Could someone help with setting up a computer with linux
Hi,
My name's Michelle. I've been using Linux on and off for the last few years.
If this has not been sent to your LUG mailing list (if you have one) could you please send it to that or to all the people in your LUG please? I'm looking for someone who would help me set up a computer with linux on it.
I had a Dell on which I set up Puppy with no problem whatsoever. The computer died and so then I took the puppy distro and the other disto I'd bought (can't remember what) and tried to install them on 2 older computers I had but it didn't work. I don't know why, maybe it was because one of the distros was on a stick and not compatible or maybe both computer hard drives were stuffed?
After that I bought a mini-pc (I think it was supposed to run linux) but it didn't work at all. Then I bought a tablet but after a month or two it stopped working or pretty much? Stopped working. So I just used a phone for about a year and last year bought a brand new Toshiba laptop.
The problem with this was two fold:
1. It was a laptop. 2. It was a Toshiba (oh how I hate Toshiba)
I had known that not all computers were readily compatible with linux but after my easy experience with the Dell I wasn't too concerned. I bought two linux distros on different media and hoped/assumed? that something would work – it didn't. I bought another say 2 or 3 distros and managed to get the Mint to install on this Toshiba.
It wasn't until after this annoying endeavor that I found out online that: - laptops are less compatible than desktops with linux and that - Toshiba out of the maybe top 6 or 8 computer manufacturers is consistantly about the least compatible with linux ( I HATE TOSHIBA)
I don't happen to have a few spear thousand dollars sitting around to enable me to buy a computer and try and set it up with the distros I want, find it dosen't work, buy another computer, find it doesn't work, buy another and finally find one that works with the distros I want.
So I am sending this message to basically all the Linux users groups in NZ and hoping someone can help me set up a computer with the two linux distros I want. I don't know how that would work. Maybe someone is about to buy a new computer and can try these distros before they put theirs on, maybe someone has a partition on their computer that is spare and can try it there, maybe they own a computer shop or work in a computer shop or at a university or polytech with computers or computer parts around.
So for anyone who may be willing to help me here is what I would like:
- a desktop (not the modern ones that are a computer plus other thing/s but just a computer
- not a toshiba
- Whonix to run on top of Qubes. Whonix is great for anonimity and Qubes is designed for security/safety.
- I have a DrayTek vigor 120 modem. I connect it via DSL. When looking into whonix I read that it is complex to configure and setup, so I was hoping that you might have such a modem or access to one and set it up with whonix and then tell me how you did it.
- I don't want the computer to come with wifi or bluetooth or any similar thing. I don't want it just not running, I don't want it there at all.
- I'm wanting to install 3 old encyclopedias. I was reading about the new versions online and people were recommending old ones. I've bought Encarta 2004, 2001 and Encyclopaedia Britannica '98. To run them on I've bought Windows 98 second edition and Windows NT (first edition?). If you have or could borrow these windows OS could you see if you could get them running in whonix or qubes?
- One or both of the encyclopedias need 2 DVD players so I'd like at least 2 DVD players with one being a recorder.
- I'm not looking for a high end computer. As long as it will play youtube, that's fast enough. BUT I would appreciate hearing any recommendation about if I just add such and such for $100 or $150 it would go much faster. I'd like 500GB hard drive at least and I've been recommended to get 8GB RAM at least.
I wouldn't buy the computer off you but rather if you could tell me what computer/computer parts worked, I'd pay up to $150 for the info. If 10 different people told me what worked of course I couldn't pay 10 different people $150.
I am sending this to: the wlug, Glen Ogilvie at nelg@linuxsolutions.co.nz in Auckland, the Welly LUG through hugh@davenport.net.nz, nzlug@lists.nzoss.org.nz and Wellington LUG through jethro.carr@jethrocarr.com. If you know of any active LUG that I have missed or anyone else that might be willing to assist me could you please pass this onto them? My email is michelle400@orcon.net.nz. If this is posted to a mailing list (I've never used one before) and I don't reply in a week could you get back to me on my email?
Thank you to anyone willing to help Michelle Gorringe.
Hi Michelle Gorringe
From your message I think you are trying to run an extra-secure system on
fairly old equipment. There is a Distro suitable for just about every purpose, but you have to match the Distro(s) and equipment to be successful, and the hardware needs to meet the minimum system requirements for Linux to install and work properly. This is probably where you have struck problems. For example Qubes requires a 4GB of RAM and a 64-bit Intel or AMD processor and they only guarantee it will run on this hardware list https://www.qubes-os.org/hcl/ and these laptops https://www.qubes-os.org/doc/certified-laptops/ Similarly I doubt if Whonix would be able to be installed on the DrayTek vigor 120 modem if that is what you want to do, although I couldn't find the system requirements for this. It probably needs a Distro designed for modems.
The most likely barriers you will encounter; Your (older) hardware is 32-bit but the software is 64-bit. Quite often both versions are available, but you have to choose the right one. Your hardware doesn't have enough RAM There are no Linux drivers for some of the hardware, or they require a special install process. The newer UEFI boot process used by most Windows computing devices (less than about 5 years old) makes Linux installation difficult and sometimes impossible.
I suggest you list the equipment you have and what computing tasks you want to do with it so we know how we can help you. Then find the nearest Linux Users Group. See if they have a workshop session, send them the new message and then go with your equipment to the workshop. If there is no workshop just send the message and ask for help.
The kind of extra-secure setup that your seem to be seeking is way beyond my expertise, but there are helpful people out there if you can let them know exactly what you want and what equipment you have. If you can reward them for their time and expertise that will be good.
Roderick Aldridge
P.S. The BOP Linux user Group has a website at http://www.boplug.co.nz/ but I am not sure whether it is still active.
On 12 May 2016 at 17:38, Michelle michelle400@orcon.net.nz wrote:
Hi,
My name's Michelle. I've been using Linux on and off for the last few years.
If this has not been sent to your LUG mailing list (if you have one) could you please send it to that or to all the people in your LUG please? I'm looking for someone who would help me set up a computer with linux on it.
I had a Dell on which I set up Puppy with no problem whatsoever. The computer died and so then I took the puppy distro and the other disto I'd bought (can't remember what) and tried to install them on 2 older computers I had but it didn't work. I don't know why, maybe it was because one of the distros was on a stick and not compatible or maybe both computer hard drives were stuffed?
After that I bought a mini-pc (I think it was supposed to run linux) but it didn't work at all. Then I bought a tablet but after a month or two it stopped working or pretty much? Stopped working. So I just used a phone for about a year and last year bought a brand new Toshiba laptop.
The problem with this was two fold:
- It was a laptop.
- It was a Toshiba (oh how I hate Toshiba)
I had known that not all computers were readily compatible with linux but after my easy experience with the Dell I wasn't too concerned. I bought two linux distros on different media and hoped/assumed? that something would work – it didn't. I bought another say 2 or 3 distros and managed to get the Mint to install on this Toshiba.
It wasn't until after this annoying endeavor that I found out online that:
- laptops are less compatible than desktops with linux and that
- Toshiba out of the maybe top 6 or 8 computer manufacturers is
consistantly about the least compatible with linux ( I HATE TOSHIBA)
I don't happen to have a few spear thousand dollars sitting around to enable me to buy a computer and try and set it up with the distros I want, find it dosen't work, buy another computer, find it doesn't work, buy another and finally find one that works with the distros I want.
So I am sending this message to basically all the Linux users groups in NZ and hoping someone can help me set up a computer with the two linux distros I want. I don't know how that would work. Maybe someone is about to buy a new computer and can try these distros before they put theirs on, maybe someone has a partition on their computer that is spare and can try it there, maybe they own a computer shop or work in a computer shop or at a university or polytech with computers or computer parts around.
So for anyone who may be willing to help me here is what I would like:
- a desktop (not the modern ones that are a computer plus other thing/s
but just a computer
not a toshiba
Whonix to run on top of Qubes.
Whonix is great for anonimity and Qubes is designed for security/safety.
- I have a DrayTek vigor 120 modem. I connect it via DSL. When looking
into whonix I read that it is complex to configure and setup, so I was hoping that you might have such a modem or access to one and set it up with whonix and then tell me how you did it.
- I don't want the computer to come with wifi or bluetooth or any similar
thing. I don't want it just not running, I don't want it there at all.
- I'm wanting to install 3 old encyclopedias. I was reading about the new
versions online and people were recommending old ones. I've bought Encarta 2004, 2001 and Encyclopaedia Britannica '98. To run them on I've bought Windows 98 second edition and Windows NT (first edition?). If you have or could borrow these windows OS could you see if you could get them running in whonix or qubes?
- One or both of the encyclopedias need 2 DVD players so I'd like at least
2 DVD players with one being a recorder.
- I'm not looking for a high end computer. As long as it will play
youtube, that's fast enough. BUT I would appreciate hearing any recommendation about if I just add such and such for $100 or $150 it would go much faster. I'd like 500GB hard drive at least and I've been recommended to get 8GB RAM at least.
I wouldn't buy the computer off you but rather if you could tell me what computer/computer parts worked, I'd pay up to $150 for the info. If 10 different people told me what worked of course I couldn't pay 10 different people $150.
I am sending this to: the wlug, Glen Ogilvie at nelg@linuxsolutions.co.nz in Auckland, the Welly LUG through hugh@davenport.net.nz, nzlug@lists.nzoss.org.nz and Wellington LUG through jethro.carr@jethrocarr.com. If you know of any active LUG that I have missed or anyone else that might be willing to assist me could you please pass this onto them? My email is michelle400@orcon.net.nz. If this is posted to a mailing list (I've never used one before) and I don't reply in a week could you get back to me on my email?
Thank you to anyone willing to help Michelle Gorringe. _______________________________________________ wlug mailing list | wlug@list.waikato.ac.nz Unsubscribe: https://list.waikato.ac.nz/mailman/listinfo/wlug
Oh a tangential note, has anyone experimented with TAILS + grsecurity?
-- Securely sent with Tutanota. It's good, you should try it: https://tutanota.com
13. May 2016 11:49 by rod.aldridge1@gmail.com:
Hi Michelle Gorringe
From your message I think you are trying to run an extra-secure system on fairly old equipment. There is a Distro suitable for just about every purpose, but you have to match the Distro(s) and equipment to be successful, and the hardware needs to meet the minimum system requirements for Linux to install and work properly. This is probably where you have struck problems. For example Qubes requires a 4GB of RAM and a 64-bit Intel or AMD processor and they only guarantee it will run on this hardware list > https://www.qubes-os.org/hcl/%3E and these laptops > https://www.qubes-os.org/doc/certified-laptops/%3E Similarly I doubt if Whonix would be able to be installed on the DrayTek vigor 120 modem if that is what you want to do, although I couldn't find the system requirements for this. It probably needs a Distro designed for modems.
The most likely barriers you will encounter; Your (older) hardware is 32-bit but the software is 64-bit. Quite often both versions are available, but you have to choose the right one. Your hardware doesn't have enough RAM There are no Linux drivers for some of the hardware, or they require a special install process. The newer UEFI boot process used by most Windows computing devices (less than about 5 years old) makes Linux installation difficult and sometimes impossible.
I suggest you list the equipment you have and what computing tasks you want to do with it so we know how we can help you. Then find the nearest Linux Users Group. See if they have a workshop session, send them the new message and then go with your equipment to the workshop. If there is no workshop just send the message and ask for help.
The kind of extra-secure setup that your seem to be seeking is way beyond my expertise, but there are helpful people out there if you can let them know exactly what you want and what equipment you have. If you can reward them for their time and expertise that will be good.
Roderick Aldridge
P.S. The BOP Linux user Group has a website at > http://www.boplug.co.nz/%3E but I am not sure whether it is still active.
On 12 May 2016 at 17:38, Michelle <> michelle400@orcon.net.nz> > wrote:
Hi,
My name's Michelle. I've been using Linux on and off for the last few years.
If this has not been sent to your LUG mailing list (if you have one) could you please send it to that or to all the people in your LUG please? I'm looking for someone who would help me set up a computer with linux on it.
I had a Dell on which I set up Puppy with no problem whatsoever. The computer died and so then I took the puppy distro and the other disto I'd bought (can't remember what) and tried to install them on 2 older computers I had but it didn't work. I don't know why, maybe it was because one of the distros was on a stick and not compatible or maybe both computer hard drives were stuffed?
After that I bought a mini-pc (I think it was supposed to run linux) but it didn't work at all. Then I bought a tablet but after a month or two it stopped working or pretty much? Stopped working. So I just used a phone for about a year and last year bought a brand new Toshiba laptop.
The problem with this was two fold:
1. It was a laptop. 2. It was a Toshiba (oh how I hate Toshiba)
I had known that not all computers were readily compatible with linux but after my easy experience with the Dell I wasn't too concerned. I bought two linux distros on different media and hoped/assumed? that something would work – it didn't. I bought another say 2 or 3 distros and managed to get the Mint to install on this Toshiba.
It wasn't until after this annoying endeavor that I found out online that:
- laptops are less compatible than desktops with linux and that
- Toshiba out of the maybe top 6 or 8 computer manufacturers is
consistantly about the least compatible with linux ( I HATE TOSHIBA)
I don't happen to have a few spear thousand dollars sitting around to enable me to buy a computer and try and set it up with the distros I want, find it dosen't work, buy another computer, find it doesn't work, buy another and finally find one that works with the distros I want.
So I am sending this message to basically all the Linux users groups in NZ and hoping someone can help me set up a computer with the two linux distros I want. I don't know how that would work. Maybe someone is about to buy a new computer and can try these distros before they put theirs on, maybe someone has a partition on their computer that is spare and can try it there, maybe they own a computer shop or work in a computer shop or at a university or polytech with computers or computer parts around.
So for anyone who may be willing to help me here is what I would like:
- a desktop (not the modern ones that are a computer plus other thing/s
but just a computer
not a toshiba
Whonix to run on top of Qubes.
Whonix is great for anonimity and Qubes is designed for security/safety.
- I have a DrayTek vigor 120 modem. I connect it via DSL. When looking
into whonix I read that it is complex to configure and setup, so I was hoping that you might have such a modem or access to one and set it up with whonix and then tell me how you did it.
- I don't want the computer to come with wifi or bluetooth or any similar
thing. I don't want it just not running, I don't want it there at all.
- I'm wanting to install 3 old encyclopedias. I was reading about the new
versions online and people were recommending old ones. I've bought Encarta 2004, 2001 and Encyclopaedia Britannica '98. To run them on I've bought Windows 98 second edition and Windows NT (first edition?). If you have or could borrow these windows OS could you see if you could get them running in whonix or qubes?
- One or both of the encyclopedias need 2 DVD players so I'd like at least
2 DVD players with one being a recorder.
- I'm not looking for a high end computer. As long as it will play
youtube, that's fast enough. BUT I would appreciate hearing any recommendation about if I just add such and such for $100 or $150 it would go much faster. I'd like 500GB hard drive at least and I've been recommended to get 8GB RAM at least.
I wouldn't buy the computer off you but rather if you could tell me what computer/computer parts worked, I'd pay up to $150 for the info. If 10 different people told me what worked of course I couldn't pay 10 different people $150.
I am sending this to: the wlug, Glen Ogilvie at >> nelg@linuxsolutions.co.nz>> in Auckland, the Welly LUG through >> hugh@davenport.net.nz>> , >> nzlug@lists.nzoss.org.nz>> and Wellington LUG through >> jethro.carr@jethrocarr.com>> . If you know of any active LUG that I have missed or anyone else that might be willing to assist me could you please pass this onto them? My email is >> michelle400@orcon.net.nz>> . If this is posted to a mailing list (I've never used one before) and I don't reply in a week could you get back to me on my email?
Thank you to anyone willing to help Michelle Gorringe. _______________________________________________ wlug mailing list | >> wlug@list.waikato.ac.nz Unsubscribe: >> https://list.waikato.ac.nz/mailman/listinfo/wlug
Hi Roderick,
Thank you for your speedy reply.
I haven't actually tried to set up my Toshiba with whonix and qubes. I would like to start over with a whole new computer and just keep what I have on there. It all sounds so complicated with matching up this with that. Sadly those meetings you mentioned where I could take along my computer wouldn't be of much use to me, with my illness I'm basically housebound.
Thanks for the reply.
On 2016-05-13 11:49, Roderick Aldridge wrote:
Hi Michelle Gorringe
From your message I think you are trying to run an extra-secure system on fairly old equipment. There is a Distro suitable for just about every purpose, but you have to match the Distro(s) and equipment to be successful, and the hardware needs to meet the minimum system requirements for Linux to install and work properly. This is probably where you have struck problems. For example Qubes requires a 4GB of RAM and a 64-bit Intel or AMD processor and they only guarantee it will run on this hardware list https://www.qubes-os.org/hcl/ [2] and these laptops https://www.qubes-os.org/doc/certified-laptops/ [3] Similarly I doubt if Whonix would be able to be installed on the DrayTek vigor 120 modem if that is what you want to do, although I couldn't find the system requirements for this. It probably needs a Distro designed for modems.
The most likely barriers you will encounter; Your (older) hardware is 32-bit but the software is 64-bit. Quite often both versions are available, but you have to choose the right one. Your hardware doesn't have enough RAM There are no Linux drivers for some of the hardware, or they require a special install process. The newer UEFI boot process used by most Windows computing devices (less than about 5 years old) makes Linux installation difficult and sometimes impossible.
I suggest you list the equipment you have and what computing tasks you want to do with it so we know how we can help you. Then find the nearest Linux Users Group. See if they have a workshop session, send them the new message and then go with your equipment to the workshop. If there is no workshop just send the message and ask for help.
The kind of extra-secure setup that your seem to be seeking is way beyond my expertise, but there are helpful people out there if you can let them know exactly what you want and what equipment you have. If you can reward them for their time and expertise that will be good.
Roderick Aldridge
P.S. The BOP Linux user Group has a website at http://www.boplug.co.nz/ [4] but I am not sure whether it is still active.
On 12 May 2016 at 17:38, Michelle michelle400@orcon.net.nz wrote:
Hi,
My name's Michelle. I've been using Linux on and off for the last few years.
If this has not been sent to your LUG mailing list (if you have one) could you please send it to that or to all the people in your LUG please? I'm looking for someone who would help me set up a computer with linux on it.
I had a Dell on which I set up Puppy with no problem whatsoever. The computer died and so then I took the puppy distro and the other disto I'd bought (can't remember what) and tried to install them on 2 older computers I had but it didn't work. I don't know why, maybe it was because one of the distros was on a stick and not compatible or maybe both computer hard drives were stuffed?
After that I bought a mini-pc (I think it was supposed to run linux) but it didn't work at all. Then I bought a tablet but after a month or two it stopped working or pretty much? Stopped working. So I just used a phone for about a year and last year bought a brand new Toshiba laptop.
The problem with this was two fold:
- It was a laptop.
- It was a Toshiba (oh how I hate Toshiba)
I had known that not all computers were readily compatible with linux but after my easy experience with the Dell I wasn't too concerned. I bought two linux distros on different media and hoped/assumed? that something would work – it didn't. I bought another say 2 or 3 distros and managed to get the Mint to install on this Toshiba.
It wasn't until after this annoying endeavor that I found out online that:
- laptops are less compatible than desktops with linux and that
- Toshiba out of the maybe top 6 or 8 computer manufacturers is
consistantly about the least compatible with linux ( I HATE TOSHIBA)
I don't happen to have a few spear thousand dollars sitting around to enable me to buy a computer and try and set it up with the distros I want, find it dosen't work, buy another computer, find it doesn't work, buy another and finally find one that works with the distros I want.
So I am sending this message to basically all the Linux users groups in NZ and hoping someone can help me set up a computer with the two linux distros I want. I don't know how that would work. Maybe someone is about to buy a new computer and can try these distros before they put theirs on, maybe someone has a partition on their computer that is spare and can try it there, maybe they own a computer shop or work in a computer shop or at a university or polytech with computers or computer parts around.
So for anyone who may be willing to help me here is what I would like:
- a desktop (not the modern ones that are a computer plus other
thing/s but just a computer
not a toshiba
Whonix to run on top of Qubes.
Whonix is great for anonimity and Qubes is designed for security/safety.
- I have a DrayTek vigor 120 modem. I connect it via DSL. When
looking into whonix I read that it is complex to configure and setup, so I was hoping that you might have such a modem or access to one and set it up with whonix and then tell me how you did it.
- I don't want the computer to come with wifi or bluetooth or any
similar thing. I don't want it just not running, I don't want it there at all.
- I'm wanting to install 3 old encyclopedias. I was reading about
the new versions online and people were recommending old ones. I've bought Encarta 2004, 2001 and Encyclopaedia Britannica '98. To run them on I've bought Windows 98 second edition and Windows NT (first edition?). If you have or could borrow these windows OS could you see if you could get them running in whonix or qubes?
- One or both of the encyclopedias need 2 DVD players so I'd like
at least 2 DVD players with one being a recorder.
- I'm not looking for a high end computer. As long as it will play
youtube, that's fast enough. BUT I would appreciate hearing any recommendation about if I just add such and such for $100 or $150 it would go much faster. I'd like 500GB hard drive at least and I've been recommended to get 8GB RAM at least.
I wouldn't buy the computer off you but rather if you could tell me what computer/computer parts worked, I'd pay up to $150 for the info. If 10 different people told me what worked of course I couldn't pay 10 different people $150.
I am sending this to: the wlug, Glen Ogilvie at nelg@linuxsolutions.co.nz in Auckland, the Welly LUG through hugh@davenport.net.nz, nzlug@lists.nzoss.org.nz and Wellington LUG through jethro.carr@jethrocarr.com. If you know of any active LUG that I have missed or anyone else that might be willing to assist me could you please pass this onto them? My email is michelle400@orcon.net.nz. If this is posted to a mailing list (I've never used one before) and I don't reply in a week could you get back to me on my email?
Thank you to anyone willing to help Michelle Gorringe. _______________________________________________ wlug mailing list | wlug@list.waikato.ac.nz Unsubscribe: https://list.waikato.ac.nz/mailman/listinfo/wlug [1]
Links:
[1] https://list.waikato.ac.nz/mailman/listinfo/wlug [2] https://www.qubes-os.org/hcl/ [3] https://www.qubes-os.org/doc/certified-laptops/ [4] http://www.boplug.co.nz/
wlug mailing list | wlug@list.waikato.ac.nz Unsubscribe: https://list.waikato.ac.nz/mailman/listinfo/wlug
participants (3)
-
Eric Light -
Michelle -
Roderick Aldridge