On 20150326_2355-0400, Bob Bernstein wrote: > On Thu, Mar 26, 2015 at 09:09:28PM -0600, Paul E Condon wrote: > > > > ...some BIOS code that blocks copying a backup copy of Win7 in > > a hidden partition on HD... > > Now, see? That's some hardcore M$ crap right there! Thas what > I'm talkin 'bout! > > > To get rid of this hidden partition, you will have to use dd > > to overwrite it with zero bytes. > > I don't see (yet) that I must get rid of it. I don't care a fig > about "pure Debian." Am I wrong? BUT, if it (said nefarious > hidden partition) is going to come back and bite me my grubs > later, then I might begin to feel differently about that crummy > old no-good M$ hidden partition. Will it do that? > > > After that, you have a pure Debian box or...if you don't > > succeed in getting Debian installed you have a oddly shaped > > boat anchor. > > I am already well stocked with odd boat anchors thank you very > much. It takes a small act of congress for me to convince my > local town recycling mafiosi to actually pick them up if I > manage to heave them onto the sidewalk. > > > IMHO, it is definitely *not* a no-brainer. > > If there's anything that can be said about this Friday night's > debian-user crowd, it is that there are very few no-brainers > among us. I detect rather a few big brains out there. You know > who you are! > > > You might, instead, investigate buy a new SATA drive, maybe > > larger than the one containing Win7 and install the new SATA. > > How soon can you get a check to me? > > > I may be wrong in all these points... > > Now, sir, you are clearly an honest man for saying that. Mencken > was reputed to sign off on letters in which he had no particular > interest (nor in their authors) like so: > > You may be right, > > (Thanks *all*) > -- > Bob Bernstein
Bob, I was playing with the role of paranoid, sorry. The fact is that Microsoft does not make it easy to convert old Dells to beneficial use. It took dd about 30 hours to wipe the disk in my old Dell. I don't recall having to do that a few years ago. I do recall lots of writings of how easy it is to put Linux on Windows computers a few years ago, and not so much now. The internal HD in the Dells are skimpy compared with new computers sold at Costco. You have convinced me that I needn't have warned you on any of the points that I mentioned. Kind regards, -- Paul E Condon pecon...@mesanetworks.net -- To UNSUBSCRIBE, email to debian-user-requ...@lists.debian.org with a subject of "unsubscribe". Trouble? Contact listmas...@lists.debian.org Archive: https://lists.debian.org/20150327203046.ga1...@big.lan.gnu
