I really hate Windows sometimes.
I was messing around in the registry and accidently deleted an entire branch of keys. No problem, I'll just do a restore.

"Windows Restore could not complete."

Hmmm, I restart and nothing works.

Okay, I will use the "Repair" option from the install disk. Put disk in, reboot from DVD and go to repair.

"This version of repair is not compatible with this version of Windows."

Huh? It's the same DVD it was installed from.

Well shit, I'll just reinstall. There was nothing much on the disk anyway, Steam and Quake was all, because I just replaced the SSD in July.

Reboot from DVD and go to install.

"Windows cannot be installed to this disk. The selected disk is of the GPT partition style"

What? It was just RUNNING from that disk 30 minutes ago.

So Google tells me I need to delete all the existing partitions. Well, I didn't really want to do that because there's several games in the Steam folder that would have to be re-downloaded and some saves I might want to keep. Luckily I had a couple of new SSDs not in use yet, so here I am fucking around with a computer when I really wanted to be doing something else. Thank you Microsoft. 

 

Naughty Dog has the answer https://twitter.com/tdDaz/status/775856063543291904 

anyway it's giblets with an L, not gibets. 

The most annoying thing about Windows is that while I can install it in 10 minutes, it can take another hour to make it look and work the way I want it to.

So many of Microsoft's default settings make me want to bang my head on the desk. Thankfully, a couple of years ago I wrote myself an 8 page instruction sheet, so I can usually get it done fairly quick.

The fact that almost all the software and programs I use run in portable or semi-portable mode off a completely separate disk helps a lot. And I have a flash drive with a separate folder for each computer that has all the chipset, ethernet, etc drivers and stuff needed for a re-install.

It's been 2 hours and the machine is pretty much back to where it was. About all that's left to do is copy Steam and Quake off the old drive. 

 

I already use Debian on my lab/workshop computer, and I should be able to retire my Windows server this week. I have a FreeNAS box to replace it, just need the new drives to finish testing and then I can set it up.

I don't really find Linux any easier to use than Windows, if anything it's harder to make it do simple stuff, but at least it doesn't give me that icky "we're spying on you" feeling all the time.

Sadly, because of games mostly, I think at least one Windows/Steam machine is going to be a necessity for a while. 

I really hate Windows sometimes. I was messing around in the registry and accidently deleted... 

Seems like one of Microsoft's tracking methods is called "jump lists", sort of like a most recently used list, but it includes things like web addresses you've visited. Even if you turn off the option to keep a history of recent files and such, it looks like it still records them, they're just not shown.

While using "private browsing" in Firefox, Windows still writes data to the folder where the history file is saved. That doesn't seem right, and I was trying to find a way to remove the folder, but it's some kind of super-protected system file. I was poking around in the registry to what could be done there.

It was an accidental error, but regedit has no undo function and I hadn't made a backup because it was a relatively fresh install.

I finally ended up just removing all permissions from the folder and now I don't see any writes being made. 

If Quake was done by the same people today, it would be a VR board game set in an ancient Chinese holographic world with an upbeat pop-goth soundtrack. 

It would have in app purchases. And bug you about sharing match results on facebook. 

Good to see you still lurking around (lol that's all I'm doing these days too).

I don't want Windows 10. I think I might actually bite the bullet and switch to Linux. I'm pretty incompetent and lazy, but all Microsoft had to do to keep me as a user, was simply refrain from doing all the bullshit they did do. 

Linux isn't bad. The biggest problem is that there's too many of them. I think I've got 6 or 7 on my test machine. Sad thing is, I don't really like any of them.

I've used Mint for almost 2 years on one machine, but the only thing it's used for is web browsing and e-mail. Too much use of that snot green color, other than that it's okay. 

I like using arch, although I've only ever run it on headless systems that i just ssh into. The package manager is quite nice, and there's plenty of documentation out there.
I'm pretty sure it's not too hard to build a good desktop GUI on arch, you just need to know what works well with your hardware and how to install it. I've never tried though. Still, if there isn't a particular distro that you like, Arch might help you build one better suited to your needs.

Of course, if the issue is more to do with linux and its ecosystem in general, not much help there... 

http://www.quaketastic.com/files/Screenshot_20160917-100256.jpg 

q1tm3_hrimfaxi: Raisins in a box
q1tm3_hrimfaxi2: Careful with that axe

From a turtle map of January 2004. I especially liked hrimfaxi2. 

Hrimfaxi named a map after a Pink Floyd song I love and always thought would make a great map name.

Linux

I use an old HP notebook to watch Netflix on TV. I had a few problems connecting to TV thru HDMI on Windows 7, but it was working. Then I updated do Windows 10 and it stopped working completely. Searched for solution, tried to update drivers. Nothing. Then I installed Windows 7 back. Nothing. Then Windows 7 started to ask for activation.

I installed Ubuntu Mate. HDMI working wonderful, easy installation, fast boot, no hassle. Mate is classic interface, very easy and fast. And free. 

I don't like that song much but I love Floyd and that title, and I've played good maps by Hrimfaxi before so I'll have to download this. 

Are great for map names. 

Dibs on Welcome to the Machine. 

Yeah! I have always loved Pink Floyd.
Made a few maps with titles from Floyd,
Pow r Toc h, Set the Controls and the above Careful...! Any more? Hmmm... don't remember. 

My TCC at college, back in 1995, was a strategy 2D game in Visual Basic, called Sysyphus. 

 

The Division Bell would be a great map title. Imagine a map split in two by a huge chasm, with a tall steeple in the middle. Of course, the bell would go bong! bong! either during the whole game or only for the final fight.