Tom's Hardware > Forum > Linux/Free BSD > Linux/Free BSD General Discussion > Force boot linux?
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amdfangirl   10-30-2008 at 10:57:16 AM

Hi ya,
Is it possible to force a school computer to boot Linux if the boot priority is NOT set at USB/removable hardware? I prefer Linux over Windows at school... Will be using 2GB USB key...

-amdfangirl

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audiovoodoo   10-30-2008 at 11:07:31 AM
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Try F8 for boot menu options. This is however likely in breach of your school IT policy. As somebody that enjoys computers yourself maybe you should think about showing some respect to the admins there at the school, or asking them nicely if you could have a Linux PC in the lab to use alongslide the Windows ones. Do you have a computer club at the school? Could be a good way to get the ball rolling.

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amdfangirl   10-30-2008 at 11:45:05 AM
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Sorry I've tried. BIOS is locked... also I have no respect for the the admins. They hate me because I constantly annoy them with suggestions. No much point tho, you see, we have a mac community of laptops and PC desktops (for when we don't feel like carrying the laptops to school)

Oh well I know what's gonna happen to my issued Macbook...

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ijack   10-30-2008 at 12:03:50 PM
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Sounds like your admins are doing a good job!

I don't want to sound rude, but if you ever end up with a job administering computers you may begin to understand why they seem so restrictive. I know that when you are young it seem like you know everything and older people are stupid, but it's amazing how much wiser older people become as you grow up.

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Bronze Linux badge linux_0   10-30-2008 at 12:21:20 PM
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While you should show some respect if they have an unreasonable "no Linux" or "no open source" policy then they should be challenged

Especially in an educational environment you would want a very diverse mix of hardware and software because your goal should be to educate people about all the different platforms, besides you can save a boatload of money by using all the various open source operating systems and only offering a couple of closed source options

As audiovoodoo said, you can try F8 or F9 or F11 or whatever the boot order key is on those motherboards if they have that feature and it's not disabled

:)

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Bronze Linux badge linux_0   10-30-2008 at 12:25:54 PM
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The are other ways to get a pc to boot but the easy ways to do it will get you in trouble because you'd have to take the cover off

:)

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ijack   10-30-2008 at 12:55:05 PM
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Personally I think that one should always try and work with SysAdmins rather than pushing against them. There are all sorts of reasons why systems are set up the way they are, and why there are particular restrictions, that are not always self evident to an end user, particularly a pupil at a school.

I agree with audiovoodoo that the best policy is to try and persuade the admins to set up a separate Linux PC rather than trying to run an unauthorised copy of Linux on one of the Windows machines (particularly since Linux would give full access to the Windows partition).

Apart from any other argument, gaining unauthorised access to any computer system, which is what is being suggested here, is a criminal offence in most countries - it certainly is in the UK.

I know that I sound like a boring old fart, but sometimes when has to work with the system rather than against it.

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audiovoodoo   10-30-2008 at 09:06:13 PM
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Glad to see I'm not the only one who had the battle the other way round here ;)

Alternative idea: How about setting up a VNC/SSH setup to you machine at home. You can even serve it through a webpage, serving the viewer applet from your own PC acting as the server. Take the browser session full screen at school and just run it all of your own PC at home. Nice little project to keep you busy and your post count down :P

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amdfangirl   10-31-2008 at 11:21:31 AM
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^ Okay then...

I'll comply with the sys admins... for now... ;)

If you want my post count to go down give me chocolate

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