By chance does she live somewhere with a local linux users group or computer club? Where I live there is a local community center where people can bring their computer once a month and have their problems sorted. Maybe have a hunt around and see if there is something similar? Goodluck, William On 13/02/2014 10:07 AM, "eoconno...@gmail.com" <eoconno...@gmail.com> wrote:
> Yes....I'm sorry but the original poster mentioned > Ubuntu....personally....I would install Fedora....but I'm just giving > feedback.....sorry! > > ----- Reply message ----- > From: "Pete Travis" <li...@petetravis.com> > To: "Community support for Fedora users" <users@lists.fedoraproject.org> > Subject: Installing Linux on a windows hd > Date: Wed, Feb 12, 2014 12:41 pm > > > > On Feb 12, 2014 9:37 AM, "eoconno...@gmail.com" <eoconno...@gmail.com> > wrote: > > > > I would just tell her to backup all her data that she wants saved to an > external device.....then do a clean install of Ubuntu...and then she can > transfer her data back. ....ditch WinXP altogether.....makes for an easier > time when its time to support it remotely..... > > > > > > Hi, do you realize this is a Fedora list? > > > ----- Reply message ----- > > From: "Tim" <ignored_mail...@yahoo.com.au> > > To: <users@lists.fedoraproject.org> > > Subject: Installing Linux on a windows hd > > Date: Wed, Feb 12, 2014 9:40 am > > > > > > Allegedly, on or about 12 February 2014, Roger sent: > > > A friend who is not computer literate at all has a Dell 1520 laptop > > > which when new, Dell required it have xp installed. > > > > As has already been said, XP support dies very soon. It's not safe to > > use XP on the net after then. It was never particularly safe when XP > > was being supported, anyway... > > > > Seen it fubared within seconds of going on-line, even saw it pop up a > > warning about being fubarred, but did nothing to prevent it, nor would > > anything succeed in unfubarring it. Needed a reinstall. How I laughed > > when I watched my friend go through that three times in a row, on one > > night. > > > > It's not just XP, itself, that becomes unsupported. It software that > > can be run on XP, as *those* other coders abandon the abandoned Windows > > XP over time. Though it's probably quite likely that some anti-virus > > vendors will continue to produce anti-virus software for an out-of-date > > XP for some time, long after Microsoft abandons XP. That's been the > > trend with even older versions of Windows. Some do recognise that users > > are stuck with using old OSs, for whatever reason (e.g. workplace > > computers might be un-upgradable). > > > > If they are going to continue using XP, go through all the Windows > > updates, now, let it update all the bug fixes that can be done, and > > that'll take care of internet explorer, at the same time. Then stop > > using internet explorer, except for browsing the Microsoft site. Use > > other, safer, browsers for the www. > > > > But it's not new, now, is it? So the Dell *requirement* of having XP > > isn't really so concrete, and that requirement is surely going to have > > to change when XP is killed. If they must use Windows, find out the > > latest version that can be installed on the hardware, then install it. > > Though you may have something so old that it can't support newer > > releases. > > > > > I do not know if her xp is sp1, 2 or 3 and have no way of finding out > > > as all contact is by phone, she doesn't have a clue about finding > > > out, me neither, and she lives some 120 km away. > > > > If you feel so inclined, and both of your internet is fast enough, you > > can take remote control of her PC, and fix it for her yourself, rather > > than play the telephone support game. Alternatively, have the thing > > posted to you, sort it out, then send it back. > > > > There are tools that give you summaries of the installation, and the > > "about this computer" option can reveal the service pack installed, at > > least. You'd need to try Windows update to see how many other things > > its out-of-date with. > > > > But I abandoned helping friends with Windows, long ago. I tell them > > that I don't use it anymore, I'm not up to date with its foibles, and > > it'll take me much longer to sort it out than taking it to a computer > > shop. It's saved me no end of grief. > > > > > I would like to run her through installing one of the Linux systems on > > > the second partition but am worried that on installing it may > > > overwrite the windows MBR making her windows files, folders, etc > > > useless, particularly Thunderbird and Firefox. She would not be able > > > to reinstall windows without me spending a day on the phone. I no > > > longer have the stamina for epic phone calls. > > > > I know that feeling. I had one friend who would have something go wrong > > with his computer, then get stupidly drunk before phoning me for help. > > It was hard enough, normally, but that made it extremely painful. > > > > The last few times that I've installed Linux (including recent/current > > Fedora) on a machine with Windows already on it, it has sorted itself > > out, and the boot menu lets you pick whether to boot Linux or Windows. > > Depending on which distro was installed, Windows may actually appear as > > Windows in the menu, or simply be referred to as "Other." And Linux is > > usually the default boot option. > > > > Yes, it takes over the MBR, but the grub bootloader takes care of > > booting up Linux or Windows, so that doesn't really matter. > > > > It might be worth you trying out doing a multi-boot install at your own > > end, to familiarise yourself with it. It doesn't have to be a > > Linux/Windows dual-boot, if you don't have a Windows install to play > > with. Make it two different Linux installations. > > > > > This person has no confidence with computers. Over the years I have > > > talked her through windows problems but now I am lost as to how to > > > tackle this one. > > > > Explain carefully and strongly that XP will not be supported within > > about a month, that they really need to abandon it. > > > > > I think the best linux option would be ubuntu 12.04LTS so she doesn't > > > have to update the OS. > > > > Could be... Or CentOS, if you're more familiar with solving problems > > similar to Fedora, than dealing with Ubuntu issues. > > > > > I would have to set aside 3-4 hours on the phone to walk her through a > > > basic install before the file system updates, which can also take > > > hours. > > > > I know your pain. But a clean Linux install shouldn't take that long. > > Only an update-install, which is based on what was previously installed > > (and has to churn through assessing it and all the updates that will be > > needed), should take that long to run. > > > > -- > > [tim@localhost ~]$ uname -rsvp > > Linux 3.9.10-100.fc17.x86_64 #1 SMP Sun Jul 14 01:31:27 UTC 2013 x86_64 > > > > All mail to my mailbox is automatically deleted, there is no point > > trying to privately email me, I will only read messages posted to the > > public lists. > > > > George Orwell's '1984' was supposed to be a warning against tyranny, not > > a set of instructions for supposedly democratic governments. > > > > > > > > -- > > users mailing list > > users@lists.fedoraproject.org > > To unsubscribe or change subscription options: > > https://admin.fedoraproject.org/mailman/listinfo/users > > Fedora Code of Conduct: http://fedoraproject.org/code-of-conduct > > Guidelines: http://fedoraproject.org/wiki/Mailing_list_guidelines > > Have a question? Ask away: http://ask.fedoraproject.org > > > > -- > > users mailing list > > users@lists.fedoraproject.org > > To unsubscribe or change subscription options: > > https://admin.fedoraproject.org/mailman/listinfo/users > > Fedora Code of Conduct: http://fedoraproject.org/code-of-conduct > > Guidelines: http://fedoraproject.org/wiki/Mailing_list_guidelines > > Have a question? Ask away: http://ask.fedoraproject.org > > > > Roger, if you decide to dual boot in any way, abandon the idea of the > "second partition". Partitions are used to segregate, yes, but it is the > installer's job to create the partitioning scheme. You can help it > partition if you know how, but either way you should start with > unallocated, unpartitioned space. > > --Pete > > -- > users mailing list > users@lists.fedoraproject.org > To unsubscribe or change subscription options: > https://admin.fedoraproject.org/mailman/listinfo/users > Fedora Code of Conduct: http://fedoraproject.org/code-of-conduct > Guidelines: http://fedoraproject.org/wiki/Mailing_list_guidelines > Have a question? Ask away: http://ask.fedoraproject.org > >
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