[18:17] <sh0rtBuS> is this a help channel?
[18:17] <wxl> sh0rtBuS: yep
[18:17] <sh0rtBuS> ok
[18:19] <sh0rtBuS> i want to install any form of linux really but noticed this ones supposed to work with older pcs, also want to keep windows
[18:19] <sh0rtBuS> my problem is........
[18:19] <wxl> !dualboot | sh0rtBuS
[18:20] <sh0rtBuS> i try to boot from a usb thumb drive and ive tried a few versions but they all crash
[18:20] <wxl> !hash | sh0rtBuS
[18:20] <wxl> oops
[18:20] <wxl> !md5 | sh0rtBuS
[18:20] <wxl> generally if you have problems with the installer it's because (a) some download error or (b) some error in copying
[18:20] <wxl> ONE BIT can lead to all sorts of ridiculous problems
[18:21] <wxl> also try different USB ports
[18:21] <sh0rtBuS> only got one port, laptop
[18:21] <wxl> that's the least likely problem
[18:22] <wxl> after you can confirm that you have the right image with checksum and after you can confirm that the image itself is good (the GRUB menu offers this), then you can start considering hardware issues, including the thumb drive itself
[18:23] <sh0rtBuS> ok, so ill try that first
[20:37] <sh0rtBuS> ok, so im so so so not tech savvy but i downloaded a new iso and checked it and going to try and boot from usb using universal usb installer, (after clicking install from the menu is where my problems always start) i have a feeling ill be back if i can get more help. my hatred for windows grows by the day and am desperately trying to seperate myself from "it". unfortunately i have to figure
[20:37] <sh0rtBuS> out how to get an alternative on this cruddy laptop first.
[20:38] <wxl> sh0rtBuS: did you "check the disc for defects?"
[20:38] <lynorian> wxl +1 on that
[20:39] <sh0rtBuS> in the beginning menu on boot up?
[20:39] <wxl> yep
[20:41] <sh0rtBuS> i think i did it before on one of the other versions i tried, i will try it again on this one if i run into similar problem.
[22:15] <sh0rtBuS> crud man
[22:16] <sh0rtBuS> 2 errors in the usb drive though it did boot to the installer and let me try anyway but eventualy crashed
[22:29] <wxl> sh0rtBuS: incidentially, that's why it didn't work XD you need a more reliable way of copying it
[22:31] <genii> Get a thumb drive that's not starting to fail.
[22:31] <wxl> well
[22:31] <wxl> i'd expect a software issue first
[22:31] <wxl> my motto is: "if it ain't dd, it's crrrrrrap!"
[22:32] <lynorian> Failing drives and installation do not go well together
[22:32] <genii> !windd
[22:32] <genii> Hm
[22:32]  * genii slaps the bot
[22:33] <wxl> i'm pretty sure there is a windows dd
[22:33] <wxl> http://www.chrysocome.net/dd
[22:34] <genii> Yes, that's the right one.
[23:21] <sh0rtBuS> wxl ?
[23:21] <wxl> yep
[23:21] <sh0rtBuS> sweet
[23:22] <sh0rtBuS> ok, may have a solution just need advice
[23:22] <wxl> wuzzat
[23:23] <sh0rtBuS> um, any chance you seen the result of my last try, 2 errors in thumb drive?
[23:23] <wxl> sh0rtBuS: find a different method to copy, as above.
[23:23] <sh0rtBuS> hrm
[23:24] <sh0rtBuS> so wut about an external hard drive
[23:24] <wxl> worth a try
[23:24] <sh0rtBuS> ok, heres where i need the advice
[23:25] <wxl> do the same thing except do it on the external hard drive
[23:25] <sh0rtBuS> ok, i found a 2 terrabyte external drive.. first, can i use this to do the same as a thumbdrive with usb installer, second there are files on it. can i avoid erasing those files? its got like 300 wii games (200gb) on it so formating the entire drive is not possible (without really pissing someone off), not entirely sure how to partition it to keep that stuff from getting messed with and using
[23:25] <sh0rtBuS> the partition to try this again. PLEASE HELP WINDOWS IS WINNING THIS BATTLE! :P (so far)
[23:25] <wxl> sh0rtBuS: the answer is no.
[23:27] <sh0rtBuS> any way i can use this drive to try something other than windows?
[23:28] <wxl> sh0rtBuS: not if you don't want to get rid of everything on there
[23:28] <sh0rtBuS> hmm
[23:29] <sh0rtBuS> if i find a way to store that stuff elsewhere i could try again?
[23:29] <wxl> sure
[23:30] <sh0rtBuS> by the way, thanks man. i do appreciate the help.
[23:30] <wxl> np
[23:33] <sh0rtBuS> so... say im able to format this drive w/out pissing ppl off, is it the same as usb installer or does it need to be done different (BTW im avoiding buying another thumbdrive to save this hassle cuz this house is full of them but my buddys girl is a bit of a hoarder and cant find nuthin)
[23:34] <wxl> as long as you can boot to it, you can use it
[23:34] <wxl> doesn't matter if it's an external drive, a thumb drive, an optical drive, etc.
[23:34] <wxl> if your bios supports booting to it and you go through the same imaging process, it works
[23:35] <sh0rtBuS> ok, so "BOOT TO USB" can be almost anything with the iso file on it then
[23:35] <wxl> if i were you, i'd start with the simpler solution: assuming it's a hardware issue. use dd on the thumb drive. if it doesn't work, move on
[23:35] <sh0rtBuS> dd?
[23:35] <wxl> you didn't notice our conversation above?
[23:36] <wxl> from about here on: https://irclogs.ubuntu.com/2016/12/16/%23lubuntu.html#t22:29
[23:36] <wxl> remember, though, you are doing a bit-by-bit copy of the drive image. it's not just a matter of copying the file as you usually consider it. this is why you'd have to wipe the hard drive for it to work
[23:38] <sh0rtBuS> hold on, i did miss some info, my screen locked up last time i was in here. never saw the response
[23:42] <sh0rtBuS> yea i missed the whole convo after i posted what happened
[23:43] <sh0rtBuS> lil backstory here....
[23:50] <sh0rtBuS> its my friends laptop, they upgraded to windows 10. it is nowhere near compatible, lots of stuff dont work and its been beyond the 30 days to revert back to previous version of vista plus the windows key is smudged off bottom of pc (3 characters i cant see but no way to figure this out) i tried some "windows key finder" type thing but i only got the windows 10 key and its different than the
[23:50] <sh0rtBuS> one on the sticker. so im essentially trying to resurrect this laptop into something more useful AND GET THE BLEEP AWAY FROM MICROSOFT!
[23:52] <sh0rtBuS> anyway the convo i missed......
[23:53] <wxl> if worse comes to worst you can buy a thumb drive
[23:53] <wxl> can't vouch for these but https://www.osdisc.com/products/lubuntu
[23:55] <wxl> remember if this was windows, you'd generally end up buying a physical copy, which would already be tested
[23:55] <wxl> oh more specifically here's the usb drives https://www.osdisc.com/products/lubuntu/usb
[23:58] <wxl> this too https://www.shoplinuxonline.com/catalogsearch/result/index/?cat=122&manufacturer=54&q=lubuntu
[23:58] <sh0rtBuS> maybe a dumb question here, whats the "dd" and the chrysocome link, sorry, never seen that till you showed me the log
[23:58] <wxl> dd is a low-level utility to do a bit-by-bit copy