From a Tech Catastrophe to a Linux Solution
This is a story about recovering critical small business docs using old hardware and Linux software.
What a modern Linux desktop looks like, even on a 15-year-old computer (screenshot by author)
The Catastrophe
Recently, a client contacted me in panic. They had dropped their laptop down the stairs, and the screen was no longer working. They could turn the computer on/off, but it had no screen. The problem was that this laptop runs their home-based business. They had orders to fulfill and were on a deadline with their online marketing.
Before rushing over, I asked if they had any other computers they could use. My client said they had a Lenovo Windows computer. Great, I said. I’ll be right over. I figured I could just plug the screen from the Lenovo into the laptop and get them back up in no time, allowing them to access their critical files immediately and giving them time to consider repairs.
Easy. I’ll bring my screw driver, and just to be safe, extra cables and my trusty old USB drive with Windows installation files. I figured that’s a 10-minute job + travel time, so 1 hour tops.
Except that it wasn’t. As I was sitting in my car at 3pm in LA traffic, I was starting to doubt my optimistic outlook. I was right to have trepidations. This was going to be another adventure.
Other than a bag of cables that I always keep in the car, this is all I brought with me (photo by author)
Evaluating the Situation
After I looked at the laptop, the screen had literally detached from the computer. It wasn’t going to be something I could fix. The second problem was that the HDMI output which was near the hinge, was also smashed. I could see that some of the solder points were broken, so this wasn’t going to be an easy “fix.”
But that was just one of many other issues…
I decided that I could probably open up the laptop and put the hard drive into the older computer, but that wasn’t going to be so easy. That older computer had issues, not the least of which was that there was no monitor. The computer had not been used in years, so no one knew where the monitor was. They only kept the old box because it might be “worth something.”
This was a problem, a big one. I asked the client if perhaps they had a TV we could use. Yes, but it was in the living room… attached to the wall. Bummer. I was able to get to the inputs in the back. It was also an older Plasma and had no HDMI inputs. It did have a VGA input, though, and so did the old box.
I usually travel with all kinds of cables and adapters in my toolkit, so VGA was something I was prepared for. As I learned in the Boy Scouts, you should always be prepared for the unexpected. We plugged the old box up to the TV, and booted her up…
Except she didn’t boot…
Old Windows Woes
I first thought it might be the TV connection, but it wasn’t. Unfortunately, this computer was over a decade old and had probably not been turned on in over a decade, either. That old version of Windows 7 Home wasn’t loading.
I could have started in safe mode and done a system recovery, but let’s be honest, who has the patience for that, and I was also on the clock. I was now well beyond my 15-minute quick-job estimate, not to mention the time it took me to get here.
Even if we had managed to raise Windows from the dead, that version is long out of date. That means that it probably would have made us sit through a gazillion upgrades. Another thought was to install a fresh version of Windows 7 from my own USB drive, but that would also take hours…
And I hadn’t even removed the physical disk from the laptop yet. While I pondered my options, I decided to shut the old box down and start on that part of the project. Sometimes when confronted with difficult problems, it helps to let your mind work on them while you do something simple with your hands.
If only…
More Hardware Hurdles
Removing the drive from the laptop wasn’t easy either. First of all, it required Torx bits, which I did have with me, but it’s clear they don’t want regular people working on computers these days.
However, the damage from the fall also twisted some things inside. When we are done with this project, this computer will definitely be ready for salvage. Fortunately, modern laptops have solid-state drives, so I wasn’t too worried that the drive would have issues…
Except that it wasn’t a solid-state drive!
Really!?!
It had a regular HDD hard drive! This is worrisome because these have lots of sensitive moving parts compared to more modern solid-state SDD drives. It was actually an upgrade from a drive that had died before. Hint-hint! Why didn’t they use an SDD for the upgrade then?
I didn’t have time to ask more questions. My new concern was that this drive with sensitive moving parts may have been damaged from the fall. I took the drive to the living room where the old box was sitting on a coffee table so that the cables could reach the TV on the wall. When I opened the old box, I had another unpleasant surprise.
Old computers like this one are typically placed on the floor under a desk in a dusty corner for extended periods. This one most certainly had been, but this one was filled with cat hair. Apparently, the old fleabag liked to sit on it for warmth. A note to everyone out there who has a cat and a warm computer: don’t put your repair person through this.
Fortunately, their vacuum made quick work of the hair and dust. The critical cooling fans inside didn’t seem to be too mucked up. I sensed a glimmer of hope at this first bit of good news.
The old box with the laptop hard drive, after a thorough vacuuming of dust and cat hair (photo by author)
Connecting the hard drive from the old laptop was fairly straightforward. I had brought plenty of cables, and there was enough room inside for the second drive. I even had a plastic hard drive bracket that I was able to screw into two holes on the chassis – much better than using Velcro (which I also typically have on hand for these types of projects).
So now I needed to figure out how to get the old box back up and running. Fortunately, working on the hardware had allowed me to think up a solution. It was a good thing, too, because I was a good two hours into this project now.
How To Resurrect Old Computers that Windows Doesn’t Like
On my (very handy) USB drive, I have several different versions of Windows installation files as well as many rescue tools and networking utilities. However, it also contains several other operating systems, including unique versions of Linux for just about every type of computer and device. If it plugs into the wall and has a screen, I have a tool for it.
For the old box, I took a minute to read the room. My client was breathing down my neck about getting to his files, so he needed a solution fast. While he was a lifelong Windows user, these days he is much more comfortable using his iPhone, so I decided on a version of Linux he could quickly start using.
Now Linux isn’t the mystical realm of command line wizards anymore. It’s come a long way, and for this computer I installed Ubuntu Linux Budgie – yeah, it’s a long and weird name, so for simplicity I just called it the computer Budgie – easy and kinda cute, too. The reason I chose this version of Linux is that it runs on older computers and is very easy to use. If you know how to use an iPhone, you can use Budgie.
Another reason I chose Budgie is that it has all the apps he would need built right in. This is because it is part of the Ubuntu world, and they are the largest Linux company out there. If my client wanted to stay with Linux long-term and wanted to pay for support, that’s an option too.
This is the file manager in Budgie. It defaults to a dark theme, but other than that, it looks surprisingly like Windows, doesn’t it? (photo by author)
For busy solopreneurs who just need to get things done, Budgie is easy, fast, capable, free, and has support if you want to pay for it. Setting it up was just a matter of inserting the USB drive, selecting a few options much like in with installing Windows, and then waiting for the system to install everything.
While the installation took a bit longer on this older computer, it was still orders of magnitude faster than installing a fresh version of Windows… and there was no need to then install Microsoft Office, drivers, and a gazillion updates, either. Budgie was completely installed, updated, and ready to use in about 15 minutes.
Yes, really.
I did do some custom configuration for this client. I set up remote access, automated regular system snapshots, configured the firewall, and ensured that they had access to their online stuff like Google and WordPress, but it was all very quickly done. If I had to do all that configuration with Windows, it would have taken far longer.
Even if I had opted for an all-Windows solution, this would have required proper licensing. Another problem is that the hardware would likely not have supported any modern version of Windows, so the end result would have been significantly more complex, time-consuming, and expensive for my client. As a small home-based business owner, that simply wasn’t in the cards.
This is a Microsoft Word document opened in LibreOffice, again, very similar look and feel (photo by author)
A Budgie for Every Small Business?
Clearly, this project turned out to be a bit more difficult than I had expected, especially considering the hardware setbacks. However, this is why it is important to carefully assess the needs of the client and the situation they find themselves in. In this case, this was the best solution I could provide that met those needs.
Now I know that Linux isn’t a solution for everyone. I am always very careful when I suggest it to my clients. I also typically set up a secure remote access configuration (if they are OK with that) to provide remote assistance should they run into any problems.
When I’m not under the gun to deliver a quick resolution to an emergency and we have time to weigh options, I typically recommend that my clients consider having a second computer running Linux. I give them four important reasons:
It’s great for older computers
It’s more secure from viruses, malware, hacking, ransomware, etc.
It can do far more than Windows
It’s free
It is true that Linux is a bit different in the way that it works. It also requires more self-reliance and a willingness to find answers online. However, those can also be attributes. Self-reliance is never a bad thing, especially for small business owners.
Likewise, it can be an opportunity not just to learn something new, but it also broadens one’s general understanding of computers. This can be incredibly valuable as new technologies from AI to quantum computing start to impact everything we do. This new knowledge could reveal new possibilities for your business, too.
Likewise, looking for answers online is also a great opportunity to meet people virtually. Many of the people who contribute online are also small business owners. Some may just be using Linux for the same reasons as you are. These can become new clients, new partners, and raise the reach of your own business into communities you previously had no access to.
With Budgie (Ubuntu Linux Budgie), it is also incredibly easy to get started. Just vacuum the pet hair out of that old computer you stashed in the garage, install Budgie on it, and make this into a fun project for the summer. I’m quite certain it will bring many unexpected rewards.
