Installing Linux On Old PC - Avoiding UEFI

I'm leaving this here for now just for reference.

Forget installing Mint on old hardware.

Installing Linux On Old PC - Avoiding UEFI

Why? Because your BIOS doesn't handle UEFI but current installs default to it.

In the Linux live system open Gparted and partition the destination to msdos and fomat ext4

On install: 

Select "Something Else": In the installer type selection, DO NOT choose "Erase disk".  Choose "Something Else" (Manual Partitioning). 

Assign the Partition:

Click on your existing ext4 partition.

Click Change.

Set Use as: Ext4 journaling file system.

Set Mount point: /.

Ensure the Format box is checked

Bootloader Location:

At the bottom, ensure "Device for boot loader installation" is set to /dev/sda (the drive itself), NOT /dev/sda1. 

Ignore the Warning:

When you click "Install Now", it will warn: "No EFI system partition was found."

This is expected. Click Continue. 

Sadly it probably will not boot but at least it is installed correctly.

Fix Grub

sudo mount /dev/sda1 /mnt

(Note: Since you have only one partition, your root is /dev/sda1. If you have a separate /boot, mount that too, but usually not needed for single partition setups).

Reinstall GRUB to the MBR:

sudo grub-install --boot-directory=/mnt/boot /dev/sda

Crucial: Notice the command ends with /dev/sda (the drive), NOT /dev/sda1 (the partition).

If successful, it will say Installation finished. No error reported.

Generate the Config:

sudo mount --bind /dev /mnt/dev

sudo mount --bind /proc /mnt/proc

sudo mount --bind /sys /mnt/sys

sudo chroot /mnt

update-grub

exit

Reboot: Remove the USB and restart.  

Oh No! I don't have an account.

Restart and hold Shift (or press Esc) to see the GRUB menu.

Select Advanced options for Linux Mint.

Choose the line ending with (recovery mode).

In the menu that appears, select root (Drop to root shell prompt).

You will be at a command prompt like root@mint:~#.

2. Create Your User Account

Once you have the root prompt (#), run these commands (replace yourname with your desired username):

Create the user and home directory:

adduser -m yourname

(Follow the prompts to set a password and fill in details. You can press Enter to skip details).

Give yourself admin (sudo) privileges:

usermod -aG sudo yourname

(Note: On some older Mint versions, the group might be admin instead of sudo. If sudo fails, try usermod -aG admin yourname).

Fix Ownership (Critical): Since you installed as root, your home folder might be owned by root. Fix this:

chown -R yourname:yourname /home/yourname

Reboot:

reboot

You should now be able to log in as yourname with full admin rights.

Autohotkey V2 Stuff

 #Requires AutoHotkey v2.0 (required)

#SingleInstance Force

::h::hello (hello with following space)

:o:h::hello (hellow no following space)

:*:h::hello (immediate hello no space)

::h::hello{!} (treats ! as literal character)

^!d:: {

    CurrentDateTime := FormatTime(, "yyyy-MM-dd")

    Send(CurrentDateTime)

}   

^!0:: {

    CurrentDateTime := FormatTime(, "dd-MM-yyyy")

    CurrentDateTime := StrUpper(CurrentDateTime)

    Send(CurrentDateTime)

;pin unpin window to top

}

^Space:: {

    WinSetAlwaysOnTop "TOGGLE", "A"

}

Stream & Cast From PC To TV

Stream Cast PC to TV Miracast

Win + k

  Roku

  Firestick

  Most TV brands

Google TV & Android cast with browser

  Chrome 3 dot menu upper right

  Brave 3 dot but in "share & save"

Group Policy Stop Windows Update From Auto Downloading and Installing Updates

 gpedit

Computer Configuration > Administrative Templates > Windows Components > Windows Update > Manage end user experience

MX Linux Again

A little, abandoned Pentium was sitting in the corner of the closet. Perfect for MX Linux.

It has been a while so this reference looks good.

https://computingforgeeks.com/things-to-do-after-installing-mx-linux/

Let's do this . . .

Winget Commands

 

Winget Stuff

Things you need to know:

Things you don't want to upgrade:

Serious blocking:

winget pin add TrackerSoftware.PDF-XChangeEditor --blocking

Casual blocking:

winget pin add CodeJelly.Launchy

Did it work:

winget pin list

 

Let's do it:

"winget upgrade" produces a list

"winget upgrade --all"

If "winget upgrade --all" doesn't work, probably the upgrades shown are not "proven" yet.

 

The best upgrade command:

winget upgrade --all --include-unknown --silent --accept-package-agreements  --accept-source-agreements --disable-interactivity

 

Installing several at once:

winget install first.one second.one

With ids in a string add the conditions to the end of the string

 

Uninstalling:

If programs installed as user, use cmd non-admin. If all users use cmd admin

 

List all your installed programs:

winget export -o "%USERPROFILE%\desktop\apps.json"

Portable Apps Bat File

If I get on someone else's PC I need apps they don't have. Here is a partial (growing) list.

Some are curls and some open download links if curl doesn't work.

Copy the text and make a .bat file.

(For install on D change first 6 C notations to D)

Curl Portable Apps

@echo off

rem 7zip Install

winget install -e --id 7zip.7zip --source winget

mkdir C:\Portable\Excluded

mkdir C:\Drivers\Benchmarks

mkdir C:\Desk

mkdir C:\Pictures\Wallpaper

mkdir C:\"Program Archives"

cd /d C:\Portable

echo Free PC Audit

curl.exe -s -L -O https://www.misutilities.com/freepcaudit.exe

echo Notepad Classic

curl.exe -s -L -O -A "Mozilla/5.0" -e "https://win7games.com" "https://win7games.com/download/notepad.zip"   

echo Unzipping notepad.zip

https://win7games.com/download/notepad.zip   

"C:\Program Files\7-Zip\7z.exe" x "notepad.zip" -o"Notepad" -y -bd && del "notepad.zip"

echo WindowsUpdateMiniTool

curl.exe -s -L -o "WindowsUpdateMiniTool.zip" "https://drive.google.com/uc?export=download&id=0BwJH2CazcjsINFZFc1pVdk9mNHM" 

echo Unzipping WindowsUpdateMiniTool.zip

"C:\Program Files\7-Zip\7z.exe" x "WindowsUpdateMiniTool.zip" -o"WindowsUpdateMiniTool" -y -bd && del "WindowsUpdateMiniTool.zip"

echo Windows_Repair_Toolbox

curl.exe -s -L -O "https://windows-repair-toolbox.com/files/Windows_Repair_Toolbox.zip" 

echo Unzipping Windows_Repair_Toolbox.zip

"C:\Program Files\7-Zip\7z.exe" x "Windows_Repair_Toolbox.zip" -o"Windows_Repair_Toolbox" && del "Windows_Repair_Toolbox.zip"

echo WirelessNetworkWatcher

curl.exe -s -L -O "https://www.nirsoft.net/utils/wnetwatcher.zip" 

echo Unzipping wnetwatcher.zip

"C:\Program Files\7-Zip\7z.exe" x "wnetwatcher.zip" -o"wnetwatcher" -y -bd && del "wnetwatcher.zip"

echo WiseDiskCleaner

curl.exe -s -L -o "WDCFree.zip" "https://downloads.wisecleaner.com/soft/WDCFree_11.1.6.832.zip" 

echo Unzipping WDCFree.zip

"C:\Program Files\7-Zip\7z.exe" x "WDCFree.zip" && del "C:\Portable\WDCFree.zip"

echo HWINFO

curl.exe -s -L -o "hwi_822.zip" "https://sourceforge.net/projects/hwinfo/files/Windows_Portable/hwi_822.zip/download" 

echo Unzipping hwi_822.zip

"C:\Program Files\7-Zip\7z.exe" x "hwi_822.zip" -o"hwinfo" -y -bd && del "hwi_822.zip"

echo Volumouse 64

curl.exe -s -L -O https://www.nirsoft.net/utils/volumouse-x64.zip

"C:\Program Files\7-Zip\7z.exe" x "volumouse-x64.zip" -o"volumouse-x64" -y -bd && del "volumouse-x64.zip"

echo Portableapps

curl.exe -s -L -o "PortableApps.exe" "https://sourceforge.net/projects/portableapps/files/latest/download"

echo UltraVirusKiller

curl.exe -s -L -o "UVK.exe" "https://www.carifred.com/uvk/UVKPortable.exe"

echo Revo Uninstaller

curl.exe -s -L -O https://sourceforge.net/app/revo-uninstaller-portable/files/windows/RevoUninstallerPortable_2.4.1.paf.exe/

echo these open browser to download

echo Safe Mode Launcher

start https://www.majorgeeks.com/files/details/safe_mode_launcher.html

echo I hate the Portableapps splash screen on their programs.

echo 1. In app folder copy .ini file and paste in root of folder.

echo 2. Rename the .ini same name as program

echo 3. Open .ini and change DisableSplashScreen=true

Pause

The New APK Post

SmartTube 

Downloader 79015

Stremio

Available on Play Store. Don't need much else.

Group Policy Edits

Updates Offered But Not Auto Installed

Press Win + R, type gpedit.msc, and press Enter. 

Navigate to: Computer Configuration > Administrative Templates > Windows Components > Windows Update > Manage end user experience

Double-click Configure Automatic Updates. 

Select Enabled.

In the Options dropdown, select 2 - Notify for download and notify for install (or Notify for download and auto install depending on your OS version).

Click Apply and OK, then restart your computer. 

Veeam Agent for Windows Backup

 I trying the "Gold Standard" of Windows backup. Or so the AIs say.

First, I double-dog dare you to find the free download on the Veeam site.

You can use Winget but it will be an older version which updates itself right away.

PatchMyPC has the current version install.

Second double-dog dare is make a recovery ISO Windows PE.

I couldn't get Veeam to complete the build.

Brave browser Ask of all people gave me the solution

Open CLI (command line interface, aka command prompt) as admin: C:\Users\George\Desktop>"C:\Program Files\Veeam\Endpoint Backup\Veeam.EndPoint.Manager.exe" /createrecoverymediaiso /f:C:\Users\George\Desktop\Generic.iso

*HaHa, if your name isn't George you might want to change that.