To prepare for that day of doom last year, two out of the six home/office computers using Windows XP stepped up to Windows 8.. Remarkably, the Windows 8 software revived the old 2007-era hardware to faster and better performance, and Windows 10 gave them additional pep this year.
Two computers failed to take any kind of Windows upgrade. One was an old Dell laptop from 2002 that couldn't handle much of anything anymore, The other one, though was my Dell Mini9.
The Dell Mini9 is my dinky netbook that logged tens of thousands of travel miles. The small keyboard transposes placement of important character keys, the graphics quality is barely acceptable, and the storage capacity is a miniscule (for a personal computer) 16GB solid-state drive. But, it's the same weight as an iPad, includes a SD card slot and three USB ports, and works without fail.
Windows 8 wouldn't work. So why not look beyond Windows altogether?
Some search-engine hunting turned up a couple of alternatives -- the Ubuntu version of Linux, and the Chromium operating system that's the basis for Google Chromebooks. I found blogs where users reported on their installations with similar Mini9 computers; the results convinced me to try to a complete operating-system transplant.
These aren't solutions you can find on the shelves of the local office-supply or computer store. As open-source software, the alternative operating systems are published and supported by user communities. However, these aren't amateur software packages; this is code originally developed by large corporations and institutions.
The Ubuntu and Chromium packages are available for download; transfer to a 4GB USB memory stick, put it in the USB port of the old Windows XP machine, and do a reset restart to change the order of how the computer looks at ports at startup. The computer now boots up, temporarily, with the operating system on the memory stick for a fully functional test drive.
To reset the computer, shut it down and pull the memory stick. Windows XP reappears, running as usual.
I decided to go with Ubuntu; the documentation and support available online is much more in-depth that with Chromium. For me, it was a process of putting the USB stick in the Mini9, clicking on the button that permanently overwrites the hard drive holding XP, hooking up the computer to an Ethernet wired connection, and hoping I hadn't killed the trusty little machine.
Five minutes later, I had a new screen that looks remarkably like a Macintosh OS. Besides the operating system, I also had a copy of Libre Office, which offers word processing, spreadsheet and presentation software that replicate most functions of Microsoft Office or Apple iWork suites.
What I didn't have was wireless connectivity. I was ready for this, as online support noted the Ubuntu software needs new software drivers. Since I was connected online via Ethernet, I went to a very basic Terminal mode (much like going to the old C:// prompt in MS-DOS) and entered some esoteric UNIX commands to find and install the drivers. After a reboot, the Mini9 started finding wireless networks.
Ubuntu includes a point-and-click gateway to an online software source. The selection's nowhere near the amount found for Apple or Microsoft computers, but you can find plenty of favorites, including the Firefox browser and Skype. There's also the Thunderbird email client that's as good as most programs, and it's free.
Giving my Mini9 a second life didn't bring it back as my do-it-all, on-the-road companion; that's the job of my iPad. However, the tablet is on the weak side for some heavy lifting work, such as large file movement via FTP or extensive web-editing work. That's where the Ubuntu comes in to do the grunt work, and I can toss it somewhere in the carry-on.
Converting that old Windows XP to another operating system gives you more of a utility computer than a day-to-day machine; it can go in the garage as a reference for hobbyists and mechanics, or as the portable Internet radio station. And, it's a backup for when something goes wrong with another machine.
So it becomes an Internet radio for the workshop or the laundry room. It's a better fate to stay in use, and out of a foreign landfill.
The Dell Mini9 is my dinky netbook that logged tens of thousands of travel miles. The small keyboard transposes placement of important character keys, the graphics quality is barely acceptable, and the storage capacity is a miniscule (for a personal computer) 16GB solid-state drive. But, it's the same weight as an iPad, includes a SD card slot and three USB ports, and works without fail.
Windows 8 wouldn't work. So why not look beyond Windows altogether?
Some search-engine hunting turned up a couple of alternatives -- the Ubuntu version of Linux, and the Chromium operating system that's the basis for Google Chromebooks. I found blogs where users reported on their installations with similar Mini9 computers; the results convinced me to try to a complete operating-system transplant.
These aren't solutions you can find on the shelves of the local office-supply or computer store. As open-source software, the alternative operating systems are published and supported by user communities. However, these aren't amateur software packages; this is code originally developed by large corporations and institutions.
The Ubuntu and Chromium packages are available for download; transfer to a 4GB USB memory stick, put it in the USB port of the old Windows XP machine, and do a reset restart to change the order of how the computer looks at ports at startup. The computer now boots up, temporarily, with the operating system on the memory stick for a fully functional test drive.
To reset the computer, shut it down and pull the memory stick. Windows XP reappears, running as usual.
I decided to go with Ubuntu; the documentation and support available online is much more in-depth that with Chromium. For me, it was a process of putting the USB stick in the Mini9, clicking on the button that permanently overwrites the hard drive holding XP, hooking up the computer to an Ethernet wired connection, and hoping I hadn't killed the trusty little machine.
Five minutes later, I had a new screen that looks remarkably like a Macintosh OS. Besides the operating system, I also had a copy of Libre Office, which offers word processing, spreadsheet and presentation software that replicate most functions of Microsoft Office or Apple iWork suites.
What I didn't have was wireless connectivity. I was ready for this, as online support noted the Ubuntu software needs new software drivers. Since I was connected online via Ethernet, I went to a very basic Terminal mode (much like going to the old C:// prompt in MS-DOS) and entered some esoteric UNIX commands to find and install the drivers. After a reboot, the Mini9 started finding wireless networks.
Ubuntu includes a point-and-click gateway to an online software source. The selection's nowhere near the amount found for Apple or Microsoft computers, but you can find plenty of favorites, including the Firefox browser and Skype. There's also the Thunderbird email client that's as good as most programs, and it's free.
Giving my Mini9 a second life didn't bring it back as my do-it-all, on-the-road companion; that's the job of my iPad. However, the tablet is on the weak side for some heavy lifting work, such as large file movement via FTP or extensive web-editing work. That's where the Ubuntu comes in to do the grunt work, and I can toss it somewhere in the carry-on.
Converting that old Windows XP to another operating system gives you more of a utility computer than a day-to-day machine; it can go in the garage as a reference for hobbyists and mechanics, or as the portable Internet radio station. And, it's a backup for when something goes wrong with another machine.
So it becomes an Internet radio for the workshop or the laundry room. It's a better fate to stay in use, and out of a foreign landfill.
