Re: Re: Linux gaming on low end PC's?
By: Mortar M. to Arelor on Tue Apr 01 2025 02:29 pm

The downside is that gathering a healthy Windows 7 plus drivers is a bit more work than usual these days since all the hardware that used to be suported is EOLed.

That only applies to Windows Updates and security patches. The OS itself will work just fine, just keep it offline. I mention this (wow, deja vu!) 'cause I've run across a few people that thought EOL meant it would
just die

What I meant is I have a Windows 7 era laptop around, and I can't download most of its drivers from the manufacturers because they shut the respective download pages down after 10 years of operation. If you ever need to reinstall this thing you are up for a rough ride.

So basically you have to fish for the drivers at Russian warez sites or dedicated retro sites.

Can you do it? Yes. But it is more work than it should.

Also, Windows 7 activation services are down so you need to crack the thing in order to get rid of piracy warnings.



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Re: Re: Linux gaming on low end PC's?
By: Arelor to Mortar M. on Sat Apr 05 2025 09:52 am

What I meant is I have a Windows 7 era laptop around, and I can't download most of its drivers from the manufacturers because they shut the respective download pages down after 10 years of operation. If you ever need to reinstall this thing you are up for a rough ride.

While a certain version of Windows is still actively supported, it can be good to go download the drivers & things and make a backup of those somewhere in case you ever need to re-install it from scratch.

Nightfox
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Re: Re: Linux gaming on low end PC's?
By: Nightfox to Arelor on Sat Apr 05 2025 09:51 am

While a certain version of Windows is still actively supported, it can be good to go download the drivers & things and make a backup of those somewhere in case you ever need to re-install it from scratch.

Absolutely, but the real world operates under non-ideal conditions.

Real condition: your parents hand you down some old hardware they no longer want because it is too old. You install Linux on it. Five years later you want to install the most modern Windows that can run on the machine in order to play some native games. Then you discover all drivers are scattered across a wide range of retro and warez sites and are nowhere to be found from official sources.

My policy for my own computers is to keep on hand the necessary material to rebuild my installs without Internet access if I ever need it, but trying does not mean you can always achieve it.


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Hi Nightfox,

On Tuesday April 01 2025, Nightfox said to Vorlon:

I mention this (wow, deja vu!) 'cause I've run across a few people
that thought EOL meant it would just...die, shut down forever, etc.

That is what MS want people to think. That the computer will just stop
working. They want people to go out and purchase a brand new system.
Even though the hardware of the current PC would do the job (Minus the
stupid W11+ requirements).

Although Microsoft does produce some of their own PCs, I don't think they're very common. If someone buys a new system, it would likely be a different brand of computer, and Microsoft would only be getting paid
for a Windows license (either from the computer's OEM, or if the user
built their own PC, they may have bought a Windows licence to install Windows on it legally and for support).

I didn't say anything about MS's own hardware products. I'm talking about
any computer that runs windows that is comming to EOL as far as MS thinks.
I've had to tell people that the machine they run won't stop working in october, just that ms won't be releasing any security patches etc.

I've heard sales of Windows isn't Microsoft's biggest income generator anymore though, as sales of computers has shrunk a bit and people are

[...]

email etc. probably provide a lot of revenue for Microsoft. I'd guess
more so than home users.

Yes they are pushing everything to the cloud.. Just look at the way ondrive takes over a machine and makes it very messy to get out of it.


\/orlon
aka
Stephen

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Hi Poindexter Fortran,

On Friday April 04 2025, Poindexter Fortran said to Vorlon:

I've installed Linux Mint on mum's pc, and the only anoyance is the
canon printer driver can't see how much ink is left. I did do a test
install of W11 after running refus though it to remove the TPM
requirement etc, but the are no printer drivers fro her printer, and
the w10 ones won't work.. arghhh...

I have a Canon MX 922, and it's kooky. It's got separate CYMK tanks,
plus a second black tank for black and white prints. There's an LED underneath the installed cartridge that glows red. Any low cartridge blinks.

Mum's is a 420 something.. It has a flip up lcd that shows ink status, so
she's not left with it just stopping....

I found it on the side of the road, brought it home, tried printing and got an accordion jam on the exit side. Looked into the printer and saw that a highlighter had fallen back there. Shook it out, and VOILA! free printer AND free highlighter!

hahha. Some pleople just don't do even basic stuff to find out why it dosn't work... Your gain!.


\/orlon
aka
Stephen

Rocking FSXnet with an Amiga 4000 and Zeus BBS.

--- Zeus BBS 1.5
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the TPM requirement etc, but there are no printer drivers for her
printer, and the w10 ones won't work.. arghhh...

Have you thought about putting the printer on a network print server? Either making one with a single-board-computer or buying some old commercial one off eBay?
Or junk/recycling place :)



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