Case (
case) wrote in
fandomsecrets2014-01-15 06:39 pm
[ SECRET POST #2570 ]
⌈ Secret Post #2570 ⌋
Warning: Some secrets are NOT worksafe and may contain SPOILERS.
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[The Lying Game]
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[Hobbit movies, LOTR movies, Tolkien]
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[Perry Mason]
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[Carnivale]
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[Downton Abbey]
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[BBC Sherlock]
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[Lee Pace]
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[Virtue's Last Reward]
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[Deep Space 9]
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[Elementary]
Notes:
Secrets Left to Post: 02 pages, 040 secrets from Secret Submission Post #367.
Secrets Not Posted: [ 0 - broken links ], [ 0 - not!secrets ], [ 0 - not!fandom ], [ 0 - too big ], [ 0 - repeat ].
Current Secret Submissions Post: here.
Suggestions, comments, and concerns should go here.

Re: Help, computer people of FS
(Anonymous) 2014-01-16 10:36 am (UTC)(link)I do have some experience with the command line interface, but enough that I'd feel comfortable completely without a GUI. And now that I've cooled down a bit sticking it to my uncle doesn't feel that important anymore. :P
I guess I'll be installing Win 7 then, I know what to expect from that. When you say bootable USB drive, does that mean any USB drive big enough to contain the installation files or are those special kinds of USB drives? I'll have to download Win 7 first; are there any inherit advantages to installation disc vs. bootable USB drive?
Again, thanks for your answer!
Re: Help, computer people of FS
(Anonymous) 2014-01-16 02:25 pm (UTC)(link)Re: Help, computer people of FS
You do make a good point about drivers though. Just installing an OS will not make all the hardware work properly. A list of hardware on a laptop may be found via the support section of the laptop maker's website; Dell, Toshiba and many large laptop manufactures have databases that list what hardware a laptop was shipped with when that laptop's service tag or number is entered. Windows' Device Manager is a good way find the make and model of hardware that a computer is currently using. Opening up a computer and reading the model number of hardware is another way to find out what is in a computer.
This is why it is always good to have another machine capable of internet access nearby when installing computers. The other computer can be used to download the driver for the network card on the newly installed computer and "unlock" its internet access!
Re: Help, computer people of FS
Not many people know how to use command line interface. Kudos to you. If you want to install Win 7 for compatibility issues, that's a perfectly good reason to not use FreeDOS.
When I said bootable USB drive, I meant a USB drive with special files on it that allows a computer to boot up from it. And large enough to contain the installations files needed, of course. I mentioned a bootable USB drive because it is a popular alternative to optical discs for installing Linux systems. Windows and Mac systems are more commonly installed from discs, probably because they are proprietary software and sold as discs.
If you don't already have a bootable USB drive, or the installation files do not allow the drive to be bootable, then you will have to make the USB drive bootable first. Some people don't know how to do that so they choose the disc option. Unless the installation files are burned onto a rewritable disc, you will have to find a place to put the disc that you might never use again. That's the disadvantage of using an installation disc. Also, some newer computers do not come with optical drives and using a bootable USB drive is the only way to install a new OS if a portable optical drive is not available. As for inherit advantages, there are none that I know of in using optical disc vs. USB drive in installing an OS.
Before you wipe the computer, go into its BIOS and make sure the method you will use for installing Win 7 - either optical drive or usb drive - is listed before the hard drive for booting up the computer. Unless the BIOS has been changed, most computers list floppy drives (do people even remember what these things are?) and optical drives as bootable devices before the hard drive. USB drives may not even be listed as an option, so you might have to do some minor troubleshooting if you want to install from a USB drive!
Have fun, and I wish you the smoothest installation experience. :D
Edit:
The other anon made some good points about device drivers. Please take a look at my reply. I don't know if you can look up the list of devices (hardware) that the laptop is using on FreeDOS. Assuming all devices have drivers installed and working, you may want to make an image of the drive with FreeDOS on it in case things go FUBAR. (Unlikely IMO especially since you already have some experience installing computers. It's up to you.)