Folks, with support for Windows 10 finishing and Microsoft's hardware requirements for Windows 11 pretty strict many machines will not be able to upgrade so effectively become obsolete.  Fear not, these computers will work perfectly well with the Free Linux Operating System.

You will be able to surf, play videos and write letters, to give you a taster here is a 15 minute video showing a Linux Desktop, what it looks like and showing some of the programs available.

Linux is ideally suited to older machines and drivers are built in to the system so likely everything will work out of the box.  There are issues with some nvidea cards but this can be remedied.

https://youtu.be/s7ZHgD1Cje4

Geffers

Omg....need to inform my dd about this.....she's still using Window's 10.

Thanks, Geffers!!

Obtaining a Linux operating system is easy, there are numerous available, they tend to aim at different users, for example media, education, office, some are even aimed at very low spec machines.  The system is the same, it is merely the applications installed and desktop layout that differs.

For trying out you can install to a USB memory stick, this will give you a LIVE image to experiment with or you can install to your internal hard drive or to a different USB memory device.

Two I'd recommend for beginners are as follows;

https://www.linuxmint.com/

https://ubuntu.com/#get-ubuntu

From either site you'll end up with an ISO image, this image can easily be written to a USB memory key, popular program for doing so is the FREE balena etcher which works on Windows, Mac and Linux.  Available from

https://etcher.balena.io/

Once written to a USB memory stick you are now good to go, the only fiddly bit now is getting your computer to boot to a USB - I'll cover that in a separate post.

Geffers

Geffers G said:

Obtaining a Linux operating system is easy, there are numerous available, they tend to aim at different users, for example media, education, office, some are even aimed at very low spec machines.  The system is the same, it is merely the applications installed and desktop layout that differs.

For trying out you can install to a USB memory stick, this will give you a LIVE image to experiment with or you can install to your internal hard drive or to a different USB memory device.

Two I'd recommend for beginners are as follows;

https://www.linuxmint.com/

https://ubuntu.com/#get-ubuntu

From either site you'll end up with an ISO image, this image can easily be written to a USB memory key, popular program for doing so is the FREE balena etcher which works on Windows, Mac and Linux.  Available from

https://etcher.balena.io/

Once written to a USB memory stick you are now good to go, the only fiddly bit now is getting your computer to boot to a USB - I'll cover that in a separate post.

Geffers

 

 

 

 

Thanks for all of that detail, Geffers!!  I'm considering installing this on my Mac laptop.  This laptop I rarely use anymore, and it's behind in updates on it's OS, however, it's been the most hardy of any laptop or desktop I've ever had.  I'd like to bring it up to date.  I won't be able to do this anytime soon, but I'll start looking into your links for instructions.  I think Linux would be a better OS than Apple on this laptop, and worth checking out.

Never used a Mac but understand much of it is very similar to Linux so should be an option.

Just message if you need any assistance.

Geffers

Great, thank you Geffers!  I think I have to do other stuff to my laptop before I change the OS right?  I have to save everything on an external hard drive before I do anything right?  Then that's the part I get stuck on, the "next" part to which you gave me links, and I'll look at those and see if my brain can take it all in.

Web Diva said:

Great, thank you Geffers!  I think I have to do other stuff to my laptop before I change the OS right?  I have to save everything on an external hard drive before I do anything right?  Then that's the part I get stuck on, the "next" part to which you gave me links, and I'll look at those and see if my brain can take it all in.

If you want to install Linux to your internal hard drive then yes, you do need to save but if you install Linux to an external USB memory stick then no need to.

Plus, during installation  the system detects that you have an operating system already installed, you then have the option of installing beside the current operating system, what happens then is when the computer starts a menu comes up giving you the choice to boot Windows or Linux.

Geffers

Web Diva said:

Great, thank you Geffers!  I think I have to do other stuff to my laptop before I change the OS right?  I have to save everything on an external hard drive before I do anything right?  Then that's the part I get stuck on, the "next" part to which you gave me links, and I'll look at those and see if my brain can take it all in.

I am making enquiries with a company that sells the system actually on a USB memory stick, only $11.99 so you won't have to touch your current system.

I've emailed them to see if it is a fully operational system or something you need to install, surprised the web page doesn't clarify.

Geffers

Geffers G said:

Web Diva said:

Great, thank you Geffers!  I think I have to do other stuff to my laptop before I change the OS right?  I have to save everything on an external hard drive before I do anything right?  Then that's the part I get stuck on, the "next" part to which you gave me links, and I'll look at those and see if my brain can take it all in.

If you want to install Linux to your internal hard drive then yes, you do need to save but if you install Linux to an external USB memory stick then no need to.

Plus, during installation  the system detects that you have an operating system already installed, you then have the option of installing beside the current operating system, what happens then is when the computer starts a menu comes up giving you the choice to boot Windows or Linux.

Geffers

 

Aww...cool, the memory stick sounds good.

I also like that during the install, the system knows what to do!  

Geffers G said:

Web Diva said:

Great, thank you Geffers!  I think I have to do other stuff to my laptop before I change the OS right?  I have to save everything on an external hard drive before I do anything right?  Then that's the part I get stuck on, the "next" part to which you gave me links, and I'll look at those and see if my brain can take it all in.

I am making enquiries with a company that sells the system actually on a USB memory stick, only $11.99 so you won't have to touch your current system.

I've emailed them to see if it is a fully operational system or something you need to install, surprised the web page doesn't clarify.

Geffers

 

Nice!  I'll be interested in hearing what you find out.

No reply from the company re the USB sticks yet.

Re the installing beside your current system, as I mentioned never used a Mac before but if this is something you are interested in then definitely save anything of importance on the Mac (just in case) then I'd try installing beside the present system.  It will give you the option to use entire disk or instal beside existing system, choose the latter.  Then from memory it is all automatic, just sit back, answer a few simple questions as to username, computer name and password choice.  Then watch the magic occur.

Geffers