Convince step-dad?

[mrmajik45]

My step-dad accidentally bumped his laptop and it fell. Windows got corrupted and wouldn't run even after 3 ChkDsks from Hirons PE. He keeps insisting to leave "Windows" on it (The remains of it I guess) Even when GParted said (DATA and OS_Install) was corrupted. Is there any way to convince him? (He keeps saying he won't be able to use any software he wants to use. When I ask him what he wants to use, he just says to leave it. So I can't even check and see if it supports linux.)

[BenTrabetere]

Is there any way to convince him?

It is my experience the only way to win this battle is to wait. Forcing Linux on someone, especially a relative or a friend, is asking for grief. Life is hard enough as it is without making more of it.

So you wait.

I bet 40 quatloos he will replace the machine. Then he will have no use for it, and you can ask for permission to get it running again.

[mrmajik45]

He's not going to replace his machine it's a 300/400 MSI gaming drive. Just want him to try and see there isn't anything to worry about. I had the same fear when I first installed Linux.

[nielo]

Silly question, possibly, but in that case why does he not simply reinstall Windows?

[mrmajik45]

Has no install USB or disk. And using MSI Recovery made windows do a boot loop. (Laptop came preinstalled with windows) I also tried copying the system32 files from Hirons PE but it would keep going into Recovery Options. Trying to make windows reset itself results in "There was a problem resetting your PC"

[Shiratori]

If it's Windows 10 you can get the ISO from Microsoft to reinstall.

[majpooper]

If it's Windows 10 you can get the ISO from Microsoft to reinstall.

+1
Do not even try to convince him - it's OK - Windows is just what some folks prefer.

Years ago - like maybe even over 10 years ago - I called MS support and they were actually OK. As I recall they told me where to get the .iso image to download and emailed me a new what-do-you-call-it (product ID maybe).

You Step-Dad will really appreciate it tremendously if you get his laptop up and running like new.

[Shiratori]

https://www.microsoft.com/en-gb/softwar ... ndows10ISO

If the laptop came preinstalled with Windows 10 it will activate automatically. If it asks for a product key during installation select the option to skip entering it and it should activate after installation.

Might also be worthwhile getting the latest drivers from the manufacturer's website in advance as well. Probably wouldn't hurt to download the latest BIOS at the same time.

If you can boot from a flash drive with a WinPE or live Linux version you should probably try to save as many of his files from c:\users as you can and copy them to an external drive in case it's too messed up for Windows to do an install without wiping the drive, although you should be able to do a fresh installation while keeping his existing profile intact.

[mrmajik45]

After reinstall I get a bsod. 0xc000021a

[RIH]

Download a live version of Mint & see if that boots..

He will at least have a working PC then even if it is not with the OS he likes.

If Mint live boots then you can at least explore options for getting Windows to work - although it might be that the hardware was damaged by the fall...
If Mint wont boot either then hardware damage looks the likely culprit..

[mrmajik45]

It boots and recognizes the hdd.

[phd21]

Hi mrmajik45,

I just read your post and the good replies to it. Here are my thoughts on this as well.

If you have a USB stick 32gb or larger, or a USB drive with a 32gb or larger linux ext4 partition, then you can fully install Linux Mint onto that. You could then boot to that USB stick or USB drive without affecting his currently installed system at all.

Without knowing what applications, or games, or whatever, he uses on the MS Windows drive, then we cannot tell if that would work on Linux or if there are already Linux versions available.

Hope this helps ...

[mrmajik45]

Well we did reinstall windows (Bye data!) and it still BSODs due to not having the Dual-Gpu drivers. And now won't boot at all after a chkdsk (Doesn't say drive not found. Just has the MSI logo and no spinning dots.)

[lsemmens]

People have assumed it was a W10 machine, so I am going to ask. WHAT VERSION OF WINDWOES was it? The suggestions about W10 are all correct,once it has been working on a particular machine you should never need the product key again. The fact that you managed to get Hiren's PE working suggests that the only hardware that may be damaged was the HDD, Do him a favour and replace it with a SSD and, while it's apart, check that no RAM has been knocked out of it's slot (unlikely, but, after a drop, you never know).

[mrmajik45]

Yes it IS windows 10.

[Pierre]

After reinstall I get a bsod. 0xc000021a

It boots and recognizes the hdd.

Yes it IS windows 10.

IMHO you are spending too much effort in supporting That Windows System

you should have just let it fall over, as that system had done.

and then just:

If you have a USB stick 32gb or larger, or a USB drive with a 32gb or larger linux ext4 partition, then you can fully install Linux Mint onto that. You could then boot to that USB stick or USB drive without affecting his currently installed system at all.

as your suggested system - - in fact, you should still use that option.

NB: I've also been done this rabbit hole - as well.
- - trying to stand That Windows System - back up - can be a real PiTA

[nielo]

Pierre - it's not really his choice, it's his step-dad's machine. The OP was the one that wanted to install LM to begin with but the step-dad didn't/doesn't want that.

[Pierre]

sure - - but, again IMHO as someone who has been there & done that:
- - he's putting waay too much effort into supporting his step-dad's machine.
offer an solution, but, also don't support That Windows System - so much.

[mrmajik45]

How do I install Linux mint onto the USB drive? I mean I want the USB to act as a real OS. Not just an install USB. (I fear he may think Linux always reverts changes after restart) also yes I think I do put a bit too much into supporting it. I stayed up until 12 AM 2 days in a row.

[Moem]

How do I install Linux mint onto the USB drive? I mean I want the USB to act as a real OS. Not just an install USB.

A live Mint USB *is* a real OS.

But if you want to install it, that is possible too; then you just need an extra USB drive so you can install from one of them, and install into the other. After all, a USB drive is just another harddisk and you should be able to point the installer to it.