Replace Windows 7

[Cloudy]

I have an old laptop that runs on Windows 7 that I still use often, but I need help changing the OS in a few months. Windows 7 will no longer receive security updates in about a year from now, and Windows 10 ran very poorly on it when I tired it for that laptop. So it seems the only option is to run Linux on it, but I need help if that is what I end up doing.

Without me knowing much about the different kinds of Linux Distros there are, I think I want Mint 19? I will be using the PC for only basic things like Spotify, Netflix, Youtube, and Twitch. Any links to videos to help guild me are much appreciated. Do you have any recommendations for me to get started?

[Jaunitta 🌸]

Don't be surprised if windows 7 will still be around for another 5 years.
Microsoft has just mentioned bring directx 12 support to windows 7.
The reasoning in my opinion is that there is still over 37% ww using windows 7 and wont be changing too soon.
Remember windows xp support only just ended in Jan 2019
I rolled back o windows 7 x64 prof 2 years ago. Hated windows 10 and the lack of support for so many of our tools.
If you stay in touch with the Microsoft Road Windows 10 is the last OS they will push out from there on it is a debate about running windows as a service.
People still has some control vote with your wallet.

[Cloudy]

Jaunitta 🌸 の投稿を引用：

Don't be surprised if windows 7 will still be around for another 5 years.

I hope so, I really like Windows 7

[x_wing]

Linux Mint 19 is a good choice for your first time on Linux. But, bare in mind that you have many desktop environments for choose (cinnamon, mate and xfce), so you may want to test each one of them and see which one you like more.

Regarding the system installation, the process is pretty much the same as in windows, with the difference that you normally don't have to install drivers (and if you have to, you use the drivers that are in the repositories of mint). Finally, programs (like steam) should be installed from the software center.

My suggestion would be to test mint on a vm or create live usb to play around with the system.

[Bad 💀 Motha]

Just create bootable Linux installer by downloading Ubuntu 64bit ISO and use Rufus or ImgBurn, done...

Then boot from usb, wipe your WinOS drive clean of all partitions and setup/install Linux

[HypersleepyNaputunia]

ubuntu will just work and is easy
when you're braver try some other ones, all it takes is a boot usb to try different ones without installing

The major ones are:

Debian - grandaddy of and the base of Ubuntu, Mint, and a lot of others. Easiest overall with lots of help if you need it
Slackware - an ancient weirder linux but cool in its own way with lots of control
Archlinux - a different one
Gentoo - a weird one where you build your own linux by compiling everything to make it super efficient
Puppy linux - super small runs in ram but will do everything too. Its really fast and efficient

[Bad 💀 Motha]

Yes you can do bootable usb flash drive and get a "Linux LiveCD" ISO as it is called. This allows Linux to boot fully off the usb and into ram and this way u have a full OS you can use at any time without taking up the usage/space on an ssd/hdd and play around with Linux distro that way

[Pariah Scion]

I like Manjaro actually and it's hit the top of Distrowatch.com for quite a while now... by like A LOT. Since Proton on Steam, I will be switching to Manjaro exclusively. I currently have Netrunner, because it debloats Kubuntu (or it did) and was based on Ubuntu, but now is based on straight Debian. I like how far Manjaro has come.

Slackware is little too advanced for most casual Linux users. In kind, so is something like Kali Linux. And Gentoo is ridiculous, unless you really love spending the better part of a month configuring every bit of your OS personally. Seriously, there shouldn't even be a mention of it here.

Manjaro is based on ArchLinux and there are alot of Flavors/Distros out there based on Arch and that use Arch repositories ("software centers").

I used to love Mint, but I got tired of them slowly moving towards more and more bloat. I also didn't like their incompatibility with Debain stuffs (it happens somewhat, but it was really on things that were small and somewhat essential, like Bluetooth integration/functioning). I won't even mention straight Ubuntu because it is WAYYYYY too bloated--you might as well stick with Windows 10.

If you are looking for lightweight, but fully functional, you can go PuppyLinux, but compatibility to find more software may be an issue, because they only use their own repositories--so, software is limited to what they use. You can "debianize" puppy linux, but I haven't heard much success stories there.

If you truly want lightweight, but super functional, I'd go with CrunchBangPlusPlus or BunsenLabs (both were derived from "CrunchBang" or " #! "). Either are lightweight, run fast and come with everything you need to install all programs you will probably use the computer for. Their Desktop Environment (not really a DE, but it's easier to discuss it that way for casual users) is Openbox, which is STUPID simple. Install Steam and then go time!

On a side note, Manjaro already comes with Steam installed. =)

So, here's my recommendations:

FAST: CrunchBangPlusPlus (#!++) or BunsenLabs (both based on the original CrunchBang and built from the ground up straight from the newest Debian releases).

FEATURE RICH: Manjaro. Based on Arch Linux, it still uses it's repositories seamlessly and has it's own. It's "Software Manager" (Package Manger for the Linux users out there) called Octopi is highly sought after in the Arch community. You can literally find nearly any software for it or build it from source code with a click of mouse.

Debian and Arch are the big boys on the Linux playground. They are the most widely "forked" (as they call it in the Linux Community when you mod an OS to be something new and continuing). If you are wondering why I don't suggest either directly... Well, they are both advanced in their own ways. I can explain more and more, if you like, just send me a line.

STEAM OS: You might wanna check this out if you system will solely be just for gaming. Just a thought. It is based on Debian after all...



Now, as for installing. Depends on your hardware and whether it is "Legacy" or newer. If you are running Windows 7 currently, you can run "Live Sessions" by putting these free-to-download Linux OSes straight onto a USB stick. Most of the websites you get their .iso OS from will have some simple tutorials on how to do it. Usually, involving an image burner of some sort. But there is some other prep, first...

You will need to ensure that your computer UEFI or BIOS is setup to boot from a USB stick first or at least, you know how to get to the boot menu, before the OS loads, so that you can select the USB stick to boot from, instead of the OS that is currently installed on your hard drive. Before I get into more of that, here's some of the pages of the OSes I mentioned:

CrunchBangPlusPlus (#!++):
https://crunchbangplusplus.org/download/
https://crunchbangplusplus.org/#faq

BunsenLabs:
https://www.bunsenlabs.org/installation.html

Manjaro:
https://manjaro.org/download/
https://manjaro.org/support/firststeps/#making-a-live-system

SteamOS:
https://store.steampowered.com/steamos/
https://store.steampowered.com/steamos/buildyourown



As for USB stuffs... well, if you still have Windows 7 installed, get a few 4gb+ USB sticks (2.0 or higher) and download Rufus. I've heard of people also using Etcher. A few still use Multiboot and UNetBootin, but these have issues. The most reliable in Windows has been Rufus and Etcher:

Rufus (it does not install, it runs directly from the .exe):
https://rufus.ie/

Etcher:
https://www.balena.io/etcher/

These are pretty easy to use. Just know where your OS .iso files are and select the correct USB stick.



If you are already using Linux or have a Linux Live Session DVD, then you can put the OS on a USB stick by inputting commands in a terminal window (a lot less complicated than it sounds actually). You can also use the built-in image writers that most Linux systems have. Usually, "SUSE Studio ImageWriter" or anything with "Image Writer" in it's name. You can search most Linux systems for one of these by clicking the "start button" (called a "Launcher" in Linux) and just start typing away--works like Windows.

If you want to be meticulous and make sure the .iso files are copied in their entirety and exactly as intended, you can use a Linux Terminal Window/Console to type in commands to do so. I'll put the commands here and then an explanation of each (as far as I know).

The simple steps are:
1) Figure out where your .iso is
2) Figure out where your USB stick was "mounted" to when you plugged into a USB port
3) Use the command to write the .iso to the USB stick

First, you probably know where you downloaded the Linux OS .iso; if not, check your Downloads folder. Anywhere else is likely to be your choice or location when you downloaded it. Make a note of that path, usually somewhere like...

/home/YOURUSERNAME/Downloads

The whole thing probably looks something like:

/home/YOURUSERNAME/Downloads/LINUXOSBLAHBLAHBLAH.iso

Second, find the path to the USB stick. I personally like to use the partition manager program for this step... it's the easiest way for me and the most certain. There are other ways--just google them. You can search the Linux OS for this program by typing "partition". It usually comes up. Here's a screenshot of what a partition manager looks like:

https://i.stack.imgur.com/xGozP.png

Top left. So,

/dev/sd*

is the pathway you need to take note of, where * is the letter assigned to that USB stick only at that one time you plugged it into the USB port (similar to Windows "drive letters"). USB sticks will be assigned a "/dev/sd*" and each partition on that USB stick is assigned a number after (like sda1, sda2, etc.). You just need the sd*, which means writing to the whole USB stick, because it's required (you can't really use just "part of" a USB stick). SD cards are usually assigned some

/dev/mmcblk0***

So, mental note.

Once you got this pathway written down, your...

/dev/sd*

...you are ready for the last step.

Open a "Terminal" (there are different ones for different Linux OSes, you'll find out which one yours uses). I suggest getting root (admin) access before starting... you'll need it anyway. So, type in (usually works in Debian- and Arch-based distros):

sudo su

It'll ask for username and password. It won't show anything typed in for the passwords, not even asterisks, but trust me, your keystrokes are being typed.

You could also do this with the command to copy, but I like it separate. See below.

Ok, now you got root access. Here's the image writing command (really a forceful copy command, but that's just technical mumbo-jumbo):

dd if="/home/YOURUSERNAME/Downloads/LINUXOSBLAHBLAHBLAH.iso" of="/dev/sd*" status=progress

dd

= The actual name of the command doing the copying.

if=

= "Input File"... The file (.iso) you are copying.

of=

= "Output File" ... Where the .iso is being copied to.

status=progress

= Shows you the status of how much is copied, as it goes along; normally, it doesn't show anything--it'll just tell you when it completes and there were any errors.

And that's it! Simple. I think. Hopefully. =)


Here's how the dd command looks without getting root access first (you will just get root access WITH the dd command):

sudo dd if="/home/YOURUSERNAME/Downloads/LINUXOSBLAHBLAHBLAH.iso" of="/dev/sd*" status=progress

Then it will ask for password and whatnot. Only the first "sudo" part is added, not the "su" (don't ask--or just google why).


Here's another tutorial on using dd, if want more explanation:

https://www.howtoforge.com/linux-dd-command/

If you have questions, let me know.

Hope this helps and Good Luck!

[Cloudy]

Pariah Scion の投稿を引用：

If you have questions, let me know.

Damn thank you for being so informative, I definitely look more into these suggestions! I have a virtual machine on my laptop so I can try out different types too. I would like to still be able to use Bluetooth and the HDMI port on my laptop, so I'm not sure if Puppy is good for me if that one limits either of those; not to also mention my Linux friends would scoff at me if I used that one. Although I do want something simple, there are quite a few options it seems.

[Pariah Scion]

Simple + Full Featured = CrunchBang derivatives = BunsenLabs or CrunchBangPlusPlus

All are Debian derivatives. Clean desktop (no clutter)--simple to use and every experience I've had with different hardware (desktop or laptop) has pretty much worked right out of the box (HDMI, DVI, ethernet, bluetooth, wifi, etc.). I once had a really weird issue with a 3.5mm Microphone, but it was an easy fix in the Audio settings. So, yeah, right out of the box.

Your Linux friends may even tell you that you just might be more advanced than they are, even though these are relatively easy to use.

So, cheers.