you’ve tried with the onboard network card but I have run in to this once in a great while. Most of the time the onboard network cards work right away upon installation. For the few I’ve run into that wouldn’t work, I used the app, Windows Wireless Drivers. You use the INF file from the original Windows driver for that network card. There are good instructional videos about this on Youtube if you haven’t already tried this.
If you need to look at the hardware info, there is a app called System Profiler and it will tell you everything to need to know about your hardware. There is even some hardware testing in it.
One of the first things I do with any Ubuntu flavor OS is I download the Ubuntu Software Center. It has a better selection of sofware or apps. I also download the Printing app from the Ubuntu Software Center as it seems to have more drivers for more printers. I haven’t had too many problems with printers this way. Once in awhile there is problems but it just might be an old printer they don’t support anymore. I have even found work-arounds for some of those as well.
Yeah, broken packages can be a problem but there are commands in terminal or safe mode you can run to try to fix them. If it’s too bad, the one good thing I like about Linux is you just save your pics,docs,etc and reinstall it. Reinstalling Linux is much easier and less time consuming than any Microsoft OS.
Youtube instructional videos can be great starting out with Linux or any of the problems you might run in to. I still have a couple of Windows 7 machines so I don’t count them out completely as you do run in to things you can’t do in Linux. Although I’ve noticed over the years, the more Linux develops, the less I have to go back to Windows.
Oh and there is some Windows software I’ve been able to run in Linux using the software WINE or Play on Linux. That’s kind of hit or miss though. Like I said, not sure what you have tried but maybe some of this will help.
CGato
We got 2 HP Envys with Windows 10 a few months ago. Hate. Hate. Hate. Am speaking with a Dell sales rep this week to order a Dell laptop with Windows 7. They have a ton of them.
Maybe the faster speed on your Envy has to do with ta difference between the processors.
Our two oldest PCs are Dells. A laptop from 2005 with XP (a brick for sure), and an Inspiron desktop from 2012 with Win 7. They’re more stable than any of our HPs. We’ve never had either of them break down.
My Dell Inspiron 17” laptop from 2017 (with Windows 7) runs much slower that the HP Envy, and after 7 months required a new motherboard due to what is basically a defective design in the way that the single wire that connects the motherboard to the hard drive is located inside.
The other problem is that more and more laptop motherboards no longer have all the parts or software to make all of the features compatible or available in Windows 7. (For example, my laptop camera no longer worked after the new motherboard was installed for that reason. So I could do audio, but not video, Skype, for example).
So basically Windows 7 is being slowly phased out of existence.
I am not computer literate, so I can’t tell you why the new HP Envy works so much faster than my 3-year old Dell Inspiron, but they are both 17” screens, and the battery on the Dell lasts maximum 4 hours, while the battery on the HP Envy lasts me 9 hours (!) This is HUGE as I do 4-5 hours of work on the road every day.
Another thing about Dell’s poor design can be gleaned from the following story: I had a 15” Dell that worked quite well for a year. Then (in 2015), a teeny tiny droplet of mineral water dropped onto the edge of the mousepad when I opened a bottle. It was so small that I thought nothing of it as I used a tissue to pick it up. Seconds later the laptop DIED. Why? well, it seems that the Dell engineers put the motherboard directly under that seam where the mineral water landed, and some infinitessimal small amount of it must have “bubbled” down onto it.
As a counter example, in 2013 I had a Gateway (now defunct, but the best laptop I ever had) and was working on it when I spilled an ENTIRE 64” diet coke onto the keyboard.
The screen flickered and went out. I washed the keyboard under running watter and left it open, inverted, overnight to dry out.
The next morning IT STARTED WITHOUT A PROBLEM and worked fine for another YEAR before I upgraded to another laptop.
Gateway - Now they KNEW hot to MAKE LAPTOPS!!!!!
Typo in the post above. My Dell Inspiron was purchased in 2015, not 2017.
“I spilled an ENTIRE 64” diet coke onto the keyboard. The screen flickered and went out. I washed the keyboard under running watter and left it open, inverted, overnight to dry out.”
Reminds me of my Blackberry Classic cell phone. It fell head-first into the cats’ water bowl, which is more like a water system, with a tall reservoir behind it. The phone sat in there several seconds before I grabbed it. The battery is not removable, so I dried the phone best that I could and let it sit for a few days. I knew it was dead. It wasn’t. It worked.
Thank you. I turned off the updates completely now. I don’t know if that will do the trick or not because it was supposed to notify me of updates for my approval anyways. They just ignored that. So far no undesirable effects noticed.
For Windows 7, I don’t think they have rolled out the patch in their updates yet.
If you need to look at the hardware info, there is a app called System Profiler and it will tell you everything to need to know about your hardware. There is even some hardware testing in it.
I did find Windows Wireless Drivers in the Ubuntu Software Center for my Xubuntu, but the installation failed (error processing package kismet), which is the second failure to install software in Linux in two days and seems to be related.
Nor is there any System Profiler, and i have looked for and installed anything I found that sounded similar, but they are all failures as far as being a Windows-type Device Manager. .I have never had to watch any video to get something so basic as wireless connectivity, while here is the ridiculous amount of stuff you can face trying to get a Broadcom Wireless Modem to work in Linux.
Also, Xubuntu developed some sort of glitch so that it will not shut down, but hangs.
So not feeling very energetic to finish my theological forum postings, i took the time to install Fedora 16 32 bit on a USB using Linux Live USB creator, seeing as i had downloaded it already, and tried to run the live mode but received the "Kernel Panic" error, which is nothing novel, so that's was it.
So i installed Linux Mint 18.3 "Sylvia" - Xfce (32-bit) on the USB, and it ran on the laptop at issue, but did not provide any network connection, and just offers "edit connection" or change network settings, but without a modem all that is useless) nor any interface that shows installed hardware and the ability to update drivers, as in Windows (nor to run as an Admin and avoid needing to open a terminal and run sudo this or that).
Nor would it detect a USB wireless that i plugged in, including after a reboot (trying to log out and back in required a password which i was never asked to set up, and thus i could not). I tried Wicd Network manager, which is not much of one, and it showed nothing for wireless.
Driver manager does exist under all settings,and showed a si=modem-daemon that was using another driver, and choosing the device and hitting Apply meant requiring the very things that needs to be fixed in order to work. So I plugged in a DSL cable and it only installed a driver for the CPU. . Likewise after killing it and trying it again. But which i had already tried in Xubuntu.
Not giving up yet, i installed the latest Debian (32-bit) on the USB, and it ran, but the results for wireless were identical. Including the wireless USB, which even XP detects and wants to install. Only wired connection works.
Of course, the legal issue regarding multimedia codecs restricted format s also prevents me from using Linux as a main OS, unless i buy Fluendo codecs ($25).
So thats it. Linux in 2017 still has a long way to go in my experience, not just on this basic issue but many others compared to Windows, but they both are a blessing in the light of all they can enable you to do!
Sorry to hear you are having all those troubles. If you were in my neck of the woods, I would offer some help. That’s weird you are getting all those errors too.
Have you checked your hard drive and see if it is OK? One of those Linux media disks or USB’s should have a Disk Utility where you can check the SMART status of your hard drive. It will tell you if you have errors and if it’s Failing or say all is Good. Xbuntu might have that Disk Utility built in already with one of the apps.
Bad memory can cause errors as well. Before you boot up with one of those Linux disks/USB sticks there usually is an option to run a memory check. After 2 or 3 passes with it will tell you if there are any errors or not. I usually check the hard drive and memory before I install any OS. I’ve learned over the years that can save a lot of headaches afterwards.
CGato
Thanks. Windows 7 is my last.
Am I glad to see this thread! I have been struggling for a few days over a message that first popped up just after I booted up which read “A change occurred to a Windows license component that requires you to type your Windows product key to activate Windows again.”
This struck fear into my heart; was it a fishing? attempt and what did it mean. After conferring with several family members I was brought to my control panel and saw that the product number was missing. But then I don’t know if it was ever there. I was told that validated the prompt I received was indeed from Microsoft. I had also received a message that our Windows 7 is not “genuine”.
I have an HP business? computer which we got in 2010 and has Windows 7. I have purposely not upgraded fearing I might lose some features; at 84 it is a bit scary to try something new. We do not have a resident 3 year old to help us.
This morning a smaller window appeared reading “Activate now”. I was almost convinced to do this but then wondered if the activation will not lead to an upgraded Windows 7 but Windows 10! You can see I have no clue what I am dealing with or talking about.
I’m hoping someone can help this little old lady. By the way I do have instructions on how to clean out any threats. Earlier yesterday I was guided in going into safe mode after booting up and running a full Norton scan. It picked and and eliminated 19 tracking cookies but that’s all.
“wondered if the activation will not lead to an upgraded Windows 7 but Windows 10!”
Can’t say for sure without more information. But activating is probably what you need to do in the long run.
Thanks!
I know nothing about activation. Does that mean my hard drive will be wiped clean? I have the product code from the original stickers which I can enter. Have you heard anything about a “License Change” with Windows?
Activation should not wipe out your current Windows installation but I don’t guarantee anything. It’s good that you have the original stickers. Was it Windows 7?
Sorry for not seeing your reply. No, it is not a hardware issue at all, just deficiencies in Linux or Broadcom for not issuing drivers. For giving it another try, i installed Puppy 32 bit to USB and ran it live, as minimal as it is in size (325 MB), yet it detected both the internal modem as well as a USB wireless modem I plugged in (none of the others did), and offered more configuration than the others to get it quickly set up. Thank God for better options!
It also provide Gparted with which i wiped the Xubuntu partition and then installed it, and which fairly simple though Puppy advises a Frugl vs Full install (I chose the latter to save RAM). but the bootloader is the same confusing mess as before (I have worked with Puppy before.
It offers two different bootloaders, and i chose Grub3DOS, and installed it on the Window partition (sda2), and then it offers a option to edit the menu 1st file, without saying why.. Anyway, i installed as according to defaults, but upon reboot it has more than 3 Linux option for Puppy, one on the Window partition (sda2), and the other on the Linux one (sda54), none of which work (Puppy....sfs not found). .
Turns out Puppy just does not link Full installs, and wants you to go thru this complicated procedure.
I would have saved the menu 1st file to the USB but the "save as" file dialog will not even navigate to it, not even provide a location bar to type it in.
Which is simply not the way to gain more users. At least it boots into XP, where i was able to find and copy the menu 1st file, but which in case you like mysteries) says.
# menu.lst produced by grub4dosconfig-v1.9.2 color white/green yellow/blue white/black green/black #splashimage=/splash.xpm timeout 10 default 0
# Full installed Linux
title Xenialpup 7.5 (sda5/boot) uuid 47fedddb-1d82-48fe-af89-9e0ae5226559 kernel /boot/vmlinuz root=/dev/sda5 ro initrd /boot/initrd.gz
title Xenialpup 7.5 (sda5/boot) uuid 47fedddb-1d82-48fe-af89-9e0ae5226559 kernel /boot/vmlinuz root=/dev/sda5 ro initrd /boot/initrd.gz
# Windows # this entry searches Windows on the HDD and boot it up title Windows\nBoot up Windows if installed errorcheck off find --set-root --ignore-floppies --ignore-cd /bootmgr chainloader /bootmgr find --set-root --ignore-floppies --ignore-cd /ntldr chainloader /ntldr find --set-root --ignore-floppies --ignore-cd /io.sys chainloader /io.sys errorcheck on
# Advanced Menu title Advanced menu configfile /menu-advanced.lst commandline
Please forgive the typos in the above post, made at about 1AM. Details are best seen in the post I made this AM to a Puppy forum: http://murga-linux.com/puppy/viewtopic.php?p=981311#981311
That’s cool, I read through that thread and see you got it going. I’ve used Puppy Linux before, it is a cool little OS but I’ve only used it from a CD or USB stick. I’ve never tried to install it fully but that is good info to know if I want to play around with it some more, thanks.
CGato
I am now Windowless. I have Zorin v12 OS which is a Linux type. I had a devil of a time connecting to the internet and still don’t know what I did/didn’t do that worked. Hopefully I’ll never have to that again. But everything is fine. I can surf. I can print.I can read/send my e-mail. That’s really about all I do. If all goes well I’ll never have another Windows product.
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