[quote=“Chris”][quote=“k.k.”]XP support ending - move to Linux?
No. Just move to Windows 7. It’s XP improved.[/quote]
Windows 7 is the best version of Windows so far. XP is quite clunky in comparison.[/quote]
Yes, but it requires more resources to run well.
Number one resource being $ from my pocket.
Playing with Linux on a PC… finally got the machine working with it. Even managed to get it set up with a printer! I had problems with Anarok not finding certain plugins… so streaming music is not working right now.
I am stuck with XP and will be for a long time. Unfortunately our lab has tons of equipment for which we only have XP-compatible drivers. Companies working for the relatively small academic market are extremely slow in rolling out new ones and, when they do, the new drivers usually play hell with custom programmed interfaces that we need to use. 
As of now, I do all of my work on a Windows 7 pc running a XP virtual machine. I will probably do so for at least one more year.
[quote=“ilikecoffee”]
The current issue is that I installed Linux via Wubi, … and it doesn’t recognize the freaking wireless keyboard. Can’t tell you how frustrating that is.[/quote]
Your post inspired me to go out and finally buy both a wireless keyboard and mouse, neither of which I’ve ever used before. I can “justify” the purchase because I’ve got an old laptop sitting next to our TV which I occasionally use to play movies, so now with the wireless gizmos I can control the computer from across the room. Anyway, I am happy to report that both the keyboard and mouse “just worked.” This is on a Debian system.
I don’t know if that will inspire you to try Linux again, but anyway, I’m grateful for your post - I’m enjoying these new toys!
Congratulations. I’m not someone who bothers with streaming music so I can’t boast any personal experience, but maybe this short article will give you some ideas on alternatives to Amarok:
linux.com/learn/tutorials/43 … c-on-linux
cheers,
DB
You could also run an VM inside Linux. Since Linux is less resource-intensive than W7, it would work better than XP inside W7.
Forget Ubuntu. Mint is where it’s at if you’re looking for a replacement for Windows, because its Cinnamon interface is very Windows-like, unlike Ubuntu, which resembles the Mac more. I always found Ubuntu troublesome for many reasons, including failed installs and difficulty manipulating program windows. But Mint is a snap! I could see myself seriously switching to it, as long as I can get Microsoft Office running on it.
You could also run an VM inside Linux. Since Linux is less resource-intensive than W7, it would work better than XP inside W7.[/quote]
There are two different virtualbox versions for Ubuntu, the one in the repositories and the one you can download from the Oracle website. The latter has usb support.
Download your version from this page. Double click it to install via the software center or use the terminal for that.
https://www.virtualbox.org/wiki/Linux_Downloads
Then download and install the extensions form here.
Extension Pack. The Extension Pack binaries are released under the VirtualBox Personal Use and Evaluation License (PUEL).
https://www.virtualbox.org/wiki/Downloads
Put this into the terminal log out and then back in, or, restart your system to make sure.
Replace username with your actual username.
Example: if your terminal looks like this hamlet@hamlet-acerinspire:~$ , you’ll enter
sudo adduser hamlet vboxusers
sudo adduser username vboxusersAny problems try this.
sudo usermod -a -G vboxusers usernameBefore installing windows Xp make sure you assigned the right number of cpu s you want to use.
Set the 2d and 3d support option.
Increase the video memory to 128Mb and the ram to whatever you’d like to use.
After installing windows XP in virtualbox, activate it and change in the virtualbox settings the network to local only.
Go to the folder where you saved the xp image and copy it into a sub-folder. Name that folder backup.
Then install the virtual guest additions in windows XP.
Go to the vitualbox menu and chose to install the guest additions.
Accept the drivers in windows xp.
Shut down windows Xp and create a shared folder via the virtualbox settings menu.
Start windows xp and run msconfig
Disable all the services you don’t need any longer like network indexing blablabla.
It’s a little try and error till you get all the right ones that are no longer needed and slowing things down.
Once you are satisfied, copy that image into the sub-folder overwriting the previous backup.
Um, as far as I know, there has only been one version of virtualbox for the last couple of years. Before there was an open source version and closed source version with usb drivers. Since 2010 or so though, there has only been one (open source) version that supports extension packs (such as the closed source usb one).
Please don’t encourage people to install software in linux as they’re used to in windows. The package manager should be used whenever possible, only resort to downloading binaries (compiled programs) from websites when there is absolutely no other choice. Otherwise you’ll be as prone to viruses and malware as windows users are.
Okay: installed Linux four times using Wubi. Only one install actually worked. This is what I mean about flaky software… When ordinary people can install and use Linux without this ridiculousness, that’s when Linux will go mainstream. Until then, it’s just a waste of time for most users.
I might try to install Cinnamon, … by comparison, never had install problems like this with Windows XP. Somehow XP seems polished by comparison. Imagine: a piece of software that actually works, can be installed easily, and ordinary intelligent people can do it without handholding! Mmm… Linux has quite a way to go.
[quote=“silly.putty”]Um, as far as I know, there has only been one version of virtualbox for the last couple of years. Before there was an open source version and closed source version with usb drivers. Since 2010 or so though, there has only been one (open source) version that supports extension packs (such as the closed source usb one).
[/quote]
Might be that they changed that with the USB support, however, if you want the most updated version you’ll pick the one from their website and not from the repositories.
[quote=“ilikecoffee”]Okay: installed Linux four times using Wubi. Only one install actually worked. This is what I mean about flaky software… When ordinary people can install and use Linux without this ridiculousness, that’s when Linux will go mainstream. Until then, it’s just a waste of time for most users.
I might try to install Cinnamon, … by comparison, never had install problems like this with Windows XP. Somehow XP seems polished by comparison. Imagine: a piece of software that actually works, can be installed easily, and ordinary intelligent people can do it without handholding! Mmm… Linux has quite a way to go.[/quote]
Wubi?
As long as windows users let ms fuck things up, they’ll never understand the difference.
Sorry to be this straight forward, but wuby?
Many people in the linux community criticized wuby because of just that.
Linux for little stupid, that’s how it works and the reputation it brings to linux.
Grow up and do a full install.
Learn how to use the command line and check your network traffic periodically.
On my system there are some 30 bits pings every now and then and on my wifes windows there are moving gigabytes to unknown destinations.
Not helpful. And telling people to ‘grow up’ and ‘stupid’ just because they can’t use Linux isn’t helpful either. In fact, it’s insulting. I can only presume that you meant to say: "You need to grow your computing skills to learn Linux and that using Windoze isn’t the smartest thing a user could be doing. "
It might have escaped your notice that most MAC/WIN/IOS users don’t use the command line, don’t hack their machines, and actually try to get on with their lives in as productive a way as possible. It might be a smart investment to learn how to use the command line in Linux, if you have the interest or the time or the background.
Those things I might understand you as meaning.
Did not call anyone a stupid.
Wuby is linux for little stupid.
That’s not my fault, it’s a fact.
It was criticized in the linux community, because it relied on the windows file system and was buggy.
Anyone with average reading comprehension skills could have figured this before going down this path.
Also, those are the people bashing.
[quote=“ilikecoffee”]Okay: installed Linux four times using Wubi. Only one install actually worked. This is what I mean about flaky software…
.[/quote]
flaky software?
Here is a picture step by step guide for people willing to grow up and leave the click, next,next,next behind.
http://www.howtoforge.com/the-perfect-desktop-ubuntu-12.04-lts-precise-pangolin
http://www.howtoforge.com/installation-guide-centos5.1-desktop
http://www.howtoforge.com/the-perfect-desktop-debian-squeeze
http://www.howtoforge.com/the-perfect-desktop-fedora-17
[quote=“ilikecoffee”]
It might have escaped your notice that most MAC/WIN/IOS users don’t use the command line, don’t hack their machines, and actually try to get on with their lives in as productive a way as possible. It might be a smart investment to learn how to use the command line in Linux, if you have the interest or the time or the background.
.[/quote]
The command-line is were you get things done and move on.
It’s more or less the Linux support if there are problems.
Ask in a support forum for help and you’ll be asked to supply the output of some command.
Who ever understands the problem will give you the adequate commands to fix the problem.
Sure you’ll need to know the basics.
You’ll need to know which commands are suspicious and which are save to enter.
Always wait till more people answered till you use the command or get a second opinion if in doubt.
However, in my experience, this is much faster and more efficient the MS support.
Since it’s open source there are many people who actually really understand what they are doing.
If you want to install, let’s say 20 different packages, you can do this in the command-line with entering only one line of code and move on.
"It was criticized in the linux community… "
People who might have average comprehension skills might know this, IF THEY WERE FOLLOWING THE LINUX COMMUNITY.
And that is point, isn’t it? Linux is a big users’ club. Those who’re in are IN. And everyone else is OUT. That kind of binary thinking is precisely the point I was trying to make, …
This kind of information might be obvious to LINUX users, but someone trying to become a LINUX user isn’t necessarily going to be aware of that the first time they try to install Linux via software like WUBI. :loco:
My first attempt to boot Lubuntu from USB was not successful no matter how I dickered around with the BIOS or which port I used. Will try a different stick tomorrow
[quote=“ilikecoffee”]"It was criticized in the linux community… "
People who might have average comprehension skills might know this, IF THEY WERE FOLLOWING THE LINUX COMMUNITY.
And that is point, isn’t it? Linux is a big users’ club. Those who’re in are IN. And everyone else is OUT. That kind of binary thinking is precisely the point I was trying to make, …
This kind of information might be obvious to LINUX users, but someone trying to become a LINUX user isn’t necessarily going to be aware of that the first time they try to install Linux via software like WUBI. :loco:[/quote]
Let’s point this out for everyone, and it was said by someone else earlier here in this thread…
In German…
Wuby ist scheisse!
Sorry for all the people who used it, came to the forums asking for support and were ignored because
Wuby ist scheisse and the users who installed were difficult to impossible to help.
Personally, I never replied to anyone asking for help on a wuby install.
The basic Linux install is straight forward and everyone can understand it.
I even managed getting Debian installed in 2000 or so with absolutely no knowledge.
Now you got a GUI with pictures and buttons. Next next next.
Also, refusing to understand what’s going on behind that beautiful GUI is simply very ignorant.
But, that’s a whole other story ala 1984.
Does your bios support booting from USB?
Some older boards don’t.
[USB-HDD] etc are available choices in the boot priority settings, so I assume yes.