Linux question

[Hawkmoon]

Once again, I am considering experimenting with Linux, but not yet ready to switch over from Windoze. I'm looking at buying a cheap, used laptop or small desktop box and using that as a Linux test bed to see how well I can adapt to it.

Assuming the computer I start with is on some version of Windows, what I'm thinking is to simply yank the computer's original internal drive and start from scratch with a fresh SSD drive. That way, if I mess up completely or just decide that I'm not cut out for Linux, I can just re-install the original internal drive and revert back to the factory configuration.

Or can I?

What is the GRUB bootloader, and where does it install? Does GRUB go on the hard drive, or does GRUB install itself in the BIOS or somewhere else in the firmware?

[zxcvbob]

If there's nothing on the laptop's HD that you want except the Windows license, you can overwrite it with Linux, then later if you change your mind you can reinstall Windows from USB.  Make sure Windows is activated first, and that you know whether it's Home or Pro.

Swapping out the hard drive and then swapping it back should work too; GRUB goes on first sector of the partition.

[cordex]

Once again, I am considering experimenting with Linux, but not yet ready to switch over from Windoze. I'm looking at buying a cheap, used laptop or small desktop box and using that as a Linux test bed to see how well I can adapt to it.

Don't you have some extra computers already?

Assuming the computer I start with is on some version of Windows, what I'm thinking is to simply yank the computer's original internal drive and start from scratch with a fresh SSD drive. That way, if I mess up completely or just decide that I'm not cut out for Linux, I can just re-install the original internal drive and revert back to the factory configuration.

Yes, you can, or you can buy a cheap USB drive and put a bootable version of Linux on it. 

What is the GRUB bootloader, and where does it install? Does GRUB go on the hard drive, or does GRUB install itself in the BIOS or somewhere else in the firmware?

The GRUB bootloader lets you decide which operating system to boot, so if you have multiple operating systems on the same drive you can select one at boot time.

[Hawkmoon]

Don't you have some extra computers already?

Yes, but none that I'm willing to risk trashing Windows on.

The GRUB bootloader lets you decide which operating system to boot, so if you have multiple operating systems on the same drive you can select one at boot time.

It didn't work that way with the mini-computer I moved from Windows XP to Linux. Dunno what I did wrong, but there is now no way to boot from a Windows USB and reinstall Windows on it. After that fiasco, I'm gun-shy.

[zahc]

Grub lives on the hard drive in the boot sector. The various grub configuration files will live in your linux partition someplace. So your idea of swapping hard drives should work fine.

Note there is legacy BIOS, UEFI with legacy fallback mode, and UEFI proper, and some motherboards only support one or the other. This shouldn't impact your scheme, you will just have to install Linux however your mobo supports and the installer should do it.

Of course grub is designed so you can boot both, but f windows and you want to use a nice new SSD anyway.

[RocketMan]

Buy a Raspberry Pi 4 or Raspberry Pi 5 kit.  They run anywhere from about $140 to $180 depending on whether it's a Pi 4 or Pi 5 and how much onboard memory it has, 4 GB or 8GB.  I recommend the Pi 5 8GB kit as it's the most capable.  All you need after that is a keyboard, mouse and monitor and you'll have a decently capable little (as in very small) computer for very little outlay.
All Raspberry Pi computers run Debian v12 (Bookworm), 32 bit or 64 bit depending on your preference.  The OS is typically loaded on a 32GB MicroSD card, though you can load and boot it from a USB SSD if you want to get fancy.  There are inexpensive add-on boards that will allow connecting up to two NVME SSDs if you'd rather go that route.
Dual 4k video micro HDMI ports, gigabit ethernet, four USB ports (two USB 2, two USB 3), and other neat connectivity.
You can load and reload the OS as often as you wish while experimenting.  The Raspberry Pi 4 and Pi 5 are not limited to Debian Bookworm, either.  Other flavors of Linux and various other desktops can be loaded and experimented with to your heart's content.  Load the different OSes on separate MicroSD cards and just swap them out when you want to boot one to work with.
Canakit and Vilros are both authorized resellers of the Raspberry Pi computers.  You can find their stuff on Amazon.

[lee n. field]

Once again, I am considering experimenting with Linux, but not yet ready to switch over from Windoze. I'm looking at buying a cheap, used laptop or small desktop box and using that as a Linux test bed to see how well I can adapt to it.

Assuming the computer I start with is on some version of Windows, what I'm thinking is to simply yank the computer's original internal drive and start from scratch with a fresh SSD drive. That way, if I mess up completely or just decide that I'm not cut out for Linux, I can just re-install the original internal drive and revert back to the factory configuration.

Or can I?

Yes, this will work

What is the GRUB bootloader, and where does it install? Does GRUB go on the hard drive, or does GRUB install itself in the BIOS or somewhere else in the firmware?

GRUB is, yeah, the bootloader.  It installs normally and by default in the boot sector of your hard disk.

[lee n. field]

Yes, but none that I'm willing to risk trashing Windows on.

It didn't work that way with the mini-computer I moved from Windows XP to Linux. Dunno what I did wrong, but there is now no way to boot from a Windows USB and reinstall Windows on it. After that fiasco, I'm gun-shy.

suspect you just do't know what the hotkey is to pop up the boot menu.

[bedlamite]

https://www.newegg.com/hp-elitebook-840-g3/p/N82E16834271972?Item=9SIB9ADJ2U0450

Get it up and running and registered on Windows so you can convert back if you want. Then download Linux Mint, put it on a thumbdrive and boot and install from that.

https://www.linuxmint.com/

[Hawkmoon]

https://www.newegg.com/hp-elitebook-840-g3/p/N82E16834271972?Item=9SIB9ADJ2U0450

Get it up and running and registered on Windows so you can convert back if you want. Then download Linux Mint, put it on a thumbdrive and boot and install from that.

https://www.linuxmint.com/

That's a helluva deal. Dunno why I don't remember to check Newegg more often.

Found a used HP G72B61NR locally for $20. Perfect for this purpose. I'll meet the seller this evening or tomorrow to pick it up.

I'm going to play with LMDE6, the Debian clone of Linux Mint, but without Ubuntu. https://blog.linuxmint.com/?p=4570

[WLJ]

Linux Mint v22 is now available for download

https://linuxmint.com/download_all.php

[WLJ]

And it's not playing nice with VMWare

[bedlamite]

And it's not playing nice with VMWare

Old rules still apply. Use the highest update of the last software generation.

[Bogie]

be careful if you're running a dual boot - A bit back my living room system (basically just running the tv and stereo) tried to update windows... And the dual boot resulted in something that flat out trashed the HD...

[WLJ]

be careful if you're running a dual boot - A bit back my living room system (basically just running the tv and stereo) tried to update windows... And the dual boot resulted in something that flat out trashed the HD...

Assuming that wasn't when the HDD decided to poop the bed probably something easy to fix with the right software