# Xtra PC device



## Belfrybat (Feb 21, 2003)

Is anyone familiar with this device? It's a USB powered Linux operating system for $35.00. Sounds intriguing. I have a very slow laptop I've been considering replacing, but maybe this would "fix" it. 
https://mydailydiscovery.com/spo/fa...7583617&contract_id=517&oid=465&guvertical=42


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## FreeRange (Oct 9, 2005)

This is what some C/net folks say about it.


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## macmad (Dec 22, 2012)

You can run Ubuntu (a Linux distribution) off of a thumb drive that has at least 2GB of memory. There are lots of videos on YouTube that can give you assistance. I was in the same situation with an old iMac and I made the bootable thumb drive to see if I would like Linux.

I tried it this way several times and decided that I liked what I saw. I used the same thumb drive to wipe everything on my Mac and install Ubuntu on my computer. I have enjoyed the much better performance.

It does bear mentioning that although Linux has grown up alot, it does not do things like add programs and such the same way Windows and OSX does. You have to be willing to do a bit of searching on the internet to learn some things.

It could be a great learning experience, and if it works for you, you have extended the life of your computer. If it doesn't, you are probably leaning towards replacing the old one anyway.


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## HermitJohn (May 10, 2002)

Its just linux on a thumb drive and some version linux I am not familiar with, never heard of it, though probably some standard linux just relabeled for marketing. Much like linux bootable from cd or dvd has been around for years. Just saying $35 is kinda rip off IMHO.

Here is one to compare it with for $12.50: https://www.ebay.com/itm/Xubuntu-18...015144?hash=item41e19caaa8:g:G04AAOSwv7da8ikh

This is just usb version Xubuntu installation disk, you can run it as demo but cant save settings. To save you would need to install it to either internal or external hard drive or SSD. By way if you are going to use it regularly I suggest you get small SSD and usb adapter for it. Wont cost much more than good quality thumb drive and will be faster and last lot longer.

I only suggest Xubuntu cause its installer handles UEFI and Secure Boot nonsense more automatically than some linux. UEFI and SEcureBoot that Microsoft pushed on computer manufacturers if they wanted to install windows. All current computers should have way to disable Secure Boot. Most also have a way to do legacy boot rather than UEFI. I have one mini that its UEFI with no legacy option.

Now personally I like Puppy. Of various version of Puppy Linux, I personally like both Slacko64 6.9.9.9 with linux kernel 4.9.30, its still a beta but I had no problems with it. Works great on my Acer One Cloudbook mini, the ONLY linux I found that worked well with it. however on my current older laptop I am using as desktop, it hangs on shutdown. So using XenialPup64 7.5 with linux kernel 4.9.58. Its full community release and not a beta. Its slick. All Puppy Linux can be installed to thumb drive or SSD or hard drive. Preferably run in frugal mode with a save folder. Though you can do full install if you want, just no advantage in doing so and some disadvantages. I can tell you both these versions Puppy are quite happy with 2GB RAM, will do ok with 1GB though if you are using big full blown standard browser, you probably want either 2GB RAM or a good size swap partition. Browsers anymore use lot RAM.

The trouble with Puppy on UEFI is that the built in installer doesnt do UEFI, there is an included program called LICK that is probably about as easy a way to get it to boot on UEFI as is possible. Can also use GRUB2, but its more trouble. Also one called rfind. Now if you are booting in legacy mode or its just old computer that only had legacy mode, then no biggie, you have option of GRUB4DOS. Its offered during Puppy install. Oh and with Puppy you can do a manual install, basically just copy like four files off the iso or cd , then install your preferred boot loader. 

Now easy way to make a thumb drive from linux iso that will boot on any computer, use a program called Rufus. Rufus is a freeware windows program, you can also use linux program called unetbootin. Though Rufus is nicer. It will automatically produce a thumb drive that boots either legacy mode or uefi (assuming the linux iso supports booting uefi, most modern mainstream ones do). Now when I made a Puppy thumb drive using Rufus, I had left an empty partition for Puppy to make a save folder. However for life of me, never did get it to find that save folder on bootup. Something in way Rufus created the hybrid partition table it uses to allow booting on both legacy and UEFI computers. Sure there is a way, I just didnt spend enough time on it. Also there is a way to make Rufus do its thing with a usb SSD. Normally it only wants to install only to thumb drive but I cant remember right off, but you push certain keys and at one point in running it and it then will see the SSD. Rufus definitely way to go if you just want to try Puppy on thumb drive on UEFI computer. I think you still would need to turn off secure boot. There is a puplet called FATdog related to Puppy, but independent, that I think does do both UEFI and SecureBoot. Perhaps that has moved to Xenialpup and other current pups too??? I tend to do legacy boot if at all possible, just lot less hassle.

Too much information, but alas nothing is simple anymore. I gladly try to explain anything about Puppy, and to certain extent Xubuntu or Knoppix. I havent really kept up with other linux distributions. I am most familiar with Puppy cause I used it every day and have since turn of the century. Here is link to Puppy forum: http://murga-linux.com/puppy Lot info there and people there generally pretty happy to help newbies.


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## HermitJohn (May 10, 2002)

macmad said:


> You can run Ubuntu (a Linux distribution) off of a thumb drive that has at least 2GB of memory. There are lots of videos on YouTube that can give you assistance. I was in the same situation with an old iMac and I made the bootable thumb drive to see if I would like Linux.
> 
> I tried it this way several times and decided that I liked what I saw. I used the same thumb drive to wipe everything on my Mac and install Ubuntu on my computer. I have enjoyed the much better performance.
> 
> ...


After you have fought win10 for a while, linux doesnt look like so much hassle..... I will say Puppy works great on nearly any two core processor computer. Ok on the last of the single core processors. I strongly suggest 2GB RAM minimum, though if you have a 2 core processor, you can get by pretty well with 1GB RAM and a swap partition.

Mainstream linux distributions tend to have package manager. The package manager usually will install software you want plus any dependencies. You also use the package manager to uninstall software you no longer want. The smaller distributions usually set up to use the Debian/Ubuntu repositories, Slackware repositories, or the RedHad respositories, depending which flavor linux they are based on. If they dont have their own. You can also track down packages and manually install them, though some require LOT of libraries (library in linux is like dll in windows) to support them and those libraries have to be compatible. Can tell you running 32bit software on a 64bit linux system can be interesting to say the least.


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## 4tu (Jul 24, 2018)

Belfrybat said:


> Is anyone familiar with this device? It's a USB powered Linux operating system for $35.00. Sounds intriguing. I have a very slow laptop I've been considering replacing, but maybe this would "fix" it.
> https://mydailydiscovery.com/spo/fa...7583617&contract_id=517&oid=465&guvertical=42


Why buy when linux is free.

you first need to know if your computer is 32 or 64 bit (64 bit can run either)

A live version can be run without installing it off your CD /DVD drive just set your bios to boot from that device you would have to set your bios to boot from a flash drive is you got that version your taking about so you would still have to change your bios settings.

you need to download the .ISO file of the version of Linux you want,

Burn it to a blank CD or DVD depends on it size 650MB a CD over that size use a DVD.

To get your feet wet I advise Puppy Linux it is has live boot versions Xenial, Tahrpup, Slacko, all will fit on a CD and run and find networking hardware pretty well. here is the link theu are listed halfway down the page.

https://distrowatch.com/table.php?distribution=puppy


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## mnn2501 (Apr 2, 2008)

IF $35 is worth not doing a bit of research to download an iso of Linux to any flash drive with at least 2GB open, then yeah, go for it. When my Windoze blew a gasket and died (preventing me from accessing my hard drive), I downloaded ubuntu linux for free onto an old 8GB flash drive via my wife's computer and was able to use it to retrieve files from my Windoze hard drive


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## Gary in ohio (May 11, 2002)

Belfrybat said:


> Is anyone familiar with this device? It's a USB powered Linux operating system for $35.00. Sounds intriguing. I have a very slow laptop I've been considering replacing, but maybe this would "fix" it.
> https://mydailydiscovery.com/spo/fa...7583617&contract_id=517&oid=465&guvertical=42


Sound more like a scam..... Your not getting a new computer your getting a cheap USB flash drive for $35. You can do it yourself for a lot less money..


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## HermitJohn (May 10, 2002)

Ok, here is simplest way:

1. Rufus, its a windows program so you need to run it in windows, it allows you to create a bootable thumbdrive (or SSD) that can boot both legacy and UEFI: https://rufus.akeo.ie/

2. Xenialpup iso links for 32bit and 64bit. 32bit will run on single or multicore computers, 64bit only on multicore or some rare hyperthreaded single core: http://puppylinux.org/main/Download Latest Release.htm

3. Either good quality thumb drive (not a cheapie noname), and I would suggest at very minimum a 16gb thumbdrive, or a mSATA SSD plus a mSATA to usb adapter. A 32GB mSATA SSD can be had for $15 on ebay, the adapter like $2 or $3 on slow boat from China. The SSD prices vary and also whether new, nearly new, or used-tested. SSD faster and last longer. I have bought new 32GB SSD cheap as $12. And gotten 64GB one cheap as $22. Just saying.... and you do have to do some searching to find those kind of deals.

Anyway using Rufus is simplest way to make a bootable linux thumbdrive/usb that will boot on any PC whether legacy boot or UEFI. Its way to go for a clueless newbie that doesnt want to think too long or hard about this and just wants to see what linux is like. If you have legacy boot and a cdrom or dvdrom drive, then you can just boot from live cd/dvd, no thumbdrive/SSD needed. You can buy a preburned bootable linux cd/dvd for $5. But cds/dvds only boot via legacy. 

I am sorry it has to even be that complex, and others posting seem to ignore that times have changed, but UEFI and SecureBoot makes life more difficult than it used to be when everything was what is now legacy boot. Your computer bios may or may not offer a legacy boot option. If you have windows and UEFI, if you have the option and set bios to boot legacy, windows will no longer boot. If you want to use both windows and linux without going into bios and changing settings for each operating system, , then they both need to be either legacy or UEFI. Or a hybrid that Rufus can create that will boot on either, though SecureBoot will still most likely need to be turned off unless the linux you choose supports it. Windows should still boot without SecureBoot on, but I have run into computers where if Secure Boot is off and you boot win10, it will turn it back on without asking.

Supposedly UEFI and SecureBoot are for security. But those writing malware stuff just do workarounds. Its mostly to protect Microsoft's financial interests by making it more difficult to boot an alternative system. And they know it isnt preventing long time linux users from booting linux, but it will keep somebody from TRYING linux that isnt interested in some long drawn out complicated procedure and lot esoteric knowledge.


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## HermitJohn (May 10, 2002)

Oh suppose its not that important, but I have been playing with WINE-portable in Puppy. So downloaded Rufus and tried running it in WINE. It works. So guess if you only had access to a linux computer, you could still use Rufus.... 

I do like WINE-portable. You just run it, dont have to install it. Lets you run lot small windows freeware programs in linux. My big incentive in trying it was to run the windows version of Kindle app since there is no linux version. Thats still my most used windows program. And I can move it from one linux installation to another and the kindle app stays registered as it sees WINE as the windows computer. So moving WINE to different computer, its still same WINE-portable so doesnt see any change. Kinda cool.


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## Belfrybat (Feb 21, 2003)

Thank you all for your responses. I ended up getting a tooth pulled and it's knocked me on my hiney. Based on responses here and other reviews I won't get the device. When I'm feeling better I'll play around with HJ's directions. There's really nothing wrong with the computer except it is very slow but I don't want to lose the ability to also bring up Windows as MS Publisher only runs on that, and I don't want to give up that program. But it would be lovely to have other programs run faster.


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## mnn2501 (Apr 2, 2008)

Cleaning up a computer so it runs faster is a whole different conversation.


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## 4tu (Jul 24, 2018)

HermitJohn said:


> Supposedly UEFI and SecureBoot are for security. But those writing malware stuff just do workarounds. Its mostly to protect Microsoft's financial interests by making it more difficult to boot an alternative system. And they know it isnt preventing long time linux users from booting linux, but it will keep somebody from TRYING linux that isnt interested in some long drawn out complicated procedure and lot esoteric knowledge.


Exactly


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