[ale] If you must restore a windows computer, how do you make it better?

[Jeff Lightner]

You might try installing Cygwin since it allows you to run Linux
commands under Windows without doing a separate Linux install.


Recently when I was asking about Cygwin/Xming Doug Werth had this
interesting suggestion:
"Something that has worked real well for me, and is very inexpensive
(i.e. FREE) is a to load VirtualBox from Sun (similar to VMWare) on the
Windows desktop and then create a virtual partition with a copy of
Fedora Linux. On one desktop you can have Windows running along with an
instance of linux and all of its x-windows capabilities. I've used
cygwin in the past and would never go back." 
I haven't looked into that myself yet but it likely allows other Linux
distros so you could probably choose your favorite.



-----Original Message-----
From: ale-bounces at ale.org [mailto:ale-bounces at ale.org] On Behalf Of
Richard Bronosky
Sent: Wednesday, October 14, 2009 2:36 PM
To: Atlanta Linux Enthusiasts - Yes! We run Linux!
Subject: [ale] If you must restore a windows computer,how do you make it
better?

## Please include this in replies. The OP is requesting that we refrain
from
## the use of cryptic L33t H at xx0r anti-MSFT-isms.

My MiL had a hard drive failure in her Dell windows media center
machine. (which does not have a tuner card and serves not media center
purpose, but the Dell sales person up-sold her) I have recovered the
data using my Linux desktop and a drive dock. I now must consider what
to do with the bones.

She will not use anything other than windows. End of story. Moving on.

I would like to put a Linux based virtualization solution underneath
so that I can have snapshots and recovery options in the future. I
have already discussed, on this list, my love for Xen. However, I
think that my experience with Xen offers very little to this task.
What I do know is:
* She doesn't want to dual boot Linux and learn to love it. Seriously.
This will only bring iL pain.
* I don't want her hitting some key combination and ending up at a
Linux terminal or GUI

I [think I] know that I want to have all of the user directories on
another partition so that I can restore the OS partition and leave the
user data intact. But, I don't know what other considerations there
are.

If you had to install windows for someone [how] would you try to make
it better with Linux under the hood?

(Please be aware, I know nothing about Windows>98.)

-- 
.!# RichardBronosky #!.
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