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Need a cheap opperating system
Comments
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Try installing hardware....
Ok, that's a fair point, though I've done at least a dozen installs now on different PCs, each with different chipsets, NICs, sound devices, video chipsets, etc, and they've all worked with the drivers that are built into the kernel.
Many media devices such as Hauppauge TV cards work out of the box, and Canon have started releasing Linux drivers for some of their products, so it's slowly getting better.
The main exception is wireless, but it's common knowledge that's still not well supported.
If the OP can't find a licence key to use, XP Home OEM is only £60 from Ebuyer, or the most basic version of Vista is cheaper.0 -
If it only works in safe mode, and there isn't a sticker on the side (I'll pretend that it is a genuine copy) there are free tools you can use to recover the key, then as suggested borrow a windows CD and install.
Linux is all well and good, but if you have programs / devices that only work on windows, then its pointless.0 -
If it only works in safe mode, and there isn't a sticker on the side (I'll pretend that it is a genuine copy) there are free tools you can use to recover the key, then as suggested borrow a windows CD and install.
Yes indeed - googling "magic jelly bean finder" will find one of those tools straight away.Linux is all well and good, but if you have programs / devices that only work on windows, then its pointless.
True, but only if there is no equivalent open source software available. For devices, you could always use it as an excuse to buy something newer and better that will work under Linux, if you wanted to...0 -
Y..For devices, you could always use it as an excuse to buy something newer and better that will work under Linux, if you wanted to...
not sure wifey would accept throwing her lappy away just because of a broadcom wireless chipset (which works flawlessly under xp/vista)!
Utinam logica falsa tuam philosophiam totam suffodiant.0 -
If it's genuine then you can find the serial number that was entered during installation quite easily if you can get to a useable desktop.0
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