Maximum PC - UK (2019-09)

THIS MONTH THE DOCTOR TACKLES...

↘ submit your questions to: [email protected]

Linux on the Go

AMD Upgrades

Cryptic BSODs

Mobile Linux

Dear Doctor, I am trying

to install Ubuntu on my

HP Stream Notebook. The

problem I’m having is that

I can’t get the notebook to

boot from my USB drive.

Please help! –Matthew Parr

THE DOCTOR RESPONDS: It

sounds like you’ve already

downloaded Ubuntu and

created a bootable thumb

drive. But the notebook’s

eMMC storage device is the

first device it looks to at

startup, so Windows loads

before the UEFI even sees

your USB key. The fix should

be as simple as rearranging

the firmware’s boot order.

With the USB drive plugged

in, repeatedly tap F10 as the

Stream powers on. If you’re

successful, the HP Setup

Utility should appear. If not,

it’ll continue loading Windows

and you’ll have to try again.

Once the UEFI opens, go to

the “Storage” tab and scroll

down to “Boot Order.” Under

“Legacy Boot Sources,” find

the USB key and make sure it

appears before “Hard Drive”

in the list. Press F10 to accept

the selection. Now tab over

to the “File” menu and choose

“Save Changes and Exit.”

The next time you boot up,

your notebook should start

with the thumb drive you

prepared. Just remember

to switch your hard drive

back to the first position once

Ubuntu’s installer finishes.

Next-Gen AMD

Hi Doc, I am finally upgrading

to Windows 10, but I want

to mirror my current setup,

and have some concerns. I

use the C: drive as system

storage, while the D: drive

is a data disk. I remember

having to manipulate the

registry to stop software

automatically installing to C:,

so the drive could be smaller.

Is this the case with Win 10?

I’m also considering

building a new system and

have a question about AMD’s

Ryzen processors. Is it worth

waiting for the company’s

next generation of chips and

X570 chipset, or should I

move forward with its X470-

based platform and a Ryzen

7 2700X that I upgrade later?

This machine will be tasked

with moderate gaming,

moderate photo editing, and

all my other everyday tasks.

Also, what components

would be potentially affected

by the AMD X570 chipset?

–Thom Mason

THE DOCTOR RESPONDS: Be

careful with registry-based

modifications that change

the location of your Program

Files folder. Although there

are numerous tutorials

online explaining how to

alter Windows 10’s default

installation directory, most

of them are also loaded with

comments complaining about

unanticipated side effects.

Microsoft even has a Windows

support page stating it

doesn’t support changing

the location of the Program

Files folder by modifying

the ProgramFilesDir

registry value.

If you want to free up

space on your C: drive, try

less invasive relocations. The

Doc moved his Documents

folder to a networked storage

appliance by right-clicking

it, selecting “Properties,”

tabbing over to “Location,”

and redirecting the contents

to his E: drive. That saved

almost 250GB on his priciest

SSD. You can also change the

default install directory of

applications downloaded from

the Microsoft Store by clicking

“Start > Settings,” then

“System.” Select “Storage”

from the left-hand pane,

then scroll down to “Change

where new content is saved.”

In that submenu, you have

the option to redirect new

apps, documents, music, and

so on. This works best if you

configure it on a fresh copy of

HP’s low-cost Stream notebooks include Windows 10, but make

excellent candidates for a lightweight OS, such as Ubuntu, too.

quickstart

20 MAXIMUMPC SEP 2019 maximumpc.com

©^

HP