[ale] [Fwd: [Am-info] Windows XP doesn't like to share with Linux]

Christopher R. Curzio ale at accipiter.org
Wed May 29 23:18:59 EDT 2002


Indeed. 

The restore disks provided with Compaq computers (at least, all of the
ones I have encountered) are made to give your a system a flashback to
when it was first boxed up at the factory. I started to get annoyed with
the article's author when he kept referring to Windows ME as "Mimi", then
I was amazed when I saw that he was trying to "install" XP from a restore
disk provided by the manufacturer. 

You know, there's a big huge warning that pops up before you click the
"Restore" button that pretty much says "Okay, here's what is going to
happen to your computer. Everything on the disk is going to be nuked,
never to return. Your drive will be pressed with the exact specifications
it had when you first took it out of the box. If this is what you want to
happen, press the RESTORE button. If not, press CANCEL and be on your
merry way." That's why they're called "restore" disks.

I got pissed, because this author is obviously ignorant, and blathering
about something of which he is clueless. This isn't XP's fault,
Microsoft's fault, or Compaq's fault. Granted, it is pretty lame that
companies (with help from Microsoft, no doubt) don't provide a full
installation disk for Windows, but to write such drivel like this and put
the blame on something that is not at fault can only serve to make Linux
users look like uninformed, whiny morons. 

So I scrolled back up to see who wrote it, and shock of shocks: By Robin
"Roblimo" Miller. The famed Slashdot editor. Incredible. 

Of course, I'm not a Microsoft advocate, or even a Windows user for that
matter - (except at work, no choice there.) I'm a Linux advocate. That's
"advocate", not zealot. And since I'm a Linux advocate, I felt this needed
to be pointed out.

-- 
Christopher R. Curzio
http://www.accipiter.org
:wq!


Thus Spake Andrew Grimmke <grimmke at directvinternet.com>:
29 May 2002 09:28:01 -0400


> On Wed, 2002-05-29 at 20:50, Geoffrey wrote:
> > This story indicates that Windows XP OEM install will reformat all
> > drive space on a computer upon installation, regardless of there
> > already being formatted partitions on the drive.  Anyone else
> > experience this?
> > 
> > 
> >    Windows XP doesn't like to share with Linux
> > 
> > <http://newsforge.com/article.pl?sid=02/05/27/0334227>
> > 
> > -- 
> > Until later: Geoffrey		esoteric at 3times25.net
> > 
> > I didn't have to buy my radio from a specific company to listen
> > to FM, why doesn't that apply to the Internet (anymore...)?
> 
> It appears from the article and some of the responses that the problem
> was the author using a "restore" disk rather than a full copy of the
> OS.  The restore disk will wipe out partitions as it "restores" the hard
> drive to it's original configuration.  If OEMs would just give people
> the OS rather than the stupid restore CD, this guy wouldn't have had a
> problem.  Also, he may have had more luck if he had shrunk the XP
> partition by hand rather than letting the distribution installer try. 
> 
> 
> 
> ---
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