Lowyat.NET: Latest topics by backwards

Linux Mint

backwards — Thu, 18 Jun 2026 19:05:55 +0800

Need some expert advice.

I got my hands on an old 256gb M.2 SSD. I put it in a USB enclosure and now I'm thinking of using it to install Linux Mint there to try try. I'm thinking of a setup where I can plug in the SSD and boot when I want to use it, or remove it if I want to use Windows 11.

I've seen some of the guides out there saying to disable Secure Boot during installation, but no mention of whether we can turn it back on after. Is it worth trying with it on? Nothing bad will happen right?

The first guide I saw was the youtube video:

Reading the comments below the video, some people had exactly the kind of problems that I don't want to face...

QUOTE

@SaN_D-S
3 months ago
I installed on external SSD exactly how to did but when I removed the external Linux HDD not the pc goes into grub. I went into boot menu and put windows as boot priority but still no matter what I do it goes into grub! Help

QUOTE

@ComputerTinkerer
4 weeks ago
How did you get it to boot anywhere? I've followed the process a couple of times and it only boots from the computer it was created with. For some odd reason, grub wants to work from the computer, not the external drive.

QUOTE

@rbm314
3 months ago
Please do the last step too, making you skip GRUB when you have disconected the external harddrive and automatically select the primary harddrive to boot from. That's what windows users expect to happen , but which doesn't happen in linux. That's where things tend to go sour and makes Windows users weep that they have bricked their computer. It's easily fixable when you remove grub, but makes sure windows users never trust "easy linux" installation videos again and stay away from Linux instead of choosing Linux as their main system. Don't just show off, show your problems, failures and how you fixed them.

QUOTE

@thelastsamuraibushi
3 days ago
Well, this happened with me.
What happened is, whenever I disconnect external drive and turn my laptop on, it goes to GRUB.
Now, I have to go to boot manager and manually select Windows.

Windows being Windows, it updates and restarts.

Then it goes again to grub.
Haiyaa.
What to do now???

Then I read this one:
https://www.ghacks.net/2025/07/11/how-to-in...n-external-ssd/

There's a section about RST that sounds annoying already. Specifically I don't want to change BIOS stuff and type command line stuff that may mess up Windows:

QUOTE

Switching from RST to AHCI

1. Open Command Prompt as an administrator

2. Type the following command:

bcdedit /set safeboot minimal

3. Reboot your PC and go to your BIOS.

4. Change SATA mode to AHCI

5. Reboot the computer. It will go to safe mode.

6. Open CMD as admin and type this

bcdedit /deletevalue safeboot

Sub RM1000 tablet

backwards — Thu, 27 Feb 2025 11:32:17 +0800

What brand is good for a sub RM1000 tablet? Mainly used for reading PDF files and surfing. Maybe some netflix and youtube. My dad is currently using a Samsung Tab A7 (or something, I forget the model) but the screen is small and 2GB ram means even the interface is not smooth

Based on my research, Samsung seems to be good for long lasting and also gives updates for a long time. But the Tab A9 is 4gb ram. Even if I bump up the budget a bit for the Tab S6 Lite, its still 4gb ram. I'm doubtful 4gb ram will be usable for the next 5 years or so.

So I looked at Redmi, they have some budget models with 6gb and even 8gb but I saw some posts about poor quality, made in India and melting cpu? And the worst thing I saw was about ads. I'm not sure how the ads appear, since whoever mentioned it on reddit wasn't specific... does it pop up when doing random stuff with your wi-fi on? Or just via browsers? Or just via their bloatware? Is it hard to uninstall the bloatware?

And then I looked at Honor Pad X8a, RM749 with 8GB ram. How is it? Anyone have any knowledge or experience with this brand? I only know its a Huawei sub-brand.

I didn't check any other brands, because my head was starting to throb...

Appreciate any comments and suggestions

Unknown app auto-installed?

backwards — Thu, 14 Nov 2024 19:10:31 +0800

Today I found some weird apps in my mom's tablet. One is a game, two idiom apps in Chinese and another one is some kind of loan money app...

The only thing she does with the tablet is surf YouTube. Is it possible those things came from accidental clicks on the ads there? I tried poking around the YouTube on her tablet but couldn't find any ads to test. I'm sure I've seen those around before, but they never appear when I want it to. I don't use the app myself, since I prefer desktop PC so I'm not 100% sure on that.

Can anyone shed some light on this? She doesn't surf the play store so I'm sure she didn't install it herself. All she does is YouTube.

Quick charge cable

backwards — Sat, 30 Dec 2023 09:08:21 +0800

Anyone with experience can recommend a good brand for quick charge cable?

My parent's phones, Samsung A10 started giving slow charging message. If I use my Huawei cable on it, it can charge in 2hr+ as usual but the original Samsung cable takes 3hr+, sometimes more. I guess Samsung gave something substandard because my Huawei cable is even older but still going strong.

So I bought an "original" Samsung cable online for about rm7, the wire looks skinny. It worked fine but after a few charges, cannot already. Now it says take 8 hours lol

Then I ordered one from UGreen for about rm5 but the delivery too long. After more than a week still not packed so I cancelled.

Then I bought one from Mr.DIY, also around rm5. Build quality looks good from the outside, and the cable looks much thicker than even the ori, although I don't know how much is the copper and how much is the insulation. It worked fine for awhile but apparently not lasting as well.

I saw in phone accessory shop unknown brand also close to rm30... I will be seriously unhappy if i spent that and it went the same way as the other two I tried.

Would appreciate any recommendation and advice

Dell Inspiron 3647

backwards — Sun, 25 Sep 2022 11:57:42 +0800

First the power button light gone. Can still turn on fine but no light.

Then the power button starts to be flaky, must press a few times or hold down to turn on. Once its on, PC works fine.

So I thought the button is kaput, i bought an external one. I can't post links but its easily found on lazada.

Then I found out the plug on the motherboard is proprietary and can't just stick the new switch on the pins. So I had to cut the wire and join based on a video on youtube (I can't post links but that guy was transferring his 3647 to a new case and had to do that)

And now, still the same with the external button. Have to hold down or push a few times to start.

I guess that makes it a motherboard problem? Its a 7 year old pc so I'm not too upset about replacing it but just wondering if can be salvage for awhile longer, if anyone has any experience.

Thanks

Mi Stick android updated

backwards — Tue, 05 Apr 2022 09:32:47 +0800

So my Mi Stick updated android and now there's some stupid thing called Enhanced Viewing / Alphonso Recommendations. I can only see bad things on it from a quick google search, but can't find anything about removing it. Not sure if its possible... thoughts?

Obviously, I turned off that stupid Enhanced Viewing thing but there's some articles about that stupid app using the microphone on phones to listen in. Nothing about tv sticks though...

I'm not happy at all

Mi Box or Mi Stick?

backwards — Sun, 16 May 2021 18:27:25 +0800

Hi,

If I just want to watch netflix, google movies & youtube, Mi Box or Mi Stick? Stick is cheaper by about rm100 but I saw somewhere it run a bit warm. Not sure how long can tahan. How about the box? Prefer something long lasting. Not planning to watch a lot, but some things become necessary in the modern world.

Also, Netflix rm17 account can use with this? Or must get the higher $$? Or have to watch on phone and cast to the TV via the box/stick? TV not that big so don't really care about quality coz DVD already looks good on it.

And can anyone recommend a good HDMI splitter to go with it? Cheaper is better, manual also ok.

Thanks