Brainstorming, part deux

[jglen490]

Yes, but--thankfully--dealing with a company that ONLY sells Linux computers, I don't need to worry about that.

And even when I did, back when I routinely paid the 'micro$oft tax' on a new computer, I'd wipe its drive IMMEDIATELY without ever booting it up. I didn't even want to see that miserable so-called OS. One exception was when I wanted to test running Roller Coaster Tycoon on a native window$ system. I ran it, noted the awful, choppy, jumpy graphics and slow game play, then wiped the drive, installed K, and eventually installed RCT and played it. It ran smooth as Silk soy milk!! No choppiness, fast as can be.

One thing I'm confused about--when you buy a computer pre-installed with window$, don't they provide a recovery method? IOW, couldn't you wipe the original drive, then restore it back to its shipping state if you needed to use its warranty? (Assuming the drive hadn't died, of course.)


Yeah, prior to S76 I always bought HP computers, and that was my experience, too.

I got an update: my order is out for delivery!

The point to the post was not the deal with Windows, it was the process of replacing the OS, but not getting rid of the original configuration. I'm only keeping the NVME with Windows for purposes of avoiding arguments, should there be a warranty issue. Once that's past, Windows goes away and that NVME may end up in a different computer.

The process is doing a clean install of my choice of OS (Kubuntu 20.04 LTS) on a fresh NVME drive and using that OS for my personal computing needs.

[DoYouKubuntu]

The point to the post was not the deal with Windows, it was the process of replacing the OS, but not getting rid of the original configuration.

Yes, I know, which is why I asked if they didn't provide a restore process. If they did, why use a different drive? Why not just keep the restore partition, wipe the rest of the drive, and install whatever you want on it?

The last time I bought a non-Linux computer, they still shipped with *DISCS* containing all the recovery software, so I could wipe the drive, set the CD aside, and be good to go. (I never needed to restore.)

[jglen490]

I don't care about the restore process. It's entirely too much of a hassle to set up my choice of OS with the possibility of having to wipe it out - in the event of a warranty issue. In another couple months, it won't make a difference. And buying a fresh NVME is a simpler solution, that will still leave me with a viable drive with almost zero use, post-warranty. That drive can be re-used on some other computer in the household. In the end, no waste, and a lot more convenience.

[GreyGeek]

jlittle! Nice pic, distinguished beard!
And, you have hair on your head. Color me green!

[jlittle]

I hope you don't mind, OP, if I thank GreyGeek for his compliments here.

[DoYouKubuntu]

I hope you don't mind, OP, if I thank GreyGeek for his compliments here.

Why on earth would *I* mind?! I'm the queen of thread-drift, love it, think it's a very natural way of talking....but, alas, the mods don't always agree.

[DoYouKubuntu]

I don't care about the restore process. It's entirely too much of a hassle to set up my choice of OS with the possibility of having to wipe it out - in the event of a warranty issue. In another couple months, it won't make a difference. And buying a fresh NVME is a simpler solution, that will still leave me with a viable drive with almost zero use, post-warranty. That drive can be re-used on some other computer in the household. In the end, no waste, and a lot more convenience.

Oh, I see. Well that certainly makes sense.

[MoonRise]

Not to take this off topic, again, but I do have to say, the KFocus Support team on the one I bought from them have been great. I of coursed did something in the course of my "playing around" and messed it up to the point of each kernel update borked it and the last one I couldn't recover from. So, reinstalled based on their ISO and then using their FocusRx Repair program and it was as it was day one and the kernel updates no longer break it.

Glad to see Sys76 is similar to those who buy Linux Systems. Would never get support like that from MS and their affiliates.

[DoYouKubuntu]

Not to take this off topic, again, but I do have to say, the KFocus Support team on the one I bought from them have been great. I of coursed did something in the course of my "playing around" and messed it up to the point of each kernel update borked it and the last one I couldn't recover from. So, reinstalled based on their ISO and then using their FocusRx Repair program and it was as it was day one and the kernel updates no longer break it.

KFocus, that's the laptop directly from Kubuntu, right? I remember looking at it (after I bought the S76 Gazelle) and thinking it looked great, except that it wasn't available with a large enough screen. I've gotten totally spoiled by 17.3" laptops and just don't want to go back to anything smaller. My tired old eyes thank me!

How do you like it, overall? When it's not borked, that is!! (When it comes to borking new computers, I'm an old hand.) Its specs looked pretty good, as I recall, and I'd love to show my support by buying one. I contacted them and expressed my interest in a larger version; they said they were considering options, so you never know.

Glad to see Sys76 is similar to those who buy Linux Systems.

Yes, their support is awesome. They *only* sell Linux-based systems--you can choose to have either Ubuntu (its latest LTS version) or Pop (ditto) installed while you're stepping through the ordering process. I just spoke to one of their guys today; they're all very friendly and they've been amazingly helpful throughout this whole long, drawn-out saga.

Would never get support like that from MS and their affiliates.

NEVER. As in not in a million years!

[MoonRise]

Over all it has been a great machine. The only caveat I have with it is that if you boot with an external monitor attached, it doesn't display anything on that external monitor until the OS gets ready to display the Login. I've been used to laptops that would output to the laptop screen and external at BIOS / /UEFI. However, was not a deal breaker.

Yeah, I can see how the 17" screen can spoil you. Why I use an External monitor.

[DoYouKubuntu]

I haven't even mentioned yet another funny/weird/ridiculous thing that happened: when my new (the replacement) laptop arrived the other day, I opened the door when UPS came--and the first thing I saw was *TWO* System76 laptop boxes! I told the UPS guy, um....I was expecting *A* laptop, but not two! He said I could refuse one, but I declined because I didn't know what was in them. By using the tracking number S76 had given me, I successfully chose the new laptop and opened it. Then, after talking to S76, I opened the other one. We wanted to see WTF it was! It was *my* previous Gazelle. (I verified that by serial number.) How it came to be sent back to me is a complete mystery. At any rate, S76 has arranged for a pickup on Monday.

As I've said to S76, this has been one long comedy of errors!

[DoYouKubuntu]

My now-old Gazelle got picked up yesterday--but I will not be surprised if it comes back. The UPS guy was supposed to have a label for it. Care to guess what comes next?

Yep, you're right, he didn't have a label. He pointed to the label already on the box and thought it was the right one, but I said "you were supposed to have a label for it--that's NOT the right label, that's what brought it *to* me." And I went on to say I really don't want to see it again!

[DoYouKubuntu]

Follow-up to my last post: UPS claimed to have never picked up the laptop! Thank goodness I had it all captured on Ring video. That convinced them.

[Snowhog]

With DoYouKubuntu’s concurrence, this thread is closed.