Kitty has been getting inundated with viruses and would like to know if Linux is an option: “What is Linux and is it safer than Windows?” Kitty, Linux is an operating system which is competitive with Microsoft’s Windows; however, Linux is quite a bit different on a technical level.
It is arguable whether Linux is actually safer to use than Windows. For home PC users Linux has its ups and downs like anything else. Linux is still vulnerable to virus attacks, but because Windows is the most popular operating system, it is also the most targeted. In a business environment Linux can be easily targeted because the attacker knows the systems will be there to attack. In a home environment the attacker probably will have no idea what he is attacking.
I should have probably given a nickel lesson in Linux before I jumped into it. Linux is a free (or open source) operating system which is built on another operating system called Unix. It was originally developed by its creator as a hobby and quickly evolved into a robust platform. Functionally it’s different than Windows; however, depending on the version can feel very much like Windows.
We just installed Linux on a customer’s desktop computer who was a repeat offender for viruses. The thought I had is that he will be less prone to viruses and spyware and will still be able to use his machine for most of the functions he’s used to. We installed Ubuntu, which is one of the more popular Linux distributions. In this customer’s case there were some things he couldn’t do that he’s used to in Windows. Adobe Flash installed differently in Linux than Windows; due to this, some of the online applications this gentleman used were not functional.
If you do change to Linux I suggest setting up a dual partition which allows you to choose either Windows or Linux depending on your task. You cannot install some software into Linux that you can install into Windows. For example, QuickBooks cannot be installed into Linux. Kitty, you may find that Linux is adequate for what you do, but I would suggest trying it for a while before you take the plunge into it and completely change.
Tom’s computer gives him a blue screen and he asks: “What does the error message ‘unmountable boot device’ mean?” Unfortunately Tom, that usually means you have a failing hard drive. Typically a hard drive is running when the machine is powered on. Hard drives are one of only several mechanical components inside the computer.
It is possible that some of your data is retrievable even after a hard drive failure. Just because your hard drive has failed doesn’t mean the machine is a total loss. At the shop we have seen failed hard drives completely duplicate from one to the other with zero data loss. In other cases we are able to retrieve all of the user data (pictures and documents) and install them back to a new installation of Windows.
Before you get totally frustrated and toss your machine you should consider checking a few things on your own. It is sometimes common for a cable to come loose – especially with new SATA hard drives. You should check each cable to make sure they’re firmly connected to both the motherboard and hard drive. If while you’re in the computer you heat a ticking noise coming from the hard drive, then you most likely have failed equipment.
Tech-Tip of the week: Smart power strips electronically unplug devices plugged into them when they are powered off – saving you money.
(Jeromy Patriquin is the President of Laptop & Computer Repair, Inc. located at 509 Main St. in Gardner. You can e-mail him at Jeromy@LocalComputerWiz.com or call him directly at (978) 919-8059.)