Category: Windows 7

Windows 10 was End of Life – So I decided to go to Linux Mint using ChatGPT!

Paul
A fun illustration of a person stepping off a sinking ship with the Windows 10 logo on its sail, onto a bright, stable island with the Linux Mint logo. Bright colors, cartoonish but clean, eye-catching.
A fun illustration of a person stepping off a sinking ship with the Windows 10 logo on its sail, onto a bright, stable island with the Linux Mint logo. Bright colors, cartoonish but clean, eye-catching.

Windows 10 = End of Life updates

We knew this was coming a mile a way.   It’s been advertised by Microsoft for years now and I just didn’t like Windows 11 and how they were wanting everyone to have an account to be able to use Windows 11.  I shouldn’t need to link my account and that is one reason I “Jumped Ship” to Linux Mint.   Don’t get me wrong, I use Windows 11 at work and I have no problem with it in my organization but Microsoft has very little information from my work life to my personal life and I am going to keep it that way.  Since Microsoft is wanting to prevent users from making local accounts, I0 decided it was time to go check out some other operating systems like Linux Mint.

Using ChatGPT to help Installation!

I knew with my own built system, I built this desktop from mother board to GPU and Intel cpu.   I knew I would have some issues with the installation of Mint to this system because it isn’t a prebuilt or one that is built by any companies.  Let me be clear my system was built by me 3 years ago and it has been solid ever since the real issue is that the Mint is a lot of time developed for prebuilt systems, Asus, Dell, HP, and even Microsoft computers.    It’s not something that will be a lot of issue for most because if you have a laptop or desktop that is pre-built then it most likely will install without a problem but my system has some special needs.  I need it to do Video editing, Gaming, and even word processing from time to time.   That’s where ChatGPT was really helpful.    I didn’t have to go searching Google or Bing for how to solve issues like my video drivers and my KeyChron Keyboard which is AWESOME with this setup.    Don’t get me started on Getting Resolve Video editing to be able to work with Linux but Chat GPT walked me through how to setup all the things I needed for me to be able to do what I needed.   It even suggested ways to install the software from

Apt-get  update to Apt-get Install
  Or from the
Software Manager

First Impression of Linux Mint

It’s really not bad and I have a Good Geoforce RTX 3050 that is working just fine with the video drivers that I installed using ChatGPT.   Gaming on it might be a bit different but most of my games including Microsoft Flight Simulator 2020 and Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 are working just fine using Steam and Proton.   They’ve really did do a good job with that and making it more available to the Linux Community is strangely getting better and better every day.  I’ve used ChatGPT to help install Microsoft Flight Simulator even though there is people who have talked about how to get it to run on ProtonDB but it would of been harder to do without using ChatGPT to help install and get the game running smoother than it would have in previous years.   The graphics for the game are top notch even now using the Graphics drivers and it even has seen some better FPS on MINT than  Windows 10.   So I can’t say I am looking at this without saying it is getting better.

 Final Thoughts on Mint

If you’re staring down the “End of Life” message on Windows 10 and wondering what to do next, Linux Mint is absolutely worth trying. The learning curve is real, especially on custom-built hardware like mine, but ChatGPT made every step from Nvidia drivers to DaVinci Resolve, way easier than digging through old forum posts.  What surprised me most is that not only does everything I need actually work, but in many cases it works better. My games run smoother, Resolve is stable, and my Keychron keyboard feels like it was built for Mint. If you’re on the fence about switching, let me just say this: I wish I had done it sooner.

In my opinion I’d say give a few Linux Operating systems a try and decide which one is best for your situation and know that at the end of the day.  Your data is kept away from Microsoft now that you are using a free operating system.

The Surprising Advantage of Being Talkative in Job Interviews!

Paul

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Be Yourself in an Interview!

Understanding is the best solution to being good talker in the interview.   There are many who are saying you shouldn’t talk that much in an interview.  I tend to think this isn’t really a good approach unless you want to come off as one who doesn’t want to be engage with the interviewer(s).   Some would say, that you should just be yourself and I think that is good because if you are comfortable with the interviewers than it comes off as good fit for the job.   If you come off as nervous or uncomfortable then you may come off as not the right fit.   You might not know it or not but having the secret to keep quite maybe is the one thing that didn’t get you that one job.   You should be actively listening but you should also be engaging and be ready to show them that you are the right fit for the job.

Showcase your Knowledge, Passion and Expertise

One of the biggest advantages of being talkative is that you show your passion and experience in during the interview.   Some manager’s will like it and others will not, It just varies from one person to another.   Some managers will want you to be concise and to the point because they are way busier and maybe don’t have the time to do the interviews.  Read the room and understand when they are ready to go.  Showing you have a passion will in one way or another provide them the assurance that are the right fit for the job because they don’t want to hire someone who will hate their job and just do the bare minium.   Building Rapport is also good because they will want to know that you can do the job and put the customer first.   Also let’s not forget that if you have the ability to build a connection with the interviewers because they will get to know you even more and They may see that you have a lot to bring to the company, which could lead you to having a job offer come your way.

Authenticity and Positivity

Both words are nouns but they have some great advantages as you are interviewing.   You being authentic can help them see your personality and even see your values while at the same time measuring if you will be someone that people will come to acknowledge and being personable with.   It’s only human nature to want to create connections and be social, so there isn’t anything wrong with being authentic and personable towards the interviewer(s).    The real aim is that you shouldn’t talk way to long and you should keep your answers short as possible but you should also actively listen and respond to questions or show them you are the right candidate in one way or another.  Just remember to address the potential concerns that the interviewers might have and by doing that you are also showing that you are concerned with their feelings.

Stories help make it memorable

Remember to be authentic but also come up with stories that will showcase why you are a good fit for the job.   Understanding the job description and knowing what they are looking for can go a long way into being memorable.  They created the job description for a reason and we should be mindful of that while interviewing with them.  It’s definitely a two way street when it comes to job interviews, You get to know the people and make a connection with them and also learn more about them and see if the boss is someone you would like to work with in projects and other ways.  Ultimately you will be working with this manager and you’d have to decide if they will be a good influence on you and vice versa.   No manager is the same and as such you can tell from the interview if the manager does a lot of micromanagement or if they are more free spirited which can be a great plus in any work environment.

Have you had experiences where being talkative helped you in an interview? Share your stories in the comments below! And don’t forget to subscribe to my blog for more career tips and advice.

 

3 Dos commands that you need to know!

Paul3 Replies

DOS Rocks!

Direcotry of System or Disk Operating System (DOS) is one way the technology is good at fixing certian issues. I am going to talk about some that you might or may not know about.  Each command is good for those who are connected to through a network or network group.   If these system are on the same workgroup and are on the shared through the network this will help you in solving those really problems.   You’ll love these as much as I use them because they are really good at keeping you looking like a genius.

FSUTIL (Microsoft learn)

C:\fsutil volume diskfree \\(Shared drive)  

You’ll need to add the \\ as the shared drive or shared system that you want to know how much space is left on it if you need to know at a quick glance will this file or program fit on this drive.   It’s very useful for those times that you may need to keep track of the space.

QUERY (Microsoft Learn)

query session /server:computername

query users /server:computername

one of thse can be used to determine if there are users who might be causing problems by being logged in but aren’t actually doing anything on the system.   These users could be from a previous shift or might of been logged in for a while without any activity.  So this helps to know if a program or access is causing another user from not being able to do their job one way or another.  This is great tool for corporations where more than one users could be using the system at one time or another.

LOGOFF or SHUTDOWN

logoff [<sessionname> | <sessionID>] [/server:<servername>] [/v] (Microsoft Learn)

shutdown /l /r /m:(Computername)  (Microsoft Learn)

Each one of these commands does about the same thing but one reboots the system also because you never know when the remote system might need to be rebooted also after forcing the user to logoff.   So you can decide which one you might need to user remotely for a system.   You can even add in comments or tell the reason why the system rebooted with the shutdown command by adding  /d [p : u](Planned or Unplanned with a number 1-256) .   I will remind you to be cautious as to what you put down as the reason and you can even specifiy how long to wait before the system reboots by adding /t 0-256 MINUTES.   Each one of these command can be helpful for you when you are trying to solve some minor major issues with a system not working properly.

DOS is Powerful

Wheather you want to believe it or not, DOS can be a very useful tool for those who might need to fix issues with the system like windows and other issues that you might need help to fix certain issues that might arise on the system.   You can find some great useful tools at the DOS prompt but you have to be willing to learn it even more than most because it is so much like Linux.   I definately say old and new techs should know how to do this and use the dos prompt when you need to fix issues.  Do you have a favorite command prompt that you use?   Why not leave a comment and tell people about the command that you think is the most useful command?   I’d like to hear it and learn even more about the power of using the DOS prompt.

It’s not a Bug but a feature : The Print Nightmare and Microsoft

Paul

It's Not a Bug but a Feature Comic

The Benefits of a central print server

It can be challenging to have a CPS(Central Print Server Infrastructure) due to a lot of demanding things.  This is the nature of allowing users to print to one location can bring on so many problems with how the IT people deal with it can seem almost impossible to some and down right chaos to others. After all, we have to deal with printing issues from time to time and even the unexpected problems that might arise.  For instance just in September, Microsoft released an update to the Print spooler and point to print features to cut off access to a zero day vulnerability called “Print Nightmare”.  Microsoft has stated in the past this was always a feature and not a bug, but I am sure that people may think this shouldn’t of been a feature to begin with.  Even then, you still have issues with having to fix the issues that Microsoft broke in the updates that are supposed to fix those other issues.   The Cost alone of productive might be hindered by the fact that workers can’t print what they need to print or have access to scan the papers they might need to scan to email or to use in production.

IT support

It will cause challenges to the IT support because it might not be as easily seen as you might expect with the current climate of people working from home or remote support.   After all, you don’t have any way to physically touch the printer or to examine the printer in details to know if it is a software or hardware issue.   This can be an issue on itself because some printing issues are both hardware and software in the same light.   One might look like a software issue but later find out it is a hardware issue because the manufacturer has determine the EOL(End of Life support) for that hardware.   In the end the printing to a centralized printer can have some good and bad benefits to all.

Acceptance of Printing

Even the accepting that you can not print can even be a challenge for the office staff.  There will be days you can’t print and there will be days you can print.   The office team will have to have ways to get around those challenges day by day.   They may eve have to come up with backup plans in case they may need to print something that day and we have issues just like this.  Although those are probably few and far between due to the how we are more dependent on email now a day.  It however isn’t something we should over look because of just how much people may need to use a printer.   There will always be a need for paper backups and there will always be a need to snail mail a form.  These are the challenges they will always face and we must accept that we will be there to fix their issues when the need arises.   Do you agree or Disagree?

How I passed my A+ Certification

Paul
Photo by Valentine Tanasovich from Pexels

How did I pass my Core 1 and Core 2?

If you haven’t read about my journey in to getting my A+ certification then you really should go back and read from the beginning. It all started in Sept and it took me a Month to get it. After the first failure, I thought to myself will I even be able to get a good grade on my Core 2? That was the really a good question in my mind. Could I get a passing grade in the Core 2, or would I fail that one also. I did some preparing for Core 2 and that seemed to help. I was sure I was going to fail but I went to take my Core 2 even though I failed my Core 1. You can take Core 2 even if you fail your core 1, I found that helpful to know that you didn’t have to pass the tests in order to get your certification.   It can be quite frustrating to get worry about getting the exam done and getting the certification.   I am sure I am not the only one who had this stress.

So How did You pass the 2 time around with Core 1?

I’ll tell you what I did but I knew I didn’t have to study as much as most because I’ve been doing computer repair for years and I understand some basic concepts well before I even took the CompTIA Tests.   I knew about it due to my life long experience about 10 to 20 years and that is just the beginning on how I didn’t expect to fail the first time around.   The other part depends on your first score was it really low or did you just barely miss the 675 or 700 points needed to pass?   My first score for Core 1 was just shy with 37 points needed to get a passing on the core 1.  You can pretty much do the math but it was 638 was my first score.   So I knew I only had to study  a little bit those with lower scores will probably need to study even more. You can go back and find out how I prepared for the Core 2 but I wanted to pass my core 1 test for sure so I went into depth even more just to be sure.   Here’s how I prepared to take the Core 1:

Even though this is very little I did differently, it obviously did help with my grade as I went up by almost a 100 points after take the Core 1.   If you really need to get your score this is definitely a good step to do to get your points you need to get your certification.   I know this isn’t going to be for everyone but I did learn a thing or two.  Know how you learn is how you get the good grades and this is the first step at getting grades you want in college and even in exams.   I can’t emphasize this as much as I should because people just don’t understand that their way of learning is far different than those that learn a different way.

How did you pass your Core tests?

I’d really love to know how others have passed their core tests.  Why not leave a comment and tell me what you did to help others to get the grades they need to get their certifications.  I am finally certified in A+ and that is a big accomplishment for me.   I worked really hard at it and now I have something to show to employers who might require that to get a job.

Have a good Tuesday everyone.