[ale] A reason NOT to remove Windows from a laptop

[Richard Faulkner]

BartPE (Bart's Preinstalled Environment)

This is basically a bootable live Window$ environment that can be built
on optical disk or USB storage.  We used to make custom disks at XM for
system maintenance including Ghosting certain troublesome systems.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BartPE
BartPE 

http://www.nu2.nu/pebuilder/
BartPE Builder

Google "bartpe" and you'll find plenty of stuff on the topic.  I think
there were some licensing issues for using the M$ build of the PE
environment but don't recall off the top of my head.

It's been a while since I've flashed a BIOS but that can be accomplished
from a DOS bootable disk if I recall.  Window$ not required....

Thankfully I find that a good live distro takes care of more problems
than a BartPE disk does.  I've had WAY more need for Linux to fix Window
$ rather than an M$ tool to fix a borked M$ build.  

RinL



-----Original Message-----
From: Ron Frazier <atllinuxenthinfo at c3energy.com>
Reply-to: Atlanta Linux Enthusiasts <ale at ale.org>
To: Atlanta Linux Enthusiasts <ale at ale.org>
Subject: [ale] A reason NOT to remove Windows from a laptop
Date: Fri, 07 Jan 2011 14:12:59 -0500


Hi all.  I have a Dell laptop which I dual boot between Windows and
Ubuntu.  I do about 95% of my activities in Ubuntu, but have a few that
require Windows.  I also support some family and friends which use
Windows.

FYI, I just discovered another reason to leave Windows on there.  I
decided to update the BIOS on the machine to the latest version.  I
discovered that the BIOS flash update program from the Dell website is
designed to run under Windows.  So, it's a good thing I hadn't erased
Windows or I couldn't update the BIOS.

Just thought I'd pass that along.

Ron



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