Hi.. I'm old school when it comes to computers. If I want to format a drive and throw linux on it (Anything but windows) could I do that with the newer PCs? I've heard some PCs have windows embedded in them.

... An independent is a guy who wants to take the politics out of politics.

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Re: Laptops
By: HusTler to All on Fri Oct 23 2020 04:58 pm

Hi.. I'm old school when it comes to computers. If I want to format a drive and throw linux on it (Anything but windows) could I do that with the newer PCs? I've heard some PCs have windows embedded in them.

... An independent is a guy who wants to take the politics out of politics.

i would stay away from asus laptops, but usually a desktop computer can have a linux install with a normal mobo and cpu
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Re: Laptops
By: HusTler to All on Fri Oct 23 2020 04:58 pm

Hi.. I'm old school when it comes to computers. If I want to format a driv and throw linux on it (Anything but windows) could I do that with the newer PCs? I've heard some PCs have windows embedded in them.

... An independent is a guy who wants to take the politics out of politics.

You pretty much can install Linux on most modern Wintel hardware. You just have to beware the computer may use UEFI instead of BIOS and need to disable some UEFI features for the computer to boot.

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Re: Laptops
By: Arelor to HusTler on Sat Oct 24 2020 03:05 am

Hi.. I'm old school when it comes to computers. If I want to format a
driv and throw linux on it (Anything but windows) could I do that with

You pretty much can install Linux on most modern Wintel hardware. You just h to beware the computer may use UEFI instead of BIOS and need to disable some UEFI features for the computer to boot.

What is this "UEFI" I'm hearing about?? Can it be switched to a regular BIOS? Does it recognize older hardware?

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Re: Laptops
By: HusTler to Arelor on Sat Oct 24 2020 08:32 am

Re: Laptops
By: Arelor to HusTler on Sat Oct 24 2020 03:05 am

Hi.. I'm old school when it comes to computers. If I want to format a driv and throw linux on it (Anything but windows) could I do that with

You pretty much can install Linux on most modern Wintel hardware. You just h to beware the computer may use UEFI instead of BIOS and need to disable some UEFI features for the computer to boot.

What is this "UEFI" I'm hearing about?? Can it be switched to a regular BIOS? Does it recognize older hardware?

UEFI is the modern replacement for the traditional IBM PC-compatible BIOS. The BIOS, if you didn't know, is the system firmware for Intel/DOS/Windows compatible computers. For a while, there were a lot of PCs that had dual-personality firmware: it could operate in either UEFI mode or as a "legacy BIOS" (you could toggle between the two options in the firmware setup screens). Eventually, the legacy BIOSes will be a thing of the past and all Windows-compatible PCs will just have UEFI firmware.
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Re: Laptops
By: HusTler to Arelor on Sat Oct 24 2020 08:32 am

Re: Laptops
By: Arelor to HusTler on Sat Oct 24 2020 03:05 am

Hi.. I'm old school when it comes to computers. If I want to format a driv and throw linux on it (Anything but windows) could I do that with

You pretty much can install Linux on most modern Wintel hardware. You jus to beware the computer may use UEFI instead of BIOS and need to disable s UEFI features for the computer to boot.

What is this "UEFI" I'm hearing about?? Can it be switched to a regular BIO Does it recognize older hardware?

Old computers came with a BIOS. New computers come with UEFI, which is a different standard. Most computers that have UEFI have a BIOS mode, so you can run as if it had a regular BIOS if need be.

UEFI comes with the moderboard so you can't really run it in an old motherboard in practice, if you were asking that.

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Re: Laptops
By: Digital Man to HusTler on Sat Oct 24 2020 01:36 pm

Eventually, the legacy BIOSes will be a thing of the past and all Windows-compatible PCs will just have UEFI firmware. --
digital man

Will that mean only the windows OS can be installed? I was reading the windows registration code will be embedded in the new chips. What will happen if I try and install Ubuntu or other flavor of Linux on the newer machines? Thank you for the explanation DM.

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Re: Laptops
By: Arelor to HusTler on Sat Oct 24 2020 05:07 pm

UEFI comes with the moderboard so you can't really run it in an old motherbo in practice, if you were asking that.

I'm asking if I can install Linux on a UEFI computer that has the windows regi embedded in it? Some years ago I bought this laptop that had some verison of windows on it (I forget which). You couldn't install anything else on it. Not even another version of windows. Is that what's going to happen with these UEFI computers??

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Re: Laptops
By: Arelor to HusTler on Sat Oct 24 2020 05:07 pm

UEFI comes with the moderboard so you can't really run it in an old motherbo in practice, if you were asking that.

I'm asking if I can install Linux on a UEFI computer that has the windows regi embedded in it? Some years ago I bought this laptop that had some verison of windows on it (Windows CE). You couldn't install anything else on it. Not
even another version of windows. Is that what's going to happen with these UEFI computers??

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Re: Laptops
By: HusTler to Digital Man on Sat Oct 24 2020 08:49 pm

Re: Laptops
By: Digital Man to HusTler on Sat Oct 24 2020 01:36 pm

Eventually, the legacy BIOSes will be a thing of the past and all Windows-compatible PCs will just have UEFI firmware. --
digital man

Will that mean only the windows OS can be installed?

No, other modern OSes boot with UEFI too.

I was reading the
windows registration code will be embedded in the new chips.

It already is... well sort of. If by "new chips" you're referring to the Flash memory on the motherboard used by the system firmware (UEFI/BIOS), then yes, new Windows computers have had their Windows serial numbers stored there for a long time now. It's not new.

What will
happen if I try and install Ubuntu or other flavor of Linux on the newer machines? Thank you for the explanation DM.

Works fine.
--
digital man

Synchronet/BBS Terminology Definition #84:
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Re: Laptops
By: HusTler to Arelor on Sat Oct 24 2020 08:57 pm

Re: Laptops
By: Arelor to HusTler on Sat Oct 24 2020 05:07 pm

UEFI comes with the moderboard so you can't really run it in an old motherbo in practice, if you were asking that.

I'm asking if I can install Linux on a UEFI computer that has the windows regi embedded in it?

Yes.
--
digital man

Sling Blade quote #2:
Karl (re: killing Doyle): I hit him two good whacks in the head with it.
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My Macbook Air seems to be the device I wish I bought 2-3 years ago. I think I am not likely going to
buy an ipad in the future.

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Re: Laptops
By: Matthew Munson to All on Sat Sep 20 2025 09:19 am

My Macbook Air seems to be the device I wish I bought 2-3
years ago. I think I am not likely going to buy an ipad in the
future.

i always said people who like macs are gay!

but seriously, what is so good about it and why do you think you might have bought an ipad. arent tablets phasing out?

i'm not a fan of laptops. they are handy when traveling and working on other people's computers. i just dont do either anymore.
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Matthew Munson wrote to All <=-

My Macbook Air seems to be the device I wish I bought 2-3 years ago. I think I am not likely going to buy an ipad in the future.

MBAir is what I always recommend! Pro is fine if you're doing PRO level audio/video editing, but otherwise... :-)



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Re: Re: Laptops
By: jimmylogan to Matthew Munson on Wed Sep 24 2025 07:34:37

Pro is fine if you're doing PRO level audio/video editing...

And you got the dough.

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MBAir is what I always recommend! Pro is fine if you're doing PRO level audio/video editing, but otherwise... :-)

I might use it for podcast editing or video encoding, i only got the
16gb/512gb storage version.

***wcTaglines: Don't eat yellow snow!
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Matthew Munson wrote to JIMMYLOGAN <=-

MBAir is what I always recommend! Pro is fine if you're doing PRO level audio/video editing, but otherwise... :-)

I might use it for podcast editing or video encoding, i only got the 16gb/512gb storage version.

I do some basic stuff with my Air - no issues.


... Crying over spilled CONDENSED milk is okay...
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