I have tried Zorin but not for a long time. It could be best to download the latest version if you have had the disk for a while. I think Zorin is another distro (distribution) that, like Mint, tries to be easier for Windows users to get on with. Probably better now than when I tried it.
It can’t be guaranteed to work on your laptop but Linux Mint is working OK on the HP laptop I have (i5 intel processor - 8GB RAM - Nvidia graphics). The only thing not supported by Mint is the fingerprint recognition function that the laptop has. That’s not a real problem though.
If you have anything you want to keep on that laptop, don’t forget to transfer it to a USB stick or other storage media first.
Linux (Zorin) will likely come pre-installed with all the programs most people need. Probably Firefox, Thunderbird, Libre Office, image editing programs and more. Extras can be installed but the only extras I needed were Skype and Inkscape (drawing program). Everything else was there and only needed customising as regard appearance, adding mail accounts and bookmarks - adding a printer etc. All in all, a more or less workable OS from the start.
When installing Linux to a hard drive, rather than using it from the DVD, you should be asked if you want to keep the original Windows OS as well as installing Linux (dual-boot arrangement) or if you want to overwrite the existing system.
I’m not sure but overwriting might format the disk first, then write the new files to it. It’s also a while since I set up Linux in a dual-boot arrangement and I’m only assuming it would be the same as when I did it.
Edit: Forgot to mention that I added ‘Steam’ (company name) games to it as well. Steam now have a good number of games that will work on the Linux platform. The program is slow to start up on Mint 18.2 but it does work.
The trouble is that usually, the names/descriptions given to the updates can’t be understood …but they don’t have to be done. They can be ignored altogether. Individual ones can be selected or ignored. There can be plenty of them too …especially if the release is fairly new.
You’re not wrong, I tried to save an old netbook computer by loading Ubuntu but it was soooo slow, I tried Lubuntu (less resource hungry) but it was only a marginal improvement so, alas, that computer sits unloved and unused in a box somewhere.
From memory if you install as Linux operating system only the installation program does that as a matter of course (though it might ask you) - pretty sure that was true with Ubuntu which I still use on one old laptop rescued when Vista went west.
Personally I can’t see the point of having both systems installed unless you want to try before you buy and you only need to do that once, or as in the case of Vista or XP, unless you want to spend money Linux is really the only option.
Not only will they allow you to pick and chose it is open source code so you can check every line to make sure there is absolutely nothing that you don’t like contained within any part of the operating system.
Am new round these parts, so Hello to everyone here.
I don’t know a great deal about Linux, but had a bit of a play around with different versions via a virtual machine at the end of last year. My computer is 11 years old and I was still running XP and getting scared by all the warnings about the dire consequences of doing so!
I had problems running most versions of Linux in the virtual machine, apparently because of the age of my computer and because the processor wasn’t good enough. I am not sure whether things would have been better if I had been brave enough to try out Linux as the sole operating system - but in the end I chickened out went for the easy option and installed Windows 7. Maybe one day when our computer is finally replaced I might have another try with Linux.
Hello channeal - Perhaps it wasn’t because of the age of the computer but because of the reasons so well described here. Having said that, modern Linux won’t always be OK on an older computer. See post 95 where it says:
Comment by Mart - Just something worth mentioning: Linux isn’t necessarily light on computer resources. I installed Mint 17 on an old Desktop computer and the graphics card overheated.
Comment by Bruce - You’re not wrong, I tried to save an old netbook computer by loading Ubuntu but it was soooo slow, I tried Lubuntu (less resource hungry) but it was only a marginal improvement so, alas, that computer sits unloved and unused in a box somewhere.
I think there are sometimes compatibility issues with Linux and older computers, that particular netbook was a case in point, My computer currently running Ubuntu is slightly older made by the same company (Dell) yet It runs perfectly and fast - finding suitable drivers are sometimes the bane of life with Linux.
Thanks to mart and Bruce for replying to my message and also for explaining.
I had a bit of fun playing around with a few versions for a while, but settled for Windows 7 and am happy with that for now.
Will maybe have another try once this trusty old computer finally bites the dust.
When I had my old desktop computer, I was forever opening it up and vacuuming out cat’s hairs as they played havoc. In fact, when I took it to be repaired once, the bloke asked if I had cats because he was allergic and couldn’t stop sneezing after he had opened it up.
One question one might ask is, How important is it to keep a computer dust free?
I found out the other day. Boy did I just
Now I religiously keep my computer case fans and vents free. it has 2 fans at the front and one at the back to create a straight through air flow.
However A few days ago I started to have my monitor screen cut out and reboot. On top of this the screen started to have star like dots all over it.
My thought process was it must be one of two things, A, the monitor packing up or B, the graphics card in the computer packing up.
That would have been at least a £200/£300 replacement for a new card
I could have connected another monitor and see if the other monitor was the problem but decided to take a short cut and check out the graphics card first instead.
Ok every"seemed " dust free, but to be on the safe side I removed the graphics card which has twin cooling fans. I had forgotton to check these in 5 years
So got out my rocket blower I use for camera gear and puffed away at the graphics card. The dust storm that erupted was unbelievable , even made me cough. So I not only did the fans but also the cooling fins behind them.
Since then after replacing the graphics card no more problems.
So I would strongly recommend just giving ALL cooling fans a bit of a dusting with a blower to make a computer run better at least once a year
If you have a desk computer then yes just remove one side panel after unplugging from mains. That give access to the whole of the inside to blow out . No need to touch anything inside just blow the dust out
Mine inside .
I had to remove the MSI graphics card already mentioned, but i did build it all anyway. Should really tidy up some cables inside but can’t be bothered
yes it does have a total of 6 cooling fans and a 750w power unit and 16 gig of RAM for the techies here
My previous lower powered power unit failed so added one poweful enough for what i might throw at it
