My 2012 era Windows desktop went poof last week.

I've been fortunate to have saved all my personal documents and 914 restoration photo history between a combination of rescue from the system hard drive, backup hard drives and iCloud.

In the mean time, I'm on-line running Linux Ubuntu off an even older 2010 AMD vintage quad core processor. Did I mention I like the challenge of keeping vintage crap working

Currently weighing the possibility of just breaking down and buying a new desktop but certainly not before I try a few more fixes on my 2012 desktop. It would really distress me to migrate to Windows 10/11

Has anyone else here completely migrated to Linux and living day to day off of it successfully? Open to websites, links, books, or tribal wisdom about how to make a long term go of this.

Welcome to the no "Windows Revolution"

LOL! Thinking I can't be alone given the looming disaster that Windows 11 is going to be. Nothing like forcing people to scrap usable hardware - and these idiots (Gates !*%** - Yeah I know . . . he left in 2020 . . . sure he did) at Microsoft still talking about climate change and sustainability . . . Yeah, let's throw lots of computers into the landfill right as we're having a global chip shortage! Can't make this stuff up.

Need help though.

Can't see a way around needing Windows for various CAD programs like Inventor that have never supported Linux. Exploring WINE but not sure that is going to work with CAD programs.

Then there's the firewall and anti-virus issues - starting to find some solutions there. I already miss my password manager, and so on.

Windows 10 is much better than hardcode Windows haters are telling you.



That said, i currently have:

- 2 x Windows 10 PC
- 1 x Windows 10 Laptop
- 1 x Ubuntu/Debian dual boot PC
- 4 x Mac Laptop
- 1 x Mac Mini
- 2 x Commodore 64
- 1 x Commodore 128D
- 3 x Raspberry PI
- 2 x Beagle Bone
- Bunch of other stuff (Arduinos etc.)

My main PC desktop (Win 10) also runs 3 different versions of Linux natively using WSL and i have a host of virtual machines ranging from Linux to Mac to ARM.

I get it it. my work laptop is a Win10 unit as is wife's. No getting away from that. I'm just getting tired of the big two determining what I get, when I get it, and insisting that I WILL like it.

- 2 x Commodore 64

I first learned BASIC on an ATARI that saved to cassette tape! 5 1/4" floppy disks were so high tech!

But, I'm not a computer guy or techie at heart so there is no way I could ever hope to keep a "fleet" like yours up and running and keep them straight!

I got fed up too and have Ubuntu available when wanted. I worked on projects for years in Linux and started programming in DOS, FORTRAN, and C+! Computers to me were tools for mathematics and engineering. Who needs to be sociable??!!

Yes, but its going to be totally dependent on your needs. Specifically if you have any proprietary windows based software you need to run things get a little trickier.

The latest ubuntu releases are super user friendly but any modern OS is going to be a lot happier with modern hardware, windows or not.

Windows 10 is pretty good, I feel like Microsoft seems to get every other version right. Any new PC you buy now though will most likely be Win11 based.

Apple is basically Unix
I find it easier because everything I touch is running Linux , so it’s much easier to communicate to other systems.
I also find it seems to last months before I “must” reboot because of memory issues.
I just open and close it.
All my Linux servers I need for life are cloud based now…because I am lazy. It seems to just be a screen and keyboard to me now.
I store everything in the cloud, so I can use any device to get what I need.

Rich

Windows 10 and 11 are linux based too.

Nothing is secure anymore. The government needs to be able to get in your backdoor.

No, they are not.

You can install WSL (Windows Subsystem for Linux) that lets you run Linux natively through an abstraction layer but the OS itself is very much not Linux based.

Superhawk996

I have been using Ubuntu for years...great Linux OS and many flavors.
They have made it a no brainer install and easy to use. Just like any OS desktop.
I use it weekly/monthly on one Lenovo ThinkCenter mini, old HP desktop, and the very old HP laptop below.
And of course new stuff too...Win 10/11 pc, Chromebook, Apple stuff.

I'm running Xubuntu on this well used laptop right now.
Everything works including the wifi and even the dialup modem.
Didn't have to load any special drivers.
I mean we are talking an old laptop Feb 21 2007 vintage.
Slow...hell yes but better than tossing in the garbage.
My grandkid's toys have more memory
It's used to just surf web in the shop and just to see if I can make it work.

I'm like you just like the challenge to keep the old stuff running...oh I guess that's the same reason I work on old Porsches....



The specs:
HP Pavillion dv5000
Windows XP Media Center Ed 2005
AMD Turion 64 ML-32 (1.80GHz)
1GB Memory 100GB HDD
ATI Radeon Xpress 200M IGP
1280 x 800
Windows XP Media Center
LightScribe Dual Layer DVD Burner

Click to view attachment

Oh.. forgot to mention Chrome OS Flex....check it out...pretty cool.

https://chromeenterprise.google/os/chromeosflex/

2007 vintage

What version are you running on that 2007 equipment? I I'm on 18.04 currently and it seems really stable. When I tried to update to 20.04 I ran into some really weird issues with my VGA port and it trying to set modes that my display couldn't recognize. I thought I had a workaround but it didn't work out. I think maybe a VGA to HDMI converter might get er' done.

Thanks for the link to Chrome OS - I need to check that out for sure!

Thanks to both you, SirAndy, and everyone else for helping me see this might be more viable than I initially thought. I guess it's a take it day by day thing, until I run into some limitation that makes me have to pull out the Win10 laptop - that seems to be the only option to use real CAD programs.

Thank you for the link to Chrome OS. Looks interesting and I wasn't aware of that. Will investigate for sure!

Duplicate

The old HP laptop is running Xbuntu.....that's "X" a flavor of Ubuntu but for real low powered old systems....I think it's ver 20.04 LTS
Also running Lbuntu on the old HP desktop..."L" ubuntu flavor
These versions run better on old pc's....the regular Ubuntu has some what moved on the newer systems because it really competes with other Linux providers and also Windows and Mac.
These different versions of Ubuntu usually use a different desktop flavor that uses less resources....they still run under Ubuntu's Linux ver.
The Chrome OS Flex thing is pretty cool.....been messing with it for a few weeks....had tried CloudReady in the past which is the OS that Google purchased to do the Chrome OS Flex...don't let the "business / education" thing stop you from trying it out...you can download it....I downloaded it to a USB stick and runs fine.
It's fun playing with this stuff....have Fun!