To Win 7 Users: Install Linux Mint

[D. Flame]

First off it sucks what Steam is doing to you. Not making this post to shame you, but just to try to help.

Mint actually feels a lot like Windows 7 or Windows XP, but it is more up to date. It has a software store so installing stuff like Steam is super easy.

I have also installed it for non-tech savvy 60 and 70 year olds, and even they can use it without problems.

As for games, I wanted to test it with an lower end machine, so I took a Dell Optiplex 3040 as a base and worked from there. I got a refreshed Intel Core i5-6500 on Amazon for like $50, and I got a new RX 6400 for like $150 and put them in the Dell.

To install Windows games in Linux you just need to do a few extra clicks. On the page with the install button for your game -> click the gear icon near the right side of the screen -> click properties -> the properties box will open -> click the compatibility tab -> put a check mark in that box, and leave it set to "Proton Experimental" and close the popup. Then just click install like normal.

As for how well the game will work when installing this way. It should work just as well as the Steam Deck does, since the deck is also using Linux. As for that Dell machine that I tried, I was even able to run newer games like Resident Evil 4 remake and Armored Core 6 on it. I was playing them at lower settings and 1080p, but they were running on Linux. Older games like DOOM (2016) were running at a full 60 FPS on higher settings.

You can even put Linux Mint on a USB drive or burn it to a DVD and boot it from that to try the it out before committing to the change.

[Start_Running]

Escrito originalmente por EMO GANGSTER:

Escrito originalmente por Start_Running:

Nah. I'll just install windows 10. You know what6 they say. Linux is free...only if you don;t value your time.

I have to many work apps that I'd need to run as well. They're run in W10 they won't run in linux.

no mint in a lot ways easier to use then windows most of the time crunch that people speak of is from version like Arch it fine if scared to try something new and it your choice but in the end mint is great and easy to use OS

Yeah. the thing is. The OS isn't something you think about using. It's there to run your software...and that's where the time factor comes in. VBecause you have to figure work arounds or replacements for the software that doesn't support linuix nativeley and then adapt your workflow to it.. that all takes time.

[Crazy Tiger]

Escrito originalmente por Start_Running:

Escrito originalmente por EMO GANGSTER:

no mint in a lot ways easier to use then windows most of the time crunch that people speak of is from version like Arch it fine if scared to try something new and it your choice but in the end mint is great and easy to use OS

Yeah. the thing is. The OS isn't something you think about using. It's there to run your software...and that's where the time factor comes in. VBecause you have to figure work arounds or replacements for the software that doesn't support linuix nativeley and then adapt your workflow to it.. that all takes time.

Agreed, the OS is not something I think about. Personally I just don't see the point in switching. A computer is a device, a tool, that must be convenient for me to use. It works with Windows, no issues, so there is that.

[primeinsurrection]

Linux is only a trillion times faster. In my world there is no Windows gaming.

Unless the game only runs on Windows.

[RedLightning]

Its as if people have not had to find 'work-arounds' for windows. Lol. funny.

Over the years I've had my plethora of issues with both Windows & games both.

I wonder how many work-arounds I would have to apply if I tried to get all the games in my library to function correctly in windows, currently.

Matter of fact there were bugs in some games I own that happened in windows that were FIXED with wine/proton.

On a sidenote. I've found Windows too cold and corporate and uncaring, they have to use money and tactics to keep people using it as of late. Speaks volumes.. in my opinion.

As far as windows 11.. they can bloody well keep that one.

[Start_Running]

Escrito originalmente por RedLightning:

Its as if people have not had to find 'work-arounds' for windows. Lol. funny.

Not for work apps. The biggest selection pressure that apps have to overcome is the working out of the box' barrier. The more time it takes mae to get your product in a state where I can do the work I need it to do. the less likely I am to pay for it.

Entertainment products have that luxury.
Work Products generally don't.

Escrito originalmente por RedLightning:

Over the years I've had my plethora of issues with both Windows & games both.

Same but I have noticed that every new windows I jump to gives me less and less troubles. windows 3 was where I started. windows 95 required a lot of tinker. Windows 98se still required a lot of tweaking but significantly less than 95. 2k...required about the same level of tweaking, xop was a dream compared to 98se and 8 made me realize how much of a headache windows xp could be.

[RedLightning]

Escrito originalmente por Start_Running:

Escrito originalmente por RedLightning:

Its as if people have not had to find 'work-arounds' for windows. Lol. funny.

Not for work apps. The biggest selection pressure that apps have to overcome is the working out of the box' barrier. The more time it takes mae to get your product in a state where I can do the work I need it to do. the less likely I am to pay for it.

Entertainment products have that luxury.
Work Products generally don't.

Escrito originalmente por RedLightning:

Over the years I've had my plethora of issues with both Windows & games both.

Same but I have noticed that every new windows I jump to gives me less and less troubles. windows 3 was where I started. windows 95 required a lot of tinker. Windows 98se still required a lot of tweaking but significantly less than 95. 2k...required about the same level of tweaking, xop was a dream compared to 98se and 8 made me realize how much of a headache windows xp could be.

Yea I get you there, "for work". I bet I would find a way to get it work one way or another. See, however, I use this as a hobby, and I'm tired of Microsoft's planned obsolescence of my hardware. Let alone the control of those in the industry that like money.

Tired of having to spend extra money to get windows to function the way that I want it to, also getting sick and tired of windows becoming more of a 'storefront' than I care my OS to be.

Cool. They big boys payed to make it work with windows really well. while they could make a linux version. Money talks, I guess.

Microsoft long ago started to go in a direction I do not care to follow. Now diverging from The Rich One... is easier than ever.

Thankfully.

[Master.Constructor]

Escrito originalmente por Dura_Ace:

Escrito originalmente por Master.Constructor:

The Windows security updates included in UpdatePack7 are from Microsoft and are for Windows 6.1.7601 which covers all Windows 7 SP1 editions and Server 2008 R2. UpdatePack7 does much more than just install the updates but what's important to me is the removal of telemetry. This makes Windows 7 the cleanest Windows OS that's still very functional.

My thoughts are not as important as my actions. I use Windows 7 exclusively every day, online, on multiple PCs. Sometimes I get the pleasure of using a Win10 PC at work but all my stations are Win7. If Windows 7 was a dead OS then I could not do this.

Until I can find a good upgrade for Windows 7 that allows for a minimum of grief and frustration, I'll stay on Win7 as it does what I need every day.

Linux is a potential option and seems to be gaining favour. It's been several years since I evaluated it last.

I did some research.

Vulnerabilities found wont be patched. You are stuck with them to be exploited. I knew this already. And there are people that search and find these exploits/vulnerabilities for fun knowing that people are dumb enough to still keep using older, unsupported, software. These exploits are also sold on the dark web for crypto.

Also, just like i suspected, these "updates" that you are receiving, are malware signatures and
signatures for the MRT, which can be run from the cmd. These are not made for windows 7 specifically, as once gain - it is not supported anymore, but are pushed out to you as part of the windows eco system.

If you can provide evidense to contradict that statement then i am willing to look at it. But i need more than: "I am receiving updates so therefor my OS is still being supported"

You are not getting software updates for parts of windows. That was clear to me. They are not updating, aka adding features or modifying code, in windows 7/.They stopped working on it years ago.

If you are worried about telemetry then just remove it from 10 and have an OS that is not a vulnerability.

You seem to be under the misguided thought that redmont is till working on windows 7. They are not. You are on your own.

I liked 7 as well as will go on record as say that 7, apart from XP, was the best they came up with. But it is unsupported and therefore a risk to use, so i wont.

Windows 7 users have not received code modifying existing binaries inside windows 7 for nearly 10 years now. This is 10 years of people searching for ways to get into an OS that effectively started standign still and doing nothing any more. Windows 7 is now a snaphot of time. Immutable. It wont be changed anymore. This is a perfect environment for malicious people who want to find a way in.

I dont know about you, but i like my computer being secure and looked after. You dont get that if yo are still using 7.

Now, all you save windows 7 people need to move on with the times. Either stop using redmont products or move over to linux.

Wow, that's quite the bit of research you have done there. Do you have any idea why Microsoft would release malware in signed security updates? Have you personally done any security scans on the last updates that were added to UpdatePack7 2024.10.10?

These would be:
KB5044011
KB5044356

[Dark Sceptor]

To add my two cents to the discussion:

Last year I killed windows and installed Linux Mint. I have tried about 7 other "windows" or "gamer" variants and always returned to Linux Mint. It. Just. Works. Next I install Steam and point it at my second NVME drive. I play thining man games so most I have no problems with. Galactic Civilization IV has one issue where it will corrupt one of it's files and all of the Steam files and I have to validate files every time I close the application. Other than that everything runs without major issues.

There is also the ability to run Starup Applications and add Steam so it is there when you start the system. But I use the mounted second drive so I give it a 45 second delay to ensure the share is present.

When my Colombian wife got her computer I installed Mint on it for her. She has never needed to ask me how to do things. I have to use it to run updates but she will soon learn that as well. Now I'm working with the dev team to see if it is possible to improve Network Manager.

[D. Flame]

Escrito originalmente por Dark Sceptor:

To add my two cents to the discussion:

Last year I killed windows and installed Linux Mint. I have tried about 7 other "windows" or "gamer" variants and always returned to Linux Mint. It. Just. Works. Next I install Steam and point it at my second NVME drive. I play thining man games so most I have no problems with. Galactic Civilization IV has one issue where it will corrupt one of it's files and all of the Steam files and I have to validate files every time I close the application. Other than that everything runs without major issues.

There is also the ability to run Starup Applications and add Steam so it is there when you start the system. But I use the mounted second drive so I give it a 45 second delay to ensure the share is present.

When my Colombian wife got her computer I installed Mint on it for her. She has never needed to ask me how to do things. I have to use it to run updates but she will soon learn that as well. Now I'm working with the dev team to see if it is possible to improve Network Manager.

You can now set updates to check and apply automatically too. I just set them to check automatically 5 minutes after start up then once every 3 days, and I turn on automatic updates, so they get automatically installed once every24 hours.

The only games that I have had not work on Linux are multiplayer games where the dev intentionally and purposely blocked linux and a few older console ports like Overlord.

[Start_Running]

Escrito originalmente por RedLightning:

Escrito originalmente por Start_Running:

Not for work apps. The biggest selection pressure that apps have to overcome is the working out of the box' barrier. The more time it takes mae to get your product in a state where I can do the work I need it to do. the less likely I am to pay for it.

Entertainment products have that luxury.
Work Products generally don't.


Same but I have noticed that every new windows I jump to gives me less and less troubles. windows 3 was where I started. windows 95 required a lot of tinker. Windows 98se still required a lot of tweaking but significantly less than 95. 2k...required about the same level of tweaking, xop was a dream compared to 98se and 8 made me realize how much of a headache windows xp could be.

Yea I get you there, "for work". I bet I would find a way to get it work one way or another. See, however, I use this as a hobby, and I'm tired of Microsoft's planned obsolescence of my hardware. Let alone the control of those in the industry that like money.

And that's fair. I mean i toy around with linux as a hobby but when i need to get my coding done, my videos edited, or my animations polished...yeah the linux alternatives to the windows stuff isn't that great.

Escrito originalmente por RedLightning:

Tired of having to spend extra money to get windows to function the way that I want it to, also getting sick and tired of windows becoming more of a 'storefront' than I care my OS to be.

Yeah that is one of the things that made me hard-nope outta windows 8.

Escrito originalmente por RedLightning:

Microsoft long ago started to go in a direction I do not care to follow. Now diverging from The Rich One... is easier than ever.

Thankfully.

I will agree with you there and I do hope that the Valve developers are working on making their security independent of the OS certificates and whatnot.

[Seraphita]

Disclaimer, I am not trying to shill for Microsoft here but I have a question. There are ways to eliminate all the invasive stuff in Windows so... doesn't that make Windows fine? (I assume we can do the same with Windows 11). Since OS is easy to use.

I don't think I will ever use anything else myself. BUT I am still curious about what people think on that side. If one remained with windows and simply eliminated all of the windows invasive stuff, would that not be a good and compatible OS to use (For me)?

[RPG Gamer Man]

Escrito originalmente por Seraphita:

Disclaimer, I am not trying to shill for Microsoft here but I have a question. There are ways to eliminate all the invasive stuff in Windows so... doesn't that make Windows fine? (I assume we can do the same with Windows 11). Since OS is easy to use.

I don't think I will ever use anything else myself. BUT I am still curious about what people think on that side. If one remained with windows and simply eliminated all of the windows invasive stuff, would that not be a good and compatible OS to use (For me)?

There are ways to debloat windows 11 as there is videos all over the internet on how to do it. As for windows 11, i find it ok. I still liked windows xp the most, but i find windows 11 ok. Just do not get version 24h2 atm, as it is the buggiest version of windows 11 out right now.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cyLg2QbW-Po

https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/news/microsoft/microsoft-confirms-game-audio-issues-on-windows-11-24h2-pcs/

[D. Flame]

Escrito originalmente por Seraphita:

Disclaimer, I am not trying to shill for Microsoft here but I have a question. There are ways to eliminate all the invasive stuff in Windows so... doesn't that make Windows fine? (I assume we can do the same with Windows 11). Since OS is easy to use.

I don't think I will ever use anything else myself. BUT I am still curious about what people think on that side. If one remained with windows and simply eliminated all of the windows invasive stuff, would that not be a good and compatible OS to use (For me)?

There is no way to eliminate it in windows.

In Windows 10 pro, you could go into Group Policy and set telemetry to off, but if you read the actual settings, they tell you that the setting does not even work unless you are running an enterprise version.

You could add a registry edit to Windows 10 to force telemetry off. Then awhile later Microsoft put out an update who's only purpose was to tell the OS to ignore that registry entry.

And Windows 11 has even more privacy invasive crap in it, and it is baked even deeper in.

Plus, Microsoft is trying to force what are essentially thin clients now. Where you buy a computer, but it doesn't actually have an OS on it. It just remotes into Microsoft's severs, and you do all your work there, so they own all of your data with no middle steps.


https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2024/11/microsoft-builds-a-349-mini-desktop-but-only-for-accessing-windows-in-the-cloud/

Microsoft is announcing some new hardware today, but it’s a bit different from a typical Surface device. The Windows 365 Link, which launches in April for $349, is a mini desktop PC that exists exclusively to connect to the Windows 365 cloud service rather than running Windows locally.

On Windows you have no freedom beyond what M$ allows, and they can take it away anytime they want.

Now with that out of the way, please do not derail the thread further. Thank-you.

[ersatz]

Escrito originalmente por Dura_Ace:

Escrito originalmente por Master.Constructor:

The Windows security updates included in UpdatePack7 are from Microsoft and are for Windows 6.1.7601 which covers all Windows 7 SP1 editions and Server 2008 R2. UpdatePack7 does much more than just install the updates but what's important to me is the removal of telemetry. This makes Windows 7 the cleanest Windows OS that's still very functional.

My thoughts are not as important as my actions. I use Windows 7 exclusively every day, online, on multiple PCs. Sometimes I get the pleasure of using a Win10 PC at work but all my stations are Win7. If Windows 7 was a dead OS then I could not do this.

Until I can find a good upgrade for Windows 7 that allows for a minimum of grief and frustration, I'll stay on Win7 as it does what I need every day.

Linux is a potential option and seems to be gaining favour. It's been several years since I evaluated it last.

I did some research.

Vulnerabilities found wont be patched. You are stuck with them to be exploited. I knew this already. And there are people that search and find these exploits/vulnerabilities for fun knowing that people are dumb enough to still keep using older, unsupported, software. These exploits are also sold on the dark web for crypto.

Also, just like i suspected, these "updates" that you are receiving, are malware signatures and
signatures for the MRT, which can be run from the cmd. These are not made for windows 7 specifically, as once gain - it is not supported anymore, but are pushed out to you as part of the windows eco system.

If you can provide evidense to contradict that statement then i am willing to look at it. But i need more than: "I am receiving updates so therefor my OS is still being supported"

You are not getting software updates for parts of windows. That was clear to me. They are not updating, aka adding features or modifying code, in windows 7/.They stopped working on it years ago.

If you are worried about telemetry then just remove it from 10 and have an OS that is not a vulnerability.

You seem to be under the misguided thought that redmont is till working on windows 7. They are not. You are on your own.

I liked 7 as well as will go on record as say that 7, apart from XP, was the best they came up with. But it is unsupported and therefore a risk to use, so i wont.

Windows 7 users have not received code modifying existing binaries inside windows 7 for nearly 10 years now. This is 10 years of people searching for ways to get into an OS that effectively started standign still and doing nothing any more. Windows 7 is now a snaphot of time. Immutable. It wont be changed anymore. This is a perfect environment for malicious people who want to find a way in.

I dont know about you, but i like my computer being secure and looked after. You dont get that if yo are still using 7.

Now, all you save windows 7 people need to move on with the times. Either stop using redmont products or move over to linux.

You may want to do more research. I believe what you're thinking of are the continued definition updates for microsoft security essentials, which is microsoft's legacy anti-virus. The updates provided by ESU patching methods are the official microsoft extended security updates for windows server 2008 r2 that were grandfathered in under microsoft azure and will be provided until January of 2026. These updates are meant for businesses and do make direct changes to the windows 6.1 codebase to fix exploits, which is the codebase both windows 7 and windows server 2008 r2 are based on. I wouldn't recommend continuing to use 7 after these updates stop being released, but until then an ESU patched system should be secure.

I don't blame you for not being able to find much information about the updates because microsoft has pretty much tried to keep them as quiet as possible and they are only being released for legal reasons. All updates being released for anything actually using specifically the brand/name of "Windows 7" have also ended, which makes it more unclear.

[Seraphita]

Escrito originalmente por D. Flame:

On Windows you have no freedom beyond what M$ allows, and they can take it away anytime they want.

Now with that out of the way, please do not derail the thread further. Thank-you.

Not sure what you mean with "derail". Sure, your thread is about telling windows people to install Linux but the question remains about "windows -> Linux" which involves "Windows". I'm confused as to why you see my post as a bad thing when the information from it could help people you're telling to install Linux make an informed decision.

Your post, by example, is a good argument on that side because if what you say is true, it is a scary future for windows users, therefore only strengthening your OP that people should install Linux as a result of what Windows is becoming. So yeah, sorry if you think I derail but I still think it contributes to the topic nonetheless. Just saying.

I wasn't here to tell you that Windows is better, anyway. Or that you shouldn't tell people what to do. I saw this thread as a mean to get some information about why Linux in this instance would be a better choice than sticking with Windows. In such ways, you gave people much to think about when it comes to the future of Windows vs Linux.

Escrito originalmente por RPG Gamer Man:

There are ways to debloat windows 11 as there is videos all over the internet on how to do it. As for windows 11, i find it ok. I still liked windows xp the most, but i find windows 11 ok. Just do not get version 24h2 atm, as it is the buggiest version of windows 11 out right now.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cyLg2QbW-Po

https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/news/microsoft/microsoft-confirms-game-audio-issues-on-windows-11-24h2-pcs/

I don't currently own Windows 11 but I might plan it for the future. This thread is a good example of a source to see to make a better choice. The debloater is what I was talking about in my other post. But it might not help as much as it sounds...

It's hard to say, considering that Microsoft might be trying to push their advertisement through whatever bloating we're trying to stop... In this regard, sticking with Windows might or not be a bad thing if this is what Windows is looking like...