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I keep a 16 GB USB 3 thumb drive around because it's very handy for transferring anything from small to moderately large files. I do also have a portable 1 TB USB 3 external hard disk drive for backups and really large files and folders.
 
Although I haven't used one as of late, I used flash drives frequently whenever I was in school and I had either a project to complete or an essay to type up.. I own a 2 GB flash drive and a 4 GB flash drive, both manufactured by Sandisk, respectively. I know, I'm old by using small flash drives like that, but I have yet to max the capacity on both of them, and usually after a school year completes, I dump the files.
 
As soon as you use backup programs (which now come with Windows and is comfy and easy to use), you'll wish you had a portable hard disk drive of the USB 3.0+ variety. ;)
 
Have you guys been able to install an OS into a flash drive before? I gave it a try once, but unfortunately, it didn't work out too well for me. I've installed Elementary OS into one of my USB sticks a few months ago, but every time I tried booting from it, it kept giving me a black screen with a blinking cursor. I've asked for help on Ubuntu forums, but nobody seemed to have any solutions to this issue, which made me quite upset. ): I may try installing a different Linux distro at some point in the future and see if it works or not.
 
I don't suggest booting operating systems in any external device, except for troubleshooting purposes.

Linux distributions tend to be rather finicky with hardware - try another one if one cannot be used. You might luck out, or you might not. Some Linux distributions are more... tolerant with exotic hardware.
 
♪Twiggy♪ said:
I don't suggest booting operating systems in any external device, except for troubleshooting purposes.

Linux distributions tend to be rather finicky with hardware - try another one if one cannot be used. You might luck out, or you might not. Some Linux distributions are more... tolerant with exotic hardware.
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That's probably the main reason I've given up on booting Linux distros onto a Windows machine, because of the "non-native" hardware for Linux. For one, the sound is really low quality out of my speakers on any Linux distro I use and the touchpad doesn't work well with Linux either.
 
I've managed to destroy my Windows 7 installation on my computer somehow, and since I didn't have the recovery disc, I wasn't able to fix it. This forced me to go with a Linux distro. I've chosen to use Ubuntu, since it's the most popular Linux OS and probably the most stable. It's not a bad OS, but I'm just not a big fan of its interface. Its window borders aren't anti-aliased, and its buttons are just... y'know. xD I know that I could add new themes to change the appearance, but it can be quite a big hassle to install them.
 
Perdition Haze said:
I've managed to destroy my Windows 7 installation on my computer somehow, and since I didn't have the recovery disc, I wasn't able to fix it. This forced me to go with a Linux distro. I've chosen to use Ubuntu, since it's the most popular Linux OS and probably the most stable. It's not a bad OS, but I'm just not a big fan of its interface. Its window borders aren't anti-aliased, and its buttons are just... y'know. xD I know that I could add new themes to change the appearance, but it can be quite a big hassle to install them.
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Do you have the Certiticate of Authenticity at the very least on your system? If yes, keep note of the product key, and download a corresponding Windows 7 disc image from Digital River (the one Microsoft uses for DD'd Windows purchases). Try the links in here: https://arstechnica.com/information...-a-guide-to-reinstalling-windows-on-a-new-pc/

You'll find these disc images in this article, in "Getting Windows install media". Don't forget to get networking drivers somehow, in case Windows can't work with anything you have.

You can't change the edition without having a corresponding licence and its key, but feel free to go between bitness as long as your hardware supports it.
 
Perdition Haze said:
I've managed to destroy my Windows 7 installation on my computer somehow, and since I didn't have the recovery disc, I wasn't able to fix it. This forced me to go with a Linux distro. I've chosen to use Ubuntu, since it's the most popular Linux OS and probably the most stable. It's not a bad OS, but I'm just not a big fan of its interface. Its window borders aren't anti-aliased, and its buttons are just... y'know. xD I know that I could add new themes to change the appearance, but it can be quite a big hassle to install them.
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Alternatively, if you've just screwed up the bootloader, try fixing it with ubuntu: https://help.ubuntu.com/community/Boot-Repair
 
I don't think I have the Certiticate of Authenticity, unfortunately. They haven't given me any of that information when I've purchased this laptop. ): I may be able to give them a call and see if they can help me out a bit. They offered me a warranty for an additional eighty dollars when I was buying this computer, but I didn't accept it. I probably would've accepted it, though, if I knew that I was going to be facing these kind of problems in the future. xD" Also, I don't think it's got anything to do with the bootloader. If the bootloader was nonfunctional, then I wouldn't have been able to log into Ubuntu or any other OS at all.
 
So your computer didn't come with a product key sticker on it? Most computers these days did. If not, then definitely give the manufacturer a call and see if they can trace your product key down by its serial number at least.

If you do have the product key sticker on your machine anywhere, then you should be able to take a Windows 7 install disk and install from scratch using the same key.
 
Actually, I've given a good look through my laptop, and it seems that I do have my product key. I'll download a Windows 7 disc image as Twiggy suggested, burn it onto an empty CD, and see if it works. I've been growing a little tired of Linux lately, so I really hope that it does work. Thanks for the help, you guys. (:
 
Just don't forget to download all the drivers you need from your laptop manufacturer's site. That should get you started - and after you install all the drivers, keep running Windows Update and install everything until it comes up empty after a "check for updates".
 
Bleh, Windows Updates.. that is probably my #1 pet peeve when it comes to reinstalling Windows on a computer is all the countless updates that have to get done. I actually recently reinstalled Windows onto a laptop of mine recently from scratch and all I needed somehow was the wifi driver and the rest of the drivers just downloaded themselves, and I deleted all traces of the drivers by reformatting the drives before installing Windows, too.
 
ZachLMedia said:
Bleh, Windows Updates.. that is probably my #1 pet peeve when it comes to reinstalling Windows on a computer is all the countless updates that have to get done. I actually recently reinstalled Windows onto a laptop of mine recently from scratch and all I needed somehow was the wifi driver and the rest of the drivers just downloaded themselves, and I deleted all traces of the drivers by reformatting the drives before installing Windows, too.
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One of the things I know is that no matter what happens, these days:

  • Windows will almost always have working audio by itself
  • You only really need networking drivers - after that, the rest can be downloaded
  • Sometimes you'll need chipset drivers before networking drivers, but usually this isn't a concern.
  • It's a good idea to keep driver files from your OEM anyway :)

Speaking of updates, after getting back my laptop, it's overdue for updates. Way overdue.
 
My laptop is probably overdue on Windows Updates as well haha

My tablet has taken over my portable way of browsing these days, and I mean just being able to relax out in my living room watching TV and browsing on the internet. Before I had my Nexus 7 tablet, if I wanted to browse in my living room, I had to use my laptop, which was a pain to really keep in my lap at times :P
 
I really like using my Surface after the revision emergency as the web browser for pretty much everyone.

Outside? Sure. The screen pierces the sun and doesn't get too unreadable even when smudged up and it also displays 1366x768 1:1. Nice for desktop pages. (Who needs a mobile site when your tablet is basically a laptop without a keyboard?)

In bed? Much more convenient than a laptop. Much easier to see than my phone, and the screen brightness goes significantly dimmer, too.

10" tablets are very nice when you get the right one. I can run IRC in the background, browse in the foreground, play music, and still get about 8 hours.
 
I use my phone to browse the internet most of the time these days. I do have a laptop, but I don't turn it on unless I have some important work to get done, such as my homework. I have a tablet, too, but I don't use it at all. It's not very convinent to surf the web with it while you're laying down somewhere, because it causes your hands to start hurting after only seven to ten minutes. The last time I've used this tablet was four months ago, I think. d:
 
My tablet is not that big, either. It's only nine inches, I think. It weighs around six to nine ounces though, which is a lot heavier than my phone. I don't know, maybe I'm just not used to holding up things that are as heavy as that while laying down. xD" That's probably why my hand hurts.
 
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