Linux Distro Choosing: Getting a CD Tommorow, Yes!

[Kingdaro]

Understand that just because you don't have any problems, that doesn't mean others don't either.

For me, windows 7 would occasionally close pretty much every program open, and would close them again minutes later when I reopened them. That, and it often used up to 75% of memory if I weren't constantly watching the task manager. Windows 8 wouldn't stop freezing and locking up my PC.

There's also the problem of updates which require you to restart your computer, and updates that won't shut up until you restart your computer.

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[matthewbim11]

If you're complaining about updates, then that's most likely the reason you have such a bad time with crashing. Microsoft releases frequent updates so your computer does not crash. Why would you install an update and not restart anyway. I do that even if it does not ask me to. This is my my computer has never crashed. If your system is using up large amounts of resources on idle, take the time to backup your personal files and do a fresh install of your OS. This will purge your computer of junk slowing it down and you won't crash nearly as much. You can't use your computer every day and not expect to do any maintenance on it.

[PurpleMetro]

Since I have 5 CD's, i'm Installing Arch Linux on this first one.

[Pacha-]

Since I have 5 CD's, i'm Installing Arch Linux on this first one.

have fun setting that up lol

i like arch and all but its a bitch to set up for beginners like op

[Kingdaro]

If you're complaining about updates, then that's most likely the reason you have such a bad time with crashing. Microsoft releases frequent updates so your computer does not crash.

I did update my computer.

Why would you install an update and not restart anyway. I do that even if it does not ask me to.

More times than not, I'm actually in the middle of something, and restarting would lose my focus immediately, and is just generally annoying. Even worse if you're in the middle of a game of osu!. If I don't have to restart, I wont.

If your system is using up large amounts of resources on idle, take the time to backup your personal files and do a fresh install of your OS. This will purge your computer of junk slowing it down and you won't crash nearly as much. You can't use your computer every day and not expect to do any maintenance on it.

I'm talking RAM and CPU usage. Removing files on the hard drive doesn't even help with that, it's the programs that are running alongside windows (and windows itself) that take up the memory. And before you say to stop running so many programs in the background, I run the same number of programs (sometimes more) on Mint and I barely ever hit 50% memory usage unless I'm playing Minecraft.

[xSetrox]

Get Linux mint 13 maya cinnamon.
That's what I use, and it works fine.

[PurpleMetro]

have fun setting that up lol

i like arch and all but its a bitch to set up for beginners like op

Oh my god you are right.
Guess my last resort is Mint.

[KoopaScooper]

OP didn't listen to anyone and is just going on what he said at the beginning

[Kingdaro]

Oh my god you are right.

We tried to tell you. :/

[Marcem]

If you're complaining about updates, then that's most likely the reason you have such a bad time with crashing. Microsoft releases frequent updates so your computer does not crash. Why would you install an update and not restart anyway. I do that even if it does not ask me to. This is my my computer has never crashed. If your system is using up large amounts of resources on idle, take the time to backup your personal files and do a fresh install of your OS. This will purge your computer of junk slowing it down and you won't crash nearly as much. You can't use your computer every day and not expect to do any maintenance on it.

The problem lies in the fact that windows will sometimes start updating without my knowledge, and completely lock up.  What the forget great design is that?  Also it is simply random in how it will boot up from day to day.  Sometimes it just decides to load up and shut down, how do you even do that?

[PurpleMetro]

help me

i'm trying to install mint linux but it's too big

Mint Linux: 1000 MB
My CD: 700 MB

[matthewbim11]

muh background processes

With Skype and Chrome open, my laptop runs at 6% CPU (i3 2370 2.4GHZ) and 20% RAM (8 gigs I think it's GSkill, 2 sticks of 4 gig). A fresh install of Windows will get rid of all things not required to make Windows run (unless you have a laptop that came with bloatware, there is a option to install Windows only). This will lower your resource usage down to the minimum for the operating system. Yes, you're going to hit a limit of how low you can push the percentage, but as you said you're not going to need but 50% of your RAM anyway.

Size limit

http://www.pendrivelinux.com/universal-usb-installer-easy-as-1-2-3/
If for some reason you don't have a USB drive that you can format for this (2013 not having USB ect ect), look for a smaller version of Mint.

updates

I haven't used 7 in quite some time, but my computer only updates if I leave it on overnight, or if it asks me and I say yes. Also, I don't understand what you're trying to say in the last two sentences, but sounds like you have corrupted files causing a crash right after boot. Back up files and install a legitimate copy of Windows.

[Kingdaro]

With Skype and Chrome open, my laptop runs at 6% CPU (i3 2370 2.4GHZ) and 20% RAM (8 gigs I think it's GSkill, 2 sticks of 4 gig).

That is you. Again, understand that your computer is not equal to that of others, and different people have different needs.

A fresh install of Windows will get rid of all things not required to make Windows run (unless you have a laptop that came with bloatware, there is a option to install Windows only). This will lower your resource usage down to the minimum for the operating system.

That's the thing, for me, it's easier and a much more fitting solution for myself to just install linux than it is to back everything up and reinstall windows. Not only is it way faster, way smaller, and it uses significantly less resources and is incredibly customizable, it has a lot of nice quirks about it that I like, such as the bash scripting language, the ease of being able to compile pretty much any program from source, and a lot of developer-oriented programs and languages like lua, python, c and others being natively supported by the operating system. Most programs not available for linux can be ran through wine.

Why bother trying to make windows 7 work better, when linux already does that out of the box? It just had too many problems for me to use, and linux's benefits outweighed the cons. I'm not going to switch back because it works fine for you; it's my computer, not yours.

Yes, you're going to hit a limit of how low you can push the percentage, but as you said you're not going to need but 50% of your RAM anyway.

Your system can significantly slow down if your RAM or CPU usage goes too high. Once it gets to 80% or 90%, even your mouse cursor will start flipping out. 75% is within the safe zone, but carelessness can change that right away.

[Marcem]

I haven't used 7 in quite some time, but my computer only updates if I leave it on overnight, or if it asks me and I say yes. Also, I don't understand what you're trying to say in the last two sentences, but sounds like you have corrupted files causing a crash right after boot. Back up files and install a legitimate copy of Windows.

Thank you, master of assumptions.  I bought Windows 8 upgrade on day one.  And only after using windows 8 has it started doing random silent updates that lock up the entire system (though windows 7 was the master of random updates taking up all of my resources), Windows 7 and 8 do the random startup behavior.

[matthewbim11]

Trying to make W7 work

Windows 7 does work out of box for the average user. It works much better out of box than most distros of Linux. With Windows 7 and even more so with Windows 8, you simply install it and your programs. With (most) Linux distros you will have to have another computer on hand to trouble shoot the myriad of problems you encounter with a fresh install. When I used Ubuntu my Ethernet and wireless PCI card did not work. I'm not asking you to change back, I'm asking you to respect Windows for what it is. You may be a person who has enough computer experience to work around Linux's complications, but people like OP will have a very hard time.

Thank you, master of assumptions.  I bought Windows 8 upgrade on day one.  And only after using windows 8 has it started doing random silent updates that lock up the entire system (though windows 7 was the master of random updates taking up all of my resources), Windows 7 and 8 do the random startup behavior.

Master of assumptions? All I said is that if you were to install Windows again, you should choose a legitimate copy over a pirated version so you would have update support. Yes, Windows 8 was very buggy on release day, and Microsoft released a flood of updates to fix this. I still do not understand why your computer in particular installs updates on it own, but if you look at action center (the flag in your task bar), any updates should appear there.

Your computer is different than others.

My computer is a laptop bought last year (December) with Windows 8 and no modifications done to the system. It has worked flawlessly and has never crashed. Most people (regular computer users running Windows) do not modify their system to rice it up or anything. I can see a connection that if I modify my system heavily it will crash more frequently. I'd even be the master of assumptions and say that you have modified your system to some extent (in the time that Windows was resource heavy).