Apple Yosemite OS

Have a patron with older Mac laptop, need to reinstall Yosemite OS,  can not do it from Apple store (only current OS)  https://go.redirectingat.com/

For older Apple OS:


Before you can install an older version of macOS or Mac OS X you will need to get hold of the installer for the version of macOS you want to install. Unfortunately getting hold of these files may not be as easy as you might be hoping.

Depending on the version of macOS you are running, you should be able to find older versions of Mac OS X (and macOS) in the Mac App Store. However, these may not be available to you if you are running a more receent version of the Mac operating system.
Prior to macOS Mojave's arrival in 2018 the installers for the older macOS versions could be found via the Purchased tab, that's assuming you 'purchased' them (not that anyone has had to actually pay for a Mac OS X update for years).

However, when Apple launched Mojave the Mac App Store changed, and these installers are no longer downloadable from the store - unless you are using an old version of macOS/macOS X.
However, it is possible and we will walk you through the various methods

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of downloading old Mac OS X versions from the Mac App Store below. We will show you a way to get the following Mac OS X installers:

• macOS Catalina
• macOS Mojave
• macOS High Sierra
• macOS Sierra
• OS X El Capitan download
• OS X Yosemite download
• OS X Mavericks download
• OS X Mountain Lion download
• OS X Lion download

You won't be able to get the Mac OS X Snow Leopard download this way - but we’ll look at that later. In fact, we tell you how to get copies of Leopard, Lion and Mountain Lion too!

We have a full list of which Macs run which versions of Mac OS X and macOS here.

 

How to download the Mojave installer

Despite the fact that Mojave updates come via Software Update, you can still download the installer from the Mac App Store, even if you are running Catalina
You can get macOS Mojave via this link.

1. Click this link - this will open the Mac App Store on the Mojave page.
2. Click on Get.
3. Software Update will open with the words "Finding Update". Eventually a message "Are you sure you want to download macOS Mojave 10.14.6" will appear. It might look like a .6 update, or later, but you'll see from the size of the download (just over 6GB) that this is the complete installer for Mojave.
4. Once the installer has downloaded do not click Install. If you install it the installer will automatically be deleted.
5. You should be able to find the Install macOS Mojave app in your Applications folder, you'll need this for the next steps, which we outline here: How to downgrade macOS, install an older verison on your Mac.

How to download High Sierra installer

Download High Sierra here.
Back when we last updated this article it was also possible to access the High Sierra installer via this link to the Mac App Store. However, since Catalina arrived it is no longer possible to doanload the installer if you are running Catalina.

In that case you need to find a Mac that's running an older version of the macOS, log into the Mac App Store with your password and download High Sierra's installer. Or ask a friend to download a copy of the installer from the Mac App Store for you.
As above, once the installer has downloaded don't install it! If you do then the installer will be deleted. You'll find the installer in your Applications folder.
Beware of downloading the installer from a file sharing site as you can't be sure that it's safe. It's safest to say: just don't do that.
It may be possible to download the installer via Terminal, however we were unable to get that method to work.
You will also find updates to old version of macOS on Apple’s website here, however these are just point updates, rather than the full version, so it won't be much help if you are trying to get the full download of High Sierra, for example.

How to download Sierra installer

• Sierra is here.

In 2017, when Apple introduced MacOS High Sierra, the company removed Sierra from the Purchased list, which made it more difficult to revert to that earlier version, but it was still possible to download the Sierra installer via this link that Apple provided.
The link still takes you to a page for macOS Sierra, but if you are running Mojave you will see an “Update not found” error message if you try to download it. We have been able to download the installer on older versions of MacOS though. So as above, find a friend who isn't running Mojave.

How to download Mavericks, El Capitan, Yosemite, Mountain Lion and Lion

• El Capitan can be downloaded from this link.
• Yosemite is available here.

On a computer running OS X Yosemite it is possible to see versions of Mac OS X in the Mac App Store. Yosemite, Mavericks and Mountain Lion can all be seen here.
If you can find a Mac running High Sierra or older, log onto the Mac App Store and download the Installer there, as we describe below.
It's worth noting that you'll only see old versions of Mac OS X that you've downloaded under Purchased - if you never downloaded it (or if it was never on the Mac App Store), that version will not be in your Purchased section. Another reason why the version of Mac OS X might be missing is if your machine shipped with that version installed. We'll look at that scenario later.
Here is how to get an older version of Mac OS X from the Mac App Store (this only works if you've downloaded it in the past and it won't work if you have already installed Mojave or Catalina):

1. Open the Mac App Store (choose Store > Sign In if you need to log in).
2. Click Purchased.
3. Scroll down to find the copy of OS X or macOS you want.
4. Click Install

Clicking Install won't actually install the software, but it will download the installer application to your Applications folder.
You won't be able to simply install this older version of the operating system directly onto a Mac running a newer version of OS X or macOS. We will explain how it can be installed on a Mac - including one currently running an earlier operating system here: How to install old Mac OS X versions.

Can't find Mac OS X in Purchased?

If you know you have previously downloaded the version of macOS you are after, but you aren't seeing it in the Purchased section, there are a few things to try:

1. Log out of the App Store then log in again.
2. If it's a possibility that you downloaded it while logged in to a different Apple ID (perhaps a work-related one), log in using that ID.
3. Alternatively, find someone who has downloaded that version of the Mac operating system and ask them to download the installation file for you.

If you never downloaded the version of Mac OS X then jump to step 3 and find a friendly person who did. Ask them to download the Mac OS X installer for you.
Luckily the copy of OS X isn't locked to their account so it will install on any Mac.
The one thing you really mustn't do is go to a torrent site and download a copy of the OS X you want. Just because Apple gives away its software for free, don't think it's fine to just pick up a copy. Pirated copies of Apple software could have been adjusted to allow hackers access to the software and your Mac.

How to get OS X Snow Leopard 

It is possible that the version of Mac OS X you are after was never available from the Mac App Store. This is the case with Snow Leopard - the first version of Mac OS X to come with the Mac App Store.
That way of downloading Mac OS X updates and new apps was introduced with Snow Leopard and means that anyone with a Mac running Mac OS X 10.5 Leopard or earlier can’t actually access the Mac App Store to download anything.
The good news is that Apple still sells a boxed version of Mac OS X 10.6 Snow Leopard here for £19.99 (at its launch in 2009 it cost £25). In the case of Snow Leopard you will be sent a physical box containing an optical disc - so you will need a CD/DVD drive to install it (which you will probably have if the Mac is that old).

How to get OS X Lion, Mountain Lion 

It’s not just Snow Leopard that you can purchase from Apple's website - you can purchase copies of Lion and Mountain Lion from Apple.
If it’s Mac OS X 10.7 Lion that you are after, it’s available for £19.99 here US or here UK. Apple will send you a download code to use on the Mac App Store, so you will need to be running Snow Leopard to install it.
If it’s OS X 10.8 Mountain Lion that you need you can buy it for £19.99 here US or here UK As with Lion, Apple will send you a download code to use on the Mac App Store, so you will need to be running Snow Leopard to install it.

How to get OS X Leopard or earlier

If the old version of the OS you are after predates Snow Leopard and you have a developer account you might be able to get it from developer.apple.com/downloads. If you search within the OS X category you should see downloads for all versions of OS X, at least from version 10.3 to 10.6.
You may be able to access the Developer section of the website, but you will only be able to access certain software downloads if your Apple ID is associated with a paid Apple Developer Program.
If you haven't signed up as a Apple Developer, find out what that entails here. It costs £79 ($99) a year to join the Apple Developer Program and you have to sign a non disclosure agreement.
You could also try looking on Amazon or eBay to see if anyone is selling old versions of the Mac operating system. For example there’s a Full Install of OS X Lion available for £8.50 on Amazon here.
If it's Tiger you are after, then it will cost a little more. There was a copy of Tiger on Amazon for £89.99 but it's currently unavailable.




From Mac World

Using DBAN from USB drive

We are using DBAN to wide old computers, some no longer hace CD drives, here is how to install it on thumb drive:

• Step 1: Download DBAN (Darik's Boot and Nuke)'s ISO file from SourceForge.
• Step 2: Download Universal USB Installer from Pendrivelinux.com.
• Step 3: Run Command Prompt as administrator. You may be able to do the same thing with Disk Management. But in my case Disk Management refused to let me delete the volume of my flash disk.
  
  • Step 3.1: Type diskpart and hit enter. This runs the diskpart utility.
  • Step 3.2: Type list disk and hit enter. This lists all disks (including your flash drive).
    
    • Step 3.2.1: Look for your flash drive (look for its size) and keep note of its number.
  • Step 3.3: Type select disk # and hit enter, where # is number of your flash drive (see step 3.2.1). This selects your flash drive as the target to operate on.
    
    • Step 3.3.1: Type detail disk and hit enter. This lists the detail of the currently selected disk. Make sure it is your flash drive.
  • Step 3.4: Before you proceed, please ascertain that you have chosen the correct flash drive and have no desirable data on it. Type: clean and hit enter. This cleans the selected disk of its partition and format.
• Step 4: Run Disk Management. (You should be able to do the same thing with diskpart. But I have no advanced knowledge of diskpart so I prefer to use GUI whenever possible).
  
  • Step 4.1: Find your flash disk in the section below. It should have its entire space unallocated. Right click on the unallocated space and click "create new simple volume".
    
    • Step 4.1.1: In the wizard that appears, choose a volume smaller 2048MB. My knowledge is that a FAT-fomatted (FAT-16, to be specific) disk on Windows can hold a maximum of 4GB of data, with single file limited at 2GB. But since DBAN's ISO file is less than 20MB in size, there is no reason not to be safe. In my case I went with 512MB.
    • Step 4.1.2: Choose FAT as the file system.
• Step 5: Run Universal USB Installer.
  
  • Step 5.1: Choose DBAN among the lists of available options.
  • Step 5.2: Browse and select the previously downloaded DBAN ISO file as the source image.
  • Step 5.3: Select your flash drive as the burning target.
  • Step 5.4: Do not select the option that asks you if you want Universal USB Installer to format the flash drive for you.
• Step 6: Restart and boot into UEFI.
  
  • Step 6.1: In the boot order section, select the boot mode to be "Legacy" (it may be "BIOS" on your screen). This is the culprit that made my last attempt in the question fail. Apparently DBAN cannot be booted properly from UEFI.
    
    • Step 6.1.1: In some systems, instead of selecting between UEFI and BIOS boot modes in UEFI itself, you may need to boot into BIOS directly. Consult your motherboard/laptop manufacturers for instruction.

From superuser.com

Buying a chromebook

Most Chrome OS programs require an Internet connection and will not work when the device isn't connected to Wi-Fi. If you don't take the necessary precautions before leaving a reliable Wi-Fi network—like making pertinent Google Docs available offline—your Chromebook will essentially become a useless brick when unconnected.  ... More https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2019/01/guidemaster-how-to-buy-a-chromebook-plus-our-best-picks/

When it comes to upgrades, Chrome OS and Android couldn't be more different.

Since Chrome OS can't be customized by device-makers in the way that Android can, Google's able to control Chromebook updates completely on its own — and that means latest software can roll out to all current devices within days of its release, regardless of who made each laptop or where it was purchased.  ...more https://www.computerworld.com/article/3405893/buying-a-chromebook.html

Chromebook updates  https://support.google.com/chrome/a/answer/6220366?hl=en


Chromebook Reviews, from TheWirecutter.com   https://thewirecutter.com/reviews/best-chromebook/

Linux via USB

Want to have Linux OS ready to run off of USB drive, here are some choices:

1. Linux USB Desktop for Any PC: Puppy Linux

For some time, Puppy Linux has been seen as little more than a curiosity. Designed to be used on the most austere hardware, it could comfortably chug away on early Pentium machines without breaking a sweat. But it wasn’t that practical. Many installed Puppy Linux on their antique hardware to just to see if they could.
But Puppy Linux never went away. Updates and new versions are still regularly released. Sure, it’s still stripped down and meant for low-end or underpowered hardware. But you can now install Puppy Linux on a USB stick and get stuff done.
Puppy Linux isn’t a single Linux distribution. It consists of multiple versions based on different code but using the same tool and philosophy. One version is based on SlackWare, which is one of the most well-established Linux distributions.
People continue to use it as their day-to-day operating system. People understand it. Then there are multiple options based on Ubuntu, the most popular version of desktop Linux.

2. A More Modern Desktop Experience: elementary OS

Are you a newcomer to Linux who just wants something simple and attractive to keep in your pocket? Check out elementary OS.
elementary OS offers a cross between the popular GNOME desktop environment and what you get on a Mac. The resulting experience is so intuitive, you can pick it up on your own with a few clicks.

AppCenter provides apps built only for elementary OS along with other essentials, like the LibreOffice suite, the GIMP image editor, and the Audacity sound editor. This way you can hit the ground running even if you have no idea what software is available for Linux.

10 Elementary OS AppCenter Apps That'll Make You More Productive 10 Elementary OS AppCenter Apps That'll Make You More Productive Having an app store of its own has really brought Elementary OS to life with a great choice of apps. I use these AppCenter tools to improve my productivity -- perhaps you will too. Read More Since elementary OS shares a lot in common with Ubuntu, you can be confident you won’t have to deal with any hardware compatibility gremlins. Plus, it proves to be buttery-smooth, even on low-end hardware, like laptops and cheap Atom and Celeron-powered machines.
This is important when you’re also dealing with the inherent performance bottleneck that comes with booting your operating system from an USB drive.

3. Tool for Managing Your Hard Disk: GParted Live

Hard drives consist of chunks called partitions. Your computer’s hard drive might have just one partition for all your files and folders. Or it might have one partition for your programs and another for your documents. From time to time, you might need to resize these partitions or wipe them entirely.
GParted is a common Linux tool used to manage these partitions. Many distributions come with this pre-installed. But if your computer doesn’t boot, that does you no good. You need a copy you can load from a USB stick.
It’s called Gparted Live, a USB Linux distro for your flash drive. Loading up this little program will let you reshape your hard drive as you require. Be careful though, as one mistake could potentially render your hard drive unbootable.

4. A Way to Remove Viruses: BitDefender Rescue CD

When malware strikes, it can often be game over. Your machine will run slowly, or perhaps not at all. Your files and folders will be held to ransom. Everything you do on your computer could be monitored. Worse, many viruses and Trojans are designed to actively fight removal.
They’ll prevent anti-malware programs from updating their definitions, or even running. But you have alternatives. By booting into a special Linux distribution, you can scan your system for problems, and resolve them.
One big name in computer security is Romania-based BitDefender, who boast an array of premium and free antivirus and antimalware solutions. In terms of sheer effectiveness, BitDefender’s products tend to rank quite highly. They happen to offer a Linux live CD.
BitDefender has provided helpful instructions, where they explain how you can use the Windows tool Stickifier to create one.

5. A Portable Gaming Setup: Ubuntu GamePack

Linux USB sticks aren’t all about getting work done and saving PCs. Sometimes you just want to have fun. With Ubuntu GamePack, your flash drive is like a portable gaming PC. True, you’re limited by the specs of the machine you’re borrowing, but as long as you stick to titles with modest requirements, you shouldn’t have many problems.
Ubuntu GamePack comes with software that makes gaming on Linux easier. This includes Steam, which lets you download your existing library of Linux titles. Alternatively, you can use PlayOnLinux or Wine to fire up supported Windows titles.
If you’re at a friend’s house for a LAN party, but you don’t have your own PC, Ubuntu GamePack can serve in a pinch. You can also keep copies around on different flash drives as an easy way to ensure everyone is using the same game version with the same configuration.




https://www.makeuseof.com/tag/5-best-linux-distros-installation-usb-stick/

Windows Timeline

Using Windows Timeline:

Q. Can anyone using the computer see the past activities listed in the Windows 10 Timelime?

A. The Timeline feature included with the Windows 10 April 2018 Update is meant to enhance your productivity by storing a record of the files you used, sites you browsed and other actions you made on your computer. Can’t remember where you stored a document or want to return to a particular website quickly? You can click the Timeline icon in the Windows 10 task bar to see a visual log organized by date, and jump back to what you need by clicking the appropriate preview icon. 

If Timeline is enabled, some of your PC activity — like files you edit in Microsoft Office — can also sync with your mobile device or another computer you use. And the tool works with the Cortana virtual assistant and its “pick up where you left off” function, which restores your work space on command.

The activity data is recorded based on the Microsoft account, so if you share both the computer and the same user account, the Timeline records are visible to all involved. To keep your travels private, create a separate account for one of you to use. If you’d generally like to keep your activity private and do not want Windows 10 tracking it, you can turn off the Timeline feature, hide it or edit it.

Press the Windows and I keys to open the Settings box (or click the gear-shaped Settings icon in the Start Menu) and select the Privacy icon. On the left side of the Privacy box, select Activity History and turn off the box next to “Let Windows collect my activities from this PC” on the right side. If your computer was set to sync your activities with other devices online, also disable “Let Windows sync my activities from this PC to the cloud.”

If you eventually get separate accounts on the computer and one of you wants to use the Timeline feature, enable the data collection option in the Activity History controls again. In the “Show activities from accounts” area of the Settings box, flip on the switch next to the account wishing to use Timeline. Within the Activity History settings box, you can also wipe your activity history. To remove activities directly from the Timeline screen, right-click the thumbnail preview and choose the Remove or Clear option.

For those who find the feature useful and wish to use it, pressing the Windows and Tab keys opens the Timeline from the keyboard. You can also open Timeline by clicking its Taskbar icon next to the Cortana search box. Don’t see the Timeline icon? Right-click the Taskbar and choose “Show Task View Button.”

NYtimes

Reinstalling Windows 10

Have a laptop, want to reinstall Windows 10:

Resetting lets you choose whether to keep your files or remove them, and then reinstalls Windows. To get started, go to Settings > Update & security > Reset this PC > Get started and choose an option.

If you can't open Settings, you can get to reset by restarting your PC from the sign-in screen. Press the Windows logo key  +L to get to the sign-in screen, then hold the Shift key down while you select Power  > Restart in the lower-right corner of the screen. After your PC restarts, select Troubleshoot > Reset this PC.

If you can't get to the sign-in screen, use a recovery drive or installation media to reset your PC.

Option	What it does
Keep my files	Reinstalls Windows 10 and keeps your personal files. Removes apps and drivers you installed. Removes changes you made to settings. Removes any apps your PC manufacturer installed. (If your PC came with Windows 10, apps from your PC manufacturer will be reinstalled.)
Remove everything	Reinstalls Windows 10 and removes all your personal files. Removes apps and drivers you installed. Removes changes you made to settings. Removes any apps your PC manufacturer installed. (If your PC came with Windows 10, apps from your PC manufacturer will be reinstalled.) If you're planning to donate, recycle, or sell your PC, use this option and choose to fully clean the drive. This might take an hour or two, but it makes it harder for other people to recover files you've removed.
Restore factory settings	Reinstalls the version of Windows that your PC came with (either Windows 8 or Windows 8.1) and removes your personal files. Removes apps and drivers you installed. Removes changes you made to settings. Reinstalls any apps your PC manufacturer installed on your PC. This option isn't available on all PCs.

https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/help/12415/windows-10-recovery-options

Windows 10: Refresh vs Fresh Start

In the Windows 10 Anniversary Update, customers can use the Refresh Windows feature, which had similar function.

Customer	Fresh start	Refresh Windows Tool
OS	Always on the latest Windows (upgrades to the latest update). Fresh Start requires PC to be connected to the Internet to install updates and upgrades.	Always on RS1 build without the latest updates.
Drivers	All drivers are kept.(Only INF-based drivers are kept. Device applets installed outside of INF are discarded.)	Only in-box drivers are kept.
User data (pictures, documents, music, videos, desktop shortcuts)	Always keeps user data. No option to remove user data.	Options to keep user date or keep nothing.
Store apps(OEM-preinstalled)	Provisioned Store apps (apps that came with the PC) are kept.	Provisioned Store apps are not kept.
Store apps(User-installed)	All user-installed Store apps are discarded.	All user-installed Store apps are discarded.
Desktop apps(OEM-preinstalled)	All OEM preinstalled desktop apps are discarded. Makes Windows Defender the default antivirus.	All OEM preinstalled desktop apps are discarded. Makes Windows Defender the default antivirus.
Desktop apps(User-installed)	All user-installed desktop apps are discarded.	All user-installed desktop apps are discarded.
Personalized Windows settings (Path: Settings>Accounts>Sync your settings)	Personalized Windows settings are saved in cloud storage via Micosoft account.	Personalized Windows settings are saved in cloud storage via Micosoft account.
Other settings	Bluetooth pairing information is kept for Human Interface Device (HID) class devices (such as a Bluetooth headset) Power settings are kept.

Safe mode and repair for Windows 10

With a Windows 10 installation DVD or USB memory stick lying around, or if you can create one, you can use it to boot your broken PC with Windows 10 into Safe Mode. To create a Windows 10 installation drive, follow the steps from this tutorial: How to download Windows 10 Creators Update and create your own installation media. Then use it to boot your broken Windows 10 PC from it and wait for the installation environment to load. Choose the language and keyboard layout you prefer and click or tap on Next.

Next, click or tap on the link that says “Repair your computer” on the bottom left corner of the screen.

Click or tap on Troubleshoot.

On the “Advanced options” screen, click/tap on “Command Prompt (Use the Command Prompt for advanced troubleshooting).”

Now Command prompt will load. Inside it, write the command: bcdedit /set {default} safeboot minimal. Then press Enter on your keyboard.

After a moment, Command Prompt tells you that “The operation [was] completed successfully.”

Then close the Command Prompt and choose to Continue on the next screen.

After your PC reboots, Windows 10 will automatically boot into Safe Mode.

https://www.digitalcitizen.life/4-ways-boot-safe-mode-windows-10

Fixing file:boot/bcd error in Windows

PC was giving FILE:boot/bcd   error, these steps fixed it:

Repair Master Boot Record MBR

The process is almost same for Windows 10/8/7. First and foremost you need a Windows installation DVD/USB. (Windows 10 Installation Tool)

Step 1:
Press F8 while booting the system to go into the Windows Recovery Menu. Unlike other version Windows 8’s recovery menu has the Metro UI style.

Step 2:
Click on Troubleshoot.




Step 3:
Click on Advanced options to get into Automatic Repair menu.


Step 4:
We need to use the Bootrec.exe tool. Click on command prompt and type in the following commands, one after the other:

bootrec /RebuildBcd

bootrec /fixMbr

bootrec /fixboot

from http://www.thewindowsclub.com/

wiping an Apple HD clean

Need to clean off an Apple iMac before it is sold:


Start up from macOS Recovery
macOS Recovery installs different versions of macOS depending on the key combination you use while starting up. Turn on or restart your Mac, then immediately hold down    Command (⌘)-R

To erase your startup disk:

1. Select Disk Utility from the utilities window of macOS Recovery, then click Continue.
2. Select your device or volume in the sidebar of Disk Utility.
   
3. Click the Erase button or tab.
   
4. Complete these fields:
   
   • Name: Enter a name for your disk, such as "Macintosh HD".
   • Format: Choose Mac OS Extended (Journaled) or APFS.
   • Scheme (if available): Choose GUID Partition Map.
5. Click Erase to begin erasing your disk.

https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT204904

Dual boot Apple OS

Install Windows 10 on Your Mac

In the steps below, we'll use Boot Camp Assistant to create a bootable USB drive and install Windows 10 on a new partition. Then you'll be able to choose which OS you want to use whenever you start the Mac up.

1. Download the Windows 10 ISO disk image from Microsoft using this link. Choose the 64-bit version of Windows. Also, some people, including myself, have gotten an error message if the ISO image is saved to your default Downloads folder, so save the ISO image to your Documents folder or somewhere else to avoid problems.

2. Open Boot Camp Assistant. You'll find this in the Utilities folder or you can hit CMD + Spacebar to search for "Boot Camp Assistant."




For the rest:  http://www.laptopmag.com/articles/dual-boot-windows-os-x-mac

Apple OS on USB drive

Apple has included a terminal command that can create an install disk for you. Assuming that you have the macOS Sierra installer in your Applications folder and you have a Mac OS Extended (Journaled)-formatted USB drive named "Untitled" mounted on the system, you can create a Sierra install drive by typing the following command into the Terminal.

sudo /Applications/Install\ macOS\ Sierra.app/Contents/Resources/createinstallmedia --volume /Volumes/Untitled --applicationpath /Applications/Install\ macOS\ Sierra.app --nointeraction


The command will erase the disk and copy the install files over. Give it some time, and your volume will soon be loaded up with not just the macOS installer but also an external recovery partition that may come in handy if your hard drive dies and you're away from an Internet connection.


http://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2016/09/how-to-make-your-own-bootable-macos-10-12-sierra-usb-install-drive/

Windows 10 download & install

Having problems with some PC for Windows 10 Download:



Before anything else, you should check whether Windows Update has the ability to download and install update automatically. This takes a few simple steps:

1. Open Windows Update by positioning the mouse pointer in the bottom right corner of the screen and then moving it up. After this click Settings > Change PC settings > Update and recovery.
2. Next, click on "choose how updates get installed" and on the next page choose the relevant option under Important updates.
3. From there choose "give me recommended updates the same way I receive important updates" check box from under the Recommended updates section
4. Under Microsoft Update then choose the "give me updates for other Microsoft products when I update Windows" check box and click "Apply."
5. Open up Windows Explorer to view the files on your PC. Go to C:\Windows\SoftwareDistribution\Download and delete all the files that are in the folder (but don't delete the folder itself).

When you've done all of that, launch the Command Prompt in Administrator mode (you can do this by pressing the Windows Key on your keyboard and X, then select "Command Prompt (Admin)" from the menu that appears) and type in: wuauclt.exe/updatenow. With any luck your download should then begin and you'll be able to enjoy Windows 10.


If you're still having trouble installing Windows 10, here's some solutions. If you get the "Error: "Something Happened 0x80070005-0x90002" message during the Windows 10 installation process following steps:

1. Disable all antivirus and firewalls running in your version of Windows
2. Reset Windows Update by running Microsoft's FixIt tool
3. If that doesn't work try the System Update Readiness tool from Microsoft.

From techradar


Also basic trouble shooting  PCadvisor 


USB install version from Microsoft

Cloning a hard drive - Windows

My home PC is dying, want to clone the C drive,  from Lifehacker

What You'll Need

There are a number of different ways to go about this, but we've found this to be the easiest and most reliable method. Here's what you'll need:

• Your current hard drive, with Windows installed. For simplicity's sake we'll call this drive—that is, the drive you're migrating from—your "current hard drive" throughout the tutorial.
• A solid-state drive. This is the drive you'll be migrating to. To get a rough idea of how big it should be, head to your current drive, navigate to C:\Users\ and right-click on your user folder. Hit Properties, and mark down how much space that folder takes up. Head to My Computer and note how much space Drive C: has filled up, and subtract your user folder's size from C:'s total. That's how big your SSD needs to be, though I'd give yourself a good deal of wiggle room for future updates and new programs. We'll assume, for the purposes of this guide, that you've already installed your new hard drive and are ready to migrate your data.
• A backup of all your data. Since you can't clone only part of a drive, you'll need to remove your music, movies, and other personal files from your current drive before migrating Windows to the SSD. That means you'll want to back up your data somewhere else—whether that be an external drive, a spare internal drive, or the cloud. Just make sure that data is safe and recoverable, since we'll be restoring it later on.
• EaseUS Todo Backup Free. This is the program we'll be using to migrate your installation. It's easy to use, free, and it can clone partitions from a big drive to a smaller drive, which is crucial for this process (since your SSD is probably smaller than your current hard drive).

Apple OS via bootable USB drive

What to be able to restore Apple OS for patrons (from Ars Technica):

Apple has actually included a terminal command that can create an install disk for you. Assuming that you have the OS X El Capitan installer in your Applications folder and you have a Mac OS X Extended (Journaled)-formatted USB drive named "Untitled" mounted on the system, you can create an El Capitan install drive by typing the following command into the Terminal.

sudo /Applications/Install\ OS\ X\ El\ Capitan.app/Contents/Resources/createinstallmedia --volume /Volumes/Untitled --applicationpath /Applications/Install\ OS\ X\ El\ Capitan.app --nointeraction

The command will erase the disk and copy the install files over. Give it some time, and your volume will soon be loaded up with not just the OS X installer but also an external recovery partition that may come in handy if your hard drive dies and you're away from an Internet connection.

Linux OS reviews

Looking at different Linux versions, here are some reviews


http://www.techradar.com/us/news/software/operating-systems/best-linux-distro-five-we-recommend-1090058

http://www.howtogeek.com/191207/10-of-the-most-popular-linux-distributions-compared/

Chrome OS on old PCs

Looking to salvage older equipment by installing Chrome OS:


http://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2015/10/turning-a-crappy-old-windows-pc-into-a-full-fledged-chromebook-with-cloudready/

http://www.theverge.com/video/2016/3/7/11161620/how-to-chromebook-pc-tips-tricks-hacks

https://www.neverware.com/