I Fought My Laptop and Won
January 26th 2012 00:14
The last three days were a battle I refused to lose, even when it looked like the problem was a hard drive with bad sectors. I was trying to do a new Linux install, and it took something like fifteen times to do it!
Oh, and I brag on my years on the Linux....humbling it was.
To make matters worse, I am not at all sure what did it in the end! So I will just relate the battle to you. It was a most epic battle. I learn from these things, so actually look forward to the times you must get it done, and run into that one challenging hurdle.
Last Friday I dug out my old Toshiba A205 Satellite, which I had thought to be broken, but happily discovered that the $90.00 "universal power supply" I had bought from Walmart was a piece of {...}. My boss has a similar Toshiba so I borrow his power supply, and viola it powers up.
And so I grab the latest copy of ubuntu, my favorite Linux operating system, after BlackBuntu, and did a nice clean install, and did some command line configuration to make swappiness run at 10 instead of 60 (bonus tip...bonus tip....). I got it all set up with my standard tools, ordered exactly how I like them, and then had a moment of over thinking.
So I grabbed the latest BlackBuntu edition, and installed it. Well, I tried to install it.
It would get to the end of the process and a dialog box appeared saying the disk is read only and maybe defective or hot.
Oh, well, erm...
After three tries I went back to ubuntu and now ditto the dialog!
Oh joy....
Then I walk upstairs and looked through my Linux collection and decided to try out CentOS 5.5
That installed smoothly, but I am now ubuntu-spoiled, not liking the older type setup, so it was back to trying to get BlackBuntu on there.
I insisted on my BlackBuntu!
Today while doing mundane work at the job I retried installing Blacky over and over, then gave up, deciding to get the ubuntu on the laptop.
It kind of installed the first try.
Second pass I upgraded it to the same version. Both times it went on, but would not boot for me. Not wanting to look at code or a text-only interface while working on my actual job, I did a third install, this time doing the whole thing.
It worked perfectly.
Now, I have to admit that I learned nothing here except that the first install was good, so why {...} with it, and sheer determination really can pay off. Now I will leave the install alone.
All my tools are on there, as well as Regnum Online, for that day when I want to just play.
I should have taken notes, but definitely will study on to find the answers as to why everything got weird there. Do I really have bad sectors on my hard drive, or was this a fluke?
Oh, and I brag on my years on the Linux....humbling it was.
To make matters worse, I am not at all sure what did it in the end! So I will just relate the battle to you. It was a most epic battle. I learn from these things, so actually look forward to the times you must get it done, and run into that one challenging hurdle.
Last Friday I dug out my old Toshiba A205 Satellite, which I had thought to be broken, but happily discovered that the $90.00 "universal power supply" I had bought from Walmart was a piece of {...}. My boss has a similar Toshiba so I borrow his power supply, and viola it powers up.
And so I grab the latest copy of ubuntu, my favorite Linux operating system, after BlackBuntu, and did a nice clean install, and did some command line configuration to make swappiness run at 10 instead of 60 (bonus tip...bonus tip....). I got it all set up with my standard tools, ordered exactly how I like them, and then had a moment of over thinking.
So I grabbed the latest BlackBuntu edition, and installed it. Well, I tried to install it.
It would get to the end of the process and a dialog box appeared saying the disk is read only and maybe defective or hot.
Oh, well, erm...
After three tries I went back to ubuntu and now ditto the dialog!
Oh joy....
Then I walk upstairs and looked through my Linux collection and decided to try out CentOS 5.5
That installed smoothly, but I am now ubuntu-spoiled, not liking the older type setup, so it was back to trying to get BlackBuntu on there.
I insisted on my BlackBuntu!
Today while doing mundane work at the job I retried installing Blacky over and over, then gave up, deciding to get the ubuntu on the laptop.
It kind of installed the first try.
Second pass I upgraded it to the same version. Both times it went on, but would not boot for me. Not wanting to look at code or a text-only interface while working on my actual job, I did a third install, this time doing the whole thing.
It worked perfectly.
Now, I have to admit that I learned nothing here except that the first install was good, so why {...} with it, and sheer determination really can pay off. Now I will leave the install alone.
All my tools are on there, as well as Regnum Online, for that day when I want to just play.
I should have taken notes, but definitely will study on to find the answers as to why everything got weird there. Do I really have bad sectors on my hard drive, or was this a fluke?
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Comment by Nicasio Martinez
One of the 99% - Bio Guide
99% HOT TOPIC NEWS
99% Music Flash Back
I am getting a mini-notebook soon. If memory serves me even limitedly, I believe it is loaded with Window 7, has a reasonable HD and memory for that small machine. I plan for the first time to load Linux - BECAUSE - I've been led to believe there is less of a threat of viruses with Linux; true or false?
Acutally I am leaning towards running the dual Linux/Window optional choice in the beginning until I close the learning curve. Linux OS, to its' credit, is now being loaded from the factory on some brand models.
What I would like to do, is propose a Linux forum here, and to you, I suggest, with me involved too, to find a good online forum where you can post questions when you encounter a problem.
I have done this in the past with Windows and had excellent results. In fact there are usually more than one proposed solution on a forum. The key is to read through all or most, and then strike out to see if your first selection works. If not there are others.
It seems you went through this solo. So, keep in mind-- How about beginning a Linux forum at Orble......
Comment by Richard Harper
The Way of Open Source
What tech specs do you have on your mini? I suggest trying a few live usb distros before committing to installing, so you don't get caught up on reinstalling more than once, which can cause the headache I blogged about.
You want a gig of ram if you can, but half a gig will work for some distros.
Find out if you can boot via usb first, as some minis don't have BIOS, which is necessary for booting outside the installed os. If you can boot from usb, then go to pendrivelinux.com and use the Universal USB Installer there.
If the latest ubuntu works on the mini go with that.
Comment by Nicasio Martinez
One of the 99% - Bio Guide
99% HOT TOPIC NEWS
99% Music Flash Back
I will check what you have suggested and I will do my best to understand w/o giving you a headache. Like you too, I will spend hours trying to master a problem, but I want to keep that to a minimum here.
Thanks for considering a linux dialouge at Orble. But-- was I right about Linux being less prone to picking up viruses?:
Also I am trying to learn the best manners of blogging.
Comment by Nicasio Martinez
One of the 99% - Bio Guide
99% HOT TOPIC NEWS
99% Music Flash Back
Comment by Richard Harper
The Way of Open Source
Comment by Nicasio Martinez
One of the 99% - Bio Guide
99% HOT TOPIC NEWS
99% Music Flash Back
Had lots of advice against making Linux decision-- but I'm impressed with the free Linux OS, 100%. Over the weekend I hope to pick up some speed. I will be searching bookstores and on-line for a 11.10 manual.
I'm just going to browse Orble and see what is going on.....thanks for your help and encouragement..../nm
Comment by Nicasio Martinez
One of the 99% - Bio Guide
99% HOT TOPIC NEWS
99% Music Flash Back
avast! Linux Edition (RPM package)
avast! Linux Edition (DEB package)
avast! Linux Edition (TAR GZ package)
Comment by Richard Harper
The Way of Open Source
Comment by Nicasio Martinez
One of the 99% - Bio Guide
99% HOT TOPIC NEWS
99% Music Flash Back
This is so exciting. I could never afford all the world class software that comes with simply downloading one of the Linux/Ubuntu OS.
Glad to hear from you....